Members skier4467 Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 I'm a guitarist who is trying to learn how to slap and pop on my bass. I've got a p-bass knockoff and a Fender Rumble 100w 2x10inch amp. What are the best eq settings for a good slap style?? 1) how should I turn the tone on my bass? Volume 100% up? 2) How should I set the eq knobs on my amp? There is bass, low mid, high mid, treble, and a toggle switch that says mid-scoop. Thanks for any suggestions! So far I love this amp that I just got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members james on bass Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Smiley face EQ. Bass and treble, dial out the mids. The scoop function drops mids as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ace Of Bass Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Well, you have perhaps the worst bass ever for slap and pop. So keep that in mind. Leave the tone way open on the bass. Put the EQ flat and the mid-scoop ON, and start slapping. Adjust to taste. I'd imagine since you have a P bass that you'd want to post the upper mids and treble a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gfunkk44 Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Another tip would be to play with a low action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ace Of Bass Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by Gfunkk44 Another tip would be to play with a low action. No it wouldn't. Higher action gives you a greater dynamic range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DevilRaysFan Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Start with Fresh Strings and your tone knob dimed....then use a flat EQ and barely eek in or out what you feel you need. Chances are (but not necessarily so) you will wind up with a "smiley face EQ' mentioned above (but flatter: more like a 'grimace') ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flip333 Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 yep, new strings really slap. I had heavy strings for a long time and didn't know why other basses could slap and pop... Then I put on some Ernie Ball slinky strings... I can slap and pop all day long now! My experience was that lowering the action made my bass (T-40) more slap happy... but it was pretty high... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrtokai Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by Ace Of Bass No it wouldn't. Higher action gives you a greater dynamic range. A lower action is prefered by many people who tend to slap, along with lighter strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members james on bass Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by mrtokai A lower action is prefered by many people who tend to slap, along with lighter strings. speaking of which, do they still make Superwounds? Those were obscenely thin. Mark King and Geddy used them back in the day, but I never tried them 'cause I was playing an XFactor4 at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by skier4467 I'm a guitarist who is trying to learn how to slap and pop on my bass.I've got a p-bass knockoff and a Fender Rumble 100w 2x10inch amp. What are the best eq settings for a good slap style?? 1) how should I turn the tone on my bass? Volume 100% up?2) How should I set the eq knobs on my amp? There is bass, low mid, high mid, treble, and a toggle switch that says mid-scoop.Thanks for any suggestions! So far I love this amp that I just got. There are no rules here. What's "best" to your ears might not be best to mine. Play around and decide for yourself what settings inspire you more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ThudMaker Posted October 25, 2006 Moderators Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by T. Alan Smith There are no rules here. What's "best" to your ears might not be best to mine. Play around and decide for yourself what settings inspire you more. +1. No smiley face eq here. I like mids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by ThudMaker +1. No smiley face eq here. I like mids. I do both. It always depends on the situation, mood, envirnment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bass_n_drums Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 i agree that you do have the worst bass for slap and pop...if you had a jazz...well different story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ace Of Bass Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by mrtokai A lower action is prefered by many people who tend to slap, along with lighter strings. That's about ease of playing, not tone. They're willing to sacrifice some tone to be able to play better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crescent Seven Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by Ace Of Bass That's about ease of playing, not tone. They're willing to sacrifice some tone to be able to play better. I get better tone and dynamics for slap with a low action, because I don't have to smack the hell out of the string, just thump it. As far as eq settings, when I'm practicing at home I'll leave the bass and treble flat scoop out all the mids, but with the band I leave the mids flat and boost the bass and treble, because if I cut out the mids my thumbed notes vanish in the mix. C7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Onkel Bob Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by Ace Of Bass Well, you have perhaps the worst bass ever for slap and pop. So keep that in mind. Leave the tone way open on the bass.Put the EQ flat and the mid-scoop ON, and start slapping. Adjust to taste. I'd imagine since you have a P bass that you'd want to post the upper mids and treble a bit. Originally posted by bass_n_drums i agree that you do have the worst bass for slap and pop...if you had a jazz...well different story. I dis-agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ace Of Bass Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by Onkel Bob I dis-agree. I'm not saying you can't get a decent slap tone from a P. I'm just saying it's the worst of the decent slap tones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LSMFT6 Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Another person learning bass just to slap? Turn the volume to 0 and unplug your amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ThudMaker Posted October 25, 2006 Moderators Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by Crescent Seven but with the band I leave the mids flat and boost the bass and treble, because if I cut out the mids my thumbed notes vanish in the mix.C7 You've still essentially cut your mids, and simply increased the gain. Just like distorted guitars with mid scooped. They get buried in the mix and take more juice to be heard. That's why I leave everything flat or add just a bit of mids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crescent Seven Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by ThudMaker You've still essentially cut your mids, and simply increased the gain. Just like distorted guitars with mid scooped. They get buried in the mix and take more juice to be heard. That's why I leave everything flat or add just a bit of mids. No, I haven't cut anything doing it that way. I can hear my midrange just fine with the amp flat, and I'm present in the mix that way. For slap, I increase the gain on the bass and treble signals so I get that whomp, but my mids are still there to allow me to hear the thumbed notes. C7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rastafarian_nz Posted October 25, 2006 Members Share Posted October 25, 2006 The smiley EQ doesn't work well on these Rumble combos. The treble knob simply adjusts the level of noise eminating from the piezo tweeter IMO. I get a mean slap tone with my Rumble100 by turning the bass to 2 o'clock, high mids all the way up, leaving the low mids at 12 o'clock and cutting the treble to around 10 o'clock. I leave the mid scoop off. With a P bass, you'll need to fully open the tone knob like the others have mentioned too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Real MC Posted October 26, 2006 Members Share Posted October 26, 2006 No EQ is going to help you if you don't have the right bass guitar. My Gibson RD doesn't have the b@lls for slap/pop, by the time I got a MIM Jazz and Alvarez six-shooter that fit the bill better I sold the Gibson. And I auditioned both of them unplugged, if it's a good guitar for slap/pop you will hear it. I've been checking out the MIMs and they are putting out good guitars for the money. I will admit that Jazz basses are better for slap/pop than Ps. As for EQ, that's only a partial solution. I don't use the "smiley-face" EQ, that's a common myth. Slap/pop has emphasis on mids. Strings make a difference. Slap/pop is hard on most strings and they go dull in a month. DRs can withstand that stuff for a couple of years, they're really rugged and sound great. The amp is another factor in the sound. I prefer a tube preamp so that the transients will mildly overdrive the tube and create harmonics which help the slap/pop sound stand out without being overbearing in volume. Tubeworks Bluetube rack preamp (not the pedal version) worked really good for me, today I use an Ampeg SVP-Pro which has really good EQ and a 12AU7 delegated to mild overdrive. Solid state amps sound too harsh to my ears. A good compressor doesn't hurt either. Notice I did not say cheap compressors. Forget the Alesis 3630s and Behringers. Something like dBXs and used JBL/UREI 7110s have way better detection circuits and VCAs that sound right for bass and adds punch. The Ashly is pretty good too. What cabinet are you using? Like guitars, speakers play a major role in the sound. I'm not a fan of the Hartke cabs (too much hi end), my Peavey 2x15 bass cab does the job. Tried a 1x15 and it didn't sound as good. Notice how little emphasis I put on EQ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted October 26, 2006 Members Share Posted October 26, 2006 Originally posted by The Real MC No EQ is going to help you if you don't have the right bass guitar. My Gibson RD doesn't have the b@lls for slap/pop, by the time I got a MIM Jazz and Alvarez six-shooter that fit the bill better I sold the Gibson. And I auditioned both of them unplugged, if it's a good guitar for slap/pop you will hear it. I've been checking out the MIMs and they are putting out good guitars for the money. I will admit that Jazz basses are better for slap/pop than Ps. As for EQ, that's only a partial solution. I don't use the "smiley-face" EQ, that's a common myth. Slap/pop has emphasis on mids. Strings make a difference. Slap/pop is hard on most strings and they go dull in a month. DRs can withstand that stuff for a couple of years, they're really rugged and sound great. The amp is another factor in the sound. I prefer a tube preamp so that the transients will mildly overdrive the tube and create harmonics which help the slap/pop sound stand out without being overbearing in volume. Tubeworks Bluetube rack preamp (not the pedal version) worked really good for me, today I use an Ampeg SVP-Pro which has really good EQ and a 12AU7 delegated to mild overdrive. Solid state amps sound too harsh to my ears. A good compressor doesn't hurt either. Notice I did not say cheap compressors. Forget the Alesis 3630s and Behringers. Something like dBXs and used JBL/UREI 7110s have way better detection circuits and VCAs that sound right for bass and adds punch. The Ashly is pretty good too. What cabinet are you using? Like guitars, speakers play a major role in the sound. I'm not a fan of the Hartke cabs (too much hi end), my Peavey 2x15 bass cab does the job. Tried a 1x15 and it didn't sound as good. Notice how little emphasis I put on EQ? Good stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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