Double-Stop — Two Notes at Once

Yesterday you snapped three notes on the high strings one at a time. Today you snap two notes at once. This is called the double-stop. Pop two strings together and one bass rings out like a chord. The melody suddenly sounds thick and full. If one note is a song, the double-stop is a chord sung by two notes together. It's not hard — you're just using a pop you already know on two strings at once.

Today's two notes are open D on the D string (string 2) and open G on the G string (string 1). D is the b7 of E minor, and G is the b3. Both are open strings, so the left hand is easy — today's star is the right hand. Snap both strings at exactly the same instant so the two notes ring as one mass.

The knack is using two fingers. Set the index lightly under the lower D string and the middle under the higher G string, then snap both fingers upward at the same time. If one note is loud and one is soft, it's not matched yet. At BPM 75, slowly, focus on whether the two notes snap together evenly sized with one "snap." If two fingers feel awkward, you can also hook both strings with the index alone and pull. Either way, the key is hooking both strings to the same depth.

Even on a 5-string, the two notes are the same as on a 4-string. The pop comes from the two high strings, so just deaden the low B with the thumb. Once one D+G double-stop rings clearly today, the day after tomorrow you'll place this sound at the end of a pop melody line. First mark the two spots on the fretboard — b7 and b3, two open strings.

▶ 4-string. Hook the lower D (b7) with the index and the upper G (b3) with the middle, together. Two open strings.

▶ 5-string. The hand spots are the same as on a 4-string. Keep the low B deadened with the thumb.

Today you make one double-stop. First split the two notes and snap them one at a time to learn the spots, then stack two notes at once. Each example comes in both a 4-string and a 5-string version.

First, the single pops. Alternate D (b7) and G (b3) to learn each string's pop feel on its own.

▶ BPM 75, 4-string. Alternate pops on D and G. Each string must snap clearly.

▶ 5-string. The notes and spots are the same as on a 4-string. Keep the low B deadened with the thumb.

Now stack the two notes and snap them together. It's the double-stop that pops D+G at once.

▶ BPM 75, 4-string. Two fingers on D and G at once. The two notes must ring as one mass.

▶ 5-string. The notes and spots are the same as on a 4-string. Keep the low B deadened with the thumb.

0–10 min · Warm-up Flow yesterday's pop arch lightly at BPM 60 to wake the hand. Today spread the index and middle two fingers apart in advance.

10–20 min · Brain training As below, very slowly: measure 1 is single pops, measure 2 is the double-stop.

▶ BPM 60, 4-string. Measure 1 singles, measure 2 double-stop. Check by ear that the two notes are even in size.

▶ 5-string. The notes and spots are the same as on a 4-string. Keep the low B covered with the side of the thumb.

20–40 min · Real play Repeat the double-stop at BPM 75. If one note goes soft, drop the tempo and match the strength of the two fingers. Learn it on the 4-string, then confirm the same sound on the 5-string.

40–50 min · Record/feedback Record 30 seconds and listen for whether the two notes ring together. Note today's comfortable BPM too.

Done when: you can snap a D+G double-stop at BPM 75 so the two notes ring together evenly sized.

Nudge today's double-stop up to BPM 85 and check that the two notes stay alive together even as it speeds up.

▶ BPM 85, 4-string. Check that the two notes stay clearly alive together even as it speeds up a little.

▶ 5-string. The notes and spots are the same as on a 4-string. Always keep the low B deadened with the thumb.

• Only one note is loud. If the index and middle differ in strength, one pokes out. Match the two fingers to the same strength.
• One note is late. If the two fingers misalign, it splits into "da-dak." Snap at the same time to make one mass.
• The sound smears. Hooking the strings too long smears them. Hook short and release.
• Neglecting low B (5-string). Absorbed in the double-stop, B rings easily. Always keep B covered with the side of the thumb.