| Author | Message | ||
| alembic76407
Advanced Member Username: alembic76407 Post Number: 205 Registered: 5-2002 |
Do you play better setting or standing, let's have some opinions, I know it's hard to do a windmill setting down... | ||
| bishopqdog
Member Username: bishopqdog Post Number: 51 Registered: 7-2003 |
I groove more when I'm standing  | ||
| 811952
Junior Username: 811952 Post Number: 25 Registered: 10-2003 |
Ditto bishopqdog. Playing on a stool with a strap is doable in the studio. I just returned from a rehearsal where I played it sitting down and it is hard to play a low f and keep it on my leg at the same time without a strap. Maybe I need longer arms. Standing is definitely the groove-friendly position... | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 246 Registered: 7-2002 |
Either way for me...I play mostly sitting down at practice or while recording. If I sit down however I still use the strap. Once ( many years ago) I bought an instructional video by Billy Sheehan, and while I did not care much for it, there was one piece of advice in it that I never saw anywhere else. He commented about how often in his touring he would come across other bass players, who absolutely rocked while warming up backstage, and kinda sucked during the actual performance on stage, and proceeded to blame the sound man or someone else for their poor performance. His observation was that all these cats practiced sitting down and got really good at whatever they practiced; the problem he noticed was that while sitting down, the bass was in a totally different place than when they played standing up. So, of course, once they got on stage nothing was where they were used to and their proficiency suffered. His advice was that, standing up or sitting down, you should wear a strap and make sure your instrument is pretty much in the same position, otherwise your sit-down practice won't be as useful to your playing when it's time to stand up. Valentino (Message edited by valvil on November 04, 2003) | ||
| bigredbass
Intermediate Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 175 Registered: 9-2002 |
VV: More proof that great players arrive at the same truths: From the oft-quoted-by-me Chuck Rainey method, he advises to sit down, and adjust the strap where the bass is lightly resting on your thigh, SO IT'S IN THE SAME SPOT STANDING or SITTING. That's how I did mine, and of course, he was right. Weird how it all works, huh? J o e y | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 714 Registered: 9-2002 |
Depends on th emusic I'm playing. In sight reading situations I like to sit. F.i. playiong in my former Bigband I was used to sit. I tried it once standing up and 'hop' ...I was shaking away and couldn't stand still and ...my reading went sloppy. In the other (blues and rock oriented) bands I'mplaying I'm standing up, although sometimes I climg on a 'bar'stool. I keep the bass in fairly the same position sitting as standing. Sometimes I use the strap while sitting. IMHO it has to do with eye/2 hand coördination where the relative position of your eyes (eye-level vv the neck) is and to keep that constant sitting/standing Just an idea. Paul the bad one | ||
| mdrdvp
Member Username: mdrdvp Post Number: 69 Registered: 7-2002 |
In live situation I'm always standing but, while practising or recording I prefer sitting. Sitting on the ground that is, I don't know why but somehow it gives me a "home" feeling. That way I feel very relaxed in recording situations. Eventhough that, when sitting in a wrong position, my bloods stops running through my legs. You know that feeling, when you try to stand up, in stead of walking to your kitchen, you end up in the bathroom because you can't feel your feet anymore. Manfred | ||
| bassplaynmatt
Junior Username: bassplaynmatt Post Number: 30 Registered: 9-2003 |
For me standing is by far more groove efficient and all my rock or fusion gigs are standing gigs due to the stage persona thing. However, I find that when I play things that are exclusively in the second octave and intended to be controlled (i.e. classical music) it helps me to sit because I am less aggressive (playing wise and attitude wise). Believe me, its hard for a 6ft 3in 280lb 6 string bassplayer to look refined ; ) Matt |
