Thumb Position Technique (part 1)

[adamstevensbass]

wicked dude!

[spoofzilla]

Really helpful video!! Thanks for posting.

[indigobluu2]

Good book recommendation. Will locate the Scale System Book. Still doing videos?

[emilioguarino]

@indigobluu2 Yup. I just uploaded two new ones today.

[emilioguarino]

@indigobluu2 Just did another video on Thumb Position practice, but will more advanced techniques.

[Jormantis]

That was helpful just to get started on how to learn cause at my school we are doing bass duets and quartets and they go so insanely high like the high high d on the g string thanks alot

[jindraschw]

Nice and very useful especially for the begginers like me;) Thaks!

[spoofzilla]

This was a seriously helpful lessons!! I find many upright bass lessons on youtube are useless, but not this.

[Vulturer]

Very good, and I also like the book recommendations - I'll check them out. Oh and btw, you should have noted that when you are in THUMB POSITION, SHOULDER TAKES THE JOB OF THE THUMB, meaning the shoulder is used to help fingers press down the string, just like a thumb would in half/etc positions.

[Terruhcutta]

You cleared a lot of things up :D thanks

[zlucoblij]

very helpfull, thanks man!!!!!

[foxxxer22]

thx Bro

[zakwasny]

Nice! Thanks a lot!

[paulf56]

I've watched this a few times now but have only been concentrating on the thumb position section now clearly i need to start thinking Arco is there no end to the pain

Thanks for the vid really helpful !!!

[wallaceX2jc]

good stuff, thx man!

[jollyjim123456]

you aren't supposed to use the bone or knuckle on the thumb to push the string down. It can cause a lot of pain and in the long run may disable the use of your thumb. Similarly to cellists, a bass player should use the area of the thumb between the knuckle and the fingernail to push the string down.

[bardman14]

Great vid, so true, I do have an underlying fear of the Upper register, thanks for the tips.

[muzzleray]

hey Emilio, nice vid. dug the "so what" solo reckon you could do it up the octave for us, plz

cheerio dude keep up the good work.

many thumbs and koala stamps

[thedbassist]

Have you ever tried using the fingernail when play in thumb position? It really opens up your hand a lot.  Check out Edgar Meyer to see what I'm talking about.

[emilioguarino]

I sort of do when I'm near the end of the fingerboard. There's a little mark on the inside of my thumbnail.

But it might not be the same thing. Can you explain what you mean further or post a link to a video of Edgar where I can see it?

[yozz555]

sorry for the trouble, thanks for your help!!! i can see that ur a great teacher

[yozz555]

hello, thanks for posting this video and it helps me alot....however i am quite confused....do u use the point where the joints of ur thumb is or somewhere behind or infront it?

[emilioguarino]

I use two parts of my thumb. The first is the side of the knuckle and the second is also on the side of the thumb, but in the middle of the thumbnail.

The second "zone" I usually reserve for higher passages near the end of the fingerboard, but this will differ slightly from person to person depending on hand size relative to your bass.

[yozz555]

wow, but having the string pressure somewhere in the middle of ur side of the thumbnail, wont that be painful? i have another question, on the fingerboard, somewhere in between the upper register lies the note 'G'.

at his point when i press the string, my thumb will somehow touch the D string, is that a correct way of plaacing my thumb or is it just my bass?

[emilioguarino]

My thumb still gets a little sore sometimes if I'm working on something very technically demanding. But its not bad...although if your bass is not set up correctly it could hurt.

also, touching the D string is not a bad thing. its often to your advantage when crossing strings. Once you start practicing the cello suites you'll see what I mean!

[yozz555]

do u think i shud get some strings that can be easily pressed? btw, i m stil a little confused, when u said knuckle, do u mean that they are the joints of ur thumb? ( sorry for the trouble, my english is not very good... :D)

[elbajoloco]

Good stuff, I have been playing the double bass for about 1 month now. i love it and these videos help.

[wallaceX2jc]

Thank you, very great lesson!!

[lummond]

Very helpful. Got an electric double bass today and am really trying to get past C on the E string. I have to admit though, as of now I don't possess the finger strength to get it down.

[emilioguarino]

I feel your pain man. When first started I couldn't play for more than 15 or 20 minutes a day.

But, make sure the bass is set up correctly and check out some classical technique. If you've got those two things going it makes life a bit easier!

[lummond]

Yeah, I hear ya - I'm still trying to use all 4 fingers when fretting, and while I can do it, it really, really strains my hand - and not in a "ooh, this is a good workout" kinda way. I gotta look up more Simandl. But one more question - how high is your action? How much neck relief do you have (assuming acoustic double basses have truss rods :P )

[emilioguarino]

Double basses don't have truss rods. Be careful trying to use all 4 fingers too. I've heard of people doing it, but its easy to hurt yourself that way. Simandl teaches a "124" technique that's a lot more practical.

My action in this video is pretty low but on my new bass (just posted a new video playing it) it a little higher because thats where it gets the best sound.

[Steviec63]

You're a good teacher Emilio (and a great player). More of these please.

My teacher got me playing with fingers 13 & 4. I'm not sure about it (especially down low). Should I switch to 124?

[emilioguarino]

134 is legitimate. "Italian Technique" Check out Marco Panascia. Great player who uses that system. I'm told he got it from studying the Bille books with his teacher in Italy.

But I can't really comment much more than that because I have not studied the 134 system myself.

My teacher started me with very traditional 124 simandl style fingerings and once I got that together, I started to use bits and pieces of things I saw my favorite players do.

[Steviec63]

Thanks Emilio. That's good to know. Although I might get those books that you recommended and consider Simandl myself. Looking forward to more lessons from you. Cheers.

p.s. The thumb position hurts a bit to begin with doesn't it!?

[emilioguarino]

At some point the Flesch Book deserves a lesson just on that. Its a great book, but its got some really challenging exercises that I'd recommend only doing with a teacher.

Yes thumb position hurts at first. You'll get blisters were the thumb hits the string until your skin has calloused. Also, my left should used to get a little sore sometimes. "Shooting" pains, numbness, and tingling should NEVER happen as they are a sign of serious tendon and nerve problems.

[Steviec63]

I did mean the side of the thumb. Although I was getting aches and pains in my arm a while ago (i'm also a computer programmer). If anyone else is experiencing that get a vertical mouse (Evoluent). It sorted it out almost straight away! I thought I was going to have to give up the double bass!

I will find another teacher at some point. When I can afford it!

[TH3B3A57]

thanks guy i neede to learn a little thumb position and u helped a lot. although if u did or did not explain the d harmonic it is useful information even though thats like 5th position. anyway i am in the orchestra and my teacher wants me to learn to read treble cleff and this video helped me gather the concept of going into the next octive.

[edlaksmi]

nice!

[sandcastlesinthesky]

Very Useful.  Thank you.

[t335]

Thanks very much for the great lesson!

Its very informative & helpful.

[themutt2]

Wow! You're a great teacher!

This helped A LOT! Thanks!