How Jacob Umansky developed THAT Bass Technique | In The Pocket Episode 111 ft @JacobUmansky

Overview

Jacob Umansky joins In The Pocket, bringing a blend of serious bass talk, wild enthusiasm, and plenty of comedy—starting with the hosts’ over-the-top poem intro praising his “hybrid technique” and insane chops.

Main Plot / What the Video Is About

• The episode explores how Umansky developed his distinctive “that bass technique” reputation: aggressive, focused, percussive playing that blends slap/groove feel with metal-speed articulation.
• They also dig into tone creation and gear, with special focus on Umansky’s new signature Dingwall bass and how he runs live/recording processing.

Highlights, Jokes, and Key Reactions

• Poem intro moment: The episode opens with a dramatic (and slightly absurd) rap/poem praising Jacob’s technique, sparking big reactions like “Oh my god” and “Wow.”
• Host banter / rivalry energy: Johnny and Chris riff constantly, joking about who’s “booting” who, with playful trash talk like “Don’t talk to this prick.”
• NAM story (playing an unfamiliar bass): Johnny recalls trying a medium-scale bass at NAM with a “busted amp,” feeling he played sloppy—until realizing the best player on earth was standing nearby. It sets up Jacob as the guest in a funny way.
• Axe Bass derail (classic hyperfixation joke): Jacob tells a childhood story about a homemade Axe Bass he smashed and later used as an “axe,” throwing the conversation off course. Chris then jokes that Jacob’s hyperfixation is something that’s a problem to “move on” from.
• Deep tone philosophy: Umansky repeatedly emphasizes restraint—don’t add the “Jacob thing” unless the song actually needs it. He describes sessions where people request extra show-off techniques, and he either declines (if it doesn’t serve the track) or tailors ideas when there’s real empty space.
• “Too many notes” debate: They discuss online hate comments claiming his playing isn’t “bass-y” or is too busy. Jacob’s response is essentially: if the song is busy, the bass part should reflect that.
• Signal routing nerd-out: The tone breakdown is dense and impressive, including:
  • split-tone processing (high/low separation),
  • distortion shaping,
  • cabinet blending,
  • compression,
  • DI blending for slap/pops transients,
  • and different routing for FOH vs stage cabs.
• Accidental chaos: During the processing explanation, someone’s pedal falls/fails and briefly turns into slapstick—“$6,000 custom Z3… across the room”—before they recover and continue.
• Signature bass development: Jacob explains the long path to his Dingwall “Soul” signature (based on the Z3), including:
  • changes to neck shape and body tweaks,
  • knob placement for double-thumbming,
  • custom-shop pickups,
  • a compound fretboard radius,
  • plus aesthetic choices that are mostly “looks sick,” while still matching the overall design language.
• Quick-fire round (fun + chaotic):
  • Pick vs fingers: Fingers
  • Active vs passive: Active
  • Rounds vs flats: Rounds (with a comedic “chair” threat from Johnny/hosts)
  • Strings: Six (confident twist)
  • In-ears vs wedges: In-ears
  • P or J: J
• Marvel question finale: Asked which Marvel character would be best bass player, Jacob picks The Prowler—praising his “undercover, lays it down, disappears into the shadows” vibe. Johnny later jokes about Frank Castle too, turning it into a playful Marvel-meets-music thread.

What Makes the Video Stand Out

• It’s not just “look at this technique.” Jacob keeps coming back to musicality, context, and restraint, even while explaining complex live rigging.
• The episode blends:
  • high-level gear/tone breakdown,
  • honest career advice (how to relate to bandmates and avoid unhealthy comparison),
  • and sustained comedy driven by the hosts’ dynamic and Jacob’s stories.

Personalities Appearing

• Jacob Umansky
• Johnny (Johnny Dibble)
• Chris (co-host, In The Pocket)