How to Slap Bass: A Beginner’s Guide to Unleashing the Funk

Imagine confidently slapping out rhythms that make heads bob and feet tap – feeling those funky slaps and pops giving life to your bassline!

If you’re ready to dive into the world of slap bass but feel a tad overwhelmed by the massive amount of information out there, don’t sweat it – I've got your back.

In this article, I’ll show you slap style’s origins and the pioneering bassists you should study.

I’ll break down the most important techniques behind that iconic slap sound. And I’ll share three riffs that you can start playing even as a beginner bass player.

Let’s get started!

Originally published in 2020, this article was updated and republished on September 14th, 2023.

It all started in the late 1960s when the first track that ever had slap bass on it was released by Sly & The Family Stone.

Then, almost 10 years later, in 1980, the Brothers Johnson released “STOMP!”, which was the first time we heard the left-hand percussion that’s so common in slap bass today.

Then, in 1981 the modern slap sound was born. Marcus Miller refined the style and went on to become one of the most influential players in the development of slap bass.

If you want to get good at slap bass, then it’s helpful to study the masters who paved the way.

Here is the list of slap bass pioneers.

I recommend studying their music, listening to it, reading it, watching them performing it or imbibing it in any other way!

Many are considered to be among the greatest bass players of all time.

The godfather of funk himself. Being part of the band “Sly & The Family Stone”, he recorded the first track to ever have slap bass on it.

He gained fame by playing with James Brown, and later as the bassist for the band Parliament-Funkadelic. He pioneered a groovy fusion of funk, soul, and rock that revolutionized the music scene.

The man responsible for the epic solo in the introduction, and for the modern left-hand slap. He gained fame for his remarkable contributions to funk and R&B as part of the duo The Brothers Johnson.

A visionary bassist and is best known as the frontman of the jazz-funk band Level 42.

This man left a mark on the music world through his exceptional solo work, collaborations with artists like Miles Davis, and pioneering efforts in jazz fusion.

Les Claypool is renowned for his distinctive style and as the frontman of the rock band Primus. His innovative playing has redefined the boundaries of alternative music.

Known for his extraordinary skills and his role in the Grammy-winning jazz fusion band Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Victor Wooten also pioneered the double-thumb technique.

The Buddha is known for his unique style of playing and contributions to the world of contemporary jazz.

This one hardly needs any introduction. Flea has been the one and only bass player for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

His signature funk-rock sound forms the backbone of the band. His playing style and use of slap bass, have left a mark on the world of alternative rock.

Check out his slap tutorial here!

Finally, Brian Bromberg. He’s made significant contributions to the realms of jazz and contemporary music by showcasing his mastery through solo works, and collaborations.

Alright now that you’ve found your way back from the YouTube slap bass rabbit hole, let’s take a look at exactly how to perform slap bass.

Below, I’ll break down every aspect of the technique so that you can follow it step by step and become a slap bass master.

The most important part of slap bass is the thumb.

In the next section, I’ll break down slap mechanics and show you the best techniques so you don’t pick up bad habits.

Imagine grabbing a doorknob and rotating it open.

Now, stick out your thumb, (like you’re giving a thumbs up) and repeat the doorknob motion back and forth.

That’s the movement you’re making when you slap bass. It’s a rotation of the forearm. You’re not actually moving the arm up and down.

I’d recommend practicing only this movement until it feels more natural by adding it to your bass routine. You can do this by flipping your bass around (so the strings face you) and practicing the doorknob motion on the backside of your bass.

It’s worth noting that there are two main ways to position your thumb when you slap bass. There are “up-thumbers”, and there are “down-thumbers”.

The Up-thumb

Position your thumb so it looks like you’re giving your bass a “thumbs up”.

The benefit of the up-thumb position is that you can play through the strings. You’re not just tapping the top of the string, similar to how a guitar pick would play the string.

This gives it a heavier and fuller sound. Especially for the notes on the D and G strings. It also allows you to do the double-thumb technique which I’ll explain soon.

Bassists who use the up-thumb technique include Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, and Louis Johnson.

The Down-thumb

Position your thumb so it points down and moves diagonally across the strings.

With the down-thumb position, you are “bouncing off” the top of the string. The rotation is the same, it's just that the thumb is in a different position.

The biggest difference between the two styles is the sound.

It’s hard to get the notes to sing out on the D and G strings with the down-thumb technique. It doesn’t sound as full because you’re bouncing off the string instead of playing through it.

What a lot of players end up doing to counter this, is to pluck those strings instead of thumbing them.

Noteworthy bass players who use the down-thumb are Flea and Tim Commerford.

There’s no right or wrong here. Play around with both positions and see which you prefer.

Double-Thumbing

Picture an upstroke using a guitar pick. Now, Instead of a pick, use your thumb.

That’s the double-thumb technique.

First, play through the string in a downward motion. Then, play it again, in an upwards motion.

It’s like getting double the rhythm for half the energy… pretty sweet deal.

The next part of playing slap bass is the pop. Popping involves using your index finger to pluck the string.

The good news is that thumbing and popping are both part of that doorknob motion that you learned.

So the pop comes from the rotation of your arm, and not from moving your finger.

On one end of the doorknob motion, you have your thumb. On the other, you have your index finger.

It’s one motion.

Where you alternate between thumbing and popping.

As you rotate your arm, you pop the string with your index finger.

Practice only this motion if you need to. Thumb your E string and pop your D string.

Before worrying about playing notes, practice this back-and-forth doorknob motion. It will help you master the rhythm behind a lot of slap bass riffs.

This way, you just have to learn where the notes are on the fretboard for the riff you want to play.

The last part of slap bass is, well, slaps.

Use your middle and ring finger to slap the strings on the fretboard, while the index finger mutes the strings.
Practice Technique
Building up your fretting hand slap as part of your percussive toolkit is vital to playing slap bass.

So get it dialed in with this exercise:

Thumb – Slap – Thumb – Pop

Practice that motion until you can do it fast. Then you’ll be ready to practice some riffs.

Here are three funky slap bass riffs that you can play using the techniques you just learned:

1. Fly Away, by Lenny Kravitz.

This is a great place to start because it’s only 4 notes! The key to playing this riff is to just understand where the root notes are.

Check out the tab for this song.

2. Alright, by Jamiroquai.

This is a great riff because it's a simple exercise in down thumbs on root notes and pops on octaves!

Check out the tab for this song.

3. Aeroplane, by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Remember the doorknob motion? That’s the rhythm of this bassline! So once you’ve got that down, all you have to do is add notes to it.

Check out the tab for this song.