Double-Thumbing Help!!!!

[Shandon]

Ok, I've read and read a lot about his double thumbing, but to tell the truth I don't understand!!!!!!! How do I position my thumb, Am I really slapping it down and popping on the way up??? I have no clue, so if skilled players out there are totally bored enough and would be so kind as into giving a detailed method of practicing and developing this skill would do so, thanks a lot, and I'm sure it would benefit others too!
Thanx

[ole Jason]

I do downstrokes as a normal slap but for the "upstroke" I snap the string up from the side moreso than actually getting my thumb underneath the string (impossible on my bass anyway). The upstroke is similar to the downstroke that a guitar player would do with a pick but I grab the string with enough of my thumb to pull the string up. The key is getting this all into one economical motion so you can start working it up speed wise. Everyone I've ever seen use this technique uses extremely low action and I use medium action so the way I do it may not work as well with low action. Also, this may or may not be how everyone else does it I'm not really sure.

[Wrong Robot]

When I do double thumb stuff I do it over the fretboard. But you can do it wherever you want.

As for technique, I pretty much keep my thumb in the same form both down and up, uses less motion and is more comfortable, for me anyway.

I use low action, and that certainly helps, but you can do it however you want. The best tip I can give you, don't force it!
relax and take it slowly, with any technique, if you try and force it it will end up sounding pretty weak, but if you just let it flow with the music it can really add to things.

[neptoon]

word...i do the same thing that wrong robot does...i find myself not doing many percussive type things with it, though...i usually do throw in the occasional pluck or double pluck. don't tell adam nitti, but the double thumb technique works great on the intro to skitzo and the divine wind

[Bassmasta86]

Check out Victor Wooten's site: www.victorwooten.com and also check out the forums over at www.bassically.net

Both of these sites have been beneficial to me, as well as posting here.

[Bassmasta86]

Oh one more thing, try doing a search for this topic as it's been talked about plenty of times.

I'm finding it hard to do this technique on my six string bass because I'm getting unwanted buzz from other strings...mainly the lower strings. Oh well, with practice it will come I suppose.

Peace

[thrash_jazz]

Here's a question now: Where does the motion come from? Do you move your thumb, your wrist or your forearm?

[Wrong Robot]

I move my wrist primarily....well
actually, more my forearm than my wrist.

but I do move both.

[khay0s]

When I double thump, I do an elipse-type shape by moving my thumb and forearm, such that my thumb goes down through the string and back up. My thumb does also move a little to make the note a little more clear on the way up. A website I found with some really good tips on double thumping can be found here.

[k]

[joel]

Originally posted by Bassmasta86
Oh one more thing, try doing a search for this topic as it's been talked about plenty of times.

I'm finding it hard to do this technique on my six string bass because I'm getting unwanted buzz from other strings...mainly the lower strings. Oh well, with practice it will come I suppose.

Peace

get one of those fuzzy hair band elastics ( what ever they are!!) i know that wooten uses one of them