# Specifics of the Tosin Abasi/Victor Wooten thumb technique?



## SaltedMane (Jun 3, 2015)

I'm looking for more specific information on this technique -- I know it's "down with the thumb to rest on the next string, back up, index pluck, middle pluck." That...has only helped a bit. If anyone can answer any of the following questions about the technique, that would be great.

What angle should I be striking the strings at?
How much of my thumb should contact the string? like, the entire left half? just the upper-left corner near my nail? (directions assume i am looking at my thumb while giving a thumbs-up)
How much movement should my hand go through? I am of course going to need my fingers to line up with the string after the thumb stroke so that I can pluck.
Should my downward stroke be from the shoulder? the forearm? the wrist? just the thumb?
Should I be doing this right over the pickups, or somewhere else?
What am I supposed to do about the tension difference between open notes and fretted notes? Currently, it completely throws me off. This isn't a problem with picking. Will this go away with time?
Thanks.
--LL


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## mynameisgooch (Jun 19, 2015)

Bump for interest


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## takotakumi (Jun 19, 2015)

It took me like a year to learn, but check out Ben Eller's thumping technique on youtube. Covers most of your questions.

Theres also one of a guy teachning how to play an infinite regression and one showing how to play the thumpy riff off the woven web.


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## FRETPICK (Jun 19, 2015)

Victor Wooten Education.

I met a guy at the Academy that applied bass technique to guitar but he was before his time and fell into the abyss.


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## HumanFuseBen (Jun 20, 2015)

Hey man! Scope out my lessons, I cover most of the stuff you mention. Part one covers the thumb technique and part two covers the other digits. Cheers! 
Part 1: http://youtu.be/42Hwo26LkY4
Part 2: http://youtu.be/oRmxkQz3x9o


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## OmegaSlayer (Jun 22, 2015)

Uncle Ben helps a lot.
I still have to get the technique to a decent level, but what I know about it is only thanks to Ben vids.


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## Low Baller (Jun 22, 2015)

HumanFuseBen said:


> Hey man! Scope out my lessons, I cover most of the stuff you mention. Part one covers the thumb technique and part two covers the other digits. Cheers!
> Part 1: http://youtu.be/42Hwo26LkY4
> Part 2: http://youtu.be/oRmxkQz3x9o



Great lesson uncle Ben I have been playing bass fifteen years and you taught me something. My teacher taught me to slap and then hook your thumb under the string and pluck many years ago. I haven't been able to execute this and I see why now also I have bad hitch hikers thumbs (thumbs that bend back farther than normal) which made it even harder. For all these years with bass I would use my thumb and the alternate with the other side of my hand almost open hand slapping when doing fast slapping.

Good stuff!


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## fr4nci2c0 (Jun 22, 2015)

Hey saltedmane I am currently learning the double hump now too. There is a learning curve learning how to pluck the strings let alone applying the technique. But start thumping to the met ASAP that will get you onto really thumping clean. It's a tedious technique. I hope learning it pays off some day.


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## piggins411 (Jun 30, 2015)

fr4nci2c0 said:


> I am currently learning the double hump now too.



Good luck


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## octatoan (Jul 7, 2015)

Low Baller said:


> Great lesson uncle Ben I have been playing bass fifteen years and you taught me something. My teacher taught me to slap and then hook your thumb under the string and pluck many years ago. I haven't been able to execute this and I see why now also I have bad hitch hikers thumbs (thumbs that bend back farther than normal) which made it even harder. For all these years with bass I would use my thumb and the alternate with the other side of my hand almost open hand slapping when doing fast slapping.
> 
> Good stuff!



eh, Tosin does too.


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## geshakbna (Jul 8, 2015)

There is a learning curve learning how to pluck the strings let alone applying the technique.


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