Double thumbing? In the Wrist?

[werbo1]

Hello, I'm trying to learn how to double thumb and am wondering if the motion is all in the wrist

I haven't been slapping much but when i do i usually "slap" or whack the string with the middle joint in my thumb and then pop the next note. I haven't really tried the picking motion with my thumb but have been trying.

My question is, when double thumbing do u use your wrist for the motion or is it really just mving your thumb?

I'm off to practice

[christoph h.]

sorry to say, but there's no "true" answer to this.
i've seen people do it from the wrist, from the elbow/forearm, and from the thumb.

personally, i use a mix on wrist motion (mostly) and forearm.

out of the well-known bassists, i think victor wooten uses mostly a forearm motion while alain caron plays from the wrist.

[geoffkhan]

You want to use your wrist and forearm, but as little wrist as possible to avoid injuries (if you just use your wrist, that's a great way to get you a case of carpal tunnel syndrome). You also want to have your thumb remain as stationary as possible.

[Not Mark Westlake]

Quick thread-grabbing question - is it the same part of the thumb you use to slap regularly? The hard joint part, that is, or is it the kinda fleshy tip to the side of the nail?

[werbo1]

I think the fleshy part is most logical...I found it slightly easier if you "strum or pluck" toward the bass not towards the next string

[geoffkhan]

Actually when you're plucking upwards with your thumb, it's across your thumbnail a bit -- in that spot right under your thumbnail.

[PilbaraBass]

I've tried double thumbing. Although, a simple motion, it's not easy to be consistant. What I have a problem doing is consistently catching the string on the up stroke. As a result the thumbing sounds a bit choppy.

[thump326]

what does "double thumbing" mean? It is using your thump as a pick? I play like that a lot, i always thought it was a poor "slaping" technique.

I lightly pinch the last knuckles of my thumb and index finger together like i'm holding an imaginary pickand play like a pick guitarist. I also use my index to pop on the high strings.

Another weird thing i do is strum the strings by opening and closing a fist, lightly brushing the strings with the tips of my fingers and thumb. Someone told me it looked like i was playing flamenco guitar.

[jenderfazz]

Well using your thum as a pick, to some extent. But it's slappy. It's almost like slapping and popping with your thumb, one after another in a smooth motion, kind of like strumming with a pick. I'm not very good at it myself but I think it's more logical to make it a forearm thing. You can hurt your wrist with repeated wrist motion.