Thumping and Picking

February 10, 2018 8:08 AM

Larry Graham tells the story of how he invented slapping and popping, creating much of the sound of Sly and the Family Stone.
posted by jenkinsEar (11 comments total)

Then in the course of time, the man came to slap upon the bass. And lo it was funky.
And God heard this funkiness and He said, "Go man, go." And it was good.
posted by thelonius at 8:58 AM on February 10, 2018 [18 favorites]

The choice at 4:20 to cut to the co-host who appears as if he's about to ask a question but then quickly realizing Graham isn't finished yet decides not to after all was a wise creative decision.
posted by downtohisturtles at 11:09 AM on February 10, 2018 [6 favorites]

Plucking (not slapping) with the thumb, as Graham does while telling the story, is a very old-school method of electric bass playing.
posted by thelonius at 1:21 PM on February 10, 2018

Yeah but can he put the thing down, flip it, and reverse it?
posted by entropone at 1:28 PM on February 10, 2018

I've never seen a meeting of the earthly incarnations of two decades before.
posted by darksasami at 2:05 PM on February 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

I've never seen a meeting of the earthly incarnations of two decades before.

The mullets, the SWR stack.
posted by thelonius at 2:52 PM on February 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

And then, unfortunately, every rock dude in the late 80's decided they had to do that.

I never get tired of watching someone who is so effortless playing.
posted by bongo_x at 12:43 AM on February 11, 2018

But can he do this?
posted by pracowity at 3:26 AM on February 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

That is one of my least favorite music sounds in the hands of most, but that was a great interview and great reason for creating the sound. His thumb has also become a pick over time. Look at that thing!

His playing & sound also got buried as soon as the drums came in which sucks in terms of this particular interview and lesson.

I've played bass in a few bands that were as far from funk as you can get, but every singer is always asking "slap & pop it like Flea" and I'm like "no."
posted by The_Vegetables at 4:46 AM on February 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

Raised to high art by John Norwood Fisher of Fishbone.
posted by gottabefunky at 10:45 AM on February 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

but every singer is always asking "slap & pop it like Flea"

This is a sad state of affairs. I've been in many bands and if anyone said this they'd be laughed out of town.
posted by josher71 at 6:47 AM on February 12, 2018 [3 favorites]