double thumb bass lesson

[Willybuchanan]

I'd have the click much lower in the mix or absent entirely. It really detracts from your playing, which does groove.

[str84ever]

the motion of the hand coming in sideways like slapping then suddenly plucking down with the thumb makes absolutely no sense to me. i know you are doing it but i can't get my head around it.. like your hitting your thumb towards the string but you are actually doing a downward motion. i guess i am not meant to learn this lol.

[HectorRoze]

FUUUUU!!! My thumb and other fingers too short :((

[billmalta1]

19 people are eating there nails a bit to much i guess

[123andrelevy]

did you ever wanted to expand to duble plucking????

[Netsonar]

I have been playing slap pop jazz bass for thirty years and feel like I am mediocre however I just can't get this double thumb sound any advice regarding teachers in NY NJ area?

[coralgrouper]

crap chorus transistor synthetic bee sound

[astig600]

FENDER JAZZ BAZZ!!!!!!!!

[davidpaul89]

u got a good precision pf notes

[GrooveAndFunky]

Did you invent this tune ?

[GrooveAndFunky]

Is this improvisation ?

[xMasterxRazorx]

I can't tell what you're doing exactly...

[forphilme1]

Can't you speak?????

[selimsucram]

thanks man! Really appreciate this lesson.

[Bosque1994]

Is that a jz62/3sb/rh >.> or mio akiyama's bass guitar?

[bokslyde]

hey Marlowe, I can only say thank you, you play things and make it look so easy, you really helped a lot!!!!!! thank you very very much. please dont stop with the lessons!!!

[Turcaaaso]

I saw a lot of your videos. What a great bassist you are.

[TiMickQC]

MY THUMB IS BURNING

[jazzbasstard]

that really helped,thanks

[fireant666]

Hi.

I love how you slow things down and break up the song into pieces I can understand. I'm a pretty good slap funk player, but never understood this double thumb business. I still can't really make it sound clean, but it's a start.

Good work!

[ThreeFatSlags]

Do you need to have a low action on your strings to do this? I'm working on my double thumbing technique and it's getting more fluent but it often sounds more like a normal fingestyle" than a thump - think I'm not getting enough power in my right hand. Any advice? Wicked tutorials by the way!

[bahrwiz]

i get my thumb nail i little longer than my skin...my family's bloodline has tough nails so...i use my nail to "slap-up" , does it make any difference?? or should i really use my skin?

[seonittinoes]

doug rauch of santana was one of the first with this tecnique

just listen to this song

look up to see what's coming down from the santana caravanserai cd

[lucfan]

do you have original pickups?

[MarloweDK]

@lucfan All is original, never changed a pickup in my life by the way

[lucfan]

Great it soundz very cool...

[coralgrouper]

@MarloweDK

u'd better had to

[lucfan]

original pickups?

[lvgordo]

what bass you recommend for funk playing? moving from guitar to bass

[Masturbassest]

i love that bass!

[booboohead76]

i love the ghost notes bein played. I tend to play a lot of them too. You sound great still man.

[MarsTHEangel]

Awesome tone.

[MarsTHEangel]

awesome tone

[dawgsf86]

i dig it...........cool!

[marebrus]

i am impresed!!!

can you just tell me which headphones you are using, i am about to buy but dont know which will do the job...

thanks a lot.

[tadejonbass]

awesome videos, man... like it! I also tried something with double thumb technique (i use it only for fills) - It would be a honor if you have a look at it! :)

t

[tfelixbass]

very good swing, I look at my video with his arm in plaster, but think of to get a sense. congrats!

[Fooma777]

good grief you have a huge thumb bro sama bin laden!

[TwoSexyFourMyShirt]

i think he's trying to teach how to slap and then touch the string above the thumb when your going back :) i dont really know, im just a beginner

[gz4txb]

right. its a technique victor wooten introduced. look if you can find some vids showing him doing this stuff.

he's the god of bassists ;)

[TwoSexyFourMyShirt]

haha yeah i know him:P i've seen him on utube couple of times

[funnyduck]

@gz4txb Not my God.

[terrykumar]

WRONG. Victor Wooten did not invented this technique. Larry Graham did. There's a video of Vail Johnson doing double thumb technique and it was dated at 1983. Now you tell me.

[Llian1]

i dont get what hes trying to show us

[stu22aus]

sounds f*cking awesome

[Intodie]

thx a lot

[grandmalar]

You are simply awesome!!!! If you don't mind me asking, how old where you when you started playing, and how long did it take you to turn pro?

[AToxicOrange]

0:19 is the most epic sound ever.

you're a genius dude, i love you.

[rw9495]

dude it's just a standard slap..

[AToxicOrange]

i know that, but the sliding thing and all that. the sound itself, not the technique. it's just cool is all. am i not allowed to be fascinated? i'm a guitarist, i know jack shit about bass. please let me stay where i'm amazed by this.

[cacemphaton]

oh marlowe...u are easily the best bass teacher on youtube, with the tightest playing and the best funk taste. your breakdown of 'Up the Creek' helped me finally solve my all-time favorite bassline. How about u list the bassist when you do the playalongs, when they are somebody different (eg when its not Rusty Allen on a Sly track , when its presumably Billy Bass Nelson on those Tempts tracks etc etc)

But in any event I don't think your technique will be surpassed on here. Well done.

[MarloweDK]

Thx, but often i dont know the names of the original bassists on the playalongs.

And remember that the playalongs is the bassline as i heard it at that time - for example, i dont KNOW that there is doublethumbing on "up the creek", but thats the way i could get the feel right:-)

[thtmusicloser]

stupid question when i try to double thumb i always get a loud crack i think its my strings hittign my pickup is my pickup to high or is it my action, my action is really low. when i slap i slap over the neck but i cant get a pop when i double thumb over the neck cause low action sorry for the wild typing anyways help ?

[bijouxmusic]

is the action on your bass super low? or is it just about average?

thank you.

[slinkyphil]

i pretty sure it's super low since it's a 60's bass

[bijouxmusic]

since it's a 60's bass???? what does that have to do with anything???!

besides, I am asking to the guy who posted the video. he knows how low or high his action is. I have newer basses and I can set up my action super low! I am not a slap player, and I am just wondering how guys set up their instruments if they are really into that kind of sound.

[restxinxlove]

is that a kingston if so i have that and i play guitar not bass lol

[Eltroim]

How do u play 16th notes with ur thumb? My guess was up and down but it turns out its either hard or im doing it wrong

[jakew1]

it's hard lol

how long have you been trying?

[gr00vybass]

It's not easy, but hit your thumb down for one note and then lift your up off the string for the next. It's kind of hard to describe, sorry.

[thebobsagetguy]

can you spell?

[diamonddust22]

oskartmusic he speaks with music, you speak with ignorance jack ass.

[oskartmusic]

aaai ies, my boyfriend my boyfriend¡¡¡ hahahah shut up

[diamonddust22]

oskartmusic hey you, yes the guy who tongue punches arseholes. Go troll someone else's page you douchebag. This guy is trying to give descent people lessons. Just because you don't want to, or know how to play an instrument isn't the fault of the world. You are a slob with a big mouth. Get a life and go lick the balls of bulls at night punk.

[oskartmusic]

Avez-vous déjà pensé à ce que vous dites?

[diamonddust22]

oskartmusic you think if you speak in another language it's stops a person from replying? It only makes you look like more of an idiot with more people giving you a thumbs down.

[SalvationHasCome]

Dude, of all your basses this is my favorite - please lemme buy it :D

[jaco0639]

Great - that lick is almost like "For the love of Money" by the O Jays. I think that Anthony Jackson (legendary bassist) was in the bass chair there, and used a pick for that session.

[YellowSub33]

that was soooo cool lmao

[FreeKwame221]

What kind of bass is that? I need to know!

[tubamanKevinU8]

Fender Jazz

[rustyfloorpan]

Nice use of the international "no" finger wag. It crosses all language barriers.

[doctor567]

Thanks very much for this video!

[RascalXmas]

eat shit.

[leggsbro]

love the turtleneck

[gypsysunerainbow]

you´re a good teacher

[guireau]

show de mais, swingueira total. muito bom

[fckwiththestars]

the percussive roll noise at 1:36 is awesome

[fleaOWNS]

Everyone who thinks MarloweDK should have a banner at top of all his videos with him doing something cool like SLAPPING A BASS thumb me up=]

[chilipalmer88]

so do you turn up the volume high...cause i know i cant get that sounds out of my bass wihout plucking alot harder

[SmilingChildren]

no, what kind of bass do you have because i can do it on al the strings except the G

[chilipalmer88]

i just have some crappy brand bass i bought when i first started out...its a Prince...i've never tried on a real bass tho, i wonder if it makes a difference

[jonny3gwd25]

awesome teaching without having to say a word. helped a lot, thanks

[PaulQuattlebaum1313]

Very good young man

[PaulQuattlebaum1313]

Very good young man

[fr3ds4t]

Nice! You made me understand this without speaking...just hand gesture! Great job...

[motobassplayer17]

are you famous yet cause your fuckin awesome!!

[DuffNAP]

dude thats not double thumb, well tis, but not properly done...the use of the double thumb is to save time by using half the motion for each pick whereas you're moving your thumb higher than the eifel tower each time, try keep your wrist tight and just move your finger and your arm if at all

[AquaDonkey]

wow shut the fuck up.

[DuffNAP]

wow err no, learn manners please

[BassmanA440]

The movment he uses is to show how it is done. If he did it proper like you want, using "Economy of Motion," then we could not see what was going on. Then all the video would show was what a great player he is instead of what a great teacher he is.

[lilweaties531]

good job but one prob no talkin it through

[pyroseed13]

I really don't understand this technique well at all. When I watch Victor do it, there seems to be little thumb movement and mostly arm movement. When I watch marlowedk do it, it seems to be mostly thumb. In general, I have trouble getting my upstroke to produce the same volume as my downstroke, but can anyone help me with this?

[lateralus15]

what this man said, please help

[DEATHbyRAZORBACK]

my slapping doesnt yield much tone on the higher strings, i slap a note (on the A string for ex.) and i dont get much out of that note, its too quiet. the only way i can get any volume is by plucking them. suggestions?

[FeeshNL]

I think my slap style doesn't do me any favours for learning this skill. I slap completely perpendicular to the string, it's hard for me to let my thumb slip onto the next string. Think some talking wouldn't of gone a miss though, but the gestures were pretty hilarious / informative.

[Funkyb4ssist]

I don't know how people slap like that, I've always slapped Victa style (thumb parallel to strings). I guess I just like the control of it and it lets u be able to double thumb at any time plus pluck any amount.

[calvinlove0]

i think you'd find that you'd get better tone by slapping parallel to the string, thats how i used to do it (like flea) but i went through a slow transition to sort of a les claypool style of slapping. The only downside i'm finding is that when popping my index usually starts to bleed after a while cus there's less space to pop

[DuffNAP]

you dont get a better tone by slapping perpendicular to slapping paralel victa stlye, if you do it right, plus its much more versatile in my opinion. if your playing makes your fingers bleed try change your way of playing cos you'll end up with no finger at all! :)

[joakin88]

wheres the lesson?

[Waluigi41]

its a lesson for your ears.

[mancomarzio]

why don't you look at his other lessons on you tube? He can't repeat the same things every time just because you are lazy!

[MilanRW]

man kan lære en skid

[tonymcg4]

i've been trying for ages to even start learning this technique. how do you get the slap without the bounce? (recoil) once i've that sorted i'm on the right track yeah?

[KongoXIIV]

Slam through the string and let the one after halt you.

In other words, hit the E string but go through it and let the A string stop you.

For the G however you have to let the body stop you so angle your thumb down a little.

[gatekeeper840]

I Like that you can't speak so u use your fingers to tell us what to do and not to do xD

[mhealy87]

Wanna sell me an American Fender for cheap??

[putsometoeon]

your a mad cunt at bass!

good work dude

[soulscanplay]

i have a question wuts double picking

[JebusCookies]

Is it pure wrist? Cuz i somewhat use my thumb, is that bad?

[superfraq]

Got a question kinda like John's. Im getting my thumb's skin kinda grinded right above the knuckle, behind the nail. Im still making contact on the nail, but am i doing something wrong. Or is this just 'sore muscles'

[MarloweDK]

superfrag:

No, whenever i do something new i always get sore skin and eventually calluses

[doublethumpbass89]

@superfraq i too have gotten plenty of calluses from learning slap and double thumb...dont worry about it...as soon as you get used to the strings it wont show up no more

[JohnJeevasingham]

Hi! I'm trying to do this, but keep grinding and scratching my thumbnail real bad.

Is that supposed to happen?

[MarloweDK]

to johnJeevasingham:

yes, somewhat, its like running for the first time - you get sore muscles

[JohnJeevasingham]

Oh, ok!

Coz shavings off the top of my thumb nail are coming off, and I thought I was doing something wrong, hehe!

Thanks, Marlowe!

[sampras1983]

I got what looked like the beginnings of a blister just below where the nail joins the flesh at the side of my thumb and the nail felt like it might come off. Playing hurt for about two days, but then got better. It's not as hard as I first thought, but double thumbing the g-string is still tough as hell when trying to keep the rhythm because I tend to let the thumb stop on the next string.

This is a super fun technique and btw: keep up the great vids Marlowe!

[radicalrat54]

what kinda bass is that? Fender jazz bassw deluxe?

[IdontWonna]

also it doesn't sound like a slap sounds more like a pick

[IdontWonna]

I think i got it wrong, on the up pick, is it suppose to be hitting the middle of my nail?

if not were?

[sampras1983]

When I do the pick up it does hit about the middle of the nail so that it looks like I've been rubbing little sandpaper circles on it, that's how I get the best sound and comfort. As far as a right way is concerned, if it sounds good and doesn't kill your hand too much you're doing it right I'd say.

[Brainless27]

jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez fuuuuuuuuuuuck !!! i made it !!!!!!!! it's 2:28 and i can't stop "slaping" my bass guitar !! awesome !!!!

[MarloweDK]

to Brainless:

Thats goooood! :-D

[gammelgammelmormor]

Thx

[BassClefLove]

wow, this has helped me so much...  and you quite possibly have the best tone ive heard in a while from a bassist on youtube.

[prizim]

i totally agree with you on the tone. best on youtube. hands down!

[bca494]

umm dude, why dont u just talk lol

[PulseOfTheMaggots145]

cuz he's a bass player duhhh.

Lol i joke.

Awsome video man. Just started bass myself.

[AlanSanderson1]

The language of music is universal.  What if he doesn't speak your language? Anyone can understand what he shows you here. Cheers Marlowe

[bca494]

i kno man, i was just jokin around

[Funkadelic92]

soemtimes its easier to explain people

[waseok]

Nice timing

[wexoplex]

you're a natural teacher, man. excellent. and a killer musician.

[ejfbewhkwefknj]

Cool technique, thanks!!

[yesiplayguitar]

When I'd first listen to this video! I though wow, he is making a weird click noise along with the bass notes! but then I realized that is was a metronome

[YourNoose]

Same here

[uncledevo]

cool

[sduzfour]

excellent techniques!! mind if i have the scales?

[fahugwagads101]

what kind of strings do you use?

ive been using coated strings because i love crispy sound but cant afford to keep buying new strings every couple of months. the only downside is i have to baby my strings so they dont shed. thats my bass string epidemic. :)

[Guitarista78]

Love the silent instruction. Lol

[iplaybass77]

you are power

[bassist101maty]

dude can u help me out, maybe i sound like an idiot askin this, but how do cum up with sumthing that has such a nice groove to it? i mean most of the stuff i play gets borin or robotic sort of thing, can u give me any tips? is it just about feel and stuff or wot?

[MarloweDK]

to bassist101:

You've got to listen to a lot of groovy music and learn to play it by ear, practice hard every day...

[bassist101maty]

kk kool cheers man

[vippran]

Can someone tell me what SCALE THAT IS!?

[echidna108]

Very solid groove, nice!

[136312]

Doesn't your thumb hurt on the upstrokes?

[MarloweDK]

to 136312:

Not anymore;-) But you have to build calluses

[elmozsavior]

Dude i LOVE your bass

[hardinge86]

there is one thing that i don't get about this double thumb thing, when you double thumb do you slap on the up stroke or is it just a pluck, as i can't get a decent slap sound on the up stroke

[MarloweDK]

use the thumb as a pick

[hardinge86]

ok, thanks for the great grooves you've uploaded MarloweDK they've helped me a lot

[benner3]

the only thing that is making his up stroke sound more slap like is that he mutes on the up stroke...i think anyways lol open on the way down mute the way up

[phanhuybach14]

Nice !!!!!

[sexiitalian88]

duddddeeeeeee thts the 62 fender jazz basss rite man i got the 72 dude thts amazing there worth soo much n e way cool stufff man cld u do sum rhcp??

[MarloweDK]

RHCP?, good band, but just not my thing

[shemhamforash999]

Well put. Flea has nothing on you but pure unrefined hand speed.

[OriginalDarkAardvark]

is there a name to this song?? it sounds so awesome! mind if i steal it? XD

[MarloweDK]

Its mine, if you use it credit me

[OriginalDarkAardvark]

alrighty! sounds great!

its so catchy!!

[zaksnaporaz]

more precisely: youtube dot com/watch?v=U0mqn0MF8EM

[zaksnaporaz]

hi Marl', you should go take a look at what gash26 is showing on youtube ...very tasteful !!

[MarloweDK]

Yeah , somee cool rockabilly slap

[FreakazoidsAsteroids]

Great stuff man - gotta say I've struggled with this a little, trying lots of thumb "angles" & I either get the right thumb-sound (but out of position for plucks) OR a compromise where my thumb gets wedged under the strings. Do u find that it wears your thumbnail down a bit? Incidentally, Larry used black Nylon-covered strings for a lotta his classic thumpin' (i.e "Hair") - check out Bobby Vega's Larry workshop on BassPlayer dot tv

[heartagramkid123]

lol. nice sweater

[rvduyn]

yes this is realy awesome and very understandable, thanx very much for the video!

[Ghostbustax]

wow. Thats so awesome!!

[shanesperling]

wicked man!

[borneo1984]

You truly are the man! Can i just check: downstroke is normal thumb slap, up stroke is kind of a pull off with the thumb? Is that right?

[borneo1984]

You really are the man! Thanx for the vids it's inspired me to start slappin more and maybe look up some Larry Graham tracks

[kilnan]

man I don't understand how to pop the cord!!!

plz make a slow motion explanation!!!

[spacedub1]

nice man, smoothe

[madtiger111]

Nice strap!

[1337FUCK]

very good! but if you really want to learn how to double thumb, look up victor wooten.

[slatron]

Thnks you so much for posting these lessons. Immense help in my playing.

[limefrugt]

Thats probably one of the best riffs i've heard :)

[dumbnumbnhappy]

nice work man i actually like the sound even though theres just a tab bit of buzz, what kind of bass? nice job :)

[Kevbass]

Its not buzz, its called growl, a sound the fender jazz is known for,