How To Play Slap Bass #2 - Ghost Notes For Dat Funky Sound

View the lesson material over at Talkingbass.net: www.talkingbas...
This is the second in the series of lessons on slap bass from Mark J Smith at Talkingbass.net.
This lesson covers the use of muted notes or ghost notes in getting that funky sound we all know and love!

[@azeitegallo2]

This is the highest value per minute when it comes to slap bass instruction in the whole internet. No one comes closer.

[@Niggatome]

I love when you say "okay?"

[@celestialandroidmachine]

Haha thought I was the only one 😅

[@Christianonbass]

Right on Brother. Your info is good...but your delivery is great! You have a gift besides just playing. Not everyone can teach like you can.

[@Mikesweet21]

After seing this video, I think its time for me to try practice bass again.. Finally I found the best bass teacher in youtube..

[@jasongoldstein5189]

I taught guitar lessons for years (I've moved onto other things now). I am getting more into bass so was looking for lessons on slap. This is very high-quality teaching, easily worth the price of a private bass lesson (or two). Thanks!

[@elisa19498]

just as mark says don't try to speed up, it is the controliing of the movements, the groove, the touch. when control those you automaticily will speed up

[@reg4321]

Your a very good teacher. Thanks for the tips.

[@nireekshanreddyvnr6890]

Brother in Christ, You are amazing Bass player and Instructor. You are communicating in an excellent way so that any player can understand very easily. I am very much impressed with your Pedagogic skills. You are truly incredibly musician and Teacher.

[@zennor_man]

Mark, you are an incredible player & far & away the best teacher ever...

[@sandravalerio8691]

Best teaching method ever!!! Never thought i'd be able to slap, and now i finally get it!! Thanks for all your time & material. You're awesome!

[@joeayad2577]

chow vetia

[@karasu91]

Although I've played for 15 years, I find this extremely useful and informative. Great work and keep it up!

[@neriaguilar4764]

One of the best slap bass videos ive seen on youtube!

[@samsuh]

The music visualized helps for the note/mute pattern happening at 4:25

[@markbass354]

I'm having a real hard time getting in muted notes, I'm so eager to play on ,I must slow it down a bit but its so difficult wanting to learn fast then I hit a thud on my slapping and have to start all over again. Its amusing and frustrating at the same time but in good time I will get it done correctly. I can clearly see its about control rather than speed, I hope everyone learning slap bass moves forward with good control then speed . This has truly opened up a new door to my bass playing and thanks to Mark for his excellence in teaching slap bass, muted notes etc., etc. .

[@AMadScientist]

Keep practicing.

[@markbass354]

3 years later I see this video and wonder why it was so difficult for me back then , I had a death grip on the neck with my fretting hand , once I relaxed there it is to be had.

[@fireemblemistrash75]

Mark B How is your progress now? I wanna hear after three years of practicing after trying at it for a few weeks now.

[@markbass354]

@@fireemblemistrash75 well Im using a pick now because I lost dexterity in my plucking fingers , playing with a pick aint half bad.

[@fireemblemistrash75]

Mark B oh yeah it ain’t, no problem with that. I like using fingers cos it looks cool. But also I like being able to switch from double thumb to slap, to gallops with only a hand (plus I lose picks badly on stage)

[@cabsline]

I can't believe you do this for free!! Thank you brother.

[@meclazine]

I can take it no more. With the video paused at 17 mins, I am going to get my 76 Jazz out of storage and learn some slap!

[@marcusoroberts]

I've been playing bass for 30+ years. You are really clear in your explanations and have tought me to get better. Excellent vids - thanks!

[@michaelgascoigne1524]

Thanks Mark. Your tuition is excellent. Well paced, clear and easy to understand. At 62, and a pretty average musician, I decided to buy a bass with some redundancy money, having never thought about trying one before. I practiced for about an hour a day, and found that I had some ability with the instrument. However I have struggled getting a consistent and clear slap sound. I think your help has put me on the right road... well, with another year's practice that is! Thanks :-)

[@bassismath9118]

u and scott are both awsome bass teachers......lots of respect for ur time whch u hav donated to make these vdos for learners like me..........god bless u mark....

[@yigitpunkyigit]

Best bass teacher on KZbin!Thanks for your time and great stuff you have done for us!Love,stay happy

[@fivepiece]

I like that this video contains a complete examination of this aspect of playing (albeit, at a beginner level). This means that for the next two weeks of my practicing I'll only need to come back to one video instead of five. :-)

[@waltraudn.1888]

Danke Mark, versuche seit Monaten und habe nicht verstanden, wie es funktioniert. Deine Videos helfen mir sehr. (Thanks Marc, trying for months, not really understanding, how it works, you´re lessons are very helpful, finally I´m getting started with slapping)

[@chayankosambia2676]

Dear sir, Your lessons are much more understandable and well compared to other professional lessons, also the way of breaking down the technique with small exercise is the best way to teach like the players like us

[@jakubturlinski7159]

This lesson is no doubt informational. The provided examples not only encourage to learn the technique but to dance. I advise sampling those examples, looping them and we have a dance playlist.

[@charlescowan6121]

Much appreciated, mate! Think I'm starting to get this ghost note business sorted out!

[@user-bd6ys1so6d]

この動画はベースを演奏する際のゴーストノートの重要性を教えてくれますね。とても分かりやすくて素晴らしいです❗️

[@gannericksonrico5282]

thankyou for showing the way. i never get the OK open E slap until i watched this.

[@fariasfrank]

Thanks for your great lessons. It's difficult to progress unless you are around other Bass players all the time. Than God for KZbin and people like yourself who take time to teach and pass on your Knowledge. Thank you once again and God Bless.

[@elisabergaglio8205]

Thank you !!! i I am listening from France and it's so great you doing this for free !!! i'm gonna be a great bass player thanks to you !!

[@anindyamondal6779]

i have watched almost all tutorial video in you tube to learn slap bass..i found all these talking bass video most useful for this purpose.. thnxz dude..i will be greatful to u if upload video about how to slap like flea..

[@kpts1059]

How are you now?

[@drewvalaika184]

This video and the lesson 1 video were both insanely useful for getting started with slap. Gave me so many great exercises to work with! Thank you!

[@legalprincessfr]

At last, thanks to your video I'm starting to understand how to play slap ! You're quite a good teacher !

[@kikolucesrojas]

22:55 wait, wait, please don't leave!!!

[@gerogerigegege666]

Thank you. This something I really want to learn.

[@jmsshrestha8455]

With this video I can take my bass playing to the next level..thanks man😊

[@marksochan4974]

Very impressive video. Best video on KZbin for learning how to slap.

[@stalin1015]

Very good teacher indeed

[@MegaDieseldriver]

The best bass lessons on KZbin

[@artg9038]

Mark,you are the BEST TEACHER. THANKS !!!

[@chericha]

Thank you for teaching us to achieve the groove!

[@Numbernil]

you are the best teacher i've seen. that's all :)

[@modestorosado1338]

I subscribed to this channel a while ago, but only recently I started following these tutorials and I did improve quite a bit in a couple of days. That said, and although bass is not my main instrument, I wasn't completely new to slap&pop.

[@krzysztoflizon1244]

First you're great bassist, second you're not a worse teacher! Thank you! But the most important is you have the best 'okay' on YT :D

[@laserlithuanian]

great lesson

[@yugnikufesin666]

Thank you specially for your exercises, that will help us to get better technique

[@learnoncology5413]

You are an incredibly great teacher!

[@paulobtuble]

Iam just starting out trying to learn some slap bass techniques. Thank you .

[@alboumcinen5623]

excellent lesson! I love your slap lessons!

[@neilgibbons2532]

VERY HELPFUL 👍 THANK YOU

[@mikoajkircun397]

Great lesson, as always. I love that "ok?" you say :D

[@gomezaddams9221]

best slap/pop bass lesson ever!!!!

[@tay5580]

I love these vids as I am a beginner!! Well done!!!

[@kimfromnewyork]

dammit! these lessons are so good i've now gotta buy a bass!!!!

[@trishanpeiris4247]

IT IS VERY CLEAR TO LEARN FOR BASS SLAPPING BEGINNER AND THANK YOU SIR %%%%%

[@vengadorarkamuz]

Thank you very much for this great lessons!

[@The.Irritations]

Thank you 🙏!

[@derekavery9986]

thnx for the video, its helped me trumendusly

[@elisa19498]

very very impressive. straight and clear, brother . thank you a 10000000

[@tonychiramel4372]

Nice one. Thankyou.

[@aeinarrkrigsson]

for some reason I find more useful to mute with the slapping hand, so I can alternate between palm mute and left hand slap (the one you explain in the 4th lesson of the his series) faster...

[@christophercesar5690]

Thanks for the very helpful lesson, keep it up!

[@nathanlane4110]

awesome i learnt it right away thank you are a huge help

[@laserlithuanian]

great lesson !

[@amberlittle4880]

Don't have a bass. But I like the videos. I own a few guitars. But I love the sound of the bass.

[@priyamondal2053]

Heartiest Tnx to you sir. Very helpful.

[@user-mo9mt6yu8y]

Thanks!

[@kivenmolato5736]

great teaching .. sir..

[@TheDustinnguyen]

Thanks so much for your helpful video!

[@oscardavidrios]

excellent class, thanks a lot

[@sebbe91]

Great lesson! Thanks :)

[@wtfusheeple5383]

thank you,great teacher

[@johndsouzaguitartoday3075]

Thank you

[@EriccsonGuitarBassMan]

greatest ghost notes tutorial of all fucking KZbin!!!!!!

[@omg_wtf]

Thanks for efforts!

[@pedrojohn7097]

really help brother

[@jazzbassfunk5243]

Mark, love your videos....would you happen to have "Bass Slap Techniques" , all of them, on a dvd that could be purchased. Would like to be able to watch on screen while practicing along with video?

[@cfinny70]

bruh u srsly helped me appreciate u for doing such videos

[@ZalMoxis]

Excellent !!

[@DAMAGNINO]

great stuff!

[@diywoodworkingjourney5010]

Thank you. . .

[@gxtmfa]

Question: Are you pulling up on your strings when you thump with your thumb? Or are you always hitting on the top of the strings? Is it down-up, or just a constant down stroke?

[@alanstjohns]

In your honest view Mark, can you be a good/ great bass player - in the modern era - and not particularly be a good 'slap bass player'?

[@talkingbasslessons]

Definitely. Some of the greatest bass players ever have no recorded slap lines. I don't think I've ever heard Hadrien Feraud slap and he's possibly the greatest 'technical' player of all time. It always helps to be able to play slap bass convincingly because you never know when it'll come in handy but, that said, in the last 20 years I've probably been paid to play about 4 or 5 slapped songs. Everything else has been straightforward fingerstyle. All the Victor Wooten and Les Claypool stuff is good fun, creative and artistic and I love tapping and slapping. But in terms of real, grooving, rhythm section bass you can certainly get by without slapping. However, if you want to be a pro sideman, it's still an essential skill to nail because you never know what will be thrown in front of you.

[@alanstjohns]

Ok - great answer, thanks alot - alan, liverpool

[@ShazShaun]

I’m naturally a left handed person, i play right hand bass and guitar (normal)... slap bass is the toughest cos it’s not natural for me... need to work double hard to get it right

[@jjfloyd618]

Great lesson as always but what’s up with all the fret buzz? Makes it kind of hard to watch.

[@cristiansimon5495]

Great!!!! Thank you!

[@sornord]

Never was a fan of slap and pop but it really adds drive to some songs. In addition to full up pick up you're using round wound strings too I suspect for that piano like tone?

[@aavila1206]

The first riff sounds like She's A Railroad by Willie's Nerve Clinic

[@bethjay5225]

I'm really enjoying this lesson. Around 14:00 you start in with the octave lick: slap mute mute pop slap. It looks like you're playing the pop with the thumb. Is that correct? Or are you playing it with the first finger? Maybe I need to go back to the preceding lesson…..

[@JiviteshKharbandaimanartist]

Thats really comenndable i have already subcribed your channel... its really needs patience to work on things n share with people.. thanks for making such videos.. kindly share any video which can help me working on jazz sequences. Like 2,5,1 n 1-6-2-5 , n other which may help me in getting more fluent. Thanks anywayss..

[@richardjohnson6365]

Cool stuff I hope to learn quickly, LOL

[@BassJournal]

Mkay :)

[@TiberiusStorm]

I still think the funky bass lines would sound just as good w/o the muted or ghost notes. The only time it might be mandatory is for slap bass.

[@ksungmin10]

thank you~!

[@AKOragudni]

thanks a lot man

[@anandpaul100]

EXCELLENT THANK YOU

[@adipareira9553]

thanks bro....

[@bethjay5225]

In the final groove you teach, I always get interference from the low E string. How do I make sure it either doesn't play or there's no overtones from the E string when playing on the other strings?

[@alanisarquero]

hola¡¡ muy bueno ¡¡ aprendi mucho de vos groso¡¡¡ gracias por todo¡¡

[@Cr4zyD4vEe]

Good teaching, but I'm not funky enough for B standard

[@Cr4zyD4vEe]

I just realized that I misheard him

[@FelixFellieyanto]

Hey bro! Thanks for your lessons! Just asking, there are some people slaps the bass with just doing a strumming motion, for exampe, you slap the A string, and your thumb end up on the D string. Is that considered as a bass slap too? and is it different with the slap technique you teach? once again, thanks a lot bro! :D