Double Thumb Exercise Bass Tabs - Bass Lessons @ BigBassTabs.com


Hey, heres a little exercise that I do using the Double Thumb 
technique. If youre not sure about Double Thumbing look on 
the net for some tutorials, sorry I couldnt try to teach some 
fundamentals in this tab. Well heres a little run through of it.

Riff 1

This is the little riff I play first. When reading this make sure 
that you take note off the Down and Upstrokes of the thumb represented 
by these signs. < = Down and Up = >. Lets give it a go.

       <         >
G|——————————————————|
D|——————————————————|
A|————0—h—3—h—5——5——|
E|——————————————————|

Play this riff as many times as you can start off slowly and then 
get faster and faster. When you get fast enough you shouldnt 
be able to hear the last 5 but you still play it. 

Riff 2

After a decent play of that move onto this.

        <        >
G|——————————————————|
D|——————————————————|
A|————0—h—5—h—7——7——|
E|——————————————————|

As you can see it just basically progresses up the fret board. 
Like the first riff start of slow and then got faster and faster 
until you cant hear the last 7.


Riff 3

Yep you guessed it.

       <         >
G|——————————————————|
D|——————————————————|
A|————0—h—7—h—9——9——|
E|——————————————————|

I think you know the drill by now. 

Riff 4

Sighhhhhh

        <            >
G|——————————————————————|
D|——————————————————————|
A|—————0—h—10—h—12——12——|
E|——————————————————————|

Well theres all the separate riffs. Got all those? Good, now 
lets move on. This a fun little diddy that uses all the riffs that 
Ive just showed you.

        <               >  <                >  <               >  
G|———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
A|————0—h—3—h—5——5——0—h—5—h—7——7——0—h—7—h—9——9——0—h—10—h—12——12——|
E|———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
And down
 
         <                  >   <               >  <         >
G|——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D|——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
A|————0—h—10—h—12—12——0—h—7—h—9——9——0—h—5—h—7——7——0—h—3—h—5——5——|
E|——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|

There you go. Have fun. Try different strings practice and get 
faster and faster.

Thanks, Sam

How to Read Bass Tabs

Bass tablature (tabs) is an easy way to learn songs without needing to read traditional sheet music. Here’s a quick guide to understanding the symbols and techniques commonly found in tabs:

1. The Basics

Strings and Frets:
Each line in a tab represents a string on your bass:
- The top line is the highest-pitched string (G on a 4-string bass).
- The bottom line is the lowest-pitched string (E on a 4-string bass).
Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to press. For example:
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------------------|
A|---3---------------|
E|-------------------|
            
```
This means you play the 3rd fret on the A string.

2. Common Techniques

Hammer-On (h):
Play the first note by picking it, then press down on a higher fret with another finger without picking again.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------5h7---------|
            
```
Pull-Off (p):
Pluck a note and then "pull off" your finger to let a lower fret ring.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------7p5---------|
            
```
Slide (/ or \):
Move your finger up (/) or down (\) the fretboard while maintaining pressure.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------5/7---------|
            
```

3. Advanced Techniques

Bend (b): Push the string up or down to raise the pitch. Example: G|-------7b9---------|
Vibrato (~): Shake the string slightly after playing a note to create a vibrating sound. Example: G|-------7~----------|
Muted Notes (x): Rest your finger lightly on the string without pressing a fret and pluck for a percussive "click" sound.

4. Rhythm and Timing

Tabs don’t always indicate timing, so listen to the song while reading the tab. Wider spaces between numbers mean longer pauses, while closer numbers indicate quicker notes.

5. Slap and Pop

Slap (s): Strike the string with the side of your thumb for a percussive sound.
Pop (p): Pull the string away from the fretboard and let it snap back.

Practice Makes Perfect

Tabs are a great tool to learn songs, but mastering the techniques takes practice. Listen carefully to the original track and play along to lock in the rhythm. Don’t rush — smooth, accurate playing is more important than speed. Happy jamming! 🎸

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Bass Lessons — Double Thumb Exercise bass tabs