So, over my vacation from college I saw a local Worcester mass band called ACARO. They were overall a fantastic band, they impressed me as much as In Flames and more than Gojira by far. What impressed me was their bassist.

Their drummer was playing double bass at a rapid speed, their bassist however was using a slap technique in which he used his thumb and his ring finger on the low strings moving his hand rapidly back and fourth. He kept up with the drummer with ease. It was easily the most impressive speed I've seen on bass. So I contacted him and he gave me tips that the bassist from In Flames gave him.

Ironically now the band is looking for a new bassist from what I've heard. But I was wondering if anyone has heard of this technique? And if so, by who? Are there any tips for this technique? I personally, have a ways to go because I can't even slap a D string without hitting the G, but if I could aspire to play at that speed I'd be happy as hell..

Sounds to me like "double thumbing" which is a technique pioneered by Victor Wooten. Check out his Groove Workshop DVD in the QandA at the end he talks about how to do it, you also see him do it plenty of times throughout the DVD.

You gotta basically slap the bass with your thumb but "over-slap" it so that your thumb comes to rest on the next string (so slap your E and land on the A) then you hook under the original string (E) with the nail of your thumb and pull your thumb back up...you'll see wooten do it different ways all the time sometimes from the shoulder, sometimes the arm, sometimes the wrist seeing all the variations makes it a confusing technique to figure out (which he explains is how he keeps it up without getting tired).

BTW, I'm not good at double thumbing and I can only do it VERY slowly, but it's a hard technique and I haven't put any time into it.

It doesn't sound like Vics technique at all, sorry. Victor uses his index/middle and sometimes ring finger for plucking. Sounds like this guy was using more a flea type technique in which the hand is almost flat and the thumb and finger pads used to slap.

Sounds to me like "double thumbing" which is a technique pioneered by Victor Wooten.

In Wooten's dreams. He might have popularised it but he didn't pioneer it. Larry Graham was doing that 20 years ago and I would hesitate to say he "pioneered" it either.

In Wooten's dreams. He might have popularised it but he didn't pioneer it. Larry Graham was doing that 20 years ago and I would hesitate to say he "pioneered" it either.

My bad. I would certainly say he is an expert at it though...and you could certainly watch almost any of his performances and see it done.

It doesn't sound like Vics technique at all, sorry. Victor uses his index/middle and sometimes ring finger for plucking. Sounds like this guy was using more a flea type technique in which the hand is almost flat and the thumb and finger pads used to slap.

Meh... That's what I get for answering a post on technique first. I thought he was describing DT but who knows what the heck he saw.

I think the OP is talking about a technique similar to one that John Norwood Fisher uses. There is also a member of talkbass that plays a ten-string bass that uses it as well. I tried to find videos on you tube of either of them, that I have seen in the past but couldn't.

Perhaps like this?

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=2655979

Well done, that's exactly the video I was looking for

I think the OP is talking about a technique similar to one that John Norwood Fisher uses. There is also a member of talkbass that plays a ten-string bass that uses it as well. I tried to find videos on you tube of either of them, that I have seen in the past but couldn't.

Is that what he does? I saw Fishbone 15 or so years ago and he did something that looked like that when they played Sunless Saturday.

Is that what he does? I saw Fishbone 15 or so years ago and he did something that looked like that when they played Sunless Saturday.

I saw some videos somewhere, I can't remember if it was myspace or youtube where he was showing three techniques. One was where he slapped with his thumb and then popped with his index and middle finger. Pretty common technique. There was one I don't remember right now and there was the one I think we are talking about.

He slapped with his thumb but then he also slapped with his pinky. I don't think that technique is all that uncommon either though but it takes a bit of work to master. I tried it briefly but never really perused it to any accuracy. I might try again some day.