Double Thumping Tutorial

Thanks! I'm struggling with right hand thumb attack right now in regards to slap bass.

 

Just practice, I believe. I can make a nice slap sound by rebounding off the string, but I want to learn by using a downward motion that has the thumb resting on the next string. Sometimes I'll get it, sometimes I hit the next string with a mute sound, sometimes I catch my whole arm going up and down instead of twisting my wrist. Hopefully I just need more time and visual examples.

 

that was great. double-thumbing is awesome and applicable to so many genres. i think my double thumbing is on the right track. i instinctively started with the " thumb up " position, but one thing i do is attack the strings too hard - that is, i tend to dig in too deeply with my thumb, which is slow and can lead to fatigue. i need to develop a little ( or a lot, ) more finesse.

 

Just wanted to bump this. This video has helped me understand slap the most.

 

The first time I saw it explained was about 20 years ago on a Victor Wooten instructional video. I get the concept, I just can't do it with any sort of proficiency. It seems to require thinner strings or fatter thumbs.

 

Oh yeah I subscribed to your channel. Does your 6 string have a really fat neck?

 

Good to know. On my 5 string rockbass fortress, the neck shape is a little fat for my liking, so good to know the streamer is thinner if/when I get to go bass shopping!

 

Warwick necks for 5 and 6 are what i would call D shaped. There is a part in the center that is almost flat and then in the last half inch of each side it get drastically rounder to fit with the fingerboard. Well I don't know if it is different on Streamers but on Thumb they are like that. At first it was fat for me but I find it very comfy now.

Ibanez and Carvin are more known for their slim neck.

 

I just came across this thread...Thank you for putting this video together... very clearly explained and demonstrated.
I've been starting to focus on my slap technique (I'm blessed to be a full time bass player, but (kind of embarrassingly) in over 20 years of playing, slap technique has always eluded me, even tho I love the sound and listening those who do it well), and the double thumb style seems very versatile.
Also seems very ergonomic - a lot of sound for very little motion...
Again thank you for making yourself available, as I dig deeper into getting this style down I'm sure I may have questions...as for right now, I know it's just a matter of putting in the time...

 

Hi,
thanks a lot for the video, it's very clear and well done. I recently started learning this technique and I didn't experience particular problems, maybe because I naturally approached slapping with a "thumb up" position.
Watching your video and reading some people's posts I realized that slapping doesn't necessary involves rest stroke. I always slapped using rest stroke because in my experience that's the best way to make the string ring longer and have a more defined sound, while just hitting the string doesn't work very well for me.
So... should I start practicing that kind of slap and maybe practice with "thumb down" position?
How do you apply rest stroke on the G string with a 4 strings bass? Sometimes I rest my thumb on the pickguard, but not always.
Thanks for your help.

 

Hi,
I'm new to slap, so take my comment with a grain of salt, ok?
I played guitar ala Wes Montgomery for some time, so I'm used to rest stroke technique using my thumb, that's probably why I found myself learning slap basics so fast, I don't know.
I'm not sure if I'm doing everything right but honestly... I can't understand how it's possible to get a decent slap sound just "bouncing off" without resting on the next string (or the fingerboard, maybe?). Maybe everybody does a really quick rest and didn't realize that?
The "no resting" approach works ok for low E and A, D and G strings doesn't seem to react to the "hit" of the thumb very well, in my experience. I just hear the metallic hit without a defined note, while even a quick subtle rest produce an audible note, because the string is allowed to vibrate more.
The same is for "thumb down" position. I can't rest on anything in that position, it's real odd and uncomfortable for me. Maybe I missed something, I don't know.

Another thing, I don't slap using the typical "bony" part at the middle of the thumb like this:

It's impossible to rest that area to the next string, so I found myself using the same angle of the thumb but closer to the fingernail. Like you said, the sound is different.