4 Double Thumbing Mistakes To Avoid (Slap Bass)

[@aryentripping1790]

Dude, I've seen this technique explained by Wooten, Marcus, etc ... and yours, is by FAR the best explanation ... You've earned another happy subscriber! Big Thank You!

[@joshfossgreen]

Thank you, glad I could help! :)

[@desmundnichols9368]

me too.

[@skrubz9282]

Yep, really depends on each person's opinion

[@iarguesemantics]

I was having a lot of trouble with my double thumping technique before I watched this video. THEN I got a banana tattoo. My technique has never been better.

[@cosmicsea7]

Its because Bass sounds like "BA-NA-NA-NA...." lol

[@Cr4zyD4vEe]

@@cosmicsea7 It's because the instructor has a banana tattoo

[@stanimir1111]

Absolutely incorrect instructions. Don't follow that technique! The instructor plays very well, but not by that way (technique).

[@eaf27]

I wish you'd told me I didn't need the banana in the beginning... I already put one on my arm. nice video sir.

[@joshfossgreen]

Lol, well it doesn't hurt. :)

[@mookie2637]

I've been playing bass for thirty years, and this is probably the best double thumbing guide around. I really like the way Josh gets to the point, and it's not about his wisecracks or ego (unlike many others...)

[@popstopolus]

"If you assume something's going to be hard than you probably clench up" something I think we can all relate to, joking aside this is a really top video Josh!

[@Bateman7]

I really practiced this learning Evan Brewer / Victor Wooten. When I finally sat down and did chords while double thumbing (for a few hours and blisters), I realized it is almost like using a pick. That being said,i found it easier using a pick on guitar then double thumb on bass, but the actual concentration and timing practicing double thumb made me better using a pick on guitar! In my opinion, if you are trying to cram as much technique as you can, its not for the faint hearted. The blister I received from double thumbing swelled twice its size and poped at work.Very painful,but damn if it wasn't worth it. Thanks for making this video. I was just checking if i was doing anything wrong, but i believe i learned all the faults through experience.

[@SlavSquatSenpai]

I've come back to this video, yet again, as I dropped learning it after like an hour, and started again and have been doing it for a whole month now. That slight thumb angling REALLY helps. I've been doing everything you suggested, except for the slightly angled thumb. Adding that allowed for resting the bottom of the thumb more easily against the next string. It's kind of like the plucking equivalent of using a ramp or playing over the pickups... less digging in.

[@bartoszfalkowski1396]

First tip is so much important. I've needed it bro!

[@decipherlogic]

6:34 Tosin Abasi has left the chat

[@ReggaeRobb]

Regular human rules don't apply to him xD

[@waawaaweewaa2045]

Good vid, Marcus Miller was talking about this technique in another video and made a great point; if your action is too high it's way harder to do this technique.

[@andrepereira744]

I always felt the oposite.

[@271179]

Another thing to note, if you do this technique over the neck on the body, very low action makes it harder to get a good sound out of it. If your action is right in the middle, you're golden. I prefer to have my action as low as possible, so I double thumb over my neck pickup, where I have a little more room

[@realsoon1612]

@@271179 Just had this revelation tonight--my Lākland Skyline is fun with super low action, so trying it on the fretboard was stripping my thumb's cuticle heh. Since I'm not finna raise it, thumbing just past the fretboard gives me response and tone I think I can build on

[@IzakLast]

Headed out for my afternoon break, taking the bass and giving the double thumb technique a try. Thanks for the great video Josh!

[@AnonymousCowardX]

Thanks a lot. Your work is very much appreciated. Unluckily, I tought myself the old school Mark King (Level 42) way of slapping throughout the years, trying to convert into double thump technique now. Quite difficult. And I manage to play two up and down strokes and index and middle finger plucking for disco-ish octave kind of stuff, but I am quite lost in more subtle rhythm patterns with triplets etc. Guess I'll have to teach myself more ryhthmic stuff etc.

[@Jim-H]

Nice to see you’re playing a Cirrus. The Cirrus neck is like no other. I was sold the first time I played one. 35” scale too!!

[@h3adcrabbio]

Thank you very much! I have been having a few issues with double thumping and this will definitely help.

[@coreygreaves1431]

Great lesson. I haven't attempted double thubbing yet because I thought it would be to hard. But this has helped me get past that. Thanks.

[@cameron6465]

Yeah I found it very helpful to start off just by doing a slow and simple double thumb on the e string the first day so you can get the feeling of what double thumb is. Then after that first day try transitioning between different string. Nice vid :)

[@SlavSquatSenpai]

"Start slower than this... please." Lmao. An actually serious, and very important tip that is. Thanks for the help, Josh. I honestly didn't realize there was so much more to the slap technique. I just started learning this technique, and I was doing most of my motion at the wrist..

[@joshfossgreen]

+Pat Orlowski Just to make sure I was clear in the video: The double thumb technique is a different type of motion than the normal slap technique, which I cover in this old video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJ2xmGSsg7OooKs

[@michaelanthony9068]

God bless you, I just started trying double thumbing and I’ve been making EVERY ONE OF THESE MISTAKES !!! Thank you, I just subscribed and liked, of course !

[@julianthesmooshyhusky8976]

Man you were totally right, I assumed this was loads harder than it was. Getting past the psychological barrier and keeping the movement from the elbow really did the trick!

[@rey.z1774]

Honestly, the most helpful video so far of learning the double thumb technique 👍 Thanks

[@joshfossgreen]

Glad to help Razi!

[@ericsiemens9891]

I wonder if I'll be more skilled with 2 banana tattoos on my forearm

[@gmanchester1990]

This video helped immensely, thank you!

[@bigmikec9]

Nice lesson. Once again, love the Cirrus.

[@joshfossgreen]

Thanks Mike!

[@j.rhodes1025]

Many thanks for the tips man! I always wanted to be able to do this approach but thought I couldn't because my thumb didn't hyper extend and all the players I saw doing this had those kind of thumbs lol. I thought that was the secrete to doing this. thanks for the tips, they really help!

[@joshfossgreen]

Cool, glad to help another Josh! :)

[@tommythecat314]

you are really the first person that i found on youtube that actually shows what happens in a side view. That helps a lot for the upstroke. I am still struggling with precision, the upstrokes and consistency in sound. I play metal on heavy strings (.140 5 string music man). Do you cut your thumb nail to avoid getting stuck? Thanx for the video!

[@arekhee]

wow thanks a lot, Josh! now i really wanna start practicing this technique

[@iamjawnwick]

This helped quite a bit, thank you!

[@MrVyrtuoso]

I found, for me anyway, that seeing the mechanic as not so much an up and down motion on a plane parallel to the fingerboard but an in and out one at a downward angle better facilitated the slap and pop tone production. It also shortened the distance that my thumb leaves the string from the out/up motion so that I can do subsequent recurring motions faster by having smaller movements. I use the up/down parallel to fingerboard motion really to create alternate-picked lines with my thumb as pick...

[@kingslaphappy1533]

Excellent stuff, youre a natural teacher! Thanks.

[@joshfossgreen]

Thanks Marc!

[@michaelgilbert4038]

Never learned this technique because I never needed it, but I want to learn classical thump by Wooten so now I need it

[@joshfossgreen]

You sure do!

[@GDGET72]

Believe it or not, I learned a life lesson from this video as well as how to double thumb. Thank you.

[@infinitedaves]

Great video! I've had always had difficulty with thumping, and after a while I started to think my hands just weren't meant to do it. I notice a lot of slap bass players have hitch hikers thumb whereas I do not... but your video is probably the first I've seen where the thumb doesn't bend completely backwards to a 90 degree angle, so it gives me hope lol. Anyway, do you have any tips for adding the plucks after the thumps? I can keep a steady rhythm just using my thumb but this is where i run into trouble. It feels like my fingers get too crowded if, for instance, I try to double thumb the D string then pluck the G (and especially on the same string). I don't have the problem as much when playing strings farther apart but if there's any tips you could give for the tighter spaced thumb-plucks that'd be awesome!

[@Yellow_Magpie]

Hey I have this problem too, my teacher told me I was using too much of my finger muscles and not relying enough on the arm movement. Even with the double thumb technique the master movement that needs to be fluid is from the elbow, so your thumps should naturally move away from your plucking fingers all in one movement. It's very hard to write this down! haha As for the single string stuff, I use a totally different technique, my teacher had some crazy finger picking type thing they taught themselves but I can't do that let alone explain it! Hope that helps at all though?!

[@joshfossgreen]

Hey David, sorry I missed your original comment. I think Jack is on the money (without actually seeing your hands anyway), make sure the pop is coming from the elbow and just keep tweaking it until it works!

[@fexofficial0]

Thanks for suggestions dude

[@andydoan6359]

Thank you so much! you did a great job!

[@josephwalton487]

For the record, and this is at least just my case, it is incredibly difficult if you are left handed but play right handed like I do. I have forced myself over the last 25 years to get even better dexterity in my right than my left. No problem playing three finger pluck patterns and I can even pluck with the three then double back again and keep going in the sextuplets. One thing that I haven't been able to force is this. So I use the double stop slap, but instead of following through like normal, I just use the very tip of my thumb fingertip and "flick" up and down. Using the same usual slap wrist rotation.

[@wesman2232]

What do you suggest for up stroke with the thumb? I mean it's either going to use the thumb nail or the thumb meat. Which one?

[@joshfossgreen]

You can play with both, depending on how mellow/aggressive you want the tone to come out. I use approximately the same part of my thumb for the up and the down, but I'm sure I shift it around for tone.

[@rubikstube1]

Thanks for this! I was doing at least two of your four points wrong!

[@rhanina]

first tip important for all technics. video helped a lot btw. subscribed. Thanks!

[@joshfossgreen]

Cool! :)

[@markbass354]

Josh I'm just now getting good at slapping and it was difficult at first and took 6 months to get it right . Now I cant seem to get my thumb in and out fast enough for double thumping , I have nothing on the side of my thumb to reach in but it will take time just like slapping did. I remember the first time I tried to slap it went BANG - BANG ha , ha .

[@aarondavis4341]

Ive been attempting this double thumb crap down,but all the videos on here over talk the lessons trying to cram a million things in my head making learning this technique,BUT MR JOSH you my bass playing brethren make learning a lot easier,and i thank you for keeping things simple,keep it up,just dont ever say loosey goosey again olease😬🙄

[@caseyguillot1628]

Very helpful! Thanks

[@oslynpompiesr.4276]

Thank you Josh.

[@loc7909]

Do you need to cut your nail differently for the up strokes?

[@kingslaphappy1533]

Thanks Josh, subscribed!

[@joshfossgreen]

Thanks Marc!

[@grantdavis692]

Hey man, awesome video. Been wondering for years why I can't get it! Good explanations and dang you can rip @05:47!

[@Rikkii2]

i kind of combine my elbow and thumb muscle i don't know if it's bad but the thumb movement is what i use to pluck and the elbow is just the up and down movement

[@cegalleta]

Another thing that could help is having a bass without much distance between the strings and the body, and if this is the case, playing up on the neck or right above the pickups.

[@realsoon1612]

I decided I wanna tackle the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe title theme bass part, and the insane intro rendered by Teppei Kawasaki features four very tasty (and very very fast!!!) double-thumb licks in a row. Since I have never double thumb slapped before, I'm starting at like 11 bpm (working to 16th-note triplets at 140bpm), and this helped confirm my suspicions that I can take it slow like any other technique, and with a few healthy habits, can one day make my bass cry uncle from my thumb pummeling the strings with the fury of Star Platinum demolishing Jotaro's foes. Thank you!

[@kingslaphappy1533]

With this technique, Does the string always connect with the the fret (thumbing hand) kinda like slapping?

[@joshfossgreen]

Depends on how hard you go, I would say sometimes but not always.

[@thiago9611]

Very good!!! Thanks...

[@aarondavis4341]

Once again Josh simplifies and makes sense of areas I struggle with,AWESOME THANKS JOSH ! ALSO I FIND IF YOU USE THE END OF YOUR NECK/FRETBOARD ON THE DOWNSTROKE (REST STROKE WHATEVER YOU CALL IT) IT HELPS ON THE UPSTROKE,I KINDA US IT AS A STOPPING POINT ON THE REST STROKE

[@bergjohnson5273]

How to play bass , by Josh Fungreen . Having fun is a big part of not tensing up . Keep them coming . Lol

[@joshfossgreen]

Haha! Agree.

[@bergjohnson5273]

@@joshfossgreen You make learning fun . That's a sign of a excellent teacher . Mr. Fungreen let me know when your book comes out, I'll buy one or two. LOL

[@jharon11]

extreme slow motion helped a lot. Thanks

[@herculespoirot3013]

Sigo tus videos aunque no entienda mucho ingles, muy buenos. Saludos desde Argentina

[@hoogabooga290]

Sweet bass

[@prometheuscall5759]

Thanks

[@sebastianubeda8363]

Great now i can play classical thumb like if it was really easy

[@joshfossgreen]

Haha yep, no practice required.

[@MisterExon]

I have a question regarding thumbs and slapping. I'm having a really hard time hitting the A string without also hitting the E string and it sounds so bad. How do I fix this?Does the accuracy just come with practice or do I just mute the E string and not worry about being precise? I also have a thumb that overextends 90 degrees backwards and it's really hard to keep it just straight, might be part of the problem.

[@joshfossgreen]

MisterExon Sounds like thumb angle is part of the problem. Thumb should be pointed just barely above parallel, if it's too far up then you'll be hitting multiple strings by default. Maintain a straight-ish thumb and practice string crossing for accuracy.

[@sandilandi9801]

Great lesson 👍🎸😎❤️

[@AbhiBass96]

Thank you for making this video. The tip number 1 is the best. Please make more motivational videos. I know and personally I feel that lot of musician and bassist get a bit insecure when they see a lot of crazy fast players on KZbin and everywhere. Your voice is powerful and gave hope to me for sure and hoping it gave it to other too. So thank you again. Tip number 4 is kinda.... well, in short I kinda have a semi-hitchhiker thumb so that is a little weird. My thumb curves a little bit more. I do overtax sometimes my thumb but I didnt know it was that bad. Will keep in mind. Hope you read this message and get back to me with a reply.

[@joshfossgreen]

+Abhi Bass96 Thanks Abhi, glad the videos are helping you. Some people definitely have more natural curve to their thumb than I do, but the principle of using as little effort and tension as possible is still the same, even if it looks a little different.

[@brianphilip4979]

Really cool advice brother... Especially the 1st and the 4th... Its time for some more fun😉 ...

[@kamiinaz]

Great video as always. Very interesting tips and really good advice! Thank you! =)

[@MrDanilop45]

Thank you 🙏🏻

[@lalakuma9]

great lessons dude also, good life tips thanks!!

[@jsgovind]

Hey there Josh! What are your views on resting the forearm on the bass during double thumb or regular slap bass? I've seen that some people rest it while others hang it in mid air.

[@joshfossgreen]

+jsgovind I probably go back and forth a lot live, I move around a lot. If I were to slap as efficiently as possible though (which I don't always do live for performance hijinx reasons), I would probably anchor my forearm for more accuracy and stability.

[@freakbass]

is there an ideal string gauge for double thumbing?

[@joshfossgreen]

Not in my opinion, if you can double thumb you can do it on anything.

[@davidhawk4503]

Josh, great work on your videos! I prowl KZbin regularly for other bass players in order to glean tips and tricks and your stuff is always high on my list. On a different note I like the banana tat and I'm assuming its a nod to Lou and The Velvet Underground's first album. I have an original unpeeled copy of the banana album that I picked up at a record store back in 87 or so and its one of my most prized possessions. I've long since retired it and listen to a CD copy to preserve the wax.

[@mohamadgoodarzi8288]

Thanks alot . So helpfull 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💙

[@ColossusBall]

How do you mute other strings while doing this technique? Im used to using floating thumb to mute.. but once i start using my thumb to pluck everything goes to hell.

[@joshfossgreen]

Haha, yep, it's a problem. It's all in the left hand.

[@wickedprotos1937]

Cool, I was making a few of these mistakes.

[@KM-px8cs]

Great vid!

[@Do0mality]

I got a gross blister on the side of my thumb trying this on the first day. Does this sound about right?

[@joshfossgreen]

+Do0mality sounds like maybe you might want to pace yourself a little bit for the first few weeks. :)

[@chickenman7801]

How about gradually build callouses so you don't blister your thumb edge making practice difficult?

[@jsgovind]

Personally, I have found that it's much tougher to play double thumb on the G string because I'm too used to resting my thumb on the next string. And also, different types of double thumb strikes create slightly different tones.

[@joshfossgreen]

+jsgovind Yeah that makes sense. In my experience, just putting in more time practicing accuracy will get you there. And great point about different tones, you can get anywhere from a soft brush of the thumb to a loud/aggressive slappy sound.

[@jsgovind]

+Josh Fossgreen Btw, I enjoy palm mute while double thumbing as well. :)

[@judeboys6409]

Thanx man,,i hope i get it

[@TheSlimshadyrocks]

Lighter gage strings to get a clearer springy tone?

[@TheSlimshadyrocks]

Gauge*

[@giovannibortoluzzi1384]

I did the #1 mistake A LOT. Then I started to feel comfortable with my modest skills, trying to play as clean as possible, until I could reach higher levels

[@prometheuscall5759]

ok! keep them videos coming and thanks for replying

[@michaelangeloagbilay4623]

what bass pedal are you use.

[@henrybonruiz]

HI Josh, please explain and share your bass and amp set up. Best regards always. Bon

[@joshfossgreen]

Hey Bon, the bass is an older model Peavey Cirrus, not available anymore to my knowledge (the new Cirruses aren't the same) My amp setup for most gigs is: TC Electronic RH450: www.tcelectronic.com/rh450/ TC Electronic RS210: www.tcelectronic.com/rs210/

[@henrybonruiz]

Thanks again Josh. Are your strings' height / action set very low? Are you using light gauge round wound strings? I think the bass guitar set up is very important to slap effortlessly aside from a lot of practice. Thank you for the time and tips. Cheers!

[@joshfossgreen]

I'd call my setup "medium." I've had it lower in the past, but I raised it when I joined Tempest a couple years ago to accommodate the more aggressive playing I sometimes use. I play medium gauge extra-long Elixir roundwounds. Cheers!

[@MrKatche]

for the come back the nail touch the string???

[@markbass354]

so not hard it finally fell into place today , why today I dont know but I'm double thumbing finally.

[@ronaldojohnley3153]

strong thumb . tq for it josh

[@DominiqueHeine]

thanks for the nice tips! you seem like a really nice guy :D

[@joshfossgreen]

Thanks Dominique! I try to be one. :)

[@19marshall80]

Balrog stage theme from Street Fighter 2 at 3:14 :)

[@Nomad82k]

Спасибо друг.

[@jaxonstarke535]

My slap technique is a little unorthodox. Instead of my thumb being parallel to the strings or the hitch hiker thumb, it's pointing at about a 45 degree angle down. It makes the double-thumb technique all but impossible. :( I feel like it would take months if not years to re-learn the "correct" way to slap.

[@joshfossgreen]

Yeah, I started out slapping that way too, took me a month or two to re-adjust. I hadn't been doing it super long though. The thing is, it's just a different technique, learning thumb-up slap doesn't mean you can't slap thumb-down anymore. Thumb-down is the only way to go if your bass is strapped super low, for example. But if you want to get the thumb-up sound and be able to double thumb, then there's no way around putting the time in and learning the technique. It pays off in lots of fun down the road though. :)

[@azhaz578]

THis is amazing.

[@Matthew-ym2bb]

Wooten and Miller don't need any mention but I've never seen anybody use it better than Mark White (Spin Doctors). Pretty much the only way he plays. Check him out!

[@MeticulousGuitarist]

I've learned from Taylor Eigsti (jazz piano player) that there's no such thing as easy or hard; only familiar and unfamiliar. The more familiar you are with something, the easier it's going to be, and vise versa

[@Slayher59]

thank you :)

[@jeffkrebs]

Learned a lot about double thumbing, also learned you're pretty funny too... Dry humour.

[@Jack-pp2ng]

The main thing that held me back double thumbing was I was hitting the string way to hard when you really barely need to hit it

[@robertwellsrawbass1249]

This guys a great bass teacher..but I feel like that banana tattoo was not a sober discussion 😂

[@IMe7x]

Is it weird that am a drummer and an electric guitar player and now am bass player and learning more about it ?!!

[@lsdude4205]

+Cool Joker I am a bass player and now am a drummer and guitarist as well learnning more about them. Music is beautiful...and PLAYING it and understanding it from multiple angles is even better! But bass is fantastic and fulfilling. And groovy! Keep on practicing man, itll be worth it.

[@IMe7x]

Lsdude420 Yeah, thats what am actually experiencing i love music, and bass like you said is fullfilling the guitar sound and give it a warmer sound and even better, and also when i listen to a song i knew every hit the drummer hits, and when i listen to it i knew if the guitarist is skillful and also bassist and drummer and giving new riffs new ideas always something not just the usual, btw have you ever listen to Led Zeppelin, John Paul Jones is badass bassist and Sabbath's Geezer and also Lemmy, give it a try if you haven't. they all have mind blowing songs !!

[@somwelll]

testo jest bogiem!

[@ferretsk8ter]

Lol I always wonder how tosin abasi has become such a master of this technique. He really hyperextends his thumb when he shows and teaches thumping but somehow he makes it work although I can't seem to do it.

[@dimps86jl]

I really like the way you think. Ima subscribe

[@prestachuck2867]

Cool Cirrus!

[@Billyleenyan]

I'd never seen VU's banana as a tattoo before, fits really cool

[@joshfossgreen]

+Billie Lee Ñan Thanks! I'm digging it too, about 2.5 years into that tattoo and no regret. :)

[@talesfromthetoiletseat8295]

That banana tattoo if you never discussed the reasoning behind inquiring minds want to know lol I originally thought it was a feather lol Are you eventually going to add the complete fruit of the loom fruits? I would and I’d start with the grapes then the apple and so on