Help with Wooten type techniques.

J. Crawford · #1 04-19-2009, 03:36 PM

I have been playing for three years and have a great setup that I love very much. I just have one problem.

I can do every technique up to the Wooten-esque. I cannot double thumb, or anything of that nature. Tapping, harmonics, etc. I can pinch, but cant get a staight up harmonic.

In other words, THIS VIDEO shows what I want to be able to do, but cant. I have two bass teachers, but neither of them are fluent in this, IIRC.

Any tips? I have watched every video known to man.

Asher S · #2 04-19-2009, 05:50 PM

Is this what you're looking for?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq7IxvfOxTQ

It's all right there, it just takes a ton of practice, like anything else.

J. Crawford · #3 04-19-2009, 06:26 PM

Thats it exactly. I have watched al of these videos many a times, and practiced along with them relentlessly.

It just wont click.

JAUQO III-X · #4 04-19-2009, 06:33 PM

In the process of learning and trying to learn some of these techniques do you think you could stumble(or have stumbled) onto your own approach/voice and be happy with that(and no I'm not being sarcastic)?

Asher S · #5 04-19-2009, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordasch

Thats it exactly. I have watched al of these videos many a times, and practiced along with them relentlessly.

It just wont click.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but you wrote "practiced along with them relentlessly" and "I have been playing for three years" ...

I've been playing for quite a bit longer than 3 years, and some techniques just take a really long time to internalize.

I think you should persist for as long as it takes, and as long as you're having fun with it. Otherwise, can it and move on. Vic is a great musician, but you don't need to play just like him to also be a great musician.

jazzmcs · #6 04-19-2009, 06:46 PM

I went through a Wooten/extreme technique phase about 8 years ago. Got to playing lots of Wooten's pieces actually but it was really hard work as well as hard to maintain (too much maintenance for me TBH). I'm much more laid back now but do explode a flurry of notes on occasion, lol. I also use "double thumping" all the time for slap styles or when I want to emulate a pick but it does have a different sound than old school bounce slapping like Johnson uses. There is a lot of info around the net on his techniques. The best thing to do is to get his DVD's. Super Solo Technique will teach you most of it. Then a lot of serious practice. I have some pointers on what helped me under my lessons at www.MikeShawonbass.com but it's no substitute for getting all of Vic's DVDs. On top of that Vic's right hand man Anthony Wellington teaches a mix of old school and new school style slap at the Musicdojo online. I took most of those courses and they really did help. Hope this gets you started