How To Slap Bass Tabs - Bass Lessons @ BigBassTabs.com


This lesson comes from a Victor Wooten video. He compares your thumb and 
fingers to a guitar pick. The proper thumb technique (known as a "thump" 
or "open hammer") is to strike the string with your thumb, going through 
it and landing on the next string. Another part of the technique is to come 
back up with your thumband sort of plucking it with your nail. The other element 
of slapping is popping, or pulling the string with your pointer finger and 
middle finger and letting it "pop".

The first exercise is to thump up and down and then pop twice using your pointer 
and middle finger. Start out slow.

TD — Thump down
TU — Thump up
P — Pop

G——————7—7———————9—9———————10—10—————————————||
D——————————————————————————————————————————O—||
A—5—5———————7—7———————8—8——————————————————O—||
E————————————————————————————————————————————||
 TD TU P P TD TU P P TD TU P P

The next step up is to do this same thing, except on the same string.

G—————————————————————9—9——9—9——————————||
D——————————7—7——7—7———————————————————O—||
A—5—5——5—5————————————————————————————O—||
E———————————————————————————————————————||
 TD TU P P TD TU P P  TD TU P P

Now, add some notes to this technique. This is the G major scale.

G—————————————————————————————————————0—0——0—0——————————————
D—————————————————————0—0——2—2——4—4———————————————————————
A——————0—0——2—2——3—3——————————————————————————————————————
E—3—3—————————————————————————————————————————————————————
 TD TU P P TD TU P P TD TU P P TD TU TD TU P P

I think this should help. I'm sorry I spaced the numbers out so much. I was 
just trying to line them up with the letters. If you have any questions or 
comments, email me at [email protected]

How to Read Bass Tabs

Bass tablature (tabs) is an easy way to learn songs without needing to read traditional sheet music. Here’s a quick guide to understanding the symbols and techniques commonly found in tabs:

1. The Basics

Strings and Frets:
Each line in a tab represents a string on your bass:
- The top line is the highest-pitched string (G on a 4-string bass).
- The bottom line is the lowest-pitched string (E on a 4-string bass).
Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to press. For example:
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------------------|
A|---3---------------|
E|-------------------|
            
```
This means you play the 3rd fret on the A string.

2. Common Techniques

Hammer-On (h):
Play the first note by picking it, then press down on a higher fret with another finger without picking again.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------5h7---------|
            
```
Pull-Off (p):
Pluck a note and then "pull off" your finger to let a lower fret ring.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------7p5---------|
            
```
Slide (/ or \):
Move your finger up (/) or down (\) the fretboard while maintaining pressure.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------5/7---------|
            
```

3. Advanced Techniques

Bend (b): Push the string up or down to raise the pitch. Example: G|-------7b9---------|
Vibrato (~): Shake the string slightly after playing a note to create a vibrating sound. Example: G|-------7~----------|
Muted Notes (x): Rest your finger lightly on the string without pressing a fret and pluck for a percussive "click" sound.

4. Rhythm and Timing

Tabs don’t always indicate timing, so listen to the song while reading the tab. Wider spaces between numbers mean longer pauses, while closer numbers indicate quicker notes.

5. Slap and Pop

Slap (s): Strike the string with the side of your thumb for a percussive sound.
Pop (p): Pull the string away from the fretboard and let it snap back.

Practice Makes Perfect

Tabs are a great tool to learn songs, but mastering the techniques takes practice. Listen carefully to the original track and play along to lock in the rhythm. Don’t rush — smooth, accurate playing is more important than speed. Happy jamming! 🎸

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Bass Lessons — How To Slap bass tabs