Double Thumbing in one easy lesson

[Bilbo]

Not a technique I have a lot of use for but I was wondering what it was all about and Youtubed it. I found this (it may have been posted here before) and was impressed by the fact that this player showed me what it was all about without uttering a word. Go to 0.54 and he takes about 20 seconds to explain it. I can now do it but, in the interests of musicality, won't

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnngPvedXEM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnngPvedXEM[/url]

Edited December 26, 2008 by bilbo230763

[Hamster]

I've played around with that technique, but still way off being confident to use it elsewhere than practice

[velvetkevorkian]

Its not nearly as difficult as its made out to be, but nor is it terribly useful...

edit- IME naturally.

Edited December 26, 2008 by velvetkevorkian

[Josh]

I found this one just as easy to get the hang of it:

Edited December 27, 2008 by Josh

[phil_the_bassist]

I'm guessin that I can't get it cos my 5ers have got too tight a string spacing...just ends up sounding like I'm playing with my thumb a la Macca.

Never mind...guess I won't miss it! lol!

[ZMech]

Tried to learn to double thumb. Vagually got the hang of it, but wasn't able to get consistent volumes between strokes, so gave up.

However, now I've got plenty of time (uni), so perhaps i'll give it a go again...

[simon1964]

Having watched that, I sort of understand "how", but still don't understand "why". IMO!

[lowdown]

[quote name='simon1964' post='384131' date='Jan 18 2009, 04:37 PM']Having watched that, I sort of understand "how", but still don't understand "why". IMO![/quote]

Why do players use up and down strokes with a pick?
Makes the phrase more fluent, if executed right.
Same thing really...


Garry

[JakeBrownBass]

[quote name='simon1964' post='384131' date='Jan 18 2009, 04:37 PM']Having watched that, I sort of understand "how", but still don't understand "why". IMO![/quote]

You can say that to any technique on any instrument and the answer is always going to be the same,

Why not?

[simon1964]

[quote name='jake_tenfloors' post='388361' date='Jan 22 2009, 11:41 AM']You can say that to any technique on any instrument and the answer is always going to be the same,

Why not?[/quote]

Well, hitting my bass with a hammer will produce a noise. In that sense its a "technique", but it isn't musical (IMO). Which, to answer your question, is why not.

I feel a bit the same about these sort of techniques. I really struggle to to see any musical context where the technique demostrated here would add anything. What he's playing would sound just as good played straight fingerstyle. Just my opinion - I can see that its technically difficult, but it just seems a bit pointless to me!

[JakeBrownBass]

[quote name='simon1964' post='390103' date='Jan 23 2009, 11:48 PM']Well, hitting my bass with a hammer will produce a noise. In that sense its a "technique", but it isn't musical (IMO). Which, to answer your question, is why not.

I feel a bit the same about these sort of techniques. I really struggle to to see any musical context where the technique demostrated here would add anything. What he's playing would sound just as good played straight fingerstyle. Just my opinion - I can see that its technically difficult, but it just seems a bit pointless to me![/quote]

But the technique can be sued musically. With the right muting and ghost notes you all of a sudden have a percussive noise. Meaning you can get a groove without a drummer!
Tbh, i understand why people get annoyed by it, because alot of people do jsut use the technique to show off!
If this style doesn't add anything, then why do people use picks, when what they're playing would sound just as good played straight fingerstyle!



And in this video, why bother playing like this??
Tbh, your idea is flawed.

[urb]

[quote name='simon1964' post='390103' date='Jan 23 2009, 11:48 PM']Well, hitting my bass with a hammer will produce a noise. In that sense its a "technique", but it isn't musical (IMO). Which, to answer your question, is why not.

I feel a bit the same about these sort of techniques. I really struggle to to see any musical context where the technique demostrated here would add anything. What he's playing would sound just as good played straight fingerstyle. Just my opinion - I can see that its technically difficult, but it just seems a bit pointless to me![/quote]

That's fine but used correctly - i.e. at the service of the music you are playing - any technique can be musical. I personally think different techniques give you a wider range of tonal possibilities - but also stuff like double thumbing quite literally enables you to do things that are physically a lot harder without using them - DT-ing is actually a way of 'picking' NOT 'slapping' the string - therefore it gives a more bouncy, less aggressive vibe than slapping - I know because I've tried it.

And as regards it being technically difficult - I'd go as far as saying that doing regular two finger plucking perfectly is just as hard - and you only view other techniques as hard because you haven't practiced them as much. I agree that it should all serve the music but hey if you play funk and you want a way to step out or beyond just finger style then DT-ing gives you a lot more options.

And lastly - please check out these vids of session bassist Bobby Vega on Bassplayer.tv - he's one of the funkiest cats on the planet and he makes double thumbing sound greasy and funky as hell - this is some of coolest DT-ing I've ever heard:

[url="http://www.bassplayer.tv/?req=1&station=bvega"]http://www.bassplayer.tv/?req=1&station=bvega[/url]

Cheers

Mike