I'm just starting to attempt double thumping, and I can't seem to do it for the life of me!

When I pull back up on the string, I can't seem to get even a resemblance of a slap/pop sound and I just end up shredding up the side of my thumb...What am I doing wrong?

:crying::crying::crying:

The way I do it( once a year , maybe, for a minute or less).
The downstroke comes from above the string and the up stroke comes from below it, pulling it up on the way and have it snap onto the board. hence the sound you hear.
My two cent.

yes, thats what i'm doing.

when i play the upstroke i cant manage to get the slappish sound that others manage to get, and i ned up just making the side of my thumb sore.

It may just be down to practice.

I am self taught, and i had the same problem. I think it is different from bass to bass and player to player. I had to just keep trying different things. Try different angles of attack, try different parts of the thumb. I ended up going at about a 45 degree angle into the bass on the down stroke and 45 degree angle away from the bass(so exactly where i came from) on my up stroke.

The setup of your bass can have a bit to do with how you approach this technique to some extent. A low action is much easier. Remember this technique is about speed so if you are getting right underneath the string trying to snap it back it will slow you down. Play through the string on the way down and try to hit the string back up with the corner tip of your fingernail (it might not hit your fingernail but it is a good place to aim) as this will stop your thumb getting caught under the string. Practicing on fretted notes can help to make the technique easier than practising on open strings as well. I also find that initiating the technique from your wrist (as opposed to an up and down motion of the hand some people use) is the most economical and even sound. Once you can do this play chromatic notes in one position to co-ordinate your left and right hand. The main problem I have seen is people trying too hard to snap from under the string. Relaxing with it and using some of these tips here has helped my students so far but it is hard without showing you in person. There are some good clips on youtube of people playing that might help you to visualise what you want to do.

+1 on the set up!

I'm just starting to attempt double thumping, and I can't seem to do it for the life of me!

When I pull back up on the string, I can't seem to get even a resemblance of a slap/pop sound and I just end up shredding up the side of my thumb...What am I doing wrong?

:crying::crying::crying:
Trust me, this technique is not meant to be easy. It takes practice and patience and yes it takes a bit of shredded skin too. Don't feel bad that after a few days or even a couple of weeks you still haven't mastered the techniqe. I spent a couple of months of practicing it every day to get it reasonably usable and I tore up the corner of my thumb in the process.

Have fun.

Do you think the shape of vic's thumb has anything to do with his ability with the technique? It's very curved.

Do you think the shape of vic's thumb has anything to do with his ability with the technique? It's very curved.

Nope, everyone's thumb curves backwards just a bit (some more than others - hitch hiker's thumb). It's a matter of getting that sweet spot that hooks the string enough without getting caught under it.

Practice! If it helps, I upstroke with the right side of my thumbnail, not the skin on my thumb. I can't speak for everyone though.

Here's a tip: don't slap with your thumb perpendicular to the strings (pointing down) - keep it parallel to the string. Exaggeratedly, it's like my hand is down below the strings while my thumb points upwards.

Note how this dude does it:

http://www.gbguitars.co.uk/images/news/stuart_250.jpg

Contrast this to the Flea technique:

http://www.elixirstrings.com/bass/images/tipstricks/ltp_slap_fig1.jpg

Fine for slapping, but not double thumping. Try:

http://www.elixirstrings.com/bass/images/tipstricks/ltp_slap_fig2.jpg

Do you think the shape of vic's thumb has anything to do with his ability with the technique? It's very curved.

Some people say having hitchhikers thumb makes it easier

But I don't see how anyone can compare since you either have it or you don't.

check out MarloweDK on YouTube.Com for some amazing technique.

honestly its just a matter of going really really slow at first and working your way up. its a cool thing to learn how to do it, and its even better not to use it too much.

Do you think the shape of vic's thumb has anything to do with his ability with the technique? It's very curved.


No, but I did have to trim my thumbnail differently since it was catching on the string.
I dont use it properly, I use it more like tremolo picking.

it took me years to get this so don't worry about it

my friend gave me this advice: stop trying to match the sound of a regular slap, because it's most likely not going to happen.

low action can help as well as short nails

I think double thumping would be the last thing I would learn. It is a really cool technique but I think learning to read music, learning tunes, and working on ear training would be a much better use of one's practice time. If I had all of this stuff together really well then I would start to practice double thumping.

I think double thumping would be the last thing I would learn. It is a really cool technique but I think learning to read music, learning tunes, and working on ear training would be a much better use of one's practice time. If I had all of this stuff together really well then I would start to practice double thumping.

+3
one each for developing ear, speed/accuracy and reading i would add theory also