Slap Bass Essentials by Josquin Des Pres: How to Master the Funky Technique with His PDF Guide

Slap Bass Essentials by Josquin Des Pres: A Review

If you are a bass player who wants to learn or improve your slap bass technique, you might have heard of Slap Bass Essentials by Josquin Des Pres. This book is one of the most popular and comprehensive guides on slap bass, covering everything from the basics to the advanced concepts. But is it worth your time and money? In this article, we will review Slap Bass Essentials by Josquin Des Pres and help you decide if it is the right book for you.

Slap Bass Essentials Josquin Des Pres Pdf 13

What is slap bass and why is it important?

Slap bass is a style of playing the electric bass guitar that involves using the thumb to slap the strings and the index or middle finger to pop them. This creates a percussive and funky sound that adds groove and energy to the music. Slap bass was pioneered by funk legends like Larry Graham, Bootsy Collins, Louis Johnson, and Marcus Miller, and later adopted by rock, metal, jazz, and pop bassists like Flea, Les Claypool, Victor Wooten, Mark King, and Stanley Clarke.

Slap bass is important because it expands the sonic possibilities of the bass guitar and allows you to express yourself in a unique way. It also challenges your technique, coordination, timing, and musicality, making you a better and more versatile bass player. Slap bass can be used in many genres and situations, from funk to fusion, from soloing to supporting, from playing covers to writing originals.

The history and evolution of slap bass

The origins of slap bass can be traced back to the early 20th century, when upright bass players used to slap their strings with their palms or fingers to create a rhythmic effect. This was especially common in jazz, blues, rockabilly, and country music. However, slapping an upright bass was difficult and tiring, so when electric bass guitars became available in the 1950s, some bassists started to experiment with slapping them instead.

The first recorded example of electric slap bass was by Johnny Brown Jr. on "You Can't Hide" by James Brown in 1967. However, it was Larry Graham who popularized slap bass in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Sly & The Family Stone. Graham developed his slap technique out of necessity, as he had to replace both the drummer and the keyboardist in his previous band. He used his thumb to play the bass lines and his index finger to play the chords.

Slap bass evolved further in the 1970s and 1980s with funk bands like Parliament-Funkadelic, The Brothers Johnson, Earth Wind & Fire, Level 42, Cameo, Zapp, and Chic. These bands introduced new elements like muting, hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, double-thumbing, tapping, harmonics, chords, octaves, triplets, syncopation, modulation, and effects. They also influenced many rock bands like Van Halen, Rush, Iron Maiden, Red Hot Chili Peppers,