I'm having this problem...

[HeavyJazz]

Billy Sheehan addressed this ages ago and he rips harder than most any modern metalist. Granted it doesn't have to be as high as his bass, but give yourself a few extra inches. Check out the Gojira bassist - I think he hangs it pretty low and uses a pick. Does rather well for himself...

 

[thunderstation]

Ok - I think I understand what you're trying to say - you want to wear the bass low because that's the way you like it & it looks and feels good, except that it doesn't fit your playing style. I would start by adjusting the strap higher by an inch at a time until it feels good for your playing.- then if needed you could lower it until it begins to affect your playing - what you need (IMO) is a happy medium.

 

[repoman]

I wear my bass above my belt line and hold it at a 45 degree angle (sometimes even steeper)...just like this guy ... I think it looks way cool.

 

[alembicguy]

Let's see... You like to wear your bass low, and refuse to raise it, but you're also complaining about not being able to effectively reach the (physically) lower strings...
What would you like me to say?

Well this pretty much says it for me. Good luck.

 

[fearceol]

Depends on the situation, I have lost quite a few jobs on the way I look, some of them I never even got to play, i was "not what they were looking for" as I came into the room....so turnaround and walked back out.

Depending on the situation it's not all about the music, it is naive of any player looking to be in the the "music business" to think other wise.
The reality is they are selling a product, and part of that is how the product looks.

Fergie, I agree 100% with what you say. However, it appears that the OP himself has decided (not anyone else) how he wants to portray himself, appearance wise (as per his quote below). So, no one but himself is forcing the issue. This is why people are suggesting that at least for now, the decision lies with him whether to hire the bass a little and play efficiently and comfortably or suffer on as he is.

I wear the bass low because thats how I like it to look. As for the crowd, I could really give 2 lumps of excrement what they think.

 

[henry2513]

If you refuse to raise your bass then Try some Growth Hormone, it will make your arms longer

 

[Fergie Fulton]

Fergie, I agree 100% with what you say. However, it appears that the OP himself has decided (not anyone else) how he wants to portray himself, appearance wise (as per his quote below). So, no one but himself is forcing the issue. This is why people are suggesting that at least for now, the decision lies with him whether to hire the bass a little and play efficiently and comfortably or suffer on as he is.

And with youth comes the confidence, some say arrogance, of being right and having life on your terms, to have your cake and eat it so to speak....and i salute that.....because it is not for me to work out the answer only to offer advice..and who knows maybe he will.

No matter how the rebel, how much anyone sets out to be different and take on lifes challanges on their own terms, there comes a time in everyones life when commenting on a younger generation they say something then think " oh no....I sound just like my father/mother".LOL...and the great thing about it is, no matter how they deny it...it will happen to them.....we know it will.

There is a certain common sense, some say arrogance, with age of knowing what is right....that is usually because we have done it wrong enough times to know better..LOL...and experience is the best teacher, solver, and fixer of lifes problems there is....if we care to stop and be aware of it.

 

[nysbob]

This is all about priorities, isn't it? If the priority is to play your technique comfortably, you make your adjustments accordingly. If the priority is a "look" then all other things are subservient to that. You can find an example of any style of playing at any bass level, so it's all doable...

My priority has been to be able to play comfortably for ME, and to able to execute anything that happens to pop into my tiny brain...for me, that's about belt high.

My only advice to the OP would be make an honest evaluation of HIS priorities and adjust accordingly. If something hurts or seems awkward, it's time to experiment with solutions.

 

[sobie18]

Get a fearful

 

[BBox Bass]

For years I played only fingerstyle and wore my bass low because I like having my right elbow bent at about 110 degrees. When I started playing 8-string with a pick, I found that it was a lot easier to reach the high strings and less painful in general if I shortened my strap to put my elbow at 90 degrees (it's also how I wear my skinny-string guitars). I think my technique has improved greatly, plus I don't drop picks nearly as often as I used to.

 

[Geezer Brown]

A lot of these posts aren't even trying to answer the question.

I have always played my bass low with a flatpick. Not quite Dee Dee Ramone low, but low enough that it's hard to find a strap long enough.

Rotate your forearm like it was an axle. Like a slapper would do. Don't go up and down from the elbow, and certainly don't go up and down from the wrist.
Use different grips between the thumb and forefinger to get the pick at the angle you want.
You should be able to get the pick parallel to the strings no matter what position or height the bass is in.

Picks of different materials sound different too. I'm using the Dunlop Jazz III Eric Johnsons now, the red ones. Being nylon they are not as clicky or scratchy as regular celluloid, and certainly less so than the Ultex and Tortex. Good gripping surface makes them easier to position too. The shape is hard to adjust to but ultimately gives you more precise control.

Really, though, the trick is in rotating your forearm instead of swinging it.

^^^most helpful post here. Everyone, try to be more like him. I'm definitely going to try that technique tomorrow, and also try some new grips. I tried jazz 3's , but I found them too small for my liking. I could always try them again. Thank you for the advice

 

[fearceol]

^^^most helpful post here. Everyone, try to be more like him.

I think that ALL of the advice given so far in the thread is very helpful.

The problem is simply that some of it is not what you wanted to hear.

 

[f.c.geil]

I think that ALL of the advice given so far in the thread is very helpful.

The problem is simply that some of it is not what you wanted to hear.

Exactly. I have no intention of trying to "be like him." Ask me why it hurts when you do it wrong, my answer will always be that it hurts because you're doing it wrong. Don't like the pain? Do it right. Don't like that answer? Too bad, it's still the right answer. The fact of the matter is that if you continue to play with your bass that low, you will pay for it later, with carpal tunnel, tendonitis, and/or serious pain.

 

[VeganThump]

The problem is simply that some of it is not what you wanted to hear.

^ This

 

[fearceol]

The fact of the matter is that if you continue to play with your bass that low, you will pay for it later, with carpal tunnel, tendonitis, and/or serious pain.

Yes. The risk of experiencing these problems increases, the longer a person plays this way.

The OP now has all the advice (both welcome and not so welcome) that he requires.

All that remains is for him to decide which to go with.

 

[lfmn16]

Yeah I mean come on man, your bass is a musical instrument not a fashion accessory.

+1

 

[Seb_VitusFreak]

I used to play low, and feel the need to chime in.

I would be very concerned about your left hand if I were you, and wear it higher...

I wear mine at a height where the neck-bolt-area is level with my belt-buckle, although I play finger-style, so any higher feels weird for my right hand.

To each their own, though.

Good luck.

 

[soitainly]

My sarcastic answer: record all your parts sitting down, then just air guitar the performances.