Double Bass Floating thumb

[eh_train]

Interesting, and great playing! While soloing he seems to be resting his thumb sideways on the string below the one he's playing. So it's referencing something, but it's changeable. I guess that's the floating part.

Side note, these players seem to have some pretty adequate equipment. I took some bass strings and bridges down to Havana about 10 years ago, and they were very glad to have them. Their economy is such that things are held together with as many DIY fixes as you can imagine. Want a 1982 Lada engine in your 1954 Chevrolet? It'll be ready Thursday!

 

[John Goldsby]

Their economy is such that things are held together with as many DIY fixes as you can imagine. Want a 1982 Lada engine in your 1954 Chevrolet? It'll be ready Thursday!

Actually, I've never thought about it before, but ... yes, I would like a Lada engine in a 1954 Chevy Thanks for putting that image in my head!

 

[Trivolis]

Thank you Mr.Goldsby for your reply. I didn't know this player ,thank you for suggesting him. I will keep an eye on him!
I think the floating thumb technique can be used along with the other pizzicato techniques, to achieve great agility ,almost effortlessly, on fast passages. But even for more ballad oriented/singing/lyrical stuff this technique works well.

A couple of years ago, we had students from the performing arts high school in Havana, Cuba come visit our local high school/music program near Cologne, Germany. We hosted an amazing young bassist by the name of Leo Luna Roblejo ... who I jammed with a lot in our living room He uses a floating thumb technique to good advantage. You can find Leo on Facebook if you want to follow him and check in on the Havana music scene—he posts some videos on FB. He attends the Conservatorio Amadeo Roldan school in Havana (maybe he's graduated by now).

Here's a video he did a couple of years ago—I think he must be about 17 or 18 here:

 

[Trivolis]

James Cammack sometimes uses it. Check out some of his videos with Ahmad Jamal.

Already did,thanks!

 

[Trivolis]

Here is a clip from a show called " The subject is jazz". It was on NBC back in 1958.
There are a lot of wonderful musicians on this episode but I post it because you can clearly see Mr.Safranski's right hand at the very beginning of the episode.

 

[Trivolis]

Here is a clip from a show called " The subject is jazz". It was on NBC back in 1958.
There are a lot of wonderful musicians on this episode but I post it because you can clearly see Mr.Safranski's right hand at the very beginning of the episode.

There is also a thread here on talkbass about Mr.Safranski ,it contains a lot of useful information about his right hand technique:

ed safranski technique.

 

[Michael Glynn]

Austrian bassist Georg Breinschmid does this. He sounds great and has a great sense of humor, too. Lots of videos on his Youtube channel.

 

[Trivolis]

Austrian bassist Georg Breinschmid does this. He sounds great and has a great sense of humor, too. Lots of videos on his Youtube channel.

Wow!! What a great player! Thanks for sharing!