Intro to Slap Bass: Hammer-ons, Pull-offs, and Real World Lines

The last installment of this Intro to Slap Bass series, Ian completes the series by introducing hammer-ons and pull-offs to the articulation arsenal. These techniques are widely used by bass players in many styles, genres, and within multiple technique studies. Played in the context of slap bass, hammer-ons and pull-offs can add an additional depth and interesting phrasing to any bass line. The general Slap Bass technique adds a percussive quality and characteristic to note sounds in modern bass lines. These new articulations will help add more voice-like phrasing and even more colorful characteristics to your sound. Slap Bass can be heard in virtually all styles of modern music from rock and pop, to funk, folk, jazz, and more!

It takes precision and skill to master the hammer-ons and pull-offs and Ian makes it easy. He thorough teaching style will carry you through the nuances of these common phrasing techniques, and help students avoid bad habits that can be developed. Learn the techniques the pros use and tie it all together in this class that will examine the new skills played alongside those previously studied, in the context of real world, funky, modern bass lines. Study popular songs with complicated structures and have a blast playing grooves with a variety of textures.

Topics covered include: Hammer-ons, pull-offs, octaves, slides, dead notes, slapping, popping, muting, phrasing, technique, stylistic interpretation, groove, funky song examples!

This class is perfect for: Students who have completed “Intro to Slap Bass: The Slap”, “Intro to Slap Bass: The Pop”, and “Intro to Slap Bass: Double Slaps, Dead Notes, and Slides”, or those with a beginning to intermediate understanding of slap bass looking to further their studies in the slap bass style. Fans of funk, RnB, soul, and gospel music will benefit from this course. Basic understanding of reading rhythms will be helpful, however tabs will be provided for those who can’t read notation.

After this class, you will be able to: Introduce hammer-ons and pull-offs into your techniques, and use them in combination with other slap and pop tech to play more complicated bass lines. Get ready to impress your friends!

Skills required: (scale from 1-low to 5-high)

• Slapping = 3
• Popping = 3
• Hand strength = 4
• Left-right hand sync = 3
• Reading = 2