Rap and Slap Bass

[Chaser001]

From time to time, I'm around people who either listen to or play rap and/or slap bass.  Some of these people are close; so the last thing I'd want to do is start some kind of unnecessary debate with them or anyone else.  The problem is that I don't like rap or slap bass.  I've made an honest effort.  On the Internet, I keep seeing two arguments over and over.  They are as follows: 

1.  If you don't like rap, that is because you don't UNDERSTAND it.  Rap is an art form, complex and taking many forms.  So if you don't like it, it's only because you are listening to the worst kind, the generic pop rap found on the radio.  If you delve into real rap, you'll find that it is great. 

2.  If you don't like slap bass, it's because you can't play it.  It's the holy grail of bass technique.  So, if you don't like it, it's because your're simply not good enough on bass to play it.   I especially have a problem with this argument since it seems to me a sense of timing would be very important for slap bass, and timing is my strongest point.  I'm sure I could spend some time trying to learn slapping.  But since I don't like it in the first place, I'm just plain not interested.  I've made an effort to try to see what it is in slap bass that is so fascinating to some people, but it just doesn't appeal to me.  I don't like to have a closed mind about things.  I may continue to listen to some of it and see what happens, but I'm not expecting to become a big fan anytime soon. 

[nofi]

a guy at a music store once told me(while slapping) that it's taking bass playing to the next level. i have no interest in slapping so i guess i suck too. however, i find slapping on an upright enjoyable. whoa is me. 

[patman]

I slap some...just another tool in the gigbag...kinda like a flat pick.

[Dave W]

Both arguments are moronic. Why even try to argue with morons?

Argument number 1 has nothing to do with rap in particular, I've heard it made by fans of many different genres. Sorry, I know what I like, don't insult my intelligence with your special knowledge of what (insert genre here) is really about.

Argument number 2 is almost too stupid to even begin to respond to. If you play a type of music where slap is used, then you slap when appropriate. If not, then there's no reason to, unless you're trying to be a jack of all trades and master of none.

[patman]

While I love playing some classic R & B...I do slap probably 2 songs a set or so.

There is no place in my life for any kind of rap "music"...yes, I am closed minded.  At my age, I am allowed to be.

[Chaser001]

Both arguments are moronic. Why even try to argue with morons?

Argument number 1 has nothing to do with rap in particular, I've heard it made by fans of many different genres. Sorry, I know what I like, don't insult my intelligence with your special knowledge of what (insert genre here) is really about.

Argument number 2 is almost too stupid to even begin to respond to. If you play a type of music where slap is used, then you slap when appropriate. If not, then there's no reason to, unless you're trying to be a jack of all trades and master of none.

I've only got into one argument about this and that was many years ago.  It was on the message board of an artist.  I stated pretty clearly how I felt about rap.  An actual rapper got extremely upset with me.  He ended up bringing in one of his friends to sabotage the entire message board.  The guy was posting stuff like you would see in snuff films.  It was some pretty horrible stuff.  The webmaster was unable to stop him.  She ended up having to close down the message board and gradually re-opened it to members who had to be carefully screened.  So that was my first and last foray into arguing about this kind of thing.  In real life, though, one of my closest relatives loves rap and understands that I don't like it without arguing with me about it. 

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I don't like liver; I don't care if anyone else does.

[TBird1958]

I can't say much for Rap.......


Slap, on the otherhand is a technique that I wish I had the skills to master.
I think this is a tasteful live example in a band context by one of my favorite artists, David Bowie.

[Chaser001]

I don't like liver; I don't care if anyone else does.

But liver has so much protein.  It is so good for you to eat.  You really should like it.  Seriously, liver is my least favorite food of all time.  Good analogy. 

[Highlander]

Rap is a knock on the door; slap is a form of assault; I'm quite attached to my liver; each to their own...

[Dave W]

I don't like liver; I don't care if anyone else does.

But if you only understood the cultural origins of cooking liver and studied the original chefs who cooked it on the street corners of Harlem, you would know that it's nothing like the commercial liver you hear on the radio, and you would become a dedicated liver lover.

[Highlander]

Not in my house...

[rahock]

I like liver. I understand a lot of people don't like it and I'm alright with that.
I don't like rap. I fully understand it and that is exactly why I do not like it.
I can listen to slap in small doses. It has no place in the type of music that I play, so I don't play it. The guy who considers it the next level of bass playing and feels that those who don't do it , don't do it because they are not good enough is in serious need of a good ass kicking. My guess is that comment came from an ass that's been kicked more than once or twice and he is simply doing all he can to line up the next one.
Rick

[uwe]

I can't slap though I tried. I event went to my old bass teacher in 1979 and asked him too teach me and he said: "You can't teach that, you just do it and learn as you go along". I tried the first part of that recommendation. But was spectacularly unsuccessful achieving the desired result. I never got better than abysmally horrible either. I wanted to learn it as another aspect of bass playing, I had no intention of becoming Mr Funk.

These days I can appreciate Marcus Miller or Stanley Clark doing it or Wyzzard (the guy from Mother's Finest), the Level 42 guy leaves me cold. Meshelle Ndwhatshername slaps tastefully too. For me it is percussion more than anything, the ratio of slap lines that are hummable is pretty low in my opinion. It impresses listeners who have little concept of bass playing like hell though.

Rap? Most Rap today doesn't even feature slap bass anymore, the lines would be too busy and get in the way of the rhythm of the rap. I like some of the old stuff, Sugarhill Gang and what were those guys called again that rapped "don't-push-me-cause-I'm-close-to-the-eeeedge"? Was Prince's "You sexy Mothef***er" over that hyper-nervous James Brown'esque bass line (non-slapped) a rap? It had some rap in it - great song. White people are absolutely unable to dance to it too.

Except maybe in demonstration booths at music industry fairs slapping has lost a lot of relevance and prevalence in contemporary music. When did you hear the last top ten hit with a slap bass throughout the song?

[Chaser001]

I can't slap though I tried. I event went to my old bass teacher in 1979 and asked him too teach me and he said: "You can't teach that, you just do it and learn as you go along". I tried the first part of that recommendation. But was spectacularly unsuccessful achieving the desired result. I never got better than abysmally horrible either. I wanted to learn it as another aspect of bass playing, I had no intention of becoming Mr Funk.

These days I can appreciate Marcus Miller or Stanley Clark doing it or Wyzzard (the guy from Mother's Finest), the Level 42 guy leaves me cold. Meshelle Ndwhatshername slaps tastefully too. For me it is percussion more than anything, the ratio of slap lines that are hummable is pretty low in my opinion. It impresses listeners who have little concept of bass playing like hell though.

Rap? Most Rap today doesn't even feature slap bass anymore, the lines would be too busy and get in the way of the rhythm of the rap. I like some of the old stuff, Sugarhill Gang and what were those guys called again that rapped "don't-push-me-cause-I'm-close-to-the-eeeedge"? Was Prince's "You sexy Mothef***er" over that hyper-nervous James Brown'esque bass line (non-slapped) a rap? It had some rap in it - great song. White people are absolutely unable to dance to it too.

Except maybe in demonstration booths at music industry fairs slapping has lost a lot of relevance and prevalence in contemporary music. When did you hear the last top ten hit with a slap bass throughout the song?

Two things bother me.  One is that I agree with the statement that slap bass is more percussion than anything else.  And as much as I appreciate percussion, I personally rate great bass playing as something higher than being a great percussionist.  Which brings me to the second thing that has already been noted.  And that has to do with the fact that slap bass really does tend to impress the hell out of people who have no concept of bass.  I find this somewhat frustrating and annoying.  In fact, I think I might be able to appreciate slap bass more if it were looked at as what it really is instead of something which, at least in my opinion, is probably an overrated technique.  I may be dazzled by someone such as Marcus Miller, but Jack Bruce in top form dazzles me much more.  Something like this is really a matter of taste and should be regarded as such.