Bending your elbow with a dinner jacket

[fretlessman71]

Another one of Fret's weird "issues" he has to deal with... apologies in advance.

As some of you know, I have MS, which has forced me to play my electric bass from a sitting position (hopefully not for the rest of my life, but for the foreseeable future and then some).

When I play the occasional private party with one of my bands, I am asked to wear a jacket and tie. I have no problem complying with this request from a fashion standpoint.

However, there's a problem with bending my right elbow (plucking hand) and wearing a jacket AND a long sleeved shirt. Too much material bunches up at the elbow - no matter how big or small the sleeve - and pretty soon my arm begins to fall asleep.

I plan on alleviating this with a short sleeved shirt (who's going to see it under the jacket?), but it got me to thinking that I can't be the only one who's had issues like this when playing gigs.

I am forced to bend my right elbow pretty hard, so it looks like I'm imitating a chicken wing.

Thought I'd throw this out to the TB community and see what you thought.

[Pacman]

I wear a jacket and tie fairly often (uniforms and all). Your question is one of fit more than it is one of technique.

[Andrew Jones]

I have a Tux fitted so cab play the double bass,E bass. Weddings and all that.

If I was a more legitimate Jazzer I'd invest in some suits.


Aj

[Nick Kay]

My first instinct says to get a well-tailored suit, preferably a thinner one. I can play properly in store-bought suits, but I have a heck of a lot less mass on my arms than most guys (5'10", 145lbs)

However, there may be some positioning issues due to playing while seated. First off, the bass should be between your legs with the treble-side hip resting on your left thigh, and the butt resting on your right thigh (reverse if you're playing left-handed, of course). A lot of guys, while seated, tend to rest the bass over their right thigh, which requires you to drape your right hand over the bass-side hip and bend your wrist and elbow at some pretty odd angles. Take a look at someone playing classical guitar - that's how it should look while you're seated.

[HogieWan]

Originally Posted by Nick Kay

Take a look at someone playing classical guitar - that's how it should look while you're seated.

remember, the classical guitar is much shorter than a bass. Some guys have trouble with 35" scale necks when standing because it moves the first fret out too far, so moving the whole instrument more to the left would cause problems a guitarist wouldn't have.

[ysand]

Wear a short-sleeved shirt. Noone will notice.

[Thunderthumbs73]

Originally Posted by fretlessman71

Another one of Fret's weird "issues" he has to deal with... apologies in advance.

As some of you know, I have MS, which has forced me to play my electric bass from a sitting position (hopefully not for the rest of my life, but for the foreseeable future and then some).

When I play the occasional private party with one of my bands, I am asked to wear a jacket and tie. I have no problem complying with this request from a fashion standpoint.

However, there's a problem with bending my right elbow (plucking hand) and wearing a jacket AND a long sleeved shirt. Too much material bunches up at the elbow - no matter how big or small the sleeve - and pretty soon my arm begins to fall asleep.

I plan on alleviating this with a short sleeved shirt (who's going to see it under the jacket?), but it got me to thinking that I can't be the only one who's had issues like this when playing gigs.

I am forced to bend my right elbow pretty hard, so it looks like I'm imitating a chicken wing.

Thought I'd throw this out to the TB community and see what you thought.

Sorry to hear about the MS. I had no idea. Kudos to you for forging ahead, though. You have my respect. Yep, I'd try short sleeve. Perhaps even a trip to a tailor to cut out a bit of the inner liner (found in many jackets) around the bend area might be enough to make it comfortable. Worst case scenario, it may be possible to work out a compromise with the band/booking agent/etc... to take off the jacket while performing, in recognition of this problem, but to wear the jacket otherwise when you're not actually playing. Sometimes there is lots of down time during a gig. Depending on the situation, I've seen musicians shed jackets at some point in a performance based on heat/comfort even in reasonably formal settings. Sometimes I think the audience and/or the organizers understand this very well. Sometimes not.

[Scionreality]

Occasionally while playing seated, in order to releave my arm for a bit, I will move the bass to my right side (if right handed playing) and let it hang from the strap against my right thigh, angling the neck inward enough to reach all the frets. It's also uncomfortable after a while, but it's a relief just to change positions for a time.

[fretlessman71]

I'm going to have my jacket taken to a tailor to remove the lining on that sleeve (I understand that it has to be done in such a way that it doesn't change the way the sleeve looks or hangs on the arm, otherwise I'd get a pair of scissors and do it myself). I'm also going to look for a good quality white shirt with short sleeves (shouldn't be too hard). I just hope that no one says to me, "Why don't you pull your cuffs out of your sleeves? It looks better that way."

Thanks for the great ideas, folks.

[Thunderthumbs73]

Originally Posted by fretlessman71

I'm going to have my jacket taken to a tailor to remove the lining on that sleeve (I understand that it has to be done in such a way that it doesn't change the way the sleeve looks or hangs on the arm, otherwise I'd get a pair of scissors and do it myself). I'm also going to look for a good quality white shirt with short sleeves (shouldn't be too hard). I just hope that no one says to me, "Why don't you pull your cuffs out of your sleeves? It looks better that way."

Thanks for the great ideas, folks.

I'm sure you could even have cuffs sewn in the ends of the sleeves so that it both looks like it's long-sleeve, AND also provides you short-sleeve mobility and comfort. Or maybe I just don't know enough about tailoring, and that would actually look/feel terrible.

[dougjwray]

I have a different problem: having the cuffs on a suit jacket mute the strings when I'm slapping! Fortunately, I don't play gigs much these days where I have to slap and/or wear a suit jacket. When I do, I often find myself pushing up the sleeves just so that I can play. (It's the dreaded "Miami Vice" look.)

[santucci218]

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