I know that this site and it's forums is for metal only, but I know that there's got to be metal music out there with kick ass technical bassists that use certain techniques.
The thing is, I'm experimenting with the more chunky/funky/choppy type of music, which can get quite technical. I'm getting into Primus a more lately, and have come to start writing/playing songs in that style (sshhh, don't tell the metal gods). Of course, Claypool writes great bass riffs; ones that I have no problem understanding and playing. But the way he plays them at times is puzzling to me.
If I want to alternate between slapping and popping easily, I find that it's best to practically rest the hand on/above the strings, lifting then bringing the thumb down onto the string for slap, and using my index finger for popping. But I'm having trouble with the 2nd and 3rd strings (my bass is a four-stringer). I usually fumble over the strings if I try to use the popping technique with those two middle strings. And with slapping them, I get too much of a mute from the other strings, and that just sounds sloppy. Is there any way to improve the slapping/popping style of playing? Particularly with the two middle strings?

Hey, this topic has been covered a couple of times if you searched it.. but no worries..

And this maybe be a metal forum, but this is the 'BASS' zone and anything to do with bass even if its disco/pop bass, it goes..

Right, slapping and popping.. you say your having trouble with executing slap/pop with the D and A strings, its usually a issue for beginner slappers, because there in between the other strings and are harder to attack (slapwise).. i had that problem when starting out.. but its all about accuracy, but more about being able to mute the other strings, so you could hit your shoe on the bass and mute the other 3 strings and hit a note on the string you havent muted..

If that didnt help, could you go into further detail about what you want me to explain..

__________________

(I did search the forum, but the only other existing threads I found were just about what slapping/popping were and not how to confront any problems with them.)
I do mute the other strings. It's not that other notes are sounding, but rather just the sound of the other muted strings. I have no problem hitting only the desired note on one of the middle strings, but since I get the muted sound from the other strings I find the note a bit blurry or shadowed. I'm just assuming everyone gets the muting sound along with the note and I shouldn't worry about it? Also, if it helps, I usually use distortion. It sounds great with slapping/popping on the outer strings, its just that--like I said--I'm getting a little bit of a blurriness with those middle strings along with the muted other strings.

__________________

I meant that I do mute the strings while I slap (besides the one I'm slapping). But, I get that thud sound along with it. Not that I'm hitting other strings and therefore getting unwanted notes, but rather that the sound of hitting those muted strings can be heard -- and that is what is causing my problem with the blurriness of the note I'm actually playing.
So, basically, I'm hearing the muted strings too loudly compared to the note I'm actually slapping. Therefore fucking up my sound a bit.

Umm this is confusing. You do know only to slap the string you want to get a note out of right?

__________________

how do you guys mute the strings while slapping/popping

__________________