Vertical vs Horizontal

Shiftkitty · #1 07-22-2010, 04:18 PM

So I can play and upright and an electric. I know more than a few musicians, and they think that's great that I can play both. In fact, they seem genuinely impressed. Is it really that different of a beast? I didn't find it hard at all going from horizontal to vertical.

Just curious.

LarkinLondon · #2 07-22-2010, 04:21 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZoD8...feature=avmsc2

JimmyM · #3 07-22-2010, 04:38 PM

not all that different, but it does take a different discipline and more physicality to play upright.

WyrdoBass · #4 07-22-2010, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

not all that different, but it does take a different discipline and more physicality to play upright.

+1

I play upright for my school's orchestra... play electric most other times.

BigOldHarry · #5 07-22-2010, 04:59 PM

I think that it's easier for a decent upright player to pick up electric than it is electric to pickup upright (I've tried - my upright chops *stink*!)

Stumbo · #6 07-23-2010, 01:17 AM

Different basses that will get you different types of gigs.
Sounds good to me.

Shiftkitty · #7 07-23-2010, 08:51 AM

Thanks for the input. I went from horizontal to vertical and honestly couldn't see what the big difference was. Your hand just had farther to travel from what I could tell. Of course, being 5'2, a 3/4 doghouse was pretty big to me, but I loved it. I hated having to get rid of it, but it went to a good cause. We had no room for it where we had to move to, and a local mariachi band had just lost their guitarrón player, and the new guy played upright but didn't have anything to play on. I'll never forget the look on his face when I passed the neck to him and sang a bit from Bobby Vee:
"Take good care of my baby,
Be just as kind as you can be,
And if you should discover
That you don't really love her,
Just send my baby back home to me..."

Agh! I miss you, Thumper!

mambo4 · #8 07-23-2010, 01:55 PM

The notes are the same but that's it. I think that physically they are extremely different, especially if you step back and think about what your whole body is doing. The biggest reasons it's impressive is because it takes more muscle and a there's no frets. Add to that differences in scale length, arm angles, posture, right hand and left hand technique...upright is definately a discipline unto itself.