Slapping/Popping

I decided to make a basic lesson covering the basics of Slapping, as it seems to come up in the Fretbuzz fairly often. Now, as most of you probably know, there are MANY books out there that cover the popular technique of slapping, from beginner to advanced, some with both. I personally recommend "Slap It!" by Tony Oppenheim, which I found in my local music store.

The examples I will post here will be as basic as possible to encourage creativity on your part, and to encourage you to get the books for the good examples.

Now, the first step is obvious, the "slap". You basically want to hit the string at the last fret, using the meaty part of the side of the thumb between the tip and knuckle. Use the different patterns in the following example to practice the technique, and develop some interesting rythms with it. Start slow at first, and build up speed as you progress. Practice this on the A, D, and G strings as well, and try it up on different frets instead of just the open strings.