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low bass wearers

#22
I started out with my bass slung low. But since 1985, the bass has migrated up my body and now sits pretty high. Each instrument sits in a different place. My JBass sits a bit lower than my long scale five string.

I believe that it is a comfort and playability issue. If you can hang your bass around your ankles and play like Marcus Miller... go right ahead.

BTW: I know too many old timers who can't do what they want because of tendinitis, carpal tunnel, repetitive motion disorder and so on. Proper technique will stave off these injuries. That means raising the bass up, watching your wrists, and having a light touch. I would rather "look nerdy" and be able to play into my old age.

Wear your damn ear plugs too. And eat your peas.:D
 
#23
i had mine quite low for a bit and it seemed to work, then i tried a bit higher and it seeme to work better, pretty much covering the crotch area. I was in that position for a while but i started to get some wrist pain after a while (and once I also whacked myself in the nuts when I jumped off an amp during a gig).

Now I've got it higher so it's the same standing up as it is when I'm sitting down. This seems to be much more comfortable so far, although I havn't gigged this position yet.

So in conclusion;I don't think my arms are designed too well to have my bass too low down.

The really high up position seems to be pretty popular with some of the hardcore and mathcore bands though, and a lot of them really rock out hard during their shows (e.g dillenger escape plan).
 
#24
I sling my Jazz bass around my buckle height and it's great for straight head rock n' roll. It lets me swing the bass around and rock out a little harder. I keep the neck pretty high, about 45+ degrees to my body though so I can fret easily.

With my longer scale warwick I tend to sling it higher but I usually use it for more technical pieces. It hangs around my stomach.
 
#26
just practice at ALL levels
i play my hollowbody at a grassroots/vampire weekend level
but my wick at my knees :D
i dont like it down there so i only gig like that

i think my fretting hand will develop problems later cause its SUCH a strain but it kicks ass:bassist:
 
#28
I have a foot-stand that I use for my left foot to elevate it.

Then my ax sits on my left leg pointed slightly higher than a 45 degree angle above the horizon.

This angle gives you the best possible reach and that really comes in to play down by the frets. I suggest everybody who plays with a strap standing to adjust the strap so it also is at a 45 degree angle from the horizon.
 
#29
Tried playing it low early on. Hurt. Playing sucked. And that certainly did not make me cool!
Seriously, I find it real hard to play anything well if it ain't high up. And if I may: looking cool can never be more important than playing well... :|
 
#31
I don't get the whole wrist problem thing. My wrists don't deviate more than 15 degrees from straight unless I'm playing wide chords high up on the neck, and I don't do those on bass very often. I can argue that I have better technique than those guys with their basses high up and their right arms draped over the top of the body. That 90 degree angle on the right wrist looks damn painful to me. The only thing WRONG about my playing style is the thumb around the neck, and that's not even 50% of the time.

The guys with impeccable technique always say to wear your bass so that the height is the same whether your sitting or standing. I just open my legs up! The bottom horn on a jazz bass wraps around my left thigh while sitting, at this point.
 
#32
Nick Kay said:
I don't get the whole wrist problem thing. My wrists don't deviate more than 15 degrees from straight unless I'm playing wide chords high up on the neck, and I don't do those on bass very often. I can argue that I have better technique than those guys with their basses high up and their right arms draped over the top of the body. That 90 degree angle on the right wrist looks damn painful to me. The only thing WRONG about my playing style is the thumb around the neck, and that's not even 50% of the time.

The guys with impeccable technique always say to wear your bass so that the height is the same whether your sitting or standing. I just open my legs up! The bottom horn on a jazz bass wraps around my left thigh while sitting, at this point.
Click to expand...

+1. Bending my wrist like that HURTS like mad!!! I saw a wrist specialist and she specifically told me NOT to play like that. I cringe whenever I see someone playing with the 90-degree wrists.
 
#33
The reason why I started this post was because I remember a comment on Guitard Hero that states ""Don't wear your guitar above your belt - you're not in the Beatles!" :D

I'd rather sound cool than trying look cool :atoz:
 
#34
lexxmexx said:
The reason why I started this post was because I remember a comment on Guitard Hero that states ""Don't wear your guitar above your belt - you're not in the Beatles!" :D

I'd rather sound cool than trying look cool :atoz:
Click to expand...

"Guitar Hero" is only slightly better than worthless as it vaguely apes the physical coordination needed to play guitar, and it is a music-related game. Other than that... :hmm:

For all the time spent getting really good on "Guitar Hero", I wonder how that time could be better spent actually learning how to play the real thing?

I hate to be dissmissive, as for a quick and fun diversion, it's fine. I get that. But if you add up all the time it takes to be good on it, that could be serious time spent with a real instrument, and could potentially be a vehicle that brings all kinds of rich and diverse experiences that you can't get from a video game.

"Don't wear your guitar above your belt"? I'll be sure to tell Pat Metheney next time he comes through town on a stop in his North American tour...

:hmm:

Regards.
 
#36
You don't have to play low to look cool.

lemmy.jpg


I rest my case.
 
#37
I like all the "to each his own" comments followed by extremely insulting comments about people who wear their basses low. I don't like wearing my bass high. It feels very uncomfortable to me. But I'll defend anyone's right to wear their bass wherever it's comfortable and I'd never insult anyone who wears their bass where I don't like to wear mine. That's just being a jerk.
 
#38
JimmyM said:
I like all the "to each his own" comments followed by extremely insulting comments about people who wear their basses low. I don't like wearing my bass high. It feels very uncomfortable to me. But I'll defend anyone's right to wear their bass wherever it's comfortable and I'd never insult anyone who wears their bass where I don't like to wear mine. That's just being a jerk.
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Of course I believe in the "to each his own" way of thinking. It doesn't affect me how others play their bass. I just have a hard time comprehending it being easier to play when it's lower. Is it easier to play a piano when you're farther away from it? That's how I look at it...but simply for my own playing style. Anyone else can wear it at their ankles or on their back for all I care.
 
#39
rarisgod said:
Of course I believe in the "to each his own" way of thinking. It doesn't affect me how others play their bass. I just have a hard time comprehending it being easier to play when it's lower. Is it easier to play a piano when you're farther away from it? That's how I look at it...but simply for my own playing style. Anyone else can wear it at their ankles or on their back for all I care.
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Funny you mention the piano. My piano teacher told me to sit farther away. All the great pianists I know sit farther away. So now I sit far from the piano. I still suck out loud, but my technique is good.

Anyway, I'm reminded of the old joke Liberace used to say. Someone would ask him how he could play with all those rings on his fingers, and he replied, "Very well, thank you."
 

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