I can't even play with standard straps without poking new holes. Not that I play particularly high, but the bridge strap button on my bass is much higher than most.
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How can people play with a long strap?!
- Thread starter edgaroviz
- Start date
Right. That's why their stage looks like it cost more than the gross national product of Zambia.
I curve my left hand around the back of the neck so my fingers are coming up on the fretboard from underneath. Then, I press whatever string is needed down to the fretboard behind whatever fret is needed to make the note I want to play. When all that is ready, I pluck that string either with the fingers of my right hand or a pick held in my right hand.
Works great. I can do it faster with the bass up high, but I've never needed to play as fast as I can to make music. I'm there to entertain the audience and looking cool is part of that complete breakfast.
It's hard not to exceed $100.
I'm actually surprised how professional musicians would defend the less ergonomic "image" of playing, especially from a short bassist, which is limited to guitarists and bassists since even drummers know how to utilize good form. Feel free to do whatever you want that may hinder you in the long term, but I have a certain bias due to spending time with various orthopods, hand specialists, back surgeons, etc.
Yup - I'm a straight up rock bassist that doesn't slap, pop, tap, whatever - and uses a pick... I set my strap so that my bass is as low as possible, yet still be fairly comfortable to play...
^^PROPS to Jimmy M for words of wisdom.^^
As to the topic, I wear my bass so it's at the same position on my body whether I'm sitting and it's resting on my knee or standing up with a strap - same height. It's always comfortable. (to me anyway)
I don't! 
I keep mine at a good, balanced position. High enough to let me have acess to the high frets and also be able to play fast, but low enough to move my hand around comfortabley, and hold my arm relatively straight.
I keep mine at a good, balanced position. High enough to let me have acess to the high frets and also be able to play fast, but low enough to move my hand around comfortabley, and hold my arm relatively straight.
I have to ask: How can people play with a short strap?!
But seriously...
I'm pretty convinced that there's no way I'll look cool on stage, no matter how low or high my bass is positioned. I'm 36, I've got a fair share of gray hair, and I don't feel comfortable moving around a lot on stage. Let me hold down the bottom end in my own visually-boring way, and my band mates can rock out as needed.
I wear my bass so that the pickups are right about belt buckle level or slightly below, and tend to hold it so that the neck angle isn't quite flat / parallel to the floor -- maybe 20-30 degrees max. That position gives me good access to the fretboard, keeps my right arm from feeling bunched up, and naturally lets me keep my right wrist/hand angle fairly straight (I play with a pick 90% of the time). I like to feel loose and comfortable, and that's the height/position that does it best for me.
Any lower, and it's a strain on my left wrist and a reach for my right arm. Much higher, and my right shoulder/arm feels cramped and awkward.
But seriously...
I'm pretty convinced that there's no way I'll look cool on stage, no matter how low or high my bass is positioned. I'm 36, I've got a fair share of gray hair, and I don't feel comfortable moving around a lot on stage. Let me hold down the bottom end in my own visually-boring way, and my band mates can rock out as needed.
I wear my bass so that the pickups are right about belt buckle level or slightly below, and tend to hold it so that the neck angle isn't quite flat / parallel to the floor -- maybe 20-30 degrees max. That position gives me good access to the fretboard, keeps my right arm from feeling bunched up, and naturally lets me keep my right wrist/hand angle fairly straight (I play with a pick 90% of the time). I like to feel loose and comfortable, and that's the height/position that does it best for me.
Any lower, and it's a strain on my left wrist and a reach for my right arm. Much higher, and my right shoulder/arm feels cramped and awkward.
I used to wear my bass low (sometimes really low, almost knee-high), it was like paradise for the right hand but my left hand was really restricted. I didn't care about it, being bassist/lead singer and playing rather simple basslines. My left hand playing involved a lot of sliding, cause I just couldn't stretch my left hand more than two frets apart, and I rarely played high frets.
Last year two things happened: I switched to five-string and wanted to play more advanced lines. And suddenly I realized that there's many niiice things that i can play sitting but not standing. I just couldn't stand this, so I've shortened my strap to belly level and took the time to adjust (a few days of careful playing) and then transition was complete.
I've noticed a couple of things since then:
- When wearing bass low, I needed to shorten the strap a little when playing with pick (and lengthen it back for finger playing), cause I was used to play with completely straight right arm, so I needed the bass to be higher to reach the strings with a pick. Now I never change strap length and it's comfortable all the time.
- And even when playing with fingers only, my plucking hand somehow required to change strap length a little, and I used to do it a few times during rehearsal/gig.
- I can rock out even better than before, cause the bass doesn't get in the way of legs, so i tend to move more while playing.
By the way, one year before that I made similar transition with guitar: I bought guitar with thicker neck profile, and just had to wear it higher. Did good things to my playing too.
But overall I still think that there's no wrong way, as long as you feel no pain and play what you want to play. I just made my choice.
After all both ways can rock! Take for example Killswitch Engage:
Adam D, rockin' out with instrument hanging high:
Invalid Link Removed
Mike D, rockin' out with instrument hanging low:
Last year two things happened: I switched to five-string and wanted to play more advanced lines. And suddenly I realized that there's many niiice things that i can play sitting but not standing. I just couldn't stand this, so I've shortened my strap to belly level and took the time to adjust (a few days of careful playing) and then transition was complete.
I've noticed a couple of things since then:
- When wearing bass low, I needed to shorten the strap a little when playing with pick (and lengthen it back for finger playing), cause I was used to play with completely straight right arm, so I needed the bass to be higher to reach the strings with a pick. Now I never change strap length and it's comfortable all the time.
- And even when playing with fingers only, my plucking hand somehow required to change strap length a little, and I used to do it a few times during rehearsal/gig.
- I can rock out even better than before, cause the bass doesn't get in the way of legs, so i tend to move more while playing.
By the way, one year before that I made similar transition with guitar: I bought guitar with thicker neck profile, and just had to wear it higher. Did good things to my playing too.
But overall I still think that there's no wrong way, as long as you feel no pain and play what you want to play. I just made my choice.
After all both ways can rock
! Take for example Killswitch Engage:Adam D, rockin' out with instrument hanging high:
Invalid Link Removed
Mike D, rockin' out with instrument hanging low:
Only on certain gigs and with certain basses would I feel OK hanging it low. The variety rock/pop coverband stuff is played with a J-Bass with my plucking hand over my abdomen. The HR/HM coverband might see me hanging it low and playing with a pick, but I do not have a P-bass in the stable, these days. Fortunately, the Jaguar bass likes to hang nearly parallel to the floor, so I get the best of both worlds; comfort for both hands, and a look that befits the material. Of course, I really have to make up in wardrobe for the fact that I am bespectacled and graying, but that's another topic.
I have a strap that has 4 holes spaced over more than a foot... I use them all at different times and on different gigs. Sometimes my bass is near chest height, sometimes it's below my waist. Which one is right? IT DEPENDS!
I am one of the biggest people on here for using techniques that don't hurt. Playing with a bass slung low is not one of them. You can jsut as easily play comfortably and painlessly with a low slung bass as a high one. I, for example, am more comfortable with it kind of low.
That's funny...when I see some people with an instrument strung really high, I think...well...I don't think anything at all because I don't go around judging other musicians over stupid crap. Keep your eyes on your own paper and don't worry about what anyone else does.
