I'm worried about my style

[Diogenes]

As time goes on I find myself holding my bass more and more upright... like a contrabass. It just feels more natural and comfortable all around (is it an age related thang?) not to mention that my right and left hand techniques seem to be more fluidic (?) and less strainful (?) during long gigs. The problem is that I keep picturing this horrific imagery and just don't want to be associated with it in any way:



Maybe I should just suck it up and start playing one of my EUBs at gigs.

[RAM]

I hope you don't lift your fingers that far off the fretboard when fretting...certainly not economy of motion!

That's a way to develop really big knots in your shoulders as it can lead to a "shrugging" position...

[PocketGroove82]

***....I didn't know Snoop Dog had vitiligo!

[Im a sock]

Dude, lol at the pic.

I'm laughing too hard at that to concentrate, but maybe you should look at your strap length, and even the strap itself

*snicker* pffffffffffff........

[JimmyM]

Fieldy rocks!

Hey, do what you have to do, you know? I've seen a couple country bass players do a similar thing on Hee Haw. But if you do it, own it and make it look as badass as you can.

BTW, check out the Barker Bass forum on here. They make upright electric basses that are actually electric basses.

[HaVIC5]

There are plenty of great "name" players who hold the instrument at more of that angle, like John Patittucci and Buney Brunell. It's better for your wrists to hold it at that angle if you can get the bass to balance like that.

[Jim Carr]

If it doesn't hurt, it is probably not that bad. I wonder more about your right hand than your left. BTW, no pics, no Bill Wyman playing position...

[TOOL460002]

dude, i wear my bass about as high as my strap will go. seriously, the neck is over my nipple. if i wore it lower, would i look cooler? who cares? i couldnt play how i do; wouldnt feel right. does it feel right? cool... then its your style... dont be worried about it.

now your stylist? well, i wont cross that line...

[Hopper]

[Diogenes]

Thanks for the support guys. Searching the web for pictures of the suggested bassists helped bury the Fieldy imagery.

I've relocated the strap buttons so that the bass (a P type) hangs upright without support yet can be angled slightly when I need to play with a pick and do some palm-muting. But generally I have the bass upright with the nut at eye-level.

As you can see, sometimes my wrist would have to bend too much when playing in the money zone. It's much better now.

[ubado]

Originally Posted by Diogenes

The problem is that I keep picturing this horrific imagery and just don't want to be associated with it in any way.

As long as you don't put your hair in braids, get all tatted-up, where a do rag ... and try to act or look like a gangster (think Snoop, Coolio, or even Fieldy) ... you shouldn't be afraid of looking like that. If it's a comfortable position for you, use it! Even Stefan Lessard plays about like that, and he looks nothing like your "horrific imagery".

[JimmyM]

No offense, but I think Stefan Lessard is possibly the dorkiest looking bassist in rock and roll today He's way better looking than me, but geez, that bass looks like it's wearing him!

[Joe Gress]

Well damn I look like an ass.



Play what is most comfortable to you. If it hurts, then stop. Pretty simple.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Joe Gress

Well damn I look like an ass.

LOL! Nah...Wyman's able to sell it. Diogenes is selling it pretty well. And of course Fieldy is the king. It's all in the attitude. Can't quite put my finger on what bothers me to watch Stefan Lessard play...maybe he doesn't look up enough...maybe he doesn't look like he's having a lot of fun...don't know...all I know is he doesn't give a rat's ass what I think of him with his gig