Rockabilly Slap Bass Tutorial - The Single Slap

[@tacyesharp1034]

Brilliant tuition Pixie. Can’t wait to be a slapper 😂Thank you

[@BamboozleHQ]

🤣 being a slapper is so underrated!

[@navycpoemt]

I just purchased a 1947 Kay M1 and have just started to lean to play. I Stumbled across your tutorial videos on KZbin and absolute love them. You are such a good teacher. I have been an educator for many years and know a great teacher when I see one. Thank you so much for your videos. Learning single slap now. For a retired 60 year old, I'm having a blast.

[@BamboozleHQ]

Thank you, what a lovely comment! I have to say, what a great choice in double bass, I bet that is stunning!!! I’m a little jealous 😉

[@dannyfahmy9378]

i love the bow my favourite way to play the double bass is bowing

[@Gypsymojo]

I played the bass when I was 20 for a very short time, I moved on to the Tenor Sax. I hadn't played a musical instrument for almost 20 years, so on my 56th Birthday my wife bought me an electric bass, I have really been enjoying playing again. Well for my 58th Birthday, which is soon, my wife bought me 3/4 Artia double bass, she wants me to play Rockabilly. Omg this is very different to play compared to electric, sore fingers. Your videos are fantastic, you have given me the confidence I need to tackle this hulking instrument, keep up the great work, people like me need it. Cheers Marcel

[@BamboozleHQ]

Thanks Marcel, good to hear from you! I remember the sore fingers well, the only cure is just to keep playing, a little every day. I hope you stick with it, its a wonderful instrument, and well worth the time and effort. I'll get some more video's up soon!

[@LdWDracoFugit]

Thanks for this work! I just started playing a few months ago. I have a teacher, but your videos are a good support for me. Greets from Salzburg, Austria.

[@carlosduran5640]

Gracias. Muy. Buenas. Clases. Era.rockabilli. charly. Chile

[@carlosduran5640]

Bombaze. Gracias. Muy. Buenas. Clases. Charly

[@CarlitosGLRockwolf]

Thanks for your class! It was very useful

[@NilesSpauldingMusic]

This is the best single slap tutorial on KZbin! Thank you so much, really appreciate the fine detail, this video was a huge help to me

[@BamboozleHQ]

Thanks so much! That really means a lot. Let me know how you get on with it! It’s the best playing style (I might be biased)

[@toddrhodes614]

Listening to Bamboozle on Spotify and you guys are Absolutely Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!

[@philipdc]

Thanks - excellent info.

[@BamboozleHQ]

Thanks! Hope it’s useful.

[@leeharrison7743]

This my first ever double bass and will be watching these over and over. Any more tips would be good.

[@BamboozleHQ]

Lee Harrison awesome, great to hear you’re on the bass. I’ve got more videos coming this week, and if you subscribe to Patreon, you get access to our Facebook group for daily advice and also lesson pdfs if there are any for the lesson. Www.patreon.com/BamboozleHQ

[@jensbrinckmann5442]

Hell, yore doing well. Thx

[@BamboozleHQ]

Thanks man

[@Hellnation13]

I LOVE YOU THANK YOU !

[@BamboozleHQ]

💙

[@barbercorner2956]

Hi darling...what kind of string do you suggest me for play slap and pizzicato both? Thank you and you are my best doublebassist

[@BamboozleHQ]

Thank you ☺️❤️. I would use either Rotosound RS400 or Innovation Rockabilly strings, both lovely for slap and pizz

[@barbercorner2956]

@@BamboozleHQ lovely...and amazing DB

[@mikeandrews1240]

That is a beautiful bass. Who makes it?

[@BamboozleHQ]

It’s a Strunal, but a custom one ☺️ love it!

[@edwither8284]

Great video, really good information.... Who makes that beautiful bass?

[@BamboozleHQ]

Sorry for the late reply Ed! Its a custom Strunal, gorgeous bass!

[@edwither8284]

@@BamboozleHQ love it...so beautiful.

[@BenTBrown]

Thank you for the concise explanations and tips! As a (very) long-time electric player, what strings would you recommend? I've started working on the steel strings that are already on my upright but are gut/weedwhackers a more authentic sound? Does it matter? Is one easier/more intuitive than the other?

[@BamboozleHQ]

Hey Benjamin, thanks for the comment, glad you're enjoying the videos! Personally, I'm not a big fan of gut or weedwhackers, they don't hold their tune very well, even though they do slap nicely. The ones I prefer are the Rotosound set, they have nice flexibility but a lovely tone too, so you have a nice compromise between rockabilly and jazz playing. They are nylon core, so don't work with a magnetic pick up, but I love them myself. I've tried quite a few different types and always come back to them!

[@rvoers1]

@@BamboozleHQ I've been using these for years www.thomann.de/nl/presto_nylonwound_ultralight.htm

[@BamboozleHQ]

@@rvoers1 I haven’t tried these out yet. How do you find them?

[@rvoers1]

@@BamboozleHQ They're very stable and reliable. With the comfort of nylon around a steel core. (No I am not selling them :-) ) Just very enthousiastic about them. I hate i when my bass goes out of tune to quick

[@BamboozleHQ]

@@rvoers1 they sound good. Have you used Rotosounds yourself? As a comparison?

[@donaldswan1587]

Hi again Pixie ... could you let us know what height your strings are (and where you measure it!) I just got my bass back from new bridges and Innovation strings, and the action quite high. It seems I have to pull the string miles to get it to hit the board. Im thinking maybe too high?

[@BamboozleHQ]

It definitely sounds like they’re too high. I’m not sure of the exact measurement, tbh, it can depend on the type of strings as the height I have now was fine with my Rotosounds, but with the Innovations I have on now, I need to lower the action a bit as they are higher tension. You want them so it’s pretty easy to achieve a slap sound, you don’t want to be exerting too much energy, but enough space to be able to hook the string. I think mine are around the 5mm mark. I’ll measure for you when I get to my bass

[@donaldswan1587]

@@BamboozleHQ That's really helpful; to know ... thank you Pixie! :0)

[@jockabilly2731]

Hi there great lessons , is it ok for the fingertips to hit fingerboard when doing this technique as mine do when playing d or g , or is the action on my bass too low cheers

[@BamboozleHQ]

Hey Jockabilly! So, the pads of my fingers touch the board when going for the string. If it’s the tips, your fingers might be curled around a little too much. You don’t want to fully hook the string, just scoop it up with the pads, the fleshy part of the finger. I hope that makes sense! How high is your action out of interest? It is easier to learn on a slightly higher action and lower it as you go, but then again, learning on a nice low action will probably get your technique to a higher level faster if you have the patience.

[@jockabilly2731]

@@BamboozleHQ Hi thanks for getting back to me, action is 9 E 8 A 8 D 7 G . Yeh been trying to not hook and use pads to pull slightly toward yourself as per your lesson but find it harder to get a purchase but I’ll persevere lol! Just to clarify is it ok for pads of fingers to touch fingerboard when doing single slap this way and subsequently for double slap etc ? Thanks for any advice I really appreciate it cheers

[@BamboozleHQ]

@@jockabilly2731 yes, for sure. I use the fingerboard to help find the placement, it’s kind of subconscious but it becomes habit over time. You almost scoop the string up off the fingerboard.

[@jockabilly2731]

@@BamboozleHQ Great that helps a lot ! Thanks again cheers

[@BamboozleHQ]

@@jockabilly2731 let me know how you get on!

[@andersthorsen5072]

What type of strings do you use?

[@BamboozleHQ]

I’ve always been a Rotosound girl, those are the ones in this video but currently trying out some Innovation Rockabilly Blacks. Can’t go wrong with Rotosounds though