DOUBLE THUMB Technique for Electric Bass Carlo Chirio English text Traduzione in italiano CAH eT) ty application in pop songsCarlo Chirio ‘ouble Thumb is a bass te- Deve considered the evolution of Slop that made famous bass players like. Victor Wooten. In reality, even Mr Wooten suggested that the approach is similar to the plectrum techni- que on the technical level (the thumb has to hit the string down and up with a very diffe- rent angle to the traditional Slap) and on the phrosing level (Golo or accompaniment). Eventually, bass player Marcus Miller took this technique to its ble Thumb and traditional Slap. T have been studying every aspect of this method starting from basie introductory exer- cises to a much deeper rese- arch of its real application in grooves, riffs and, most of all, songs. Futhermore, T have been using this technique, not only, virtua- listically and exclusively applied an soloist, but as a personalized and unique introduction into po- pular songs played with my band. T think that the choice of short riffs (normally from 2 to 4 bars) is an excellent teaching method that I've been using for years with my students and it helps the cyclic pattern and the memorization, therefore we con work on a greave and in- ternalize it using the score (and the tablature) to learn the rhythm, the notes, the posi- tions... and finally play it by heart, ‘My suggestion is using this te- chnique, once internalized, on different chords, so that we can personalize the rhythm configuration. DOUBLE THUMB Technique for Electric Bass Riffs, grooves and effective application in pop songs During the study stage it's better to use a drum machine or a metronome. to have a con- stant confirmation that what we are playing is on time and record ourselves as often as possible, so we have the oppor- tunity fo listen to it with “clear mind" and analyze the imperfections, the dynamics, the timing and the intention. In my site www.carlochiria.webnode in the didactics section, you will find some videos that show the correct position of the thumb: for the Double Thumb Techni- que. DOUBLE THUMB TECNICA PER BASSO ELETTRICO RIFFS, GROOVES ED EFFETTIVA APPLICAZIONE IN CANZONI IL DouBLe THUMB é UNA TECNICA BASSISTICA CONSIDERATA L'EVO- LUZIONE DELLO SLAP CHE HA RESO FAMOS! BASSIST! COME VICTOR WooTeN IN REALTA, COME LO STESSO WOOTEN CONSIGLIA PER L'APPROCCIO, E PI AVVICINABILE ALLA TECNICA DEL PLETTRO SIA A LIVELLO TEC- NICO (IL POLLICE DEVE COLPIRE LA CORDA IN GIU E SU CON UN AN GOLATIONE BEN DIVERSA DALLO SLAP TRADIZIONALE) CHE A LIVELLO DI FRASEGGIO (SOLISTICO E ACCOMPAGNAMENTO). Pol BASSISTI COME MARCUS MILLER L'HANNO PORTATA Al MASSIM! LIVELLI MISCELANDO DOUBLE THUMB E SLAP TRADIZIGNALE. QUELLO CHE HO VOLUTO APPROFONDIRE E RICERCARE IN QUESTO ME- TODO, OLTRE ALL'APPRENDIMENTO DELLA TECNICA IN SE CON ALCUNI ESERCIZI PROPEDEUTICI, € LA SUA REALE APPLICAZIONE ALL'INTERNO DI GROVES, RIFFS & SOPRATTUTTO CANZONI. INSOMMA RENOERLA UNA TECNICA NON NECESSARIAMENTE SOLO VIR TUOSISTICA DA APPLICARE QUANDO SI SUONA DA SOL!, MA PROPRIA E PERSONALE, FACILE DA INSERIRE QUANDO SUONO CANZONI POPOLAR! CON LA MIA BAND. LA SCELTA DI BREVI RIFFS (DA 2. 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H ‘ DOP P2DUP P2 OU P FDU Po BassPe2Du He &x. 16 @ # 132s 1a 8 3 3. DH OP H DO HT IntropuctorY Cxcecise OW THE GESTURE: GUADRUPLET UsiNG A Hamwmee-On (H) TRE WITH LEFT HAND (x PRACERUTCO M GEST: QOMTRE COW OULD Du HREMON OD mH CON A RO SSTONAeouicaTion OF QUADRUPLE wrTH Hanimee (HI ON THe CHORDS oF | GorTa FeeuN’ (BLace EveD Peas) x Bass 5 5 6 § 6 5 § *F 5 5 5S s 8 % a + 3 a 3 tess >? —— 3 ey DPOUHP DHOPBAYDll UH DUDUDSODU DUTFDUDO DUT POUDU DUDSUHTP HKAOPLICATION OF THE DOUBLE THUMB ON THE CHORDS OF fha Cucoe (Ds ANTome) fa Dy €x 24 Comamanion oF GHosT NOTES (H-T-P-D) cmenazenc ost wanes eT-A8) ‘Ba? 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TO LEAN HOW TO USE G- PENTATONK SCALE mW Thump (DOAN di UP) w (naecus fhuLER's STYLE (6 ROMAGUTCD ALTO LA SRA G POCA GHC Ta coe) STP cP pododod o podODO dD BD DODD DOD WDD =Ex. 47 Puucy (6) oN THE LOWEST NOTES WW MARCUS muLEAS STILE ‘Srowoer (5 oii m Sra woes mace x 49 PPO TP DU HT PPDUHDUD DUDUPP DUP PROTP Bass PeH a23 &x. 81 DHUPTPTPDUHDU HP DHUPTPTPDONDD HP THTe DU KTeDOHTe THT DO KTPT PDD as * a * sah 7 5 = | DuHDO DoHPH24 UpDOP AT PHD UHDH UPHTPHT PHT P HTH ‘Bass Bass PD PDUHKH DOD UTPHTPHTPH EXTENDED ANALYSIS OF THE TecMMNODE Hammce/Dousle THUMs mW VICTOR WOOTEN’ STYLE Artortouncro aeiia Rewc Hannca Dooce Bock src Veroe coven Ex. 56 G masoe Teen 12 Ex. 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