Stand up playing

[Buzzbomb]

I've played bass for quite awhile and I've always done it sitting down. I started playing standing up and I become really slopping. I can't play with a pick like I can sitting down, I hold it the "proper" way and I hit the string with the side of the pick and it really pisses me off. If I turn my wrist so it hits the string properly it ends up hurting my hand like a bitch. And I also my fretting hand cramps up quite badly, I can play the intro to 500 Channels by Choking Victim with ease sitting down but I can't do it at all standing up, anyone go through something similar and wants to give me advice?

[bleeding_fingers]

How high is your strap? If it's low, try raising it to the same height it's at when you're sitting down.

[o b s]

Its important to practise standing up and sitting down equally, playing either way seems exactly the same to me and has ne effect on my playing (if anything I play better standing up because I get into the groove more and play with more energy).

[Scott01]

I had that problem, and I changed the strap height, after that I got a fair bit better with playing on my feet.

I have my strap high enough so that the neck screw plate is over my belly button, this leaves only about half an inch difference from when I'm playing sitting down. I dont care if it looks like I'm playing with it under my chin, I think playing with it around your knees is f**king rediculous.

[gaslight]

Definitely don't wear your bass too low, its really bad for your hands and wrists.

When I was starting out, I always played sitting down and couldn't play standing up. I just started practising playing standing up and now its second nature, same thing should happen for you if you just spend time on it.

[funkyhoney]

i agree with all that has been said, just practice :)

[Spaz0405]

Yea I had this problem aswell The pain was not like that of building strength but more of a sharp stabing feeling so I messed with the strap and it is a bit better (I have a thunderbird with awfull neck dive so it will never be perfect)

[lizardking837]

It feels odd playing standing at first, but after a while it feels the same no matter how your playing it. It happened to me.

[MdL]

Why are you playing bass with a pick? Drop that crap and learn with your fingers.

[o b s]

Why are you playing bass with a pick? Drop that crap and learn with your fingers.

He can play however he likes.

[EADG]

First of all ignore how people wear their bass on mtv


1) sit down with your bass
2) adjust your strap until it just fits (not too tight or loose)
3) stand up


Your bass is now at fusion level which means it's the same height, standing or sitting. Watch your playing improve

[badtaste]

Definitely don't wear your bass too low, its really bad for your hands and wrists.

When I was starting out, I always played sitting down and couldn't play standing up. I just started practising playing standing up and now its second nature, same thing should happen for you if you just spend time on it.

I really can't understand how all the metal bassists play so low. When I try to replicate them (for the sake of pretending that I'm headbanging on a concert stage), my left wrist is at such a fugged up angle, it hurts like crazy.

Playing the bass up high 4tw, standing or sitting.

[Cyanide Sweetheart]

I really can't understand how all the metal bassists play so low. When I try to replicate them (for the sake of pretending that I'm headbanging on a concert stage), my left wrist is at such a fugged up angle, it hurts like crazy.

I've always played low and it never hurt my wrist. If anything, playing sitting down is more awkward because I find myself hunching over the bass. But I guess it depends how low you play, I tend to have the body just under my belly button, I've found it's the perfect height.

[Seeders]

I dont have my bass very high either. I'd say the middle of the body is right along my hip bone.

As for playing standing up, just do it and you'll get it.

[Akira]

I've always played low and it never hurt my wrist. If anything, playing sitting down is more awkward because I find myself hunching over the bass. But I guess it depends how low you play, I tend to have the body just under my belly button, I've found it's the perfect height.

If sitting down is more awkward I am willing to bet you have atrocious technique.

[Buzzbomb]

Why are you playing bass with a pick? Drop that crap and learn with your fingers.


Umm because I enjoy playing bass with a pick and I like the cruncier sound it produces. And I already can play with my fingers with ease. The problem I stated had to do with the PICKING.

[Polyamarous]

Ignore whichever faggot doesn't like picking. Because he is a faggot.

Basically everything thats been said, goes. If you fo feel like a prat with your bass as a necklace than just practice and lower an inch or so at a time.

But yeah, youn shouldnt feel the need to.

[WOODY357]

First of all ignore how people wear their bass on mtv


1) sit down with your bass
2) adjust your strap until it just fits (not too tight or loose)
3) stand up


Your bass is now at fusion level which means it's the same height, standing or sitting. Watch your playing improve

IMHO this is the best advice I've read on this thread. I have noticed that the type of music you play tends to have a effect on where you play your bass at. Rockers tend to play with it really low, I really don't kow but i'm thinking that that may be a easier way to play with a pick. Funk/R&B/Jazz players tend to play high up. I fall into this group, and for me it is easier to go from finger style to slap and pop. IMHO it all comes down to what works for you. :chug:

[Akira]

Rockers don't play with their basses low because picking is easier, they do it because it looks cooler and they don't care how well they play.

[WOODY357]

Rockers don't play with their basses low because picking is easier, they do it because it looks cooler and they don't care how well they play.

I stand corrected, but there again stands the the difference in music styles. I remeber as a young player I thought it looked cool to play with my bass up high, and most R&B/Funk players played that way, now it is more about what makes it easier to do what I want to do on my bass, if I look cool great, if not, well as long as i get the job done thats what really matters. I don't agree with your statement that Rockers don't care about how well they play, because I've heard some rockers do some things that they had to care casue there was no way to play what they were playing without putting in the time on their axe.

[Akira]

Plenty of rockers care about how they sound. But if you have your guitar at your knees like plenty do, you are putting image above sound. You can't play anywhere near your best with an extremely low guitar.

[Cyanide Sweetheart]

Plenty of rockers care about how they sound. But if you have your guitar at your knees like plenty do, you are putting image above sound. You can't play anywhere near your best with an extremely low guitar.

If sitting down is more awkward I am willing to bet you have atrocious technique.

So your technique is perfect, Akira? I can play just fine, so back off. And stop acting like you know everything, rock/metal bass players, rock/metal musicians in general, care more about the music than the image. We know image means nothing if you can't back it up with good music. What kind of music do you play that you can make that judgement about our style?

Rockers don't play with their basses low because picking is easier, they do it because it looks cooler and they don't care how well they play.

And playing low does make picking easier, it loosens up the wrist.

[Polyamarous]

Mike Dirnt plays with round his knees and he could be alot worse.

Same goes for Feildy.

[PietroCrespi]

And playing low does make picking easier, it loosens up the wrist.

Yeah, but it makes fretting a total pain.

[Akira]

Yeah, but it makes fretting a total pain.

But it makes you punk.

[Shyanel]

I'm a metal bassist and my bass has slowly been creeping higher and higher up over the last few weeks. Writing more technical material is meaning i'm having to bring it up to play more.

I agree completely with Akira, low slung = harder to play, fact. There will always be a few exceptions to the rule - like people who find auto trainsmission in a car, harder to use than manual...but as a rule of thumb, a good strapping position would mean the centre point of your bass is about at your naval.

[Cyanide Sweetheart]

Yeah, but it makes fretting a total pain.

I'm only 5'5", and my bass isn't full size...I'm not sure how big it is, but it's small, that might be why it's easy to play lower...because I have no trouble with fretting...

And I don't play that low, I play where it's comfortable. I think that's the main point, isn't it?

And I do find automatic harder, but that's because I learnt to drive in a manual. It feels weird not having to change gear!

[Akira]

You don't have to play with your bass like, above your belt. When I say low, I mean like this:
http://www.omguide.com/images2/Concert_GreenDay/GreenDay_21_jb.jpg
Not bass, but the same thing applies. There is a point where you can't play well.
Billy Joe doesn't play half the time, but the picture still does its job.

[HaVIC5]

First of all ignore how people wear their bass on mtv


1) sit down with your bass
2) adjust your strap until it just fits (not too tight or loose)
3) stand up


Your bass is now at fusion level which means it's the same height, standing or sitting. Watch your playing improve
This here really should have been the end of the discussion.

Playing low is bad technique, the jury really isn't out on that one. Can you play low with both wrists straight? If you can't, you're in for a world of hurt later on when tendonitis strikes, leaving you unable to play the bass anymore. If you can, you sure as hell won't be playing with any sort of finesse or technical precision since a)your thumb will be peeking up the back of the neck and b)you won't be even able to reach the E string past maybe 5th position without going back to bending your wrist, which is a huge no-no.

[Akira]

Adam, you just don't understand how to be punk.

[funkyhoney]

considering unless footage is live it's just mimed anyway a music video clip isn't really an accurate assumption of how anything should be played... play how you want and quit bitching, if you have to wear it low then do it, but once again, don't bitch when your wrist stops working.

[Criss Frantic]

OMGZ I play in a PuNK rawK band, and I play with my bass up high...so a big **** YOU to your stupid stereotyping. Put the bass where YOU feel comfortable playing.

[Joseph Oberlander]

I play standing up with my bass at about a 65 degree angle(almost upright) - There's an angle where your hands and arms are in about the same places standing up as sitting down, but it's a lot closer to a double-bass position than most players think. Oh - you *will* need strap locks. Bunny Brunel has an extra strap lock as well to keep his strap in the right position. It looks a bit odd, but it works very well(and kind of looks like you are hugging your bass as you play - not a bad look on stage)

P.S. I'd like to add that holding it down really low also makes it nearly impossible to play a fretless. You want to learn a position where you can easily bend and get some vibrato and so on in your technique if you need it. And you will if you ever move to fretless.

It's a geometry issue - look at a violin player. Their wrist is bent inward - just like if you play double bass. If you go past 0 degrees(negative bend/outward bend), which is nearly impossible not to do with a bass or guitar that low down, you lose strength and put extra wear on your tendons.

The same thing also happens if you extend your elbow past about 45 degrees while your arm is twisted to the outside(natural position is flat by your side). The tendons for your fingers, which are anchored up above your elbow are in a pulled/extended position - and that's also bad. By moving the neck more upright, you can move your elbow out and rotate your hand inward like it should be. If you don't, the tendons are too extended to rotate your wrist inward enough without straining.

Try holding your arm outstretched with the hand facing upwards. Fully extend it and see how far you can move your hand towards you. Now, bend your elbow to 45 degrees. Try again. If you find yourself developing a "claw" from playing, your arm or wrist is overextended.

I've been playing for years - okay, decades - and not had a single case of tendinitis or carpal tunnel. I'm probably due soon being in my late 30s, but I know people in their 20s when can hardly hold a cup of coffee because they learned bad techniques.

[EADG]

And playing low does make picking easier, it loosens up the wrist.



I play at fusion level and I do lots of pick work: alternate picking, economy picking, string skipping, tremolo picking, arpeggios, sweeping, pick tapping, you name it. So I'd have to say I disagree.

[EADG]

This here really should have been the end of the discussion.

Playing low is bad technique, the jury really isn't out on that one. Can you play low with both wrists straight? If you can't, you're in for a world of hurt later on when tendonitis strikes, leaving you unable to play the bass anymore. If you can, you sure as hell won't be playing with any sort of finesse or technical precision since a)your thumb will be peeking up the back of the neck and b)you won't be even able to reach the E string past maybe 5th position without going back to bending your wrist, which is a huge no-no.


Really guys


what's more important: looking cool, or being able to play your instrument?


what are you going to do when you get tendinitis or CTS? It won't matter how good you look on stage since you won't be playing shows.

[loveforever]

I play the bass hardly in standing pose too.

I set the bass in the centre of my body(round my belly button)

it still hard to move my fingers to the higher sounds like 13th in stringA,15 th in string D eg.

if i play it with a pick ,it crucify my wrist,haha

it's more natual to play with fingers

But i think you have to pratise playing bass by standing
Just like pratice in the sitting pose

[Sammy_L_D]

So your technique is perfect, Akira? I can play just fine, so back off. And stop acting like you know everything, rock/metal bass players, rock/metal musicians in general, care more about the music than the image. We know image means nothing if you can't back it up with good music. What kind of music do you play that you can make that judgement about our style?

Piss off moron. He's right.

If you can't play equally as well sitting down, that's bad technique.

Learn a few things before making bold statements on this forum.

[Akira]

The funny part is that I am primarily a rock musician. :lol: