Contents

1. Basic of Reading Music........................3

2. Slapping Technique..............................4

3. Slapping and Popping..........................7

4. Muted Notes.........................................6

6. Pull-off.................................................10

7. Slapping Grooves................................11

5. Hummer-on................................................9

2 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Basics of Reading Music

The fundamentals of music are pitch and rhythm which are placed in a grid of five lines and four spaces called Staff. Bass Players Read Bass Clef. The symbol of the Bass Clef is derivedfrom the old German way of writing “F”. The two dots on the right of the bass clef symbol surround the line on which “F” pitch is written.

The notes above are all natural however any of this notes can be raised or lowered a half step by placing a accidental, sharp (#) or flat (b) right before it. When an accidental occurs,it applies to the whole measure unless it is cancelled out with another accidental.

Sharp (#) Raises a note one half step.

Flat (b) Lowers a notes one half step.

Natural (n) Cancells an accidental previously used.

F / G# bG / A# b

A / B# bC / D# b

D / E# bF / G# b

G / A # bA / B# b

C / D # b

Note: The distance between B and C and E and F is a half step, that’s way there's no # or b in between those notes.

3 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

4 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

SLAPPING Technique

Slapping means hitting the string with your right thumb. This is the foundation of Slap Bass and the motion you will use the most.First, you need to develop coordination to accurately strike the string.In Order to do that your Thumb should be parallel to the strings and you may have to lower you elbow near the bridge.The next series of exercises will help you to develop this technique.

Ex. 1

Muted Notes

Muted notes is what gives flavor to our slap grooves.You get this sound by laying the fingers of your fretting hand acrossthe strings, don’t press hard enough to hear a pitch.

Ex. 2

Ex. 3

Ex. 4

5 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Muted Notes Cont.

Ex. 7

Ex. 8

Ex. 6

Ex. 5

6 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Slapping and Popping Techniques

The easiest way to get started is by playing octaves ,one of the most commonly figures in Slap-Bass grooves.Using your index finger tip, pull the string away from the fretboard and release it, the sound of the string snapping down onto the frets is know as popping.In the following exercises you will be playing a combination of Slap and Pop, so it is very important that you keep your hand position.

Ex. 9

Ex. 10

7 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Slapping and Popping Cont.

Ex. 11

Ex. 12

Ex. 13

Ex. 14

8 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Hammer-on

Hammer-on produces a note by slamming a finger into a fretboard.Practice the following exercises with a metronome.

Ex. 15

Ex. 16

Ex. 17

9 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Pull-off

The Pull-off is like the hammer-on in reverse.To get a good pull-off sound, pull your finger off the string with a sort of downward motion.

Ex. 18

Finger Nail

Finger Nail is a technique I developed inspired on flamenco guitarist.I get the sound by slapping right in top of the string with my finger nails(index, middle, ring finger and pinkie) one after the other one.

Ex. 19

10 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Slapping Grooves

Ex. 20

11 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Slapping Grooves Cont.

Ex. 21

12 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Slapping Grooves Cont.

Ex. 22

13 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Slapping Grooves Cont.

Ex. 23

Ex. 24

14 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Slapping Grooves Cont.

Ex. 25

Ex. 26

15 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Slapping Grooves Cont.

Ex. 27

Ex. 28

16 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves

Ex. 29

Slapping Grooves Cont.

17 J.P. Dias’ Slapping Funky Grooves