Best Slap Bassists
Saidus Salehin Khaled (Sumon), is a bass player, singer, songwriter, composer, music producer from Bangladesh and the vocalist and bassist for the rock band Aurthohin. He is known as "Bassbaba" (Father of Bass) among his fans and audiences for his bass guitar playing. There's none like him as the Boss of Bass Slaps... As a bassist, I ' tried a lot to Cover the Same bass tappings of " Guti (the Finale )... There's many other bassists, who several times use bass slaps during concert or anyother stage shows... But Abou8 bassbaba, I can say, he plays Bass Slaps, Popping, Almost 95% of his performance... Abd every slaps of him goes Perfect.. He never hesitates to Slap on the bass continuously... It is seemed that no other man will borne in future in the whole world who can be bass master, and of course Bass Slap Lord!
A pride of Bangladesh. perhaps Sumon is one of the best bassist in South Asia (although I don't know many bassists in other SA countries). a very few bassists play bass in the foreground of a tract like Sumon and Keith Peters (India). I am a listener to Keith as well. but you know, when it comes to popularity, Sumon goes beyond the reachable limit than any others including Keith (because Keith plays mostly for film). there are so many things could be told about Sumon but you have to bujhte hobe... !
Michael Peter Balzary (born October 16, 1962), better known by his stage name Flea, is an Australian-born American musician, best known as the bassist, a co-founding member, and one of the composers of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers with whom he was inducted in 2012 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I think that Flea is the best slap bassist around. His aggressive slapping is killer in Mother's Milk and beautifully melodic in Californication. I personally think he gave the Red Hot Chili Peppers their signature punk funk sound. Totally deserves the Number 1 spot on this list.
Flea's slap bass is average at best. If you want some serious slapping, go with someone like Marcus Miller or Victor Wooten.
Seriously? You can't say that when you think "slap bass" Flea doesn't instantly come to mind.
Victor Lemonte Wooten is an American bass player, composer, author, producer, and recipient of five Grammy Awards. No one even comes close to Wooten! No one! Victor can play any style and all equally well. Flea is just a rock speed demon, he doesn't have nearly the same sense of Jazz and Funk as Wooten. Flea is good but Wooten is evil good! Flea and Wooten are on completely different levels. Just look up "Victor's Jam" on YouTube. You will NEVER see Flea play anything even remotely close to what Wooten plays in that clip!
For the person who said that Flea has no sense of jazz. Flea started out playing jazz music, sure on the trumpet, but the feeling remains the same. And I don't know where you got the impression that Flea doesn't have a sense of funk. I'd say he did a lot more for slap bass than Wooten. Still, two different bass players, different emotions whatever.
A Flawless bass player! Unbelievable tight and on time. Flea is a great bassist, however, he can't match the creativity and technicality of Victor. Also flea says himself he knows now musical theory yet victor has taken years out to study just that! Plus he has been playing since he was 3 years old!
Leslie Edward "Les" Claypool is an American musician, singer, songwriter, composer, author and actor best known as the bassist and lead vocalist of the band Primus. Les Claypool slaps his bass around like it's owed him money for about ten years straight. Listen to "Tommy the Cat", "Dirty Drowning Man", "Lacquer Head" or anything by Primus and you'll understand that Les deserves nothing but the top of the list.
He is the guru. Nothing like before or since. Love all the top 3, but uh... There is only Les in an alternate universe, peeking his head thru the curtains with his bass head stickin out and him kicking that one leg out like some prehistoric ostrich!
Les is more, and for the last time, "PRIMUS SUCKS! "
This is a terrible thing that he's only in third. I think he is at worst in first place. I don;t understand, um, tommy the cat, jerry was a racecar driver, there are no better slap bass lines. And that's final!
A real god of tapping and slap.
Fieldy is a legend, he's the first Nu-metal slap bassist. From my favorite band, KoRn, Fieldy has been in the band forever.
I have to admit, fieldy is not the best slap bassist of all time but his sound and technique are just so awesome
There's nothing in slap he hasn't done or can't do. He may not have invented slap but he put it on the global stage, brought it to an entirely new level(! ) and inspired a generation of bass players. Level 42's music was always torn between jazz/funk roots and the pursuit of successful hit singles so in some way that has coloured peoples perception, he's not going t get the rock vote and he isn't seen as part of the jazz fraternity. But no one could slap a bass with the speed, rhythm, precision and melodic fluidity of Mark King when he cam out. Many now have caught up and can impersonate his style (some are in this top ten list). You see kids in music stores doing it. But one has to remember the impact he had and how far he elevated the skill of slap.
Definitely an awesome musician! For as many years as I have played bass as an amateur and personally met Mark a few times in the US when he toured back in the eighties, he was one of the nicest guys and gave me a lot of pointers. Listen to one of the sessions and, as he said, close your eyes and tell me what you hear. It literally sounded like he was playing a complete drum set between the melodies and slapping. I've never met somebody who could make an instrument sound like many others.
Tasteful playing with a funky feel. More classy than "showy". Be it slap, finger-style, or tapping, he's surely the best!
Seen a lot of bassists and Marcus is definitely in the top 3. With Wooten and Caron right behind him.
Just listen to Detroit and you'll hear one of the coolest and intoxicating slap lines. Pure Marcus Miller
Gary Lee Weinrib, known professionally as Geddy Lee, is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush. Folks! This is a best "slap" bassist list! Look up "slapping" on Wiki. Quote "It involves slapping the lower two strings with the bony part of the thumb and popping notes on the higher two strings by pulling the string until it snaps against the fingerboard, producing a percussive sound." Though a phenomenal bassist, how often does Geddy use this technique? In all fairness, he should not be listed here.
Someone said he doesn't slap, as a bassist yes he does. There are different ways to slap, John Entwisle also. If you set your strings low and hit them had enough just by playing normal has identical effect and sound as slapping is hitting the strings hard enough so they hit the last fret on the neck. Setting your action low and playing hard is the same result no matter how you got get there.
All right, after all these days later I still wasn't able to find a single slapping of Geddy Lee. Yes, he is an extraordinary bassist. But he isn't a slap bassist. And like the visitor said, yes, he pulls his strings very hard, that does make like a "slap bass" sound, but ultimately its not slapping. there is a reason why its called slapping. for slapping you need to use you thumb, not finger.
Larry Graham influenced all the others on this list period! He is the reason this category exists in the first place, so who is better than him? What is even crazier he only started playing the bass, cause his organ broke, and started playing slap cause he thought he was going back to guitar eventually until he meet Sly and the Fam.
Ask yourself if you would find the following top 10 lists credible:
A Top 10 of Philosophers without Plato
A Top 10 of Modern Physicists without Einstein
A Top 10 of Innovators in Aviation without the Wright Brothers
...tastes may differ... But without Larry Graham in the Top 10, this list will not make any sense
Larry Graham is the godfather of slap, not too mention all the other incredible sounds he can get from the bass. Go YouTube "crazy bass sound" and then come back with "flea", haha, what a joke.
Brian Patrick Carroll, known professionally as Buckethead, is an American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who has worked within many genres of music. Guess, I was wrong, he plays slap bass too.
Is he a bassist too? I didn't know.
Bootsy stands in a class by himself. Not only did he master the technique of cloning pure funk he smashes atoms while simultaneously delivering a superior element of funk in rawest of nature... The jimi Hendrix of bass playing!
Excellent and Inspiring Slap Bassist. He displays such incredible technique and knowledge of music theory, he should definitely be higher on this list.
Check out some of his bass videos, or some of his music on Spotify and you will see.
The best Bassist in the world alive. Sumon is in a band but davie alone rocks the whol world. Actually very less amountnof people visit this website and davie didn't get any vote neither sumon for the last couple of yrs.
Love his style and number.
He got skills man. Tab, pull, slap, pick. His bassline was easy to find in X's songs. Sadistic Desire was a great work from, Vanishing Love as well.
In my opinion, he slaps a lot better than Flea.
Yes, once I saw. He is a good slap bassist.
Dudes... Seriously. Check this guy out. Speed, Accuracy..
He is beyond incredible in my eyes. And definitely deserves a top spot. I was a Wooten fanatic until my girlfriend showed me a video of this guy.
Another great slap bassist. I don't know much about him. But he is a bassist from Poland. And has amazing slapping technique.
You're asking about "Slap" bass technique, he's underrated. A monster!
Only seen his live bass solos twice, but were some of the most impactful solos I've seen of any musician period. This includes solos from some of the greats, geddy Lee, mick Fleetwood amongst them. Blew me away
Top 10 for sure...aaron wills is one of the most underrated bassists today!
The 15 minute bass solos at every show, new every tour. Super underrated.
The man revolutionized the instrument. that is definitely top 10 worthy
Michael Christopher "Mike" Starr was an American musician, best known as the original bassist in Alice in Chains, which he played with from the band's formation in 1987 until 1993. Just watch the Old Alice in Chains and you will see. He's one of the best and I celebrate him for that talent.
Awesome musician. He stomped those boots and slapped that bass into a grunge sound to Love.
He slaps his bass and stomps his boots making great music.
Ue-Chan has taken the fundamentals he learned from Flea and has taken them to a whole new level while adding his own funky personality into the slap style. If riffs are instantly intricate and catchy and just oozing with personality and character.
Wicked fast slaps and an aggressive tone make him stand out even in a band as crazy as Maximum the Hormone. Or does he make the band stand out?
Added for obvious reasons... Ue-Chan looked up to Flea and without a doubt, he can be compared to him.
Futoshi Uehara for the win!
What happen to this list? Are you all, people, got brain wash? We're talking about slapping, and here - Louis Johnson is on number 22. Are you crazy, people? Louis Johnson can break your faces into pieces with his slapping techniques. He is the most sophisticated bassist in terms of slapping. This list is utterly insulting. Put him up. Either one or two. Not below 3.
That LJ is this far down on the list really renders it null and void. "Thunder Thumbs is easily in the top 2 or 3 greatest slappers of all time. Most of the voters must not know about him. Seriously, some of the names on this list, while decent bassists and/or slappers, aren't even in his league.
A funkin' funk master! The classic Music Man bass we all know and love today was essentially developed for this fellow (at the time, the MM bass was by Leo Fender)
Sunny, excellent bassist I've seen ever in Barisal.
We the people of Barisal proud of you Sunny
I'm sure oneday you will reach your goal and take Bassbaba's position
Best wishes
Ryan is so good. He could play circle around most these others on the list. Just listen to "Dig" and you'll know why he should be number one. Watch the interview of when he filled in for Feildy different styles but Ryan's is so much more complexed and faster.
Ryan Martinie should be way higher, in the top 5 at least. He is amazing at slap bass, and bass in general
Plays with both class and control. He knows how to maintain a certain song dynamic and not the song fall to the ground. Apart from from that his solos are incredible.
Don't know much about this guy, but this guy can slap.