Left Hand Technique - Double Bass Tutorial (Beginners)

[@staticpilgrim590]

I have played an electric bass for decades. I bought a DB on a whim, and am now hooked. Great tutorial!

[@BamboozleHQ]

@@staticpilgrim590 haha, that’s so awesome ♥️ Welcome to the dark side 😉

[@christya.harvey9141]

Absolutely the best left-hand technique introduction I've found - and that is after paying for someone else's course. Wish I'd found yours first!

[@monkeebonez64]

in 36 years of living , I’ve always been fascinated by DB players with very few females plying rockabilly and the likes I am a paul ty admiring your abilities and determined and inspired to finally learn . and have been taking lessons . You are amazing! ty for your tutorials I’m learning rather quickly . Ty ty ty 💜

[@BamboozleHQ]

Thank you ☺️ welcome to DB, hope you love it as much as I do!

[@ericwilson8848]

Wow that's a nice bass on the front but the sides n back are beautiful.love ur sound you produce with it

[@BamboozleHQ]

Thanks Eric, it is a gorgeous looking bass for sure! Thanks so much for the comment, it’s probably the bass that makes me sound good 😉

[@sistaf2974]

Awesome finally someone who explains the bass to a beginner that is understandable. Thank you! All of your videos are so helpful! Now I just need to unlearn all my bad techniques, wish I had watched your videos first! You are excellent at breaking down how music works. I've played the washtub for years but finally took the plunge to actually learn the theoretical side. Your videos are changing my life so positively thankyou so very very much!

[@sistaf2974]

If there is one suggestion I could make it"s # ing which videos to watch in what order from an ultra beginners point of view. You rock! Definitely need to get on your patreon

[@BamboozleHQ]

This is great to hear, thank you. Best of luck with your playing!

[@Taine2]

Great, clear instruction.

[@StephanieLuna-r3b]

Very helpful! thank you so much

[@Hellnation13]

Thank you so much ❤❤❤ all this information is so important and exactly what I needed.

[@BamboozleHQ]

No worries, really glad you find it helpful ♥️

[@toddrhodes614]

Thanks! You are a great teacher! The exercises were especially helpful, seems rather obvious after you had mentioned it. Beautiful bass too!

[@sambagenie]

Yeah great lesson. Thank you for your time.

[@GordonBaldwin]

Great advice thank you.

[@frankvolkmann7121]

Great we See US tomorrow in topos

[@BamboozleHQ]

Thanks Gordon! I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@BamboozleHQ]

@@frankvolkmann7121 So great in Topos!

[@ericwilson8848]

I've buying electric basses to avoid buying an upright but I'm still wanting it.this tutorial wants to buy .what a wonderful thing to do in a lockdown?

[@BamboozleHQ]

You should go for it Eric, you couldn’t ever regret getting an upright, it’s a beauty

[@ericwilson8848]

@@BamboozleHQ okay thanks

[@ericwilson8848]

@@BamboozleHQ yes have a cello n love it but still desire the bass so I probably do that this year

[@MarySimpsonMusic]

Just started to play the double bass and your videos help me a lot! Thank you! :)

[@BamboozleHQ]

Really happy to hear this Sunshine Mary! Best of luck with the playing. Keep me updated on how you’re getting on!

[@MarySimpsonMusic]

@@BamboozleHQ Thank you! I will do. I just learned to play along to Heartbreak Hotel with your tutorial.

[@BamboozleHQ]

That’s awesome! Would love to see a vid of you doing it! Tag me if you put anything online.

[@MarySimpsonMusic]

I tagged you on Instagram. Just a short video of my first steps.

[@manoelteixeira4936]

Vou seguir teus passos, nas aulas, pois eu tenho o baixo em casa, que encontra-se adormecido por muitos anos. maneco - Brasil.

[@BamboozleHQ]

Boa sorte Manoel!

[@bobstranzenbach4700]

Thank you. I’m an adult intermediate electric bass player thinking of trying out the double Bass with no small amount of trepidation about the whole thing. I’d always heard if you don’t start right you can hurt yourself and the thought of no frets is a bit off putting. I noticed at 12:21 your wrist is bent a little. Am I to understand that in a general sense you try to keep your wrist straight but when playing the E string there are times it’s acceptable to bend it or was it because you’re exaggerating the way you’re doing things to show us something. I appreciate finding your videos, it’s daunting to think of trying this. I’d always been intimidated by seeing an orchestra or Jazz upright player but recently saw some Bluegrass players having fun and some of it didn’t seem so corny/goofy and actually was kinda fun and pushed into pleasant ballad/folk/ soft rock and the folks were very nice and I got the impression that style of playing might be possible? 😬 I subscribed, thank you for doing these videos! 🙂

[@BamboozleHQ]

Hey Bob, you should definitely give it a try! This style of playing is so much fun, very free, not like classical and there’s more room for error so they fret less can be a little less daunting. The main technique with the wrist is to keep the elbow high, which eases movement and fluid playing, but we are all built differently so there are times when adjustments are needed depending on how we’re built. I’m very short, so I do sometimes need to adjust the technique to suit. The main thing is to listen to your body, if something feels wrong when it’s taught, it obviously doesn’t work for your body, and playing around a little will help find what’s most comfortable, but start with what is “known” technique and adjust from there. The main thing is, don’t be scared! You only live once, and only regret the things you didn’t do 😉

[@bobstranzenbach4700]

@@BamboozleHQ Thank you! IF I do this I figure it would be best to try to find a place to rent one for a few months? … if I can’t find a rental, how much do you think a person should be willing to pay for a Bass for an adult beginner? Thanks. 🙂

[@BamboozleHQ]

I think you can get a decent one from Thomann for around 800€ but maybe even a second hand for less.

[@bobstranzenbach4700]

@@BamboozleHQ Thank you!

[@Vincent-te7yf]

Hi, great videos, I'll follow you. what do you use as an amp? I also use the Rockabilly Shadow cell with the pre-amp, but the sound is not great, I have an amp AMPEG 40 watts, I think the amp is not powerful enough. Thank's !

[@BamboozleHQ]

Hey Rockin Vince! Great name ;) I use a Mark Bass 121CMD, with a 151 Extension Cab. I really love the sound I get from it, it has great flexibility and is easily loud enough for me on stage. I think if you want lots of power, maybe go for a 151 with a big extension cab, but MarkBass is very light and very high quality.

[@romanytony]

I've been playing bass for years, but badly. Mostly bluegrass so a lot of root and 5th, so a lot of open strings. But I should really take the time and learn to play it properly as in your lesson, thanks so much for this. So my question is what strings do you use for rockabilly? I've just fitted steel wound again for the nice tone, but its difficult if not impossible to play your style on steel.

[@BamboozleHQ]

Hey Anthony, I love bluegrass, so much fun! I honestly would avoid steels for slap style myself, it can be done and I know some who swear by them, but not many, they're just not designed for slap. My absolute favourites are the Rotosound set, but I've recently tried the Innovation Rockabilly Blacks, which are also great. I'm not a fan of gut unless tuning or volume isn't a major issues, and weedwhackers tend to be thick and rough in what I've personally experienced. It's definitely worth getting the right strings! Both Rotosounds and Innovations Rockabilly can handle pizzicato excellently too.

[@ossian1937]

Hiya Serena, I’ve been watching all your double bass tutorials and they’re very helpful....so thanks a million for taking the time to make them. I’m actually a guitarist whose been thinking about moving to double bass for years but am now just getting serious about the prospect. So I was wondering if you could tell us a little about the double basses you’re using? The blonde one looks like it might be a Gedo, except for the unusual wood grain effect on the back and sides and the darker bass looks like it might be a Stentor 1950 or possibly something from Thomann? Are your basses plywood , laminate or semi solid? Apologies for so many questions but if you can find the time to reply, t”would be greatly appreciated. 😀 Then I’ll take the plunge, make the purchase and start slappin’ that doghouse bass! Many thanks in advance!

[@BamboozleHQ]

Hi Ossian, Thanks for the message, I hope you do go for double bass, its the best ;) My bass is made by a German company called Strunal, which I bought from Huttula Customs in Finland. Its a fully laminate bass, which I find is much better for Rockabilly playing. I have a carved bass too, but I get more feedback problems for this style of music. I hope that helps! Always happy to answer questions!

[@ossian1937]

Ahh, Strunal, I’ve heard good things about their instruments. :) Many thanks for the reply,; very helpful in helping me to ,are a decision about which type of bass to get. All the very best to yourself and the rest of the band! ;)

[@BamboozleHQ]

@@ossian1937 Let me know what you go for! Best of luck

[@ossian1937]

Just been looking at the Huttsala Customs ones you mentioned.... they’re fab, Can’t recall seeing them mentioned on any of the bass forums, so thanks very much for the heads up on this one. I’ll probably have enough cash to go for it by this time next month. Thanks a million once again!

[@mj357357357]

​@@ossian1937 ​ @Bamboozle HQ Guys, I need to correct you, Strunal is a Czech company (Czech Republic). Depends on what exact piece you get your hands on, but they are more or less an entry level instruments. I bought one there personally in the factory in 2015, sold it 2 years ago. Check it out: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strunal_CZ,_a.s. And at the same time now I found out they were bought by a private limited company in 2016 :)

[@aarongonzales]

Do you think putting white tape on the notes (since I'm a beginner) is a bad idea?

[@BamboozleHQ]

It’s not an awful idea, I did use pencil marks for a short time myself, but I would say make sure they come off very quickly, you really don’t want to learn to rely on them. Maximum 6 months, then don’t go back, no matter how tempted you are. I think I only had them on for 6 weeks or so.

[@ROckgrunge2987]

Can I use a Tuner? To tune the Double Bass?

[@BamboozleHQ]

You can indeed, but most tuners struggle to pick up the A and the E, even through an amp. I use the Shadow Rockabilly Pre-amp with a built in tuner, which works much better.

[@ROckgrunge2987]

@@BamboozleHQ thanks for the info ❤️❤️ it looks like it's hard to tune on the Double Bass in a tuner rather than the Electric Bass guitar

[@Jesuswinsbirdofmichigan]

#61_Aug_09_2024_At9min19sec_WOW_factorAtMAX😎

[@Captain_Rhodes]

when i play with my finger tips it hurts so bad i cant do it so i have to play with them a bit flat

[@BamboozleHQ]

Just keep trying a bit at a time, they’ll toughen up with practice, but just do it little by little, as much as you can handle ☺️

[@Captain_Rhodes]

@@BamboozleHQ yea i probably should. my hands are actually tough its just my little tips are my weak spot! nice video

[@BamboozleHQ]

@@Captain_Rhodes thanks man. Keep up the playing!

[@ericwilson8848]

Wished I would have seen this 40 years ago before mycarple tunnel.no one ever showed me proper posture n arm n shoulder placings

[@BamboozleHQ]

Eric that must be so crap for you! Do you still manage to play?

[@ericwilson8848]

@@BamboozleHQ o I got both hands done in 14 but.i have s few electric fretless trying to get the upright sound.my alembic n s peavey is close I'm gonna break down n get one for the 2 year lockdown govt is trying to do.

[@paulinekotlarz1172]

Inspired by your videos and wanted a cool pandemic project like everyone else, so I took up bassI I"m a luthier (mostly violins, viola, cellos) and have limited experience with double bass as to the feel of things. Can you tell me about your string heights? Do you have a pretty low nut to play like you do comfortably?

[@BamboozleHQ]

Hi Pauline, this is great to hear! I hope it’s going well so far. I started with a pretty high action (around a cm) but it’s got lower and lower as I’ve gone on, and tbh, I’d recommend starting as low as you can manage. I think mine is around 4-5mm now, it really helps with the speed of slap and clarity of notes.

[@paulinekotlarz1172]

@@BamboozleHQ Thanks for your reply! That's a great help to know a little more about the action, both for me and for my potential customers who play like you do!

[@BamboozleHQ]

@@paulinekotlarz1172 happy to help!