Learn Slap Bass From Vulfpeck’s Joe Dart

Vulfpeck shared a slap bass tutorial video led by bassist Joe Dart. The clip is an excerpt from Vulf Conservatory’s “The Joe Dart Bass Course.”

Dart — with help from beat technician and Vulf bandmate Jack Stratton — begins the slap bass session by noting one of his influences, Red Rot Chilli Peppers’ Flea, and his slap work on RHCP’s cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground.” Joe also touches on a few slap techniques like “Triplet Fills,” “Hammer-Ons” and perhaps most important, “Looking Cool” while doing them.

Additionally, Joe notes that it takes hours of practice, or, “Time Spent Slapping,” to nail down the technique. Elsewhere in the video, Joe and Jack make a connection between Will Smith and slap bass in pop songs as well as Smith “bringing back slap in general.”

In true Vulf fashion, it’s both a hilarious and informative video. Check it out below:

An interview with Dart and Vulfpeck/The Fearless Flyers bandmate Cory Wong is featured in the latest episode of The JamBase Podcast. The full seven-lecture “The Joe Dart Bass Course” is available for purchase now.