Doublethumbing bass tutorial

[TheScratters]

Cooool. A fried of mine just suggested I check out your videos. Very nice.  It's lovely to learn. Thank you. I have recently finished making a website with free bass loops to download. If you'd like you could take a look. The site is funkybassloops.co.uk Martyn

[TheScratters]

hi



[paitachP]

Very good tutorial

[SuperSZahir]

Hi Marlow, Have to say that this is the only video that I have come across that actually shows how the thing is really done... I am practicing the double thumb but I get a kind of muffled sound instead of the clean tone you have shown here. I think I know what I am getting wrong now.. Thanks

[danielayalamusica]

Dude, he can speak! :D

[MrFred2023]

Du er dansker

awsome

[TRJBASS]

MarlowDK.....No one has did so much to help bass players since Leo Fender.

[docontingut]

You're a good teacher. Thanks for the video!

[lecriful]

excellent goodd



[MELONMOVIES]

Anyone else getting dirty suggestions on the Play.com advert thing?

[gregtuba]

Basically, I just have to stop biting my nails...

[vonroden]

575 sticked with it and learned it 9 expected they would instantly master the double thumb simply just watching this excellent tutorial

[Blacksplayer]

@vonroden

Oh god so Original... Your dad must be proud.

[wediotban]

Very good technique, i was always wondering how they do it, credit to you now i know the technique, its all about practising the more you practise the better you become just the way you learn how to play a bass guitar...Thanks for the Tip

[LouisHaynes2]

god this technique is so painful to learn for my thumb

[AJMorrey]

You have an unbelievable talent for explaining things to me (and Bass haha), Thanks!

[TechSmack]

would you say that the marcus miller jazz bass is a good bass? I'm considering buying the five string one :)

[DoubleDz2k11]

I can just imagine you working in a call centre looking like that ... then putting people on hold and playing some funk'd up shit ! XD

[Mytola11]

Hadn't really thought about approaching it like stumming with the pick, but with your thumb instead, but now I actually got it! Excellent tutorial, really helped me with my playing! :)

[mollysangelique]

ik,zoek,jou,werk,,ik,vroeg,ooi­t,load,jy,wat,huidigs,op,

[mollysangelique]

ik,zoek,jou,werk,

[cowchip75]

I've been trying to learn this technique for the longest time and i can never seem to get it down and I was wondering does it matter whether or not you have a hitchhiker's thumb? cause i have a pretty straight thumb the hardly bends back at all

[metagdp]

8 people can't do it but 531 people can.

[GrandTonn]

Excelent, Thanks a lot :)

[SantiagoSunn]

Excellent tutorial, I dont knew about this method, it's like play the rhythm guitar simulating the pick on the strings, of course, with a sense of bass groove... COOL! Thanks Mr. Marlow

[TechSmack]

did you replace the knobs on the EQ? can you get metal ones?

[fabiosantiag]

Hi Marlowe ! I wanna thank you very much for your bass lessons.

they help me pretty much. Please, what kind of string do you think is better for slap and double thumb techniques ? Medium or light strings.

Thanks again.

[jenifferbrito]

very good!!!!!!!!!!!!

[overtime2005]

the six string yamaha in the back looks just like the one that debra killings uses. ;D

[myfootinurass]

I have a question...does how high or low ur action is effect how u do this technique?

[ISRAEL1858]

buena tutorial

[ISRAEL1858]

buena tutorial....gracias

[croydondsouza]

I watched 10 videos and was wondering why you were not talking.... just heard yur voice in this one.... I must say yur doin a great job, im picking up some tips.... really great full.... thanks

[Groundribs]

Hello Marlowe, I was wondering what kind of strings you use/ prefer. Thanks!

[Groundribs]

Outstanding.

[Steely7s]

1:06 - 1:08 was AWESOME!!! :D

[ballstomonty]

Thanks for this tutorial. I play with a pick a lot as well as fingers and your description of the similarities between plectrum picking and double thumbing made this technique much easier to get to grips with as I already do a lot of the left hand muting when I play with a pick.

[JWayne2007]

Impressive technique man. I bet it took a while to master this.

[Narukira]

Hey Marlow, i was wondering, how long did it took you to master this technique?

[brianownsall123]

chillest dutch guy in the world

[LethalLion]

@brianownsall123 He's Danish. MarloweDK is a bit of a giveaway.

[TiMickQC]

My downward thumb pick is always A LOT louder than my upward one. I cant put velocity in the note very well...

[dezziwood555]

Bass Strings are critical to getting great sounds. Would you tell me what you like to use and what gauge? Thanks

[RealFireBand]

@dezziwood555 it probably doesnt matter what you use as long as they are bright fresh new strings they will sound good for slap. d'adario is always a great set of slap bass strings. when i put a new set of them on i dont even need to plug in because they sound so bright and good already (only for slap that is)

[OfficialLOLface]

Is this a song? If so, whats the song name? If not, please a few tabs for the last part :) Please! :D

[CCMrJones]

@OfficialLOLface or even better: scores..

[lovedabass93]

man nice tutorial, thx a lot!!!

[Beholdthesharktopus]

That bass wouldn't happen to be in tenor tuning, would it?

[CJ00014]

Great! this is a great tutorial, i'm just starting to play the bass...I'm in a rap band, I'm a DJ, but a want to play bass too :D

[KreislerJohannes]

As always, very helpful, thanks!

[RCAvhstape]

Been watching some other vids on this technique, Marlowe, thanks. Check out the vid by casimer on double thumb triplets, he shows a slow motion closeup and it shows the thumb makes a kind of circular motion on the way down and back up. As I start to get the hang of this I feel my thumb doing it also. I still have a ways to go yet, but I'm getting close. Hard to make all the notes ring, need more practice and tougher skin!

[EmbarkCola]

Terrific tutorial, thank you so much for sharing. Great playing and beautiful bass!

[StakkelsJimm]

Hey! Tak for tutorial! Jeg elsker måden du formår at skære tingene ud i pap uden at det bliver trættende at høre på. Du gør det virkelig godt og jeg har lært meget af dig:)

[strumbolli]

Hello Marlowe ,just watched a few of videos for the first time and I have to say what a fantastic service you are providing to all bass players and aspiring bass players . Absolutely priceless . Many thanks

[Xflubberman]

Hey Marlow i have just started watching your vids they are brilliant

Do you play in a band?

[Timepeice45]

Thank you.......Great lesson video!

[gordonbrown90]

Thanks for the tutorial Marlowe, never really paid much attention to the double thump! Out of curiosity - what amp are you playing with in this vid?

[RGHughson]

thank you!

[jumbaliahVITO2]

@MarloweDK i dont have a problem doing the technique, but on the way up i end up hitting the skin on the back of my thumb a little below the nail and ripping the skin off. i know that if i just make my thumb straighter i can avoid that, but i was just curious if you or other people run into that problem sometimes

[flautinhaibc]

thanks, bro! keep groovin'!

[electronicae2i]

@MarloweDK what can you say about to first practice in this technique, is better with strings cal .030 than .045? could be easy to play it? thanks you for your time, you're the best bass teacher online!

[LUISTELLECHEA]

niiiice! nice explaining, nice Playin! thanx 4 ur time l..l

[SHANGABASS]

MarlowDk is a real teacher,not a clown....

[WinsomeJohnny]

Thanks so much, you pointed out little details I overlooked! So valueable!

[ButlerSONG]

0:18 Remix tha doublethumb

[15lynnda]

thumbs up!.nice vid man

[psican1]

So it's almost like using your thumb as a pick with the up/down motion? Except, more of an downward slap, with the upward pluck i guess?

[koRnfR3ak25]

You sir were a big help in helping me make my double thumb better thank you so much for the video and keep it up you're killer man!

[isomikieee]

u have no idea how helpful you are!

[BJJLH]

 hehe.. fed video.. tusind tak

[scotmockup]

Fantastic video brother.

[Timok67]

Hi Marlow, excellent tutorial. However, I am having much trouble slapping the note first. I have no problem popping my thumb back up, its just that i go to play the double thumb technique, and I constantly miss the slap, and come up using my finger nail, so basically im playing only one note. any suggestions?

[MarloweDK]

@Timok67 Give it time and practice slowat first

[adhdal]

you have a cool accent

nic tut ;)

[Tooltrocity]

Hey Marlowe, when you pull your thumb up in the second motion in the double thumb, are you actually pulling the string and letting it snap back against the fretboard?

[SuperSeth33]

does anybody knows the notes of the intro?

[EzAvABlink]

Great video :) It helped my regular slap bass too :)

[Shyalx]

When you first started to learn this technique did your thumb sort of have to develop a callus in that spot where the thumb attacks the string? After trying this for several hours it got pretty painful.

[saheltaja]

@LittleGothick The clearness of your tone depends on both your bass (both the wood and the pickups, as well as other electronics) and your amp, so there's no absolute answer. Try boosting the treble a little, having a little less mids and bass. Find the soumd that best suits you, even though not all the basses can sound like a P-Bass.

[clonebassist]

Great video. I've been playing for a little over eight years now and I never got my head (or thumbs) around the double thumb technique, until now!

Thanks for taking the time to make this video.

[MODIFYPERSPECTIVE]

Really cool technique made famous by Victor Wooten - check out his tutiorials too - they're old but very useful. @MarloweDK Best bass tutorials iv'e seen on Youtube - thank you so much!

[ElChanguito5]

Gracias desde Argentina, Marlowe!!!!!!

Muy útil toda la data...siempre una inspiración!

[MrDiscordinated]

Hey dude , i think picks rock . i like the double thumb tech but i think i;m doing wrong . the postion of my hand makes me scratch my pinky against thhe body of my bass. ouch ! i;m still pretty new to this so maybe it's just time pratice . everything else including standing on my head seeam to come naturally .

[MrDiscordinated]

Hey dude , i think picks rock .

[LittleGothick]

When I try to slap my sound isnt so clear like yours. Is it my amp? Or the EQ?

[musicalitymaster]

is that a modified Marcus Miller? what did u do to it. other than changing the nobs?

i like the white finish i have one in the natural ash.

[niall911]

"I'll just fix this" FNn-n-n-n-n-n..

[SubaUba]

Is it normal that this hurts like hell even if have been slapping about 4 years now?

[txickiroquai]

Thanks Marlow.

[vastrwc]

Best tutorial on double thumbing on YouTube! Thanks

[Jeudaos]

great video. I'm looking to get a bass and want to learn how to play finger and thumb style both.

[Yalsmal]

thanks a lot :)

[ruskinricky]

this has got to be the most frustrating technique to try and learn!.. and painful!!!!

[paleofwater]

what song/riff is that?

[fuckweed]

Now this was a good informative bass tuition video. Most other ones are guys just showing off and not really explaining how techniques work at all. Good work man :D

[TheNeuroticBassPlay]

Does it matter if you've just trimmed your fingernails... Like, do they have to be a certain length for this technique to work?

[MarloweDK]

@TheNeuroticBassPlay I always trim my nails, and they dont matter when doublethumbing

[Afrotastik]

@MarloweDK hi there, i was wondering if you could send me a tab of the riff you were playing please. your video was very helpful, thank you :)

[BassGuitarGuy128]

@TheNeuroticBassPlay

When playing normally (plucking with my fingers) I make sure my nails are very short. Otherwise I can't play as fast and my nails will mess up the tone. But for slapping it shouldn't matter too much

[lovoroshi]

Hey, thanks for the video, can someone help... I need to buy a bass, should I buy a Epiphone EB-3 Bass or Epiphone Les Paul Special Bass. thank u

[JAZZiBABA]

Hi Marlowe, your tutorials really helped me ! You're great ! THX so much.

I have a question about practising double thumb technique. If I'm practising this technique that way shown in video above, wouldn't I be a problem with using index and middle finger then ? I mean, I will want to add these fingers for some bassline, my hand will be used to do too big movements and this isn't good for using next fingers. Or do U think it won't be a problem ? Don't U have any video for practising this?Alex

[MarloweDK]

@JAZZiBABA You can still use your index and middle to pop with as in standard slap

[JAZZiBABA]

@MarloweDK OK, thank U. Is it possible to play double thumb on 6strings bass ?

Sorry for my english ;)

[MarloweDK]

@JAZZiBABA Its just a technique, string number should not mean anything, you just have to get used to it

[JAZZiBABA]

@MarloweDK I asked because the distance between strings is different...smaller. Thank you for your answers.

[shambisam]

Marlowe, Thank you for your thorough and well though out approach to double thumbing. Of all the videos i have seen on youtube yours is easily the most understandable and explanatory. Thanks again

[midgetrocker36]

haha pause it at 0:16

[EdGunpoint]

I managed to get along with the technical part and i figured out the main theme

but it`s hard to catch up with your groove skills. Thx

[Antiks72]

Little did you Americans know I could be so funky. Ja! Now TOUCH MY MONKEY!

[Antiks72]

hipster douchebag.

[sikerafoda]

that thing with the pick just fucking opened up my mind man! YOURE A FUCKING GENIUS!!! THANKS ALOOOOOOOOOT!

[rhcp211]

Thank you.

[Kajaena]

Hey Marlowe, i just want to ask.. if you have a nail on your thumb, will it affect to the doublethumb technique??

[MarloweDK]

@Kajaena Most of us have nails on our thumbs, but of course if your thumbnail is as long as Dolly Parton's then you might have a problem;-) Otherwise there is no problem IMO

[Kajaena]

@MarloweDK o,yeah i mean "if your thumb nail is long"... hehe.

well,thx anyway... time to cut the nail. ^ ^

[dnielgeo]

HA-HA-HA !!!! nail on our thumb question ??? most of us have one !!! i'm just cracking up! really hilarious!!! btw thanks for quick tutotrial, really helpfull!!

[siickgnasty]

thanks! i really understand this now....my videos will NEV ER be as good as yours:p your a real good teacher!

[tvtanga2]

he's so danish :P 

[deppwaswho]

just a quick question, are you hitting the strings with your thumb hard?

[username13245100]

fuck that hurts

[yannhk]

it's a true tutorial, very useful, I've learnt something very practical from you. Thank you very much

[midnightdreamss]

hey thanks a lot for this demonstration. But i have to say that i have difficulty to open the hand while i dumble thumb, how can i work that ?

Thanks again and sorry for my french english.

[midnightdreamss]

Firsly thanks a lot for this perfect demonstration! But after a little while of practice for this double thumbing i have to admit that i am again a little loose. I have difficulties with the other fingers, when i use my thumb i close the rest of my fist, does it works? I have to say that it is a little handicap if i want to go quick ...

Thanks again for your demonstration and sorry for my french-english !

[Zefirua]

Your explanation is perfect! Keep goin!

[henilk2007]

Thanks alot for teaching this technique. It's the most detailed video that I've seen regarding the double thumb technique. The way you showed it from different angles helped to really illustrate it. Thanks again and God bless.

[Villa129]

Thanks, great info!

[royalbabbi]

yeeaaahh!! I made it!!

cheers man!!

[clarinet343]

Very hopefull ;)

[SimulacronX]

Hi MarloweDK - Do you prefer any strings for double-thumbing, and what kind of strings (light gauge etc.) ? Or don't you think it is relevant at all? Thank you.

[MarloweDK]

@SimulacronX Any roundwound string will do, i prefer nickel coated, gauge 45 - 105.

Remember that a certain technique doesnt require a certain change in hardware;-)

[SimulacronX]

@MarloweDK Thanks for he quick answer. I try to learn double-thumbing after 20 years of playing the "usual" way,and it's a bitch.Like learning to walk again. But I noticed that if I do out precisely,clean and slowly,things are very slowly making sense. Thanks a lot master, keep it up. Cheers

[Shmallowman]

This is an awesome tutorial, but it sounds like my amplifier wont pick up the muted notes as well so they aren't very noticeable and i cant use this technique like i wanna :[

[bergAgreb]

excuse me i have a question, does this technique also work for e-guitar?

[nutboy56]

Thank you

[pjoeng]

Hi. Great tutorial! Thank you very much!

May I ask you where is that great sound comming from? What bass are you playing?

[binary132]

VERY good teaching

[oliridon]

Very interesting, i hadn't tought of playing this way. You are a good teacher!

[30mordakaiy90]

very good video for da us who didnt nkow how to do it

thanx

[omgwtfbbqalekx]

I always wondered how to go about double-thumbing, this is a great video for giving you some insight. Thanks for uploading :)

[LittleMyung]

Very good man...really useful...thanks

[IChoseTheRedPill]

nice technique... you're a very good instructor. i've spent some time watching your vids. take good care...

[nurikara]

Marlowe have you ever tried doublethumping on electric guitar? I am trying to incorporate it into funky rhythm playing and having difficulty since the strings are too close to each other, do you think it can be achieved on electric guitar as well?

[MarloweDK]

I think it could be useful on the lowest strings, but then again the string spacing works against it, but try and be inventor of a new style;-)

[TheGreatGonzoMan]

@MarloweDK I notice when using a heavy phase or chorus for best effect you can slap or rather pat the guitar strings while fingering out chords. Had a friend tell me the technique is called "breathing". Quite a dif sound though, not funky, more ethereal.

[MarloweDK]

@TheGreatGonzoMan Yes, i have a video here somewhere in a more aggressive setting;-) Search my videos for "evil hand"

[perfdrug]

와우~~ 최고예요.

친절한 설명 감사합니다.

good teacher~

[pedcie]

sound like those Seinfeld bass =p

[kalleanka11]

Han låter Dansk.

[silverguitartom]

I am having alot of trouble with this technique, I can't seem to hit the strings hard enough for them to pop like they would of a normal slap or pop, should I just keep trying?

[FunkKlock]

thanks Marlowe whenever i would do this with the g string it would always go directly down instead of resting on the pick guard. Very helpful

[lonisia]

Perfect explanation.Bravo!

[RageicaNiels]

some people mix slap and thumping together so they think it is the same thing. but by watching this vid they can see that its not the same thing

[XanXus1031]

nice!

[toddhamby]

Marlowe you are awesome and I really appreciate your work.

[MARGARSIL]

Congratulations, very good, a doubt, this technique will not fuck my nails?

[rsguitar335]

EXCELLENT!!  Thank you!

[stasyanbasyan]

THANK YOU!!!

[JollyGreenGiant72]

Hey thank you so much! I surely learned a lot from this video! Well done!

[stu22aus]

You're the best , double thumb is always a bit of a black art until someone explains it like this

[mrmusaka]

Great video!

[tompayne2]

hey man great video! thanks for lesson!

[superava1982]

i'm playing ,,so hard! !

[leroyfj]

thank you

[elkrakem]

you are "maestro"i learn and enjoy whith your lessons,thank you.

[watusi1971]

thanks for your time and patience. very well explained. Thanks again for your time... appreciate it!!!

[watusi1971]

Very good explanation Marlow. Appreciate your time and patience to help us become better musicians. Thanks again...

[ichigo4o8]

reminds me of seinfeld =D

[thevicious007]

same here

[wysle]

@ichigo4o8 fuck off

[JBLgangsta]

@ichigo4o8 shame seinfeld is all synth bass though... =)

[WHITExxFORKxx]

hey man i just started slapping yesterday and i saw your video but i acctualy was hopng you would be able to send me the tab if you could,or tell me a simple slap i could learn.if you do check there and ya tell me,thanks.

[limoncello182]

dude, watch my bass skills here

watch?v=PnrVdjNVtmM

[witterth]

Ive been playing and slapping bass for years yet this is new. just goes to prove you never know it all! thanks Marlowe