Larry Graham Right Hand Technique

Larry Graham tells the story of his right hand technique.

[@arthurstabolidis3274]

I wish more diplomats and politicians would use walking bass lines like this when trying to get their messages across to us.

[@JustTayo]

I would listen to all political speeches.

[@Aaron-zh4kj]

Bruh, I wouldn't mess a single press conference, you better believe...

[@elvissorna8861]

lmao

[@hybridagri]

Yes so at least their lies and bullshit will be entertaining

[@codyC423]

Imagine this base line behind Joe Biden forgetting where he is on live tv

[@andyandy6329]

"hey larry, how was your mornin'?" - *picks up bass* "lemme tell you a lil' story."

[@pietrocecchi3153]

owl jolson AHAHAH! you made my day!

[@MM-vs2et]

I like to believe thats how he starts his conversations.

[@chillbro2275]

hahahaha xD

[@SunRose768]

Lol

[@johnnybgood774]

💪💪💪💪

[@JohnGuastavino1]

0:28 my man says "what's happnin'" smoother than anything anyone's ever said

[@richsackett3423]

Like he wrote that jam.

[@mecca777]

Drummer: disappears.... Larry: Hold my beer...

[@Detroit1967]

Lol

[@Pedro-td9lu]

what did u mean? friend

[@mecca777]

@@Pedro-td9lu It means Larry is holding down the entire rhythm section without a drummer....

[@Pedro-td9lu]

@@mecca777 awww OK tnx friend :)

[@kamikaze4172]

Hold my guitar

[@GDT1124]

I almost can't handle how god damn funky Larry is. He's incredible. He even speaks with rhythm.

[@hybridslinky4829]

lol, it reminds me of like the sienfeld intro with him just talking over a bassline

[@elenarobert]

you need to wash your mouth out with soup

[@NicoTetrox]

robert todd chicken noodle? Or tomato?

[@hugh2hoob668]

BoomBoomPeanuts That's the coke lol

[@kidkique]

He's speaking in Rhythm because he's playing a song while he talks and when you talk while playing a song that's called singing and singing is done in rhythm

[@Ross_Campoli]

This dude isn't a dude. He's a cat. This is one cool cat.

[@johnnyroastbeef3048]

Cat. Exactly right!

[@733IAM]

You are right...he IS a "cat" he's a LEO!!!

[@Danger0use]

There he is

[@ElGatoVato768]

And a dawwwwwwwg

[@qaws2119]

TOMMY THE CAT?!

[@jonoleech7832]

Imagine just casually inventing slap bass

[@bak1386]

The interviewer is the most 80s guy I've ever seen lol. That hair is really something

[@renhoek3851]

He could tell you about the time he did his tax returns while playing that bass and it would still be funky

[@mikeanglada742]

:D

[@jasonfifi]

it's like the bass version of purdy talking about how the pea soup beat/shuffle came about. so good.

[@dustinsherburne8546]

"Well ya see here.... I went on down to see my cousin Denice... she got her tax prep certification about a month ago... she's askin me about my dependents..." ba dum dum dum dum

[@mons3020]

I tried reading this while the video was playing, and it was impossible to finish the sentence.

[@MrOkobo]

lol man lol

[@grantklentzman4831]

This guy is not arrogant he just has soul and spirit. Not to mention he is pretty humble for being as talented as he is. He should be an inspiration to all.

[@warrenholly2200]

There will always be haters and I ran into some in these comments...UNBELIEVABLE!!!

[@SneedBass]

And also innovating a style of bass playing that sounds incredible. The man is a legend.

[@97JGK]

There's a reason why he's so humble and not arrogant you know...

[@gentlebabarian]

He has all the right to be arrogant.

[@rehondowner3511]

Amen!!

[@pedrobossio5440]

He invented the bass slap/thump but to hear the story as to why he started to play like that really got me. He went to solve a problem and wound up coming up with a technique that has revolutionized modern bass guitar playing. The funny thing is you have people slapping their hearts out today and most of them have no clue where it came from.

[@carmenross7063]

Amazing how where these techniques came from

[@WhizMitchell]

Very true

[@jwall3873]

Most using this technique have no soup and sound like sewing machines clanking away... Try listening to these Sly songs W/ Larry and not tap your foot... Impossible to do-- Larry's soulful funk is undeniable... To bad his innovation has been corrupted to the extent it has! At least he is still around to lay it down he right, soulful way!!

[@jwall3873]

Soul not soup... Flipping spell check

[@freedomofmusic2112]

TRUE

[@Concatenate]

My life has improved at least 74% after having watched this. Thank you.

[@kalletheowner]

4:19 Interviewer finally thinks he can ask the next question.

[@monicastripling8415]

LOL! I thought the same thing.

[@gigi78222]

😂😂

[@lynnpehrson8826]

Thats fair.

[@joecheese2787]

😂😂

[@JoeyBullet222]

Lmao!

[@ghosteh6503]

When I was about 17 I was in a sound engineering class at my high school and we would do all the sound system and mics and what not for the pep rallies and the like. I really liked this class so I volunteered to work a show every chance I got and my teacher had arranged for Larry Graham to come to our school and do a little demonstration like this. He would never tell us what the gigs were so it was always a surprise. So I volunteered for a gig after school and when I got there our teacher was loading this huge white rack and long guitar case onto the stage. We set up the rig together and got his pedal board laid out. Then he came walking up from back stage and my jaw dropped. I am a bass player and he was one of my favorites when I was a kid. He was super cool and signed autographs for all of us. And then he played his session, it was so amazing. Will never forget that

[@Armagedn12]

Year late on the comment but this is a great story

[@ObiWanKenobi]

2 years late on your comment but this is indeed a great story

[@ahmeddjeghri6879]

Three years late, still a great story

[@vibhavsharma3134]

You lucky gun!

[@sunnyztmoney]

and then everyone stood up and clapped bc it was not made up

[@zackketchum3984]

Amazing how at 3:33 he makes his bass sound exactly like a drum kit

[@anacarolmsc]

😂😂😂

[@polorrioabaixo7293]

🤣🤣🤣

[@rafaelnavarro5522]

Yea especially with the drummer behind him

[@paulverneriii]

The man who started the bass slapping technique. He inspired me to keep getting better with slapping the bass.

[@winniejohnson5559]

Don’t think he started it but he definitely perfected it at least from his level of genius

[@paulverneriii]

@@winniejohnson5559 Nope. Larry definitely started it, then Louis Johnson, then other bass players followed along. It was a technique he called Thumping and Plucking, then as more bass players started doing it, it was called slap bass.

[@waynefletcher9884]

@@winniejohnson5559 he started that entire way of playing the bass

[@Druffmaul]

@FunkyMonk6 Would love some actually recordings of these early examples of slap bass.

[@gregurbanek186]

Larry Graham deserves a spot in the Rock'n Roll Hall Of Fame. Incredible "Smithsonian" footage. Thank you.

[@jaymatic23]

Greg Urbanek he is but as part of Sly & The Family Stone. I think they were inducted in ‘93

[@yantheyam5622]

*smoothsonian

[@OnToBetterThings1987]

This is drake's uncle ppl don't know this

[@larryscott5580]

I met Larry Graham shortly after Sly and the Family Stone broke up. Larry is one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. He has no ego in the sense of being arrogant.

[@isuchyquaich8518]

why do so many ppl look like my mom inthe 80s tho? XD lols

[@97JGK]

Yep. And there's a reason he's like that....

[@obesegiraffe9520]

@@97JGK why?

[@absoluteelectricandmainten7432]

@@97JGKHmmmm. Wonder what that could be? 🤔🤫😁

[@jasonstone3231]

Amaing how he basically invented a technic that every bassist uses today and for all of time......awesome.

[@percyvolnar8010]

And its not funny how frequently people have to be reminded of his contributions to bass. Every goddamned youtube bass player sounds like Victor Wooten yet they dont even know who he is.

[@jwall3873]

It was innovation not invention... And it has become soulless aping... Overused, by people who only think they have the funk... I personally finger funk... Keep it real!

[@jwall3873]

Victor is a special man... He has the soul/funk...the depth... (I have a set of his old strings with his mojo on them!!) To many are pretenders... Turned bass playing into sounding like a sewing machine factory

[@experimenteight4550]

A young Drake: Uncle Larry, can you tell me a bedtime story? Larry: Sure Nephew. [Grabs Bass and proceeds to slap]

[@mellowchefsonny]

Yo is this actually Drake's uncle?

[@swisschaletsauce]

@@mellowchefsonny yup

[@kr1eger_j794]

Lol

[@kashoutlenox]

@@mellowchefsonny yes his dad's brother

[@joeywilson8911]

Anybody complaining that Larry is arrogant is just jealous. The guys being a showman.

[@MelloSav]

Joey Wilson THANK YOU. The guy is actually really chill, but music is also about entertainment.

[@redfive8965]

I think thats just the way he is.

[@perrygoldstein6332]

sure he's so arrogant he's taking the time to explain what he does and how he does it. what an ASSHOLE!

[@storingjazzinmycheeksforth5319]

if you have those kinda skills, you should have the right to show off

[@chubbeebubba]

..... ack in that time, the industry was being turned on its head, and even that was happening somewhat often at that time. Those that we’re the game changers, themselves, became facilitators to droves new-b’s and the like that with this founder’s new “creation”, they finally had a a voice, and that voice was so funky it would slap your ass on the 2nd and 4th and then pop you in the mouth if said shit about i it when you should have been juggling your junk.

[@kylegraham2426]

When I'm an old man and my grandchildren come to visit me I shall pick up my bass and tell them stories of my youth like Mr.Graham told the story of sly and the family stone

[@tracythejazzlifer4529]

What a legendary bassist.

[@misterturkturkle]

The Legends say that he was so cool the ice wouldn't melt in his drink

[@philosophytoday6518]

Mister Turk Turkle 😆

[@SneedBass]

I heard that he was so cool, when he walks into the room the temperature drops by °10.

[@SneedBass]

The man is a legend, creating a style of play that gives the bass a percussion sound. So many bass players took it and made some incredible music. This man is the grandfather of slap.

[@jasonclark9851]

Larry Graham wrote the song 'Hair' about this interviewer.

[@jerometaylor2019]

😂😂😂😂

[@Dunkaroos248]

When I first saw this video in the 90’s I felt that him playing “hair” was a not so subtle dig at Tom kolb

[@lvalledor3440]

Sounds like a fun fact

[@stevegreenberg9817]

this is probably coolest interview ever, Larry playing bass while answering questions, in time, launching into the hits he played his slap style on #howcoolisthat?

[@Pulsonar]

It is absolutely scandalous that a talent of this calibre is not more famous than he became. That incredible voice, and that phenomenal slap bass, a dream ticket!

[@basswars7060]

This man is 100% pure talent.

[@RobertBradleyRSB]

Why he smooth as hell?!?

[@jimmypge]

I love how his story is done rhythmically with his playing, haha

[@TheMiggitymark]

This is one of the greatest things ever uploaded to KZbin.

[@woodzmusik6697]

There ain't too many Musicians that can do what Larry Graham can do..!! He's so cool and smooth, his voice is amazing... Singing, story vtalking and playing all at the same time....A true bass legend!!🎙️🎸

[@robertfennis6088]

This guy is like the bass version of Bernard Perdie hahaha.

[@gabrielceolato2]

+Robert Fennis ABSOLUTELY hhahahaahahahahahaahaa

[@JeromeKobal]

+Robert purdie!

[@JesseBFournier]

LOL didn't even see your comment but i immediately thought about these two man telling each other stories like the groove of the whole creation didn't matter.

[@kushking420]

lmao that's so true

[@RobertBradleyRSB]

YUP!

[@jagobouffler6206]

every bass player needs to see this

[@Breakbeats92.5]

A teenager accidentally opened up a completely new dimension on the instrument. This is why I love music.

[@lucasnieri4318]

I was lucky enough to hear him and Stanley Clarke on the same stage. Absolutely unforgettable.

[@petemusgrove7422]

His talking is in time with his playing :-)

[@sehguhnai8223]

Well it would be damn hard not too, he seems like he's struggling a little bit, in fact.

[@marselmusic]

well... he was ahead of his time...

[@itwontcomeout5678]

I have only now just realized how hard (yet so amazing) it must be to play bass guitar while also singing the melody

[@rustammazhidov2050]

He is Jimi Hendrix of bass

[@rebeccalucas6063]

Rustam Mazhidov Don't forget Carole Kaye, she played with Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Elvis, and the Wrecking Crew who did the playing for the Beach Boys.

[@jdssurf]

I’ve always thought that about Jaco. Especially in his live stuff with the looper pedal.

[@choseyourownpath5942]

I could certainly agree with that!!

[@jakublistwon]

He is Janusz Korwin-Mikke of bass.

[@mcbill7352]

No that's Jaco Pastorius

[@jam0to9]

Every bass player in the world is thanking you Larry for showing them the way and the truth of what a string bass guitar can do

[@SirDydimus86]

Are there stringless basses? 🤔 How would one go about playing one? Thinking about it and it plays? Or does it play itself?

[@jamescarter8699]

Larry Graham gave birth to the modern style of bass playing. All bassist in Blues Jazz Disco Funk Soul and R&B copy his technique. He is or will be a hall of famer.

[@ey6944]

Now I want a white bass...

[@FesteringPrince]

And a white suit lol

[@roddydykes7053]

E Y looks better if you’re black, but I have a white P-Bass

[@RockandrollNegro]

Black basses matter

[@steelman774]

It’s not the white bass that trips me out, it’s the white fretboard. 👀

[@dollfaice3259]

What kind of bass is it?! What Brand

[@cathybroadus4411]

Super underrated. When he sang, Everyday I have the Blues, I melted.

[@rossscott9622]

You can say that again He have a soulful voice This is my favorite song 🎶 so tell me are you a fan of Larry Graham…?

[@thecarolinashreds196]

This is the coolest bass player EVER. Flea, Les Claypool and a dozen others will tell you this man showed them the way. He invented thumping, plunking and all the other cool stuff you can do on the bass. He is still around making music. Larry Graham is master class

[@sheerluckholmes7720]

sharp dresser also....but Lee Sklar has the killer bass beard...😂

[@larrypanellajazzsaxophone8013]

I've watched videos on how to slap, had bassists show me how, but always had issues with being to heavy handed. Just watching him solved some big issues. The walking the blues with the thump thumb was a big one. To get the right sound you are thumping more across the string than downward into the fingerboard. That sets up your puck hand to come in at the right angle. Genius! Thank you Mr. Graham for the lesson. What time next week? :-)

[@chopitup9950]

Larry Grahm, you are one in a million.

[@Chairman7w]

I see what ya did there.

[@tombstoneharrystudios584]

@@Chairman7w so did I...and i like it!

[@absoluteelectricandmainten7432]

@@tombstoneharrystudios584 And what is really cool is the story behind the song. 😉

[@murrellanderson]

Larry Graham is the Godfather of funk

[@kevctulu5855]

Smokey C O G not really its James Brown

[@jakebeaumont5829]

kev ctulu no James Brown is the Godfather of soul not funk so he is right

[@waltersommerhalder7060]

Its either James brown or George Clinton

[@choseyourownpath5942]

@@kevctulu5855 wrong he is in the soul genre but still a great musician too

[@warrenholly2200]

@@jakebeaumont5829 James Browne made the first funk recording I'm trying to find out on that record was bootstrapping playing bass or did he come soon after.

[@Tazmanian_Ninja]

That man is so FUNKY!!! Larry Graham is in a league of his own. Just like Bootsy Collins. I find it hard to fathom how there can be TWO bass players THAT funky, on this planet! 😅

[@neilomac]

I'd love to see a conversation between Larry and Bernie Purdie.

[@roychristopher5014]

that would be TOO cool!

[@eleven9286]

They could jam and have a conversation at the same time! 😂😂

[@bobbysmith1627]

Larrrryyy. The dude can't even talk with out being funky. My main man. Oh by the way did you see his fingers. There like hooks.

[@kh884488]

This guy could narrate part 5 of the internal revenue code and it would sound funky as hell.

[@rafaelmartinez1619]

Baddest man on bass guitar period.genius.

[@SeanGhaeli]

I love how the interviewer completely understands that this is Larry Graham's show now

[@jeffreygraham9553]

This dude won't only take you to school,he built it brick by brick.

[@wayneriley9360]

My all-time favorite because he sings great & plays simultaneously! Good baritone which is rare now!

[@bishopsheen6897]

THE GREATEST BASS PLAYER OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!!! NO QUESTION ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!

[@manny75586]

That’s what you call coming in hot. My Lord that funk. Larry is an absolute monster on the bass.

[@IronmanWelds]

The intro is cool as hell. This guys is one of the reasons I wanted to learn bass!

[@Peanut_Dust]

if you think larry has an ego, you dont understand larry graham

[@MsIndiscipline]

What's wrong with ego? Do people without it actually exist? I only see liars hehe

[@vysheslavuzumati1269]

GrooveInYourOwnTime yeah there are but those are people who do personal development work,

[@MsIndiscipline]

There are only two types of people: sincere and liars

[@jerryjohnson4625]

I have a Grahm Central Station lp. Love the song "Ghetto " ! I'm an old white guy, 60's. You Rock ! So does Sly !

[@Igaveyoumyfakename]

If you DON'T think Larry Graham has an ego, YOU don't understand ANY musician or performer.

[@bassrox3428]

Larry Graham is a pure genius. Bass just wouldn't be the same without him.

[@frenschie]

Even the tie is a statement of pure confidence. What a legend!

[@phallystorm]

Impeccable timing, right hand technique, and ambidextrous on a higher Genius level. Larry is one of those Guys that Ate, slept, and Lived Bass, and Guitar

[@MelloSav]

Jas Bataille - GET EM

[@phantomprism7659]

@salamango81 you're either a troll or ignorant hard to say......

[@chrispham6599]

salamango81 you do realise he's the dude that invented slap bass right? You dumb sack of shit

[@winniejohnson5559]

@@chrispham6599 it’s been around in other genres like New Orleans jazz but he perfected it .

[@arnyb123]

Props to the drummer for catching all of Larry's cues.

[@mickwinters3509]

I got these VHS tapes in high school in the early 90’s and watched Larry’s clips over and over and over. His storytelling is as wonderful as his technique

[@tuffguy007]

He tells a charming story about an artist finding his place in music history. Enjoyed it so much.

[@wolfkarel]

some people have talked about Larry's ego over the years - ya ask me, Larry EARNED that ego! - so suck it up buttercups.

[@Igaveyoumyfakename]

Larry is a lot of things -- but modest ain't one of them! Nevertheless, I agree with Wolfie in that he's MORE than earned the right to shove it in our faces however he wants.

[@yomommaiscalling]

I think he's just being a showman here, it's what he does. Definitely no wilting-flower!

[@DavidTPerkins22]

I met the dude at St Paul airport last year and I didn't see an ego. He just got off a 9 hour flight from London and was more than happy to talk to me and take photos.

[@SKATE87410]

John RAT TEETH Who will Someday Die From AIDS, Trying to be HBO's poor man's Piers Morgan, Oliver. suck it up and give up on left or right. the times they are a changing

[@blueridger28]

John RAT TEETH Who will Someday Die From AIDS, Trying to be HBO's poor man's Piers Morgan, Oliver. politics have even ruined this funky sweet video

[@OrisLover]

It's not only his thumb playing but his timing and phrasing are impeccable!

[@Naminorite]

WOW!!! even today, still love hearing that Sly stuff and the tight Larry bass

[@bassboye8959]

Thank you Mr graham, saw you with central station/ Billy Preston in like 1973. Never played the same again. Like you sir play & respect all styles but it took me years to figure your techniques out. Ty sir love you always. Your the originator of that style the best ever and vocalist. Amazing.

[@bosquezguitars5392]

"But the organ was too old. It couldn't be fixed." My favorite musical phrase from the video.

[@rocker816]

And then the 80's happened, and people forgot that there was any other way to play the bass without slapping it..... until the 90s

[@hirokokueh3541]

until the 90s, synth bass took their jobs

[@DrRobotnic]

At least we have the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Mudvayne

[@aavila1206]

Very true

[@hleejr7470]

Hiroko Kaku nothing will ever top Real bass

[@shruggzdastr8-facedclown]

Flea was slapping his base back in the '80s on the early RHCP albums.

[@PervertedPodcast]

When you can soundtrack your own interview and have it completely groove, you ascend to superhero status...:D

[@billhart4710]

Thanks for many, many years of bass-ic inspiration Mr Graham. I bow deeply ...

[@benstroman6505]

All we need now is Pretty Purdie on the drums and they can have a conversation while they play

[@hotcarlcade]

I love the way how in between songs he goes right back into that same blues groove as he tells his story. Slap (something that I enjoy practicing but rarely use in a live performance) now makes a whole lot more sense to me. My instructors growing up (traditional I-M alternating technique players) were never fans and refused to teach it, seeing it as flash. But the way that Graham came about it due to practical necessity is rather cool. In fact, everything about the way he carries himself is rather cool.

[@bandicoot5412]

The Man is a dynamic musical creative force. Plus the best to the point instruction on his art, thank you!

[@aymehitari770]

Thank God for this man and his willingness to share his techniques 🖤

[@stoutlager6325]

"i used to play the bass with my foot while i was playing the guitar" Larry Graham is the best.

[@URgay4pay]

I can see where all the musical talent in drakes bloodline went

[@rossscott9622]

Awesome 👏 He have a soulful voice This is my favorite song 🎶 so tell me are you a fan of Larry Graham…?

[@cocopops4974]

*i love how he is playing while answering his questions🤣 with his soul voice hahahhaha 20 year old just loving grown folk music*

[@fliqzywicksydoodledong7147]

Jeez he’s cooler than I thought, and I already knew he was smooth AF

[@fburtt]

The very definition of cool. I'm calling Webster's to tell them to put a clip of this video next to the word. It's everything you need to know about C-O-O-L!

[@ronaldlane1597]

This man is an originator and a living legend. God bless, brother.

[@marselmusic]

thid youtube video has been recommended to me for the past 4 or so years, constantly, Every now and then. I saved this on my watch later list, but today I just decided to watch this. man. I wish I just decided to watch this soon as it came up!

[@debomb721]

This guy just seems like he’s always having a bunch of fun

[@sentret]

him just playing notes and talking sound like a track from a record.

[@bjoe74fm]

the dude is totally cool, the perfect self promotion in cool, totally talented and a pleasure to watch

[@pointblank1978]

I love your stories. 🙏🏽. Awesome!

[@karlbass7004]

Yeahhhh thats Larry !!!!! Thanks for this post !!!!

[@cabbycabby1770]

The only thing that could make this video better is if they were both wearing sunglasses.

[@PulpFictionized]

4:21 haha the interviewer's face. It looks like he is thinking "Alright is your story done yet?"

[@panta67]

Thank you much for uploading this video!

[@drksydex8178]

I love Larry Graham ❤ He was a true pioneer!

[@bleucitygirl]

I am just fascinated with the whole thing.

[@14othniel]

Because of him, everybody thinks all people can slapp a bass.

[@Perzblazer]

Can you explain that statement please

[@456stringer6]

Thank you Larry for being! I'm 55 years old and heard him for the first time when I was 11...

[@dennelclayton5188]

The One, The Only! The Godfather of the Modern Funk Bass Sound! It was Larry Graham & Louis Johnson that inspired me to even pick up a bass. Coming up through the era of Funk, I'm eternally grateful to these legends of Funk Bass for their monumental impact on me as a musician.

[@marklowe7431]

Love how well dressed he is.

[@lloydmunga4961]

Graham Central Station .... a mind blowing band

[@sentientbean1]

This cat is so generous. My favourite video of n the whole of he tube!

[@bobfrediii2131]

This is the best interview I’ve ever seen