Are you doing slap bass all wrong?... with Andrew Gouche
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- Опубліковано 2 лют 2025
- Today I’ve got the Godfather of Gospel bass, Andrew Gouche with me in the hot seat…
Prince, MJ, Chaka Khan… he’s performed with them all.
And in this new lesson Andrew’s sharing some of his approaches to playing slap bass, and sharing why some bass players may be approaching slap bass in the wrong way.
In this lesson Andrew’s going to be teaching you:
Who his biggest influence was (can you guess?… lemme know in the comments!)
Why he completely changed his slap bass technique after years of playing
Why slap bass is so much more than just a “fancy trick”
And much more
As always, see you in the shed…
Scott :)
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I can relate to his story about his exploding thumb. Back when I just started playing bass I was in a punkband and during our fist gig I noticed my strings were really sticky after the second song. Turns out I split open the tips of both my index and middle fingers. Had to keep playing because, you know, rock n roll and stuff so after the show I went to lookfor bandaids....turns out the singer fell into a piece of glass when he went into the pit. My arm and his leg completely covered in blood...it was a good first gig.
Holy shit you guys are troopers
Did the blood enhance your tone?
had an experience like this as well. we had been gigging for a little over a year at this point, playing music like iron maiden and metallica. The Trooper finally killed my index, middle, and ring fingers lol. luckily, i had a red bass haha
So fucking metal
Been there, done that. With me, it was the side of my hand ripped open by Allen screws protruding from the bridge.
Holy smokes. Andrew Gouche is insanely good!
Great touch & sound which is what really matters. He's clearly in ecstasy when he plays. Enjoyable, musical verses just being a noodle king.
@@bassboye8959 Perfect comment.
dude, hearing this guy play bass brought an instant smile on my face. what a bassist!
Wonderful, Scott! You're an indispensably positive force in the world of bass.
I heard Andre trying out a bass at a music store in LA back in 1998 when he was not so well known. Didn’t know who he was but got his number. I knew he was special.
That said there is NO substitute for the kind of sound you get when your right hand is coming two feet off the bass like Louis Johnson. I once scatted and rapped a duet with Louis when he was working the La Bella Booth at the NAMM show. We drew a huge crowd just me and him. I had no mic and he had NO AMP ! Just his Music Man bass . The sound was MASSIVE !
"Who else you would like to see... Because I'll probably be able to pull it off for you." John Deacon. Please.
Christ he’s a monster. Wonderful playing.
That was great bass playing to listen to. Most often I would describe fancy bass playing has hard to play and equally hard to listen to, but this was groovy and tasteful
Scott with a Fodera on his lap : not playing it
Martin MATIJA Such a tease.
Scott probably goes grocery shopping with a bass guitar around his neck. Having a conversation with a camera .. essential accessory!
Id carry that thing everywhere too haha
Literally just about to comment this lol
and a fedora on his head
Yeah, now that's some serious bass playing right there... We're in the presence of greatness.
That tone is totally sick! Wow!
Thanks for reposting this segment, Scott. It is always cool to check out reminder segments from your content... so much info! Kind of like re-reading a book or seeing a film more than once... brings out a new take on the lesson. And awesome playing of course, from Andrew!
Nice work... Love to see a 6 string bass player Slap!
Andrew gouche is awesome!
Ok my next request is Jimmy Haslip!
Thank you Scott!!
A million years go by....
.... and my hands still wouldn’t move like that.
..been playing over 20 years...in last two years took closer look at my technique...worked out a lot of rough spots..developed new methods...almost a beast now..so, no, it never to late to take inventory of your way of playing.
Thank you for the upload Scott. Really appreciate your hard work.
Now !!!! That man can send it!! Wow dude ,, That’s what I’m talking about !!
I want to see what Stuart Zander is up to now an interview with him please
Yes, yes, yes!!!
I love all your lessons and interviews. Have you ever thought of e-q-ing the mixes so we can hear the bass better?
This one needs no EQ for my headphones - delightfully smooth buttery tone.
Scott, could you please ask Andrew to play his entire discography as a solo in front of your camera? It would be greatly appreciated, and the best lesson of all time. Thanks for the insight!
How does he tap the A G Cstring that light an get that loud sound 🤔 mines sounds like baby thumps no matter how hard i👍🏿it 4:51
I enjoy Andrew's playing immensely. Also, i had the exact same experience adapting to 5 string. To this day i prefer a 4 string just because the 5 seems so awkward.
That was great! Such a solid down to Earth guy. David Dyson is another powerhouse player who can go back and forth between slap and fingerstyle musically and is a fantastic soloist in slap style.
I want to see an interview with Tim Commerford!
I have totally done the same thing play my 5 string! ugh the feeling is horrible in the middle of a set and you realize what you've been doing! Good to know someone even of andrews caliber has done it.
One of my most favourite bassist thanks to Scott.
Did Andrew have a compressor on
If I switch between fingers to thumbs the volume is way different
Daniel Irvine the compression was probably added in post production. No bassist worth his nickels uses compression. It’s all in the hands...💯
omg I can relate to the moving from 4 to 5 strings lol. Got the privilege to play a Fodera and luckily didnt make any mistakes that gig but had fun! just ordered a five string as well
Andrew must be one of the most efficient bass players out there. Especially if you look and listen to the result! 👍
Great player, great guy and who has a better "bass face" on the planet??
Lol! I also ordered a 5 String Tobias Signature series and learned on the fly! Now I have trouble braining playing a 4 string!
I can play the beginning of this video over and over and over again!
Love the concentration and precision of Andre!
Please do a video with him about his work with Prince.
Oh damn, 5:30 makes me feel like I've wasted my life until now playing anything other than style!!! Smooth McGroove jam fest right here.
Lovely light touch.
Damn, that was awesome. Can't wait to check out the full class on SBL!
You said it. NEVER A BETTER TIME TO LEARN NEW TECHNIQUE.
Coming from a comfortable zone to a learning experience builds your skill and your brain/muscle intelligence.
How old is this video? ❤
You can only smile when you hear ain't nobody played like this ☺️
Thanks Scott, this brother is nice!! 🎸😜
MTD 6 string? And also the back track of this song called chakra Khan ain't nobody that he is playing satisfies me of practicing and playing it as well
This goes OT but looking those basses in this video, it is remarkable how they have evolved to the point where they are where as guitarists are still having the decades old discussion about the Les Pauls, Stratocasters and Telecasters and how they should be to have the sound in the guitarists' heads.
More, man! We want MORE!!!
Mike Gordon from Phish would be AMAAAZZZINNNNGGG! :D ...Love all your content BTW and I'm def a member!
I would love for you to land an interview with the one and ONLY Les Claypool!!! Dude has the thumb and triplet game to himself.
Mtd's sound is insane
45 and still a student ;) One really cool player who is worth checking out from a while back is Joe Pureta from Ambrosia Bruce Hornsby and the Range and Sheena Easton's touring band. Was just going over "The Way It Is" Hornsby album but still have yet to try some of his killer lines from Scenes from the Southside.
I can relate to the 4 to 5 string situation. Borrowed someone else's bass that was 5 string a couple months ago thinking, I got this with a new band, and ....nope. a bit different. Fun times though.
Yes, sir! Great!
Id love to see you sit down and visit with Marcus Miller he is a really cool guy. I have seen many interviews with him and he always seems so strait and friendly about this past and his playing.
yes indeed...andre is phenomenal...but Marcus miller is my all time favorite he's a extremely well rounded influential bassist/composer/ producer with an uncanny ability to groove second to none
This man is a LEGEND!!!
I might not get a lot of support here but since Scott asked : I'd love to see him interview Arran McSporran !! Criminally underrated bass player, perfect intersection of jazz fusion and death metal, I met him at one of his gigs a few years back. He's a super chill dude, passionate musician, very educated bass geek, he plays fretted and fretless, can pull off crazy licks and solos with tapping and three-finger techniques while always keeping his parts lyrical and melodic... And to shut my case : there's close to nothing about him on UA-cam aside from his own channel ! If you don't know him, type his name in a search bar, you might enjoy his music ;) I'm sure Scott would have a nice time chatting with him !
And thanks for the videos with Andrew, I discovered him on SBL, he's one of my favourites, now... So talented 👌
a true king.. (both Scott and Andrew)
What a phenomenal player. Wow.
I started on an abandoned 6 string bass from my church. i almost broke my thumb trying to slap that bass, turns out I just didn't know how to setup the bass and the amp for the tone i expected. Sad to remember that was an amazing luthier 6 string bass with EMG soapbars and 3 band eq what a missed opportunity to enjoy that amazing bass
I would like to see Abe Laboriel Senior here...
Is that a string mute on the nut? I need one. Muting is quite a challenge on a six string because of all the sympathetic vibration.
Amazing!
Keeper episode, Scott; cheers!
That is a beautiful Bass U have in the intro
WE NEED THE FULL VIDEO OF THAT FIRST SONG
man can do it !!!!!!!!!!
Excellent!
Does a 6 string normally have 2 lower strings when tuned standard?
I have his Markbass signature amp - it is awesome!
🔥🔥🔥
Thanks for all these hints on slap bass. I just have a problem:
Don't know if it is normal and how it could be solved, if so!
When I slap the strings and after some time the string holders on the bridge are completely pulled down, mainly the first string!
The screws can't hold the vibration and they rotate each time I slap and after some time the strings are completely down .
I nearly said he’s one of the best slappers in the business but that doesn’t sound like a compliment lol. He is brilliant though, can play really fast and sustained
Such a groovy bassist.
The man. can. play.
Also, I commiserate with him on the move from 4 to 5. I also crashed and burned this year when I decided to get a 5, fretless, but string it e-c. I can't remember where I'm at half the time. Getting better though!
Why did you string it that way?
What is that collar Andrew's got above the nut?
Can't wait for thunder cat or mono🎸💯
You should reach out to les claypool. I feel like that would be fun
Damnn!!!!!! I 100 relate to the first time on a 5 string and thinking the B was my E and everyone in church practice looking at me like watchu doing
I would like to be able to play like him! But is not that right hand quite bent When he plays, and what I have heard, is that you should have Strait wrists.
3:10 hahah that’s crazy 🔥
Well this didn't answer the question in the title did it ?
I guess the point was incorporate thumb/slap into more than just funk playing? The Ain't Nobody stuff was pretty cool tho
Where can I find that version of Ain't Nobody? Sounds live and slower and groovy. Thanks for all the amazing content!
I know you recently had a great metal bass player (Nolly) do a course, but I have to suggest another, much more extreme, one: Mike Flores from Origin. Even though the audience of your channel might not have a huge overlap with that music genre, his level of technical and compositional innovation is absolutely astonishing, and I believe much of his material simply cannot be played accurately by another human being due to the chops required. It would be sooo fascinating to delve into his techniques and thoughts as he hasn't had that much exposure in terms of interviews and such. Great video as always.
Mike Flores from Origin would be awesome
Love the F-Bass maple syrup sitting in the back:)
[jazz face] 😱🔥🔥
What about doing some videos with Dominic Forest Lapointe for SBL?
Is ok to slap the BASS if I'm having a big scar at the side of my thumb?
FINALLY A LESSON!!!!!!
Hi what's the name of that artist and
song ?
This should be required listening for all established and aspiring bass guitarists. Slapping, thumbing, popping, its all just a technique to make music.
Scott: why 5 strings sucks
Aslo Scott: uses a 5 string bass
I noticed that and thought, "Oh, looks like Scott finally wised up and got off that P-bass craze."
@@avalerionbass It's a high C 5 string tho, which is quite a different ball game...
@@rufusstanier8893 What video does he talk about this?
That title is just a major clickbait
It’s honestly just a bit of playing to the Algorithm to get clicks - in reality he’s on the team of playing how you like, which is how it should be really. Doesn’t matter how you play or what you play as long as it speaks to you.
What's the song at the beginning?
"Who else you would like to see... Because I'll probably be able to pull it off for you."
Challenge Accepted! Abraham Laboriel Sr. Let's see you pull that off.
uh oh, i might have to plug into my new hartke hd25 after this intro jam 😂 and you *stopped short!!!* 🤦🏼♂️🤦🏽♂️
That's him warming up. Damn
When he said "I had a gigantic callus, and then it split"
I was like "NANI.. callus dsnt protecc" 👁👄👁
Seeing as how I can't slap, yeah I probably am doing it wrong
Muito show mano
Bill Dickens so much more than lightning speed slapper - granite groove merchant, like Andrew. and Mohini Dey - so much talent. Ü ♫
Hi.. Scoot.. Great play bass
Have you checked out David Dyson?
It would be awesome if you could get Brian Ritchie to talk about melody and counter melody
🔥
You would do me a huge favor to have Dexter Redding on (son of Otis Redding) and talk about bass. I can't find any lessons online by him. He was in a gang of three and called themselves the Reddings. He is the reason why i love funk disco music, though Rufus & Chaka Khan Stompin' at the Savor was actually the second album i ever bought.
In my opinion, the gospel music classic "Joy" (sung by Mississippi Mass) offers a much better representation of AG playing slap bass than "Feel For You"!