The #1 Slap Bass Mistake (it's not what you think)

In this quick lesson, I'm sharing a great tip on how to get a great slap bass sound.
Focus on your thumb! The trick is to go through the string instead of bouncing.
As always, see you in the shed...
#Shorts #ScottsBassLessons #BassGuitar
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[@tomsquire2293]

I'm confused. Scott got straight to the point instead of rambling for 10 minutes first.

[@kito5877]

i laughed way harder than i should have

[@ElChadinotunes]

Ha! Thought the same, but gotta love him!

[@aragusea]

Short form content is virtually impossible to monetize. I understand preferring this, but be aware that it won’t pay his bills.

[@kito5877]

@@aragusea I can respect that honestly, thank god you can add chapters to your videos

[@matcat8489]

@@aragusea you play bass?

[@mjtsirhc]

I wouldn't call it a mistake, just a different approach. Marcus Miller and Mark King mostly use the "bounce off" technique.

[@funkypunk1001]

I recently encountered the exact problem that I think Scott is touching on! If you 'bounce' too aggressively off the neck, a single coil pickup will make a harmonic undertone that will mask your playing. It sounds REALLY bad... at least when I do it.

[@mjtsirhc]

@@ScoobySTi777 From what I've observed from his videos, even if his thumb appears to end up below the string that he strikes, it's not really through the string. There are many videos where if you get a side view of his technique, it bounces right back off the string. He does occasionally go through, although that's mostly when he double-thumbs.

[@Alex_Khouri]

@@mjtsirhc Yea, I know what you mean. I do something similar, where my thumb bounces off the string a little but my hand doesn't recoil back, so my thumb ends up landing on the string below. I think I started doing it subconsciously so that my hand would be in the right position to execute a pop immediately afterwards.

[@russellzauner]

they all do both, it's just a question of which types of dynamics their playing style incorporates more as to how much of a bounce player they're perceived as. It's all tools in the shed and helps you put the sound in your mind into everyone else's ears.

[@TenFalconsMusic]

I thought the same thing. This "scott" bloke seems to think his subjective approach to bass technique is universal. I suppose it does make him appear to be an authoritative expert, whereby garnering him more students. All about that £ovely ca$h.

[@nerbkcep2856]

That Forget Me Knots lick made me happy

[@PERIDOTPIMP]

SIMPLY FORGET ME NOTS

[@The_Copper_Element_Itself]

It in fact, cannot be forgotten

[@davidhealy4534]

Men in black

[@FidgetTheMidget8P]

I've never been able to slap and it sound remotely okay. Every tutorial and tip I've seen just kinda glazes over bouncing and makes it look easy I just tried this and now my slap sounds like a real bass player. Thanks Scott

[@whatsittouya1937]

"Bouncing on the D in G-strings?" Scott you naughty, naughty boy.

[@6minus3minus2]

I noticed Larry Graham does this and I was like "dang, if Larry does it, I better learn."

[@jfragale03]

I wouldn’t necessarily consider this a mistake. Since guys like Flea have been able to use this technique to sound great, I feel that it’s more the case of figuring out how to get the slap sound you want.

[@steelman774]

Right. Scott does point out that “most of the legendary…” do thumb through (lookin at you Victor Wooten) but he also said that you see some do. I’ve almost always don’t the bump like Flea, with the side of my thumb knuckle (but no superglue like Flea) but I just can’t get that Flea speed. I’ll try this thumb strum and see if I can get those upstrokes as well like Vic. 🤔

[@PeterKharitonov]

‘Baby, please, forget me not I want you to remember’

[@sssenatorarmstrong3280]

Ive been looking for this comment

[@Noone-of-your-Business]

Oh crap. After 25 years, I need to learn slapping all over again. Serves me right for not looking it up on KZbin in 1993... 😳 😉 This explains why I have trouble with faster slapping riffs.

[@danj8038]

With all that experience, it should be easier for you to adjust

[@rw9495]

Took me over 10 years to bring the bass up off my knees and learn proper hand placement, Flea's bass tutorials did not instill good habits in me lmao

[@pixeltheman]

@@rw9495do you have any useful videos for good technique? thanks

[@nicolasbeaudry6158]

Thank you got it in 30 min and doin 3 triples now never quite had it now you got you hooked can stop slappin 👍🏻❤️💯

[@jrfrondelli2023]

Love your videos Scott! I'm primarily a drummer (51 years) but have played bass nearly as long. This technique of playing THROUGH, and not INTO, is what we use on cymbals. I'm ashamed to say that I had it WRONG on bass, but you just changed that for me. Never too old to learn some new tricks! ;) Thanks!!!

[@lokithabassist1735]

That really helps, I've been struggling with some harder slap riffs. Cheers mate

[@_Only_Zuul]

i've always bounced on E and A and it sound perfectly fine to me. i think there'd be a lot of top players who also bounce on. IMO it's not an absolute, do whichever you like best. i never really slap my D and G, always pop them.

[@FawnDoeMusic]

Ya me too bro. That's the Flea way

[@sethdusith6093]

Okay good... This is what I do. I was worried I would never be a slap a da bass man since I been learning it the "wrong" way

[@M4R14H_H]

@@sethdusith6093 Same here, I saw a tutorial using this slap style back when I was self taught and used it up until a month ago, when I started private lessons and had to learn the bounce method. I thought I was just slapping incorrectly

[@breadlightstick]

WOOOOOOW!! Thank you Scott! I just changed my technique and now it sounds way better. Thanks a millions!

[@devinebass]

Awesome dude!

[@naza220]

I really use both, I wouldn't call it a "Mistake", It all depends on the context.

[@SpicyEel69420]

great profile picture 🥰

[@PhaktTheIsolationist]

I cant even play big guitar but love watching Scott's Bass Lessons. So chill.

[@nanophyr_4468]

Pretty much what Jacob Umansky was saying in the seminar last week :)

[@ToxicSentinelTTV]

I watched this before i bought my first bass as a guitarist, and i slapped a simple nine-note scale. Thanks Scott!

[@AntonioOliveira-em4cd]

Short videos are way more helpful than loooong and complex video! Thx for posting this one

[@JT-si6bl]

A name springs to mind: Mark King. I think he even uses a thumb ring and a Gatling gun. One on each string. Also, another name springs to mind Scotty: Bruce Lee and his Zen of punching through the target. Or cloth... string...

[@jonmora8890]

This is the perfect style of video for me

[@bAgRiMoIrEsS.4]

That's a really tough bass line because of the syncopation that's involved. That's cool. Great job, sounds good!

[@Lightningspiner]

This is actually how I learned and that's why I was able to do double thumb before I started learning the bouncing off 😄

[@penguindrum264]

Yeah, I tried learning to double thumb around the same time I learned to slap and going through the string seemed intuitive for normal slaps for me too. Although I have a bad habit of double thumbing when trying to add ghost notes to the bottom end instead of popping them on the higher strings.

[@Lightningspiner]

@@penguindrum264 I also tend to do double thumbs for ghost notes a bit too much :D

[@megaexidor]

Even you keep improving! Love seeing your thumb parallel instead of down, especially striking through the string👏👏👏🤘🔥

[@normanperkel139]

I slapped through the thumbs up.. Thanks Scott!

[@seanbernard6516]

This bass line always gets me

[@sevandri]

Thanks Professor X

[@robouten3661]

Love Scott!! Thank you so so much!!!!

[@drewharper1891]

This was very interesting, this coming from a 15+ years guitar player. I think bass is just as equal as the guitar, can't we ever get along?! 🤔🤘

[@chiprobeson1658]

I've been trying to learn slap for 3 years, I watched this video sitting on the toilet, got up, picked up my bass and started slapping songs ive been finger picking for years. Mind boggling what a new approach can do. TYSM SCOTT!!

[@mikej2934]

Wow, thanx so much for teaching me and making me better. 👍

[@larrypayton2314]

Thanks for sharing this wonderful ❤

[@Wandplank12]

Use both, analyze the tone, and recognize the right context to use the one or the other technique in. I think slapping through has a sound with more body, but the more treble-y bounce has its own character. Sounds wrong doesn't exist if you can do it consistently. and then its just a tool in your kit you don't use often.. but its still there ready to be used and mastered!! That being said, I suck at both styles of slap... (lack of muscle memory and slap inspiration)

[@alfieharries]

Agreed

[@Dellerss]

Bouncing is far more efficient IMO and looks cooler as a bonus. Unless I'm using the double thumb technique (which isn't often) bouncing is my pick.

[@marg0049]

For some reason I cant get a good tone bouncing off the string,...it's all overtones and sounds choked, so I go through the string exclusively. I agree bouncing is a more efficient movement unless doing the double thumb.

[@HeathParker]

@@marg0049 Is your thumb hitting the fingerboard?

[@auto1nfanticid3]

bouncing isnt more efficient because when you slap through, you can thump again coming up, its called double thumbing.

[@TheYellowWoodRoad]

I am a self learner actually... Never took any lessons on bass... But I literally started slapping strings all the the way! Slapping through the string! That way.. I minimized the pain in my thumb😅

[@dand2760]

Thanks the tip on how it’s done👍🏽

[@breakingblackmagic7617]

Thank you..learning slap..and this helped alot

[@antoinettepierce3330]

Thank you for sharing💗

[@jmoosic]

THANK YOU...I've been searching so long trying to figure this one out. Now i realize some basses depending on the way they are set up will require you to go through the string for a slap sound

[@moppepojken]

THANKS MAN!!! This helped me a lot!

[@aaahdkaha6595]

I'm a guitarist but seeing people play bass looks so strange yet cool to me

[@jackmerucci2398]

The victor Wooten style slap-through seen here is amazing because not only does it sound great, but you can practice and throw in double triple and quadruple slaps going back and forth with the thumb!

[@erickjthemuse]

Victor Wooten also slaps through the string but in his words, he just has one way of doing it and there is no "right" way to do it, and that players will focus too much on their technique and not enough on the Rhythm ans groove of their playing

[@spencernun-ya8462]

This is amazing info. Going to be watching ALL of his videos now!!!!👍👍👍👍👍🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@muscy103]

This was an absolute eureka moment for me. Thanks Scott!

[@muscy103]

As a follow up, I am finally able to start learning Classical Thump =D

[@AoVRelentless]

Forget me Knots was the first slap song I learnt 😍

[@Homanjer]

Yeah that's something I had a hard time with in the beginning. I learned slap sort of the flea way where you're at a 90 degree angle and don't play through the strings at all. But that can be very limiting and because I love Les Claypools way of playing I learned to play through the strings. Did take me quite a long time though

[@derrickbrennan1478]

Nice my brother 👍 Rick Brennan from CHANGE N Philly love always. 333.Rick

[@adikickass84]

Great advice!

[@je4a301]

This is eye opening! Thank you so much!

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@legs5775]

Thanks Scott!

[@zebo3531]

My niece after 25 years wanted me to start playing guitar again but I got my hand injured at a job years ago stopped me from playing (pinky finger)so I went to bass and I always wanted to learn slap and this really helps thank you

[@devinebass]

Awesome dude!

[@rpeet687]

Thank you for the video sir

[@anthonygonsalves3342]

That's exactly what I thought this video was about. Definitely something I need to get better at.

[@dankassgonge]

Honestly as someone who doesnt play any instrument at all I had no idea this was a problem just assumed the correct way shown in the video was just how it should be done from the get go.

[@heyiplaybassguitar]

Thanks for sharing! I definitely bounce when I play slap bass. After seeing this, I can imagine there is a lot of unnecessary and wasted motion when you’re not thumbing through

[@janisach2157]

It helps me to learn more thanx 😁

[@washingmachine531]

Took years for me to learn this. Once you get this down, the double thumb is easy.

[@mathlastencube8326]

I like the way you play guitar bass I want to play guitar

[@Chrisrib]

Its also more relaxing for the thumb muscles...

[@ScttSt_vocals]

Thanks, that was really helpful

[@SheenylHassan]

I love forget me nots. Awesome song.

[@matt4078]

love that the example riff was one of 3 slap riffs I know

[@kingfred7656]

What’s the song called

[@windmill7708]

I love that forget me nots

[@MaddesG1]

the up and down thumping is nice

[@charlesmcgehee3227]

Great tip. And straight to the point. No show off jazzy speed riffs. Great lesson Scott. I'd sign up for your lessons if you did them all straight to the point. You are a great teacher and I'm grateful.

[@adamgordon]

Such a great tip! 🐷

[@ArgathosSnake]

I'm already learning 'Forget me nots' and this vid helped me a lot! Thanks!!

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@dylanwhite123]

Wow. Amazing. Thanks

[@mv9787]

Scott just learned a new technique and thinks the old way is wrong. It’s just a different way to produce sound, not wrong. And that 6 thump thing on Forget me nots is not supposed the be played on double thump. I used to bounce it, now play it through, but not double thumping it. Hardest way to play it, but it sounds the best. And I always want to sound the best! But lately i’ve realized, i want to continue singing, maybe also guitar

[@joeywilhelm6123]

Literally the mistake i did last night while playing the exact same song! I was confused why it sounded a bit funny no matter how hard i tried to play it "clean" Thanks! Ill try this

[@Nodl3Games]

Thank you!

[@dsb227]

Thanks Dude!

[@everydaylife1885]

That is great info

[@billylammersolson6024]

Solid video 👍

[@elihyland4781]

Thanks Scott

[@josephfabriziodawson5566]

A good song to practice, imo and the one I've been using is Sun King by The Beatles. No slap in the original song, obviously, but it helps letting that 7th on the A ring out and getting the filler at G on the 9th which also helps with string switching.

[@danielmugisha8266]

thank you very much! you don't know how much I needed this

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@connerwilkes7008]

Extremely useful thank u

[@maxlove8894]

This was eye opening!

[@troythetinkerer]

Thanks for the tip mate!

[@ivyvey]

oh em geezel! this helped a ton, fank u🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@neilhuey1133]

Thank U I needed to know that...

[@willhelmbrightraven3429]

Thank you for tip bro

[@koishi4265]

There are two ways to slap bounce and rest stroke, they are all correct

[@jackmihov5231]

Great bass lesson. I knew of this technique. I'm a lead singer with a bass in my hands. Holy crap now I've taken up the drums too. Keep the good lessons coming brother. You have my support.

[@sonnyrocks5182]

Awesome advice Scott!!!

[@thetruthexperiment]

That bass has sick coloring. I would go right for that were it in a store.

[@chrisliddiard725]

Finally some solid advice. I had no idea till now. I think i found me a new year resolution. Thanks ;0)

[@devinebass]

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@pareidolion]

Been playing bass for 20 odd years, and although I certainly don't know everything by a long shot, this short is actually one of the very few times I actually learned something that I didn't know at least in principle. Thanks Scott!

[@GarrettMusic1]

Amazing

[@tymstewart]

Thanks! Really great tip. I have been doing a bit more slap recently but could never get the sound I was hearing in the songs. And this is the reason! Excited to practice this one.

[@scottschroeder4920]

Nice one mate!! Thanks

[@devinebass]

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@AdemVessell]

Wow thank you. Great tip🎉

[@devinebass]

👍👍👍

[@saintpenielgaming]

Thank you, i was wondering why i heard the string slap on the frets so much. Irritated me, now im getting the sound i want

[@shodapad07]

Thank you ❤

[@chcegrubalapa]

Pilichowski bounces all time and it sounds great :)

[@davidsimmons4834]

Scott's one minute lessons! Love it!

[@crusaderofunderdogs8005]

Relieved!! I could never do the bounce thing anyway 😆😆 Thank you for clarifying the difference too!!

[@lukeh9199]

I have been looking for someone to explain it like this for a long time. Thank you! Subscription earned