Question about a slapping technique?

[Fubajuba]

I've been listening to more Victor Wooten lately, and I got his CD Ying-Yang (some pretty awesome bass on there). I've been trying to play that song Hip-Bop, and there is a slapping technique on there that is not normal slapping. I don't know how to do it, I was just looking for some advice. I've seen it done. It's hard to describe; It's kind of like you hook your thumb under a string when slapping, and it sounds really crazy fast.

I am a bit rusty at playing bass, being that I haven't had much time to play lately. I just can't figure this out. Any advice?

[Akira]

I don't know the song, but it is probably double thumbing.

I'm not qualified to explain it, but I am sure some MXers have lessons.

[Polyamarous]

Rioukonen
Cnat spell his name.

[Fubajuba]

I've been trying to figure it out on my own... All I do is nearly rip my thumb nail off. I can slap normally pretty dang fast, but double thumbing is just something I don't know how to do. I just recently made the step up from listening to stuff around Claypool difficulty (can't play tommy the cat anymore, kinda hard without 6 strings). So, I really haven't practiced this style, all I know is I suck at it. :-D

[TheBassStylee]

my teacher tought me double thumbing:p

you just slap open string,
then hammer on the fret you wanna play,
then pull your thumb back on that same string.(lol, if you have a hitchhikers thumb, like me, its prob easier to make it straight when you pull back)

victor does it really fast which is why it sounds good.. just start slow by doing it as an excersice and get it faster.. you shoud get the hang of it (to get a better sound space all notes evenly, 1/3 1/3 1/3)

hope this helps, good luck :thumb:

[Mr. Tamzarian]

There's a lesson in the videos section of www.basslobster.com .

[Killer Fridge]

(can't play tommy the cat anymore, kinda hard without 6 strings)

ANAL TIME - tommy the cat is played on a 4 string bassically every time its played apart from the sailing the seas of cheese version - so its probably easier on a 4 :thumb:

and i had this really good double thumbing video but i cant find it - if you check out http://www.basslobster.com and have a look at the videos, theres one of vic explaining the technique

[GytarSktr]

I've been trying to get double thumping down and it sure isnt easy. I guess it just takes alot of practice, but just getting the right motion is tough. TheBassStylee, are you by any chance from Old Bridge?

[Spaceman Spiff]

It doesn't matter if it's an open string or not. Hammering another note isn't necessary.

To double thumb you slap down, essentially through the string so that your thumb lands on the string below it, then you come back up with your thumb to hit that same string again.

[Spaceman Spiff]

ANAL TIME - tommy the cat is played on a 4 string bassically every time its played apart from the sailing the seas of cheese version - so its probably easier on a 4 :thumb:
By "basically every time" I think you mean to say the way it was written, the way it was played on Rhinoplasty, and on the Antipop tour.
However, if you happened to catch them just about any other time, you'd see him play it on a 6. And, well, the final product was done on a 6.
So, don't act so cocky.

[TheBassStylee]

actually it does matter if you hit the open string.. completly different sound.. you dont need to but victor usually does.
if you dont, it will just sound like slaping fast..

and i am not from old bridge, i live in a little town in middlesex next to EB, so i'm not to far from old bridge but w/e

edit - i wasnt saying you have to hit the open, just that depending on the song , it will sound different

[Killer Fridge]

it was also played at least once on a double bass

[Spaceman Spiff]

actually it does matter if you hit the open string.. completly different sound.. you dont need to but victor usually does.
if you dont, it will just sound like slaping fast..

and i am not from old bridge, i live in a little town in middlesex next to EB, so i'm not to far from old bridge but w/e

edit - i wasnt saying you have to hit the open, just that depending on the song , it will sound different
What I said was that the technique does not involve slapping an open string then hammering then coming back up. That is one of the patterns that he uses, but the technique, when you don't add anything to it, is just going down and back up with the thumb.

Obviously it depends what song it is, because different songs have different notes, surprisingly.

[ignignok]

Doublethumbing is when you slap through the string and come back up under it, hitting it twice in one stroke. Basically, you use your thumb as a pick. There are many variations to the technique, like Open-hammer-thumb, mentioned earlier, and adding pops and hammerons in different patterns based on the song,but Spiff was correct when he said Doublethumbing itself is just up and down with your thumb.

[Left Shoe]

bass lobster double thumb video doesnt really help anyone in my experience.

[Fubajuba]

ANAL TIME - tommy the cat is played on a 4 string bassically every time its played apart from the sailing the seas of cheese version - so its probably easier on a 4

I saw him last March. Definitely on a 6-string. He played almost everything on a 6 string. The only 4 string he touched was for Mr-Krinkle... and well.. That's what you do on that song.

[Spaceman Spiff]

bass lobster double thumb video doesnt really help anyone in my experience.
Though it was minimal, it did help me.
Basically, it showed me that what I was doing was right - because I wasn't sure - and that I should just keep at it to get better.


So... :p




But I do agree with you, that little clip, without any other instruction, isn't too helpful.

[Fubajuba]

It's kinda helping me. I need to practice this terribly though. It's gonna hurt for a while, and I'm going to be ridiculously slow. I must not get discouraged, have to keep in mind he's been playing WAYYYY longer than me. But, yes, the video over simplified and what not, but none the less, the actual steps are somewhat helpful.

[bassistuvdoom731]

IM assuming your talking about that part of hip bop where the rapper comes on and wooten does that crazy muting shizz?

Yea some of it is DT but ALOT of it is double and triple popping.

[Spaceman Spiff]

There's a user here, Riouken, who should have an instructional video for double thumbing up soon, so keep your eyes open for that.

[Fubajuba]

The Hip-Bop I'm talkin about is the instrumental one. I don't like the disc with all the vocals on it so i didnt buy it (got 1st disc on i-tunes).

[bassistuvdoom731]

The Hip-Bop I'm talkin about is the instrumental one. I don't like the disc with all the vocals on it so i didnt buy it (got 1st disc on i-tunes).
OH THAT! around which part? like what time on the track?

I was confusing it with another song.

[TheBassStylee]

well, just a suggestion, check what your doing because i dont think it should "hurt" but i dont no, i might be wrong

[basgitarist]

it doesn't hurt ever. maybe the popping at first. Try to use as little force as neccesary

[Fubajuba]

I'm talking about around 2:30 to 3:00. That crazy solo thing.

At first I was doing it really wrong. I think I got the motion down, it's just hurting my thumb joints and such, a couple muscles not really used to being used. Nothing a little practice can't fix.

[bassistuvdoom731]

IM getting there hold on

[bassistuvdoom731]

O jesus.

Okay, theres Double thumbing, double popping, and triple popping. There might even be some quadruple.

Ya good luck with that. :p

He really goes all out in that song.

[Fubajuba]

Yeah, I love it :(. I don't expect to ever play that. Maybe if I end up playing for as long as he has, and I try and play that song over and over again every day, I might be able to play the first part of the song :-D.

How long has that guy been playing? He's pretty crazy awesome.

[bassistuvdoom731]

since he was 2.

If i had a tab i could probably get it, but theres no way i could learn it from scratch unless i could slow it down.

Slowing it down would cost about $139 that i dont have so until then ill stick to learning Me & My Bass Guitar

[Fubajuba]

Wow, yeah, I guess he has a mild advantage over me.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Double thumbing + double popping, probably.
Triple popping, maybe.
Quadruple popping, I doubt it.

[Fubajuba]

I need to get back to actually trying to improve playing bass. Over the past year, i've probably deteriorated in quality :(. I need some inspiration, this may be the right stuff to do it. Gonna do my best to learn how to double thumb at least somewhere near that speed (obviously won't get that good at it, I am only me now :))

[lateralus423]

Correct me if i'm wrong here but i belive he started at age 3 not 2.

[Fubajuba]

either way, he started a LONG while ago. He started at 3, I've played probably 3 1/2 years, so yeah.... I'm nothing.

[bassistuvdoom731]

Correct me if i'm wrong here but i belive he started at age 3 not 2.


Ive never heard 3, im almost certain he started at 2.

[basgitarist]

Slowing it down would cost about $139 that i dont have so until then ill stick to learning Me & My Bass Guitar

there's a function on media player that slows it down for free!!!
or you could download a plug-in for winamp:
http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details.php?id=12689

now play + recordings :rolleyes:

[bassistuvdoom731]

Double thumbing + double popping, probably.
Triple popping, maybe.
Quadruple popping, I doubt it.

Triple popping definately

the quadruple was an overstatement :p