Begginer Slap Bass Tabs - Misc @ BigBassTabs.com

Slap bass is one of the best ways to bring out the basses sound, whether it be in funk (Red 
hot chili peppers bassist flea plays slap in most songs) all the way to alternative rock/emo 
(Coheed and cambria's bassist is also big for slap) You can hear a distinc sound of the 
bass when mastering slap.

There are two major ways to play slap, first you need to distinguish if your going to play 
it through the duriation of the song, or for only certain notes throughout the song. 
The quick slap method is to simply remove your thumb from your pick up, and slap, right 
above the bridge (Remember if you slap to close the the pick ups the strings will smack 
them and make a very clingy noise)by stiffening your thumb, and enclosing the rest of 
your hand into a fist and quickly hitting, than releasing off of the intended string 
and than to place your thumb back on the pick up, here's a quick exersise to try that.

S= Slap. Will be located either above or under the fret indicated to slap.

G—————10—12———————9—10——————10—12————————10—9—3
D——————————————————————————————————————————————
A——————————————————————————————————————————————
E——3—————————1—3—————————3——————————1—3————————
             S S                    S S
(Taken from,Red hot chili peppers, all around the world)


To play full slap you practically do the same thing, but most of the time its more vigurous 
and you have to maintain full follow through with your hand and the string. 
Lets give it a shot really quick

G——————————————
D——————————————
A————————55—7—5
E——33—77———————
   ss ss ss s s

If you had trouble with that, its normal. It will take a while to be able to maintain follow 
through, but I suggest if you really wanna learn how to play slap bass, play your scales 
using slap, play all the songs you know using slap. This lesson by Jeremy Honaker.

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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Misc — Begginer Slap bass tabs