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Playing while standing

Y

yehongxiang

Dec 15, 2009
181
3
Singapore
#1
I have difficulties hitting frets, especially the higher ones (ie, the ones closer to the bridge) when I play and stand at the same time. I have to use a lot more force to reach frets, basically, and my wrist hurts after 5 to 10 minutes of playing.

Are there exercises I can do to fix this? I'm not slinging my bass really low or anything. In fact, I'm slinging it as close to my chest as possible.
 
#5
snyderz said:
When I'm playing closer to the bridge, I push the bass a little to the left to take a little angle off my wrist. As I move away from the bridge, it naturally returns to the original position.
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I do too. And, though this is probably a BAD habit to get into, if I'm not doing anything complicated and I'm all the way up I take my thumb out from behind the neck . . .:eek: my hands are huge, like baseball gloves:ninja:
 
#6
yehongxiang said:
I have difficulties hitting frets, especially the higher ones (ie, the ones closer to the bridge) when I play and stand at the same time. I have to use a lot more force to reach frets, basically, and my wrist hurts after 5 to 10 minutes of playing.

Are there exercises I can do to fix this? I'm not slinging my bass really low or anything. In fact, I'm slinging it as close to my chest as possible.
Click to expand...

I've had this too about two months ago when i just started playing. It'll go away in the long run. Just listen to your body and don't force anything on your joints/tendons. In time, with more practice you will get stronger wich will make it a lot easier! I play more comfortably standing up then sitting down now!
 
#9
bigblondeafro87 said:
Find a comfortable strap height for you standing up, and always practice standing up. I almost never play sitting down anymore, especially at gigs so why should I practice sitting down?
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You can still practice sitting down, just set the bass on your left leg (if you play right handed) or your right leg (if you play left handed). This emulates classical guitar, which in turn emulates the way the bass is positioned when you play standing up. Definitely find a comfortable strap height though, also find a good wide strap...the reason I say this is because I have arthritis in my right shoulder (I play left handed) and due to where I live, the whether gives my shoulder a lot of problems in the colder months.
 
#11
I did have the same kinda problem. Probably because I had my bass slung as low as it would go. It did stop after a while, but thats just because I kept playing it like. I don't know too much, because I'm self taught, but I just played until it hurt, left it for a while, and played a little bit longer each time.
 
#12
Does this mean that it is just a problem with my, for lack of a better word, stamina? Because the fact that my wrist starts hurting after 5 minutes or so is quite worrying.

I play a Squier Affinity Jazz, pretty standard affair I think. I'll try to get a pic of how I wear the bass and position my wrist tonight.
 
#13
yehongxiang said:
Does this mean that it is just a problem with my, for lack of a better word, stamina? Because the fact that my wrist starts hurting after 5 minutes or so is quite worrying.

I play a Squier Affinity Jazz, pretty standard affair I think. I'll try to get a pic of how I wear the bass and position my wrist tonight.
Click to expand...

Find a good bass teacher in your area and take a few lessons on technique or just look up A LOT of stuff on the internet by technique, ect. If you're wrist starts hurting after 5 minutes of playing there is a BIG problem with your hand position.
 
#17
OK here's a picture:

mebass.gif
 
#18
You're a leftie, right?

I'd raise it a few notches. Looks like there's steep angle with your fretting hand. Increases reach for lower frets. Also keeping your plucking hand elbow should be raised to avoid plucking hand troubles. Also turning the headstock a bit more towards to ceiling might help.

You got nice long pianist fingers, just like me so higher gives you the fullest reach when using classical hand position (thumb behind the neck). Higher up I tend to raise my thumb near the upper edge to gain access to those notes. You loose a bit of the E/A string with your pinkie but sliding back behind the neck with your thumb usually corrects it.
 
#19
I don't think your bass needs to be that low. Both of your wrists are bending at sharp and very awkward-looking angles to compensate for the height of the bass, and that can be fixed by just raising it above your waist.

Alternatively, you could adjust the angle of the bass. Raise the head a bit but keep the body low. Readjust your arms in such a way that your wrists can be straight.
 

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