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Bass Lessons — Slap Theory bass tabs

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This lesson is about slapbass
i have put some nice idea's in this lesson for you.

Fist some tips on slapping!
What is important to know when you slapping?

if you are a beginner start slapping scales without popping!
this goes like:

G|————————2—45—54—2—————————|
D|————23—5—————————5—32—————|
A|—3—5—————————————————5—3——|
E|——————————————————————————|

When you have this under controle you start (popping) the same
scale without slapping


Use ghost notes!
this could go like this. Use ghost notes like you would
use a bongo or a congo.

G|——————————————————|
D|———x————x———x—————|
A|——————————————————|
E|—xx——xx——xx——xx———|
ssp ss pss pss



Slapbass is used often in Funk music, also 70's disco music
and a important factor in this music is the usage of Octaves
play as many different scales and play the octave too.
here you the learn slapping and popping deal together.

G|——————————2—4—6—7—————————2—4—6—7—|
D|——2——4—5——————————2——4—5——————————|
A|—————————0—2—4—5—————————0—2—4—5——|
E|—0——2—3——————————0——2—3———————————|
sp spsp spspspspsp spsp spspspsp



use of open strings!

Marcus miller uses alot of open strings mostly the
open G string cos E minor is a very good key to slap in.
what is G to E minor? G to E minor is the 3rd.
What is the open D to E minor? D to E minor is the 7th
sounds also good!
What is the A to E minor? A to E minor is the 4th.
Sounds a little bit weird cos it's no chord tone, it
is a scale tone, we can use it it's in the scale!

so that's why E minor is such a good key to use open strings
2nd best key to use open strings is G , it can't
beat E minor, i feel but that's just personal..




A few examples to use the open stings

Fast! medium
G|————2————2————2—|————————00———————|
D|—0h2——0h2——0h2——|————————————2——5—|
A|————————————————|—5h7—————————————|
E|————————————————|————xx0————0——3——|
s p s p s p s sss pp sp sp




Next thing we can't do without is the left hand slap!

Mark king uses this alot. it sounds very percussive
when you play this right.
When he plays a Solo he starts often with this lick he calles
CORNET SOLO and he add's a lot of neat stuff to it.
you got to be so fast to play this right while you add more
to it you'll see..

Right way to do this is tho hit the strings hard and fast with
middle,ring finger and pinky sticked together, hitting with
the upper halve of the fingers..
(X) = left hand slap x = Ghost note

G|—12——————11—————9—————7——————5—————4——————2—————|
D|————————————————————————————————————————————————|
A|————————————————————————————————————————————————|
E|———(X)x———(X)xx——(X)x——(X)xx——(X)x——(X)xx——(X)x—|


Practise every DAY! don't let the world down okay!
CHEERS!
Tablature player for this song:
Bass Lessons - Slap Theory Bass Tab

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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