Do you lower your Bass for a Biker Gig ?

[gnjpowell]

Biker gig or no, it's best to shower every couple of weeks or so whether you need it or not...

 

[Flabass]

I think the more appropriate question is do you shower before a bikers gig?

+1

Just play Born to Be Wild and Freebird 2 or 3 times and they won't notice your bass at all.

 

[Gougedeye]

Many years ago I was taught by my bass teacher to wear my bass exactly the same way, whether sitting or standing. From that moment until right now, I have worn my bass exactly the same way...high on my chest. As a matter of fact, I've had the same strap for the past 32 years. So, no I would not change the way I hold my bass, no matter the gig. And frankly they might think I'm a tool until I play and then they usually think, "Wow, you're pretty good!"

 

[logicman69]

I'm always slung low, no matter the gig.... though the last Biker Rally I did I had to bring out the Warlock Bass!

 

[Ron Plichta]

I always wear my basses low during biker gigs so they can see my Ducati shirt.

 

[pudgychef]

make it more difficult to play in order to fit my preconceived notion of what a group of people want/expect to see on a bass player?
LOL NO!

wear your bass where it facilitates your playing best - and keep in mind most have no idea what a bass is, even noticed the bass player up there, or could care less unless you happen to be singing or female

 

[Craigster]

Biker gig, no....nudest colony gig, yes

 

[Fuzzbass]

I would never wear my bass up high, period! I wear it at belt level, where it's more comfortable for me. I don't change height based on the venue, but then belt level doesn't look as funny as bowtie level.



FWIW: wearing my bass high seems to help my fretting hand some... less bend in the wrist. But it hinders my plucking hand because there is MORE bend at the wrist. So that's why belt level is my Goldilocks zone. (As always, YMMV)

 

[nagarjuna]

Absolutely!

 

[Tom Howland]

Same height regardless of the venue. Same height whether seated or standing too. I prescribe to the Billy Sheehan school of bass technique.

Same here, Billy got it right.

 

[FunkMetalBass]

I change my bass height depending on the bass (where is sits in relation to my body) and what I'm doing with it. Lower frets are easier to reach with the height lowered, higher frets with the height raised. I also find a lower bass makes it easier for me to play with a pick.

For the most part, each bass stays the same as it always does.

 

[BartmanPDX]

Nope.

Pic from a biker festival last year:

And the previous year:

I wear my bass a little lower these days, but comfort always trumps "style" for me.

They must not mind how I wear my bass; we get asked for encores and get invited back every year. As long as it's rocking, they could care less how I wear my bass. Also, most of them are probably staring at our lead singer anyway.

 

[iamthebassman]

To the OP:
So you're OK "looking like a tool" at other gigs?

 

[BackToTheGroove]

I used to play fairly high, and always thought low was for 3 chord tunes because you would restrict your wrist/carpells wrapped around the fretboard. After watching low slung finger-players like my fave Norwood and the monster Trujillo; and Gary Willis' ergonomic tips of a straight wrist instead of that curled over carpell-ripper method; and the "now it makes sense to me" rear fin on an Explorer (great arm rest to play with a straight wrist); and conversion from Upright ... I play with it body slung low and the neck up high to play straight-wristed with both hands, as much as possible.

sorry man, that was a long blabber.

 

[amimbari]

well you could go for the " I play my bass so low that I have both my arms straight out when I play" look

.
for the simple stuff he had to do I guess it works for him....

 

[joeyl]

here's what I've read on TB

If you play it hung at chest level: you play with your heart
at stomach level: you play with your gut
at balls level: well you are playing with balls

 

[waleross]

Sounds like you have too much time on your hands to think. Just like the orig. blues bros. movie when they played the C&W bar. How about a cage to stop the stuff that they might throw at you and a plexi-glass shield ? Relax, the height of your bass won't matter if all hell breaks loose....Have a good time and sound good, they might even call you back.....

 

[Old Joe]

Not that I'm playing gigs at the moment but I guess it depends on the mood. As in... "do I protect my chest or my kiwis...".

 

[pudgychef]

here's what I've read on TB

If you play it hung at chest level: you play with your heart
at stomach level: you play with your gut
at balls level: well you are playing with balls

OR

If you play it hung at chest level - you play like a heart - steady, consistent, providing the life blood to keep the body going

If you play at gut level you play like a gut - kinda rumble-y, gurgley, touch acidic and on its own schedule regardless of the needs of the rest of the body

If you play at ball level you are playing like balls....kinda silly looking if you really focus, shying away from the heat, hiding from the cold...on its own agenda - hair is pathetically laughable when viewed in any arena outside its own fishbowl........

 

[MUSHROOMSeAcOw]

I wear my basses with straplocks, so I find a height that I like for that particular bass and roll with it until I get rid of the bass. I don't really see why it's such a big deal, just wear it where you play best.