Wearing my bass lower...improved play

Sundogue · #1 12-09-2008, 06:42 PM

I've been playing bass for about 30 years now and I have always worn my bass pretty high, anywhere from just under my chin to above my belt (pretty much the entire bass body above that), but never any lower.

Over the last year or so, my wrists and elbows have given me some problems and while I have adjusted my playing style a bit (changing up between fingers and a pick) and raising or lowering my bass to varying degrees, I've never tried wearing my bass very low. It always looked like it would be more uncomfortable, or difficult to play,and so never even tried it (stupid really).

Well, I had two gigs this weekend and I had taken my leather strap apart to fix something on it and must have just left it adjusted to it's lowest position.

I put my bass on and it felt weird. We had to go on and play and so I thought I'd just live with it until the next set. To my amazement, playing was easier than it ever has been. Not only was I pain free for the first time in a long time, I was comfortably playing formerly difficult passages and it even felt quite natural to slap and pop (something I seldom do).

I was in "THE zone" both nights and felt completely inspired, and had a synchronicity with the music I've never felt before. A total zen-like focus that literally left me smiling all night long, both nights. The day(s) after I had no pain whatsoever. First time in over a year.

The only thing that changed was how I wear my bass. I now wear it with the top of the body about level with my belt, which for me is extremely low. There is just something different about how the bass feels on me now. Even though it hangs on me more now, it feels more a part of me.

Weird.

Poor Tom · #2 12-09-2008, 06:47 PM

I recently lowered mine just a tad, and also noticed an improvement in the way my wrist feels. I think it depends on where you play on the neck, because lowering it brings the first five frets closer to the body, so playing there causes less stress on the wrist angle. That is my guess, and I only was getting pain in my left wrist when trying to play lines that centered on the first 3 or 4 frets, which has been slightly alleviated by the lower position. I might try a little lower next time...

JimmyM · #3 12-09-2008, 08:07 PM

I've always felt like it was impossible to play the bass when it was up high. I keep it where the strings are at waist level, maybe slightly higher (or lower if I want to look cooler

). You'll find a fair amount of strap height nazis on TB, though. You should be hearing from them shortly.

Sundogue · #4 12-09-2008, 08:36 PM

I was a bit of a strap height nazi...not so much an enforcer...just following orders.

I had tried lowering it years ago and gave up. And even when I lowered it just a little bit, the bass felt too "loose" on me.

Though it is even "looser" on me now (hanging off me really), for some reason it was a liberating experience. I suddenly felt free to play however I felt instead of playing so rigidly in an attempt at perfection.

It brought a whole new sense of "feel" to my playing I'd never experienced to this degree.

Very cool. I have no idea if it looks cool. As my father told me when I was younger..."If you have to act cool, you aren't."

bassrique · #5 12-09-2008, 10:27 PM

I happen to be the strap height führer. It's a lonely, overrated business.

bass_freq · #6 12-09-2008, 10:54 PM

kinda funny, I found the opposite, growing up I always watched rock bassists play their bass extremely low, so I played that way for years, I decided to try playing it higher to see how it feels, and it actually felt ALOT easier to play with it sitting on my stomic as opposed to riding on my crotch... okay that sounded wrong, but you get what I mean lol

its mixed for me really, my right hand DID start to hurt after awhile of playing as the sharp angle made it alittle hard on my hand muscles in my wrist, so lower, less pain on the hand, higher, more mobility on stage without the bass bouncing around and hurting your playing (bass player from a band called ninjaspy plays insane basslines AND jumps around the stage like a monkey, blows my mind, I couldn't play the stuff he played standing still!)

Asgath · #7 12-10-2008, 04:13 AM

I keep at the mid height, seems to be the best place for it. Across my stomach. Best of both worlds perhaps? I can't stand playing too low...Its just awkward. Playing too high is just uncomfortable to 'wear'

rrohde · #8 12-10-2008, 04:18 AM

.... not to mention - a Jazz bass in front of a huge belly helps to cover it up nicely as well. So there might be other considerations coming into play besides playability...

Sundogue · #9 12-10-2008, 05:18 AM

What I find interesting (in my case anyway) is that I've never thought wearing it low looked "cool". I always thought it looked kinda dumb, like the bass player doing it was just a poser. I still don't know if it makes me look cool, nor do I care. It "feels" cool to me in that I've gained some kind of freedom I never knew existed.

I don't keep the headstock raised for comfortable wrist purposes. In fact, it's low yet I play with the bass darn near level so the headstock is no higher than the body.

I never had my bass up high for any other reason than to keep it at a level that was similar to when I practice with it on my lap, to help facilitate "proper" hand placement and technique. I've always been very anal about being precise in my hand movement and making sure I played as perfectly as possible.

A lot of the time over these last two gigs, I was leaning over a bit and the bass was hanging off of me, swinging around with my movement. I had to literally "hang on" to my bass while I played. But instead of making it difficult to play certain parts (even difficult passages), it was truly liberating. It was as if I was no longer confined by being proper and I took on this "to hell with it" attitude and just rocked my ass off.

I've never been very spontaneous with my playing, yet I was slapping in songs where the part clearly didn't call for it, improvising in places I never would have considered and playing with such dynamics and feel that I had wondered why it took 30 years to find this.

First time in 30 years I stopped "thinking" and started really playing with feel and reckless abandon, not caring if I screwed up or not. I made a few mistakes because of it, but even my bandmates were wondering what I was on, because they said it was the best playing they'd ever heard from me. My drummer even commented that I was like a wild animal onstage and even he felt inspired to keep up with my playing.

Funny how it took something so simple to release my anal perfectionism and truly let my own unique voice be heard. It was really a transcendent, zen-like experience. It wasn't just the gigs either as we've played at those places before and they weren't any different than any other time we've played there. And even my practicing is being done with much more interest in the feel of the song instead of being sure about my part.

I think what has happened is that, with bass being such a "feel" oriented instrument within the rhythm section, that with it higher up on my body it was all about brain/hand coordination and made me give too much thought to it. Now with it hanging lower, my whole body is involved in the process. Instead of just standing there "doing my part", I am moving with the music and locking into that physical movement without thought. Before it was all about "economy of motion" whereas now it is all about "move as much as possible". My arms move more which releases my shoulders more, and because the bass is no longer resting against my body, my whole body must move more and I do believe this body movement is locking me into the rhythm and pulse of the music more...much in the way the dancers I play for must be feeling the bass.

Just a strange experience that has changed how I look at bass playing.

nysbob · #10 12-10-2008, 06:59 AM

If sit in on a bass with a short strap, I feel handcuffed. It's painful, and I lose all my power.

CYN baby!

ga_edwards · #11 12-10-2008, 07:58 AM

Watching Billy Sheehan's advanced bass DVD unlocked the mystery of strap length for me. Basically, if you practice a lot sitting down and can do certain things and are comfortable playing like that, set the strap so the bass sits in the same place when you stand up. Then you should be able to play the same way in the same comfort.

Really is a no brainer and so obvious. But it took me years of fannying around trying to find the perfect length, when years spent sitting practising should have told me before.

bggeezer · #12 12-10-2008, 08:18 AM

I have mine at the same hight sitting as standing...that seems to work.

However, since my midriff started to expand I've started to wear the bass almost sideways (a bit like BB King), this is very comfortable, especially good for speed of right hand

LaughingGroove · #13 12-10-2008, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I've always felt like it was impossible to play the bass when it was up high. You'll find a fair amount of strap height nazis on TB, though. You should be hearing from them shortly.

No you are way off base....what works for you is wrong. You can't wear your bass low, its in the bass guitar rule book (google it).

HA HA just kidding

(whispering to strap height nazi leader) "Put Jimmy at the top of the list cause he doesn't wear his bass like we do"

I wear mine so its just above my leg when sitting on a chair. I have tried low to extremely high, but I usually practice when sitting on a chair, so that works best for me. Oh and because its in the bass guitar rule book.

deathbyjune · #14 12-10-2008, 08:38 AM

I gotta play medium height or lower.

Straight, relaxed wrist is the best.

Some dudes rock the 90 degree angle wrist..looks like a dinosaur hand or something.

mrjim123 · #15 12-10-2008, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I've always felt like it was impossible to play the bass when it was up high. I keep it where the strings are at waist level, maybe slightly higher (or lower if I want to look cooler

). You'll find a fair amount of strap height nazis on TB, though. You should be hearing from them shortly.

You all should either wear your bass like a bow tie or take up the glockenspiel!

billjr · #16 12-10-2008, 08:51 AM

I used Todd Johnson's technique DVD to guide my bass position. He advises to hang your left arm down by your side, and then raise the forearm and hand up by the elbow. Position the bass so that the neck falls into your hand. Also, since I started by learning the floating thumb, the body is lower than what I usually see from other bass players. I'd say the top of the body is just above my belt. That gives my right arm room to pivot up and down by the shoulder. It is a very comfortable and more relaxed position to play in.

kesslari · #17 12-10-2008, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Also, since I started by learning the floating thumb, the body is lower than what I usually see from other bass players. I'd say the top of the body is just above my belt.

Me too... It puts fewer kinks into my right arm and wrist joints, and allows me to play more easily, with less stress. Ergonomics, baby...

mambo4 · #18 12-10-2008, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poor Tom

. I think it depends on where you play on the neck, because lowering it brings the first five frets closer to the body, so playing there causes less stress on the wrist angle.

Yeah, that's my experience. wearing the bass higher is better for reaching the upper frets, lower is better for the lower frets. I have 2 sets of holes w/strap locks on my strap so I can quickly adjust when I know I'll be favoring a certain region on the next tune.

i wish hipshot made a "detuner" switch for strap length.

millsbass5 · #19 12-10-2008, 10:02 AM

I seem to wear my bass just a smidgen over sitting position yet ALWAYS my strap is extended fully due to the fact that im just a big guy (over 6-5,270+ lbs)from years of weight lifting.I had a strap that I had modified myself which I have since probably left in a club somewhere years ago.Wearing bass slung low ,I must admit,looks cool in a Joe Perry/Slash kinda way.But Ive always had trouble with my slapping tecnique and faster passages when slung low.So,I would consider myself a "stap height Nazi".NO LONG STRAP FOR YOU!!

Sundogue · #20 12-10-2008, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billjr

I used Todd Johnson's technique DVD to guide my bass position. He advises to hang your left arm down by your side, and then raise the forearm and hand up by the elbow. Position the bass so that the neck falls into your hand. Also, since I started by learning the floating thumb, the body is lower than what I usually see from other bass players. I'd say the top of the body is just above my belt. That gives my right arm room to pivot up and down by the shoulder. It is a very comfortable and more relaxed position to play in.

See, now that's what I don't understand.

Apparently there is a "proper" way and there are even DVD's and classes on how to hold a bass.

But what is right for one may not be right for another.

I used to be that clinical in my attitude, because I was so damn anal about being perfect and having perfect technique.

I guess my technique sucks, I now wear it too low and guess what? I'm playing better than I ever have and really feeling the music more now.

Proper? HA!

Whatever floats your boat is cool.