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Bass players and stools

stratovani

stratovani

Nov 18, 2007
3,653
1,131
Spencer, MA, USA
#1
The new band I'm in has its first gig coming up in a bout a month, and I'm thinking of bringing a stool to sit on during the gig. I'm not in the greatest of shapes, and the thought of standing there for two hours with a heavy P-Bass over my shoulders is not my idea of a good time. As it is now I sit through our rehearsals of 2+ hours, and it makes things a lot easier.

Anyone else sit on a stool while playing?
 
#6
I'm starting to sit down for at least parts of gigs now. I pretty much have to if I want to be able to walk the next day. I'm waiting on one, possibly two, knee replacements and like last night when I'm standing on a natural rock bandstand, I need to sit down or suffer the consequences. Nobody seems to mind, and it doesn't affect the groove in any way - works out OK.
 
#7
I actually play better seated, but in some environments, your level of engagement is judged by outward appearances.

In those situations, I like to keep a tall tool stool nearby, so I can take a load off if I get too sore. As long as the set list is reasonably varied, this actually works quite well.

Sitting through a ballad is actually seen as stagecraft, making it look more intimate. And sitting for one song, gives me enough relief to get through the next three or four.

This is life with a wonky back. On a good day, I can play a 3-4 hour set without pain. Not so much when my back is acting up.
 
#9
I've been a stool specimen for a couple of years now.

It started due to a medical issue that made me need a stool. Turns out it got me more positive notice and attention than all the jumping around in the world.

It's gotten to the point that I sit on that stool with a ball cap and sunglasses and do my best to look totally bored and disinterested. The more I look like I'm stuffed, the better the feed back. There're stage jokes about "tip the band so we can have a smile surgically implanted on the bass player" or "I can't smile with my pants on" every once in a while, I'll start snoring loudly..there's entertainment value in it.

It works and it's easy.
 
#10
I always sit, but use a stool, not a chair.

Throne-large.jpg
 
#12
i used a stool for the first time last night in our last set... i didn't sit through the whole set, but when there were pauses for tuning, or slower tunes, i sat. when the groove picked up, i stood (standing helped me get into the groove for some tunes). i also felt it would be kinda lame sitting through a rocking tune where the fans were standing up jamming.
 
#17
If your reasoning is medical then yes get a stool, if your doing it because your not in the greatest of shape, well, your not getting into shape by not doing it...

I'd love to sit down too, but I am a lazy man so jamming is most of my exercise for the week...

At the end of the day it's your butt, put it where you want and tell anybody who doesn't like it to put it up their nose with a rubber hose.
 

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