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Old 11-16-2017, 06:37 AM
Gitfiddlemann Gitfiddlemann is offline
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I am having to learn the left hand fingering and right hand picking first and in full before I can even begin to think about adding the slap and joining the two together.
One thing that is good to remember is that we all learn differently. What works for one may not be the right solution for the other.
The fundamental problem that I see with your approach above is that it segregates an essential element (the slap rhythm) from the music, when it should really be interwoven into the whole, just like any other part or series of notes.
I faced similar technical hurdles when I was learning compositions from Michael Hedges, which featured lots of muting, fret slapping, areas of songs where the responsibility for playing the melody seemingly shifted between right and left hands, and other quirky elements.
It's hard on the brain to get everything working together, but it's vital not to leave anything out as you learn it imo, because both hands need to move in sync and in rhythm, and that includes all the motion that may take the hands and fingers away from where they would normally be positioned. It's hard to explain, but I hope you understand my point.
In your case the slap requires the hand to move away from the strings, making the distance back toward the soundhole somewhat different than it would be if the hand remained positioned where it normally is. That requires a subtle adjustment, so that the rhythm (and music) doesn't suffer, and that needs to be "wired in" at the start (imo). It's not something that can be easily added in at a later stage, like an ingredient in a recipe.
The good thing is that the pattern repeats fairly uniformly.
Another thing that is helpful is how well the notation or TAB that you are following is written. How well are all the elements, slap included, spelled out musically? If done properly, it's just a matter of following "all the markings" .
I know, easier said than done.
Anyway, as I mentioned above, everyone is different. It's just my opinion that these particular types of technical challenges are more efficiently tackled together, rather than apart, however awkward it may seem at first.
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Best regards,
Andre

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