Learn How to Play Popping

I can safely say that popping is the easiest out of the two techniques, if you have managed to learn slapping then you should have no problem with this next lesson. I would suggest that you learn both techniques at the same time and take an equal amount of time on both of the techniques.

Popping

This is only going to be a brief lesson as it should be straightforward. To pop you use either your Index finger or your Middle finger. It is best to be able to use both your fingers then you are able to use your Index finger for the D string and your Middle finger for your G string.

Now to pop you basically get your finger underneath the string a little, pull the string, and then let it go. The string should hit against the fretboard and make a popping kind of noise. You want to pull the string with a bit of force so you get a nice clean popping noise. You will notice this sounds different to that which you get with slapping.
 

This is an over head view using an Index finger popping the D string.

This is a looking down view at a Middle finger popping the G string.

Now there aren’t really any exercises you can do for popping. The only thing that will be of help is if you alternating between your Index and Middle finger and keep popping various strings.

 G|-----------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
 D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-------------------| 1 = Index Finger
 A|-----------------------------------| 2 = Middle Finger
 E|-----------------------------------|
    1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 

Although it is possible to pop the E and the A string it isn’t really that common as they are normal slapped not popped.

When learning popping for the first time you will notice your fingers will start to hurt and blister if you are not careful. The same rule applies that applied to slap bass. You should only practice the technique until your fingers get a little bit sore then continue it the next day.

Octaves

 G|-----------------|
 D|----3---3---3----|
 A|-----------------|
 E|-1---1---1-------|

The tab above is an octave. An octave is two notes that are the same note just an octave a part.
•    The 1 is an F.
•    The 3 is an F.
When you hear them you will tell that it is the same note just an octave apart. Octaves always go like this. Try fretting a note anywhere on the fretboard, now miss a string then move 2 frets along and keep your fingers on both of the frets. This same position can be played anywhere on the fret board.

Scissor Sisters - Filthy Gorgeous is a great song to play slapped as it is all octaves, although the song isn’t slapped it is more fun to play it this way.

 G|--------------------------------|
 D|-------7-----4------5------6----|
 A|--------------------------------| S = slap
 E|---5------2------3------4-------| P = pop
      S  P   S  P   S  P   S  P