The double thumb: opinions.

Brilliant Fool · #1 06-23-2003, 02:44 PM

Ok then, I've been playing bass for about 10 months now. I practice a LOT, usually for 5+ hours a day. If I had something better to do, I probobly would. Anyhow, I picked up the Wooten video 'super bass solo technique' ($40 for the damn thing) and in this video he shows you how he does it: Slap the string, rest on the string below it, upstroke with the corner of your thumb.

It took be a good week or two to find the 'corner' of my thumb.

I've become pretty proficient with this technique, but I can't seem to find any practical application for it in my playing! It just doesn't seem to fit.

So here's my question - Do you actively use the 'double thumb', and how long did it take you to get used to using it?

I am not a troll, I want to stress this, I have a cheesy $10 little microphone right next to me and will be glad to show you what I can do. Just ask.

Oh, and a for those of you that haven't seen this video: do not look directly into Mr. Wootens pants as your eyes will explode.
-D

Christopher · #2 06-23-2003, 02:59 PM

I learned how to do this too.

Rarely, it's useful for getting consecutive sixteenths or fast triplets on the low strings when slapping.

Otherwise, I haven't found much use for it. But then I don't play "lead" bass. If you do want to play like Miller or Wooten, it's necessary.

Wrong Robot · #3 06-23-2003, 03:24 PM

The only times I've ever used it

A) covering a victor wooten song

b) having a "thump-off" with my friend who also does it pretty well.

C) the occasional quick triplet in a slap groove

I don't slap much anymore, but I still keep the technique intact, because, well....why not?

and yes, wooten's "parachute" pants are pretty damn tacky

Brilliant Fool · #4 06-23-2003, 03:40 PM

Will pants like that make me a better bassist?

ole Jason · #5 06-23-2003, 06:54 PM

Only if you wear a skin tight shirt with them.

Out of curiosity, when he does the upstroke which corner of his thumb does he use? The right or left? I imagine doing it like that would be next to impossible unless you have very low action.

Wrong Robot · #6 06-23-2003, 07:03 PM

Vic uses insanely low action with super light guage strings (.040-.090)

daveze · #7 06-23-2003, 07:22 PM

Wheres the corner of your thumb? My thumbs round at the end with a boney bit at the knuckle. I use the bony bit to slap with, is that the corner?

I think with a lot of new techniques that you learn, it takes a while to use it actively. I've no advice as to how to use double thumbing, cause I don't think I can do it myself.

Find a riff you are confident playing, then stick a few double thumbs in place of a single slap or something like that. Build up your usage of it, like with learning how to do a technique, you start slow then speed up.

Josh D

Brilliant Fool · #8 06-23-2003, 07:23 PM

I did notice that I can double thumb REALLY well on basses with lower action than mine.

I play a warwick thumb BO 4-string, in case ya didn't know, and when I get a hold of a schector, or something similar, I tear it up.

But I don't have sweet pants or a tight shirt like Vic... I can defy the laws of nature.

Brilliant Fool · #9 06-23-2003, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by daveze
Wheres the corner of your thumb? My thumbs round at the end with a boney bit at the knuckle. I use the bony bit to slap with, is that the corner?

Personally I think that the 'corner' of your thumb refers to whichever chunk of your thumb that you use to double thumb. It's quite hard explain how I do it, so I took a pic of an upstroke, on my fender. Awkward angle + crappy camera = bad pic; I hope it helps though.

Wrong Robot · #10 06-23-2003, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brilliant Fool
Ok then, I've been playing bass for about 10 months now. I practice a LOT, usually for 5+ hours a day. If I had something better to do, I probobly would.

No, that's right on.

Nothings better than that.

ConU · #11 06-23-2003, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brilliant Fool

I've become pretty proficient with this technique, but I can't seem to find any practical application for it in my playing! It just doesn't seem to fit.

ole Jason · #12 06-24-2003, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brilliant Fool

so I took a pic of an upstroke, on my fender.

hehe I see why Vic needs really low action and light guage strings now. If I did it like that on my bass my thumb would fall off. With action low enough you could probably get away with almost a guitar pick like technique with your thumb couldn't you? Instead of totally going under the string I mean.

Wrong Robot · #13 06-24-2003, 02:31 PM

That's how I do it... like a guitar pick.

that's how vic says to do it too.

But, as much as I have heeded vic's advice, my double thumb style is very different from his.

daveze · #14 06-24-2003, 10:28 PM

Hang on, hang on. So its not really a double slap as such, more of a slap 'n' pluck with your thumb?

Cause I've been doing it like a slap, swinging my thumb rather than doing a wrist twist action, if you get what I mean.

Josh D

Wrong Robot · #15 06-24-2003, 11:03 PM

That's a differnet technique in itself

and just as valid as victor wooten's double thump.

XavierG · #16 06-25-2003, 02:14 AM

I don't know where you guys keep your thumb- corner, but here's mine (I'm right handed):

Howard K · #17 06-25-2003, 07:06 AM

strange technique this, i must asmit i've not spent any time really praticing this, so i cant really do it at any great speed. nice to use as an altenative accent in as a slap line tho - perhaps following a hammeron.

one of the best techniques i learnt recently which is really useful in a slap line is that thing that Alexis Slarveski does at the end of the Slap Bass Program video - where he slaps the string with 3 or 4 fingers and a thumb to get a triplet, or four note accent. that's handy, as is the open-hammer-pluck as Wooten calls it.

re: the song 'power' by marcus miller - does he really use the double thumb technique on that little pentatonic downwards run in the main riff? It's SO clean!!!

JMX · #18 06-25-2003, 07:12 AM

I like to play really soft arpeggios with this technique, it sounds more like soft fingerpicking than slapping. You can turn up intensity really easily for a quick "snap" though.

wulf · #19 06-25-2003, 08:07 AM

Sometimes I find it useful to perform an upstroke with the thumb leading into a stronger sounding slap on the beat.

It's just another technique that gives me a wider choice of how to articulate a particular phrase.

Wulf

Biggus_Reddus · #20 06-25-2003, 04:01 PM

Have any of you had trouble getting the second pluck? I can do triplets with the double thumb and one finger but my second finger just seems retarded. I just really don't get it I can play Myung's three finger technique but that second pluck sucks.