How to Breakdown the Double Slap Boogie Woogie on Standup Bass

The upright bass is a well-known and interesting instrument. There are many great sounds and songs that can be played on the upright bass. It is set up differently than a standard bass, in that it is more like a cello in how you play it. It is an extremely large instrument and it takes great balance to master.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Become familiar with the upright bass. Before you start learning different playing techniques, you should have taken the time to get to know your upright bass. This should include ensuring it is tuned properly; check this by listening to the chords and scales as you play through them.

2. Learn the major chords first, as this will open more song options to you. The major chords are 1, 4 and 5. The minor chords are 2m, 3m, and 6m. The C key is the most important one to learn. Place your finger on the third string, second fret and play the string. This is the C key.

3. Understand the beats to most songs played on the upright bass. There are generally 4 counts. This is done 1-2-3-4; 2-2-3-4; and so on. Once you have this done, use the counts to play. Play the root on the first beat and the fifth on the third beat. This is the method of playing a single chord. It is essential to master this before moving on.

4. Add the double slap technique. This is done by pulling the strings, then slapping them down in a quick motion. Do this slowly a few times. Pull, slap, pull, slap, pull and slap. Once you have the motion down, speed it up and make a regular rhythm out of it.