Bass Gym: A Rob Trujillo-Inspired Punk-Funk Slap Workout

Dare I Say – punk has never sounded so funky!

As an aspiring player, it’s good to have an idol. Somebody you look up to and who inspires you to be better every day and work on your skills. In my case, one of my biggest heroes is Rob Trujillo, especially from his Infectious Grooves era. I vividly remember my reaction after listening to “Punk It Up” or their funkified version of “Immigrant Song”. That’s the way I want to play the bass! It hit all the right spots in my teenage brain. So cool!

At the same time, I had a big love for the weirdness and niche of King Crimson and other genre-crossing artists. Those harmonies, odd time riffs and messages between the lines. I was hooked. So, naturally, I combine these elements in my bass style, as you can hear in today’s groove, “Dare I Say,” which is based on aggressive slapping and diminished scale sounds.

Download the transcription and follow along with the video below.

Let’s look at the relentless slap pattern intertwining throughout the composition. It is based on a four-note pattern: open string, hammer-on, slap and pop, repeated at a tempo of 149 BPM. In that sense, the groove is quite straightforward.

The only time you’ll encounter less busy parts is in the imaginary chorus (bars 25–32 and 43–50) and the harmonics in bars 41–42. Otherwise, you just go full throttle, enjoying this funky, punky ride.

Try to relax during the fast-paced passages and focus on the articulation to keep those sixteenth notes ticking. And dare I say it… have fun!