slap bass

British  

noun

1. a rock or jazz style of playing the electric or double bass in which the strings are plucked and released so as to vibrate sharply against the fretboard or fingerboard

---

Example Sentences

That’s how Larry Graham came up with slap bass.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

With its distinctive slap bass and riotous laugh track, “Seinfeld” both captures a singular moment in 1990s Manhattan and transcends its era.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 22, 2024

Side One kicks off with “Rock This Town,” driven by a slap bass line straight out of 1950s Memphis and a video that highlighted their distinctive look.

From Washington Post • May 21, 2019

Or is the real tipping point a montage in which four or more people, each with a specific skill, are recruited to the sound of slap bass and glissando organ?

From The Guardian • Jun. 11, 2018

Listen and you could almost hear the funky slap bass that played as segue music on “Seinfeld.”

From New York Times • Aug. 18, 2010