Putting too much weight on my right leg.

Michael Case · #1 11-19-2007, 02:31 PM

I put too much weight on my right leg when playing. I really noticed it today when I was practicing without shoes on and my right foot was killing me when I stopped playing. I'm just wondering if anybody has had a similar problem and has some advice to deal with it.

Thanks,
Michael

fingers · #2 11-19-2007, 03:21 PM

I have that tendency too. I can really start to feel it in my hip after a while. What helps me is positioning the bass so it hits my body at about my belly button rather than my hip joint. I then try to rotate the bass out a bit and concentrate on distributing my weight equally between both feet. I also tend to move a bunch (swayin', dancin', groovin') when I play and I find that helps keep my body loose and get the groove in my every fiber.

adbass · #3 11-19-2007, 03:25 PM

+1. recognizing you have the problem is the first step in correcting it!

Michael Case · #4 11-19-2007, 03:41 PM

Marc,

Thanks for your answers, now more questions. Do you have your end-pin set higher to do this? Or is just a bass/body relationship thing? Do you have your bass standing straight up or slightly tilted?

adbass · #5 11-19-2007, 03:50 PM

well, i ain't marc, but i'd say it shouldn't matter. you should keep everything balanced, like a zen thing. perfect harmony with nature.

seriously.

Michael Case · #6 11-19-2007, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adbass

well, i ain't marc, but i'd say it shouldn't matter. you should keep everything balanced, like a zen thing. perfect harmony with nature.

seriously.

I see what you're saying, but over the years I went through the Simandl stance, Streicher, then back to Simandl. Now I don't know whether I'm coming or going. It's some weird habitual thing now, I'm not even aware of it while playing, only after.

adbass · #7 11-19-2007, 06:11 PM

it's a struggle. we've all dealt with learning and experimenting with different techniques, but it seems logical (to me anyway) that you'd want to keep your weight distributed evenly. next time you think "here's were the phrase starts with an up bow" or some other type of cue-thought, consider how you've got your weight distributed.

in jazz, i often think thru the form "heres the top" "heres the bridge", etc. and if i can associate "don't forget to breathe" or "dont rush" with a section in the middle of the piece, that seems to help.

fingers · #8 11-19-2007, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Case

Marc,

Thanks for your answers, now more questions. Do you have your end-pin set higher to do this? Or is just a bass/body relationship thing? Do you have your bass standing straight up or slightly tilted?

I don't change anything. I keep the bass standing pretty straight up all the time. I change back and forth mid song/mid gig. I agree with adbass that balance is key. Breathing is also very important.

I'd say though that there is the added element of keeping your body loose. The past 3 Fridays I've had 2 gigs which has amounted the 7 hours of playing each night. None of these gigs were background music. All shows. In these situations my fingers and arms are not the problem. I've been playing steadily long enough to have kevlar fingers. It is my feet, legs, and back that get tired. This is where shifting weight between your feet, changing your posture, changing how you hold the bass, bobbing your head, swaying, moving, helps. I also try really hard to keep Rufus' "chicken wing" thing in the back of my mind. Another way to help stay loose.

adbass · #9 11-19-2007, 07:46 PM

"chicken wing thing" ???

(mmmmmmmmm. chicken.)

fingers · #10 11-19-2007, 08:34 PM

The presentation on his dvd is a little better IMO but this clip is good too.

He actually talks a bunch about standing and arm stuff.

He talks about the "chicken wing" towards the end of the clip.

Thanks to jazzdoublebass.com. Great interview.

christ andronis · #11 11-20-2007, 06:30 AM

I also have a tendency to lock my knees if I'm not paying attention, a bad old habit I developed from playing electric. Keeping them from doing this allows me the flexibility to adjust positioning and balance.

adbass · #12 11-20-2007, 08:38 AM

thx fingas

Michael Case · #13 11-20-2007, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adbass

"chicken wing thing" ???

(mmmmmmmmm. chicken.)

Hot wings!

Michael Case · #14 11-20-2007, 08:46 AM

I gotta start paying attention to my body when I play.

lowEndRick · #15 11-20-2007, 09:44 AM

My teacher is a pretty hardcore jazz player. One of the first things he did was adjust my stance to be more balanced and symetrical. The biggest change was making my stance wider. He advocated for a wider than shoulder width stance which almost forces you to remain balanced between left and right.

He also had me lower the endpin and angle the bass from front to back a bit more.

The total end result was a much more natural and relaxed stance. My stamina is really good this way. I somtimes play for 4 or 5 hours with only minimal breaks.

Michael Case · #16 11-20-2007, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fingers

The presentation on his dvd is a little better IMO but this clip is good too.

He actually talks a bunch about standing and arm stuff.

He talks about the "chicken wing" towards the end of the clip.

Thanks to jazzdoublebass.com. Great interview.

Thanks for the link Marc, great stuff. Rufus blows me away!

fingers · #17 11-20-2007, 10:33 AM

You're welcome Mike. The thing I like best about Rufus is his presentation. Everything is so well thought out and so pragmatic. He doesn't get overly philosophical about stuff and just tells it like it is... from a guy that knows what he is talking about.

One other thing I was thinking about when I was practicing earlier. I try really hard to keep my shoulders square too. I guess it goes with being balanced but I find a bunch of my students have a tendency to drop the right shoulder. This really fatigues the back. I guess I just think about standing, feet shoulder length apart, arms at your sides... insert bass.

Michael Case · #18 11-20-2007, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fingers

You're welcome Mike. The thing I like best about Rufus is his presentation. Everything is so well thought out and so pragmatic. He doesn't get overly philosophical about stuff and just tells it like it is... from a guy that knows what he is talking about.

One other thing I was thinking about when I was practicing earlier. I try really hard to keep my shoulders square too. I guess it goes with being balanced but I find a bunch of my students have a tendency to drop the right shoulder. This really fatigues the back. I guess I just think about standing, feet shoulder length apart, arms at your sides... insert bass.

I try to not slouch my right shoulder. I've been aware of that for a while now. I watch myself in mi practice mirror for that.

fingers · #19 11-20-2007, 10:40 AM

Have someone take photos on a gig too. That'll give you a good idea of your habits when you are in the thick of it.

bopeuph · #20 11-20-2007, 04:33 PM

I had the same problem too. It happened only when my bass was too low, and I had to lower myself where most of my weight was--the right leg. I still get it sometimes, but not much any more.

Also, I am starting to like sitting on a stool. I'm surprised people haven't mentioned that yet. You might want to consider that.

Nick