Working on the “Thumb double-thwack” technique, ala Bruce Cockburn. Any tips?

[Kfncolo]

I’m sure other artists use this technique, where the thumb strikes the bass string both on the down and the up stroke, but I’ve only become aware of it through Cockburn’s music. Anyway, I’m trying to learn it, mainly through several of his songs.

The song that this technique is very prominent on is, “Down to the Delta”. Here’s a link to his live version, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9Uj4CTiHQI.
It’s a bit easier to see and hear the technique on this cover of it by Gino Fillion, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmgHaT5MznU.

If there is somebody that has learned this technique and can give me any tips on incorporating it, I’d sure listen. I thought I had a fairly competent and independent thumb technique, but when I started trying to play this, especially the part where he is doing rolls of 3 against a 4 beat, well, my thumb feels totally spastic.


The way I'm trying to learn it is;
1) practice the back and forth “thumb thwack” by itself, and get it to be as autopilot as possible,
2) I am able to play the melody phrase parts, of which there are about three (basically the intro and outro part, I’m sure not talking his improvisation part… at least at this point in time) using a basic down thumb stroke, so I’m continuing to practice and refine those in that fashion,
3) thennnnnn, I’m trying to put the two together….playing very, very slowly…..painfully slowly, and yes, it’s probably coming along, but….very slowly.

So, any other tips, or just slow as she goes? Thanks.

In case anyone was interested, the tuning on this song is DACGCf.

[patrickgm60]

I use that technique, very sparingly; not sure I could even learn Down to the Delta, due to the RH complexity. One observation: BC keeps a stiff thumb, bending mostly/completely from the root, i.e. where the thumb joins the hand. This is at odds with how some folks (including myself) bend their thumb at the middle joint, as well.

Good luck; post a video, once you've conquered it.

[Kfncolo]

Thanks for the input, that's a good observation on the thumb. I've been trying different ways with the thumb upstroke, and being self taught, was not really even aware of how my basic thumb technique worked. What I've found that is starting to work with the upstroke is exactly your observation of the stiff thumb, mostly bending at the root method.

To play other strings simultaneously on the thumb upstroke, it also seems that I'm finding it's almost more of a slight rotating wrist movement with both the thumb and the other fingers (that are striking strings) remaining stiff. I'm sure I'm making some stroke with the fingers, but that's the general feeling I'm getting. No idea if it's a good technique, but in general the song is slowly coming along. Just amazing! Maybe by Christmas I'll get a video up...at half speed.