Original Double Thumping Question

[Jabinski]

Hello,

 

I've done a lot of reading on these forums about both muting and the Wooten double thumbing technique, I even have bass day 98 etc. None of what i've read appears to address this issue...

 

My thumb is really getting used to the action and I'm even able to throw in a pop or two. I'm even considering taking my right hand out for dinner, conditional up it not being responsible for a muting problem i'm having on the E sting mainly.

 

Say I'm playing an inverted D major scale in eighths from the G string going down to the D on the A in one position. What happens in terms of the timing and the notes is ok but the E string rings gently but persistently, even though I don't make contact with it with either hand. I'm pretty sure i don't make contact with it at all but if someone asks me to check again I will.

 

I'm supposing that it's just the relatively violent nature of the technique that is shaking the whole kneck causing it to vibrate the unmuted E string. Truth is I really didn't realise you had to mute strings you hadn't played.

 

Ok so if this is the case, how do i do it, with what part of my anatomy, and will my right hand and i dine together?

 

Thanks

[Gruuve]

Congrats on making headway toward mastering that double-thumping technique. I've seen two videos with Victor Wooten explaining and demonstrating how to do it...he sure makes it *look* easy, doesn't he?

 

Probably the most natural thing to do is use palm-muting to quiet the E-string. Kind of hold the fat part of your thumb (where it connects to you hand) lightly against the E-string. Alternatively, you could use a finger on your left hand to lightly touch and mute the E-string, but this seems much harder to me.

 

So, tell us what you did to get the up-stroke of the double-thump thumb technique going! Does your bass have really wide string spacing on the bridge side? Is the thumb motion strictly up and down, or is it more in-and-out, or somewhere in between?

 

It always seems like I just can't get my thumb under the string to get an up-stroke thump...I'm wondering if that's because my string spacing isn't wide enough. Or perhaps Vic's thumb is just flat like a pick!

 

HTH,

Dave

[jeremy c]

Flatten out your left hand fingers and mute with your second finger which reaches all the way across.

[Jabinski]

Jeremy first: I'll try what you suggest but since the scale descent i was using as a representative example involved all fingers on my left hand (none of them playing the E string) how do I fret the appropriate strings while muting another? So far no joy. I shall persevere.

 

 

Dave: I agree it looks a lot easier than it is. I am no way near to mastering it but can play basic lines and scalic patterns quite smoothly. I gave up playing for some years and in my previous stint of playing had no luck at all with the techniqe. My thumb just couldn't do the up-stroke.

 

As well as the set up fo the bass being important (i now have a relatively decent bass, in terms of construction anyway) it's just a matter of tumb rigitidy and strength combined with the angle of attack. But here lies the problem. My thumb is at about 75 degrees in relation to the string and such an angle does not lend itself easily to palm muting. The only natural way to palm mute and double thumb is if you thumb at about 40 degree relative to the string, which is virtually parallel, but I can't get the upstroke (hardly the downstroke) at this narrow angle.

 

So there it is.

 

Once again I am very grateful for all your inputs.

[Gruuve]

Hey:

 

You should be able to palm-mute even if your thumb angle of attack is almost 90 degrees. Sort of roll your palm (more like the back edge of your hand) on the strings. You don't have to touch them all the time (especially right when your thumb makes contact with the strings)...but kind of keep the soft edge of your hand lightly planted.

 

HTH,

Dave

[jeremy c]

Start by playing D octaves. Use your first finger to play the D on the A string and your fourth finger to play the D on the G string.

 

While your hand is in that position, reach across with your second finger and mute the E string. When you aren't playing a note, you will have three fingers touching the strings. When you are playing, one finger will press down for the note while the other two remain touching the strings.

 

To play your downward scale, you will have to move your hand to play the C# while leaving your hand in the same position.

 

You will have your hand in approximately the same position to play the A and the E.

 

To play the B, G, and F#, you will be playing the note with your first finger while the other three fingers are stretching across the strings. The second finger will be muting the E string.

 

Or you could put a hair tie (scrunchie) over the strings on a low fret. Victor and his brother Reggie use this technique.

[Jabinski]

Dave: I tried what you suggested but it's really changed the whole attack. Tomorrow I'll practice it again and give you more thorough feedback.

 

Jeremy: I'll try what you suggest tomorrow. The proceedure you indicate above sounds complext as I read it but let's see what happends with bass in hand...