Idunno if this topic has come along by now so sorry if its a repeater.
I was just wondering, I've been playing for about a year and a half now. And I'm really proud of myself and how I've come along. But one thing that worries me is playing while standing. I hardly ever practice this (maybe once a blue moon for less than 10 minutes). I was just wondering should I really start practicing this more? If so what are so pointers?
" We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dreams." - Willy Wonka
standing on your feet and playing with your hands is much easier than the reverse, but not as impressive.
Standing is another transition we need to make. I had a hard time switching to standing up because the guitar moves!
I got tired of the elbow joint pain and twisted/stiff neck from sitting, so I kept trying and followed the usual advice......to have a mirror nearby to take a glance at the fret fingers to see where I am at sometimes. The mirror does help in the beginning but now I find it a distraction now that I have been playing standing up for a few weeks.
When I start something new with fingering I never did before, I sit down so I can see what I am doing and work out the easiest fingering for it, then I stand up and play it as soon as possible.
I think the hardest part about standing up when we do know the fingering for what we are doing is the fact that the guitar moves around. Just takes getting used to. I find standing much more comfortable than sitting now that I can do it.
If it was easy it wouldn't be worth doing.
The first time I tried playing standing, I found it nearly impossible. I think I tried too soon. Then I tried again several months later. Then it was an easy transition -- in fact, I hardly ever play sitting any more. I find it easier to play standing.
Make sure you have the guitar strap adjusted so that the strap holds the guitar in the same position where you would hold it sitting.
If after playing standing for a while you're still finding it overly frustrating, wait a few months and try again. I think the more automatic your chording becomes, the easier the transition is.
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
I realized early on that it looked cool to play the acoustic sitting down and the electric standing up. So, I started playing the electric standing but not for long since it is easier to sit and use sheet music and/or the computer and of course watch your fingers.
So, what I did was stood up and adjusted the strap so it felt right. Then sat down with the strap on. I adjusted the strap until I found a good compromise where the guitar stayed in roughly the same place when I sat or stood so I knew where to hold the guitar sitting so it basically replicated standing. I hope that made sense.
The question also comes up "where and how do you sit". Well, I kind of sit anywhere but I have a couch in my music room so I sit on the edge of a cushion most of the time. Sometimes on a hard chair and sometimes on a high (no back) bar stool.
Anyway, I now practice sitting and every once in awhile standing.
thnx for the pointers guys
" We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dreams." - Willy Wonka
It is just a matter of becoming accustomed to standing.
I have played in lots of bands over the years. You practice for hours standing up and perform as well. I have become so accustomed to standing that I prefer it over sitting.
Probably the only advice is to find the distance where you like the guitar to hang. I like the guitar to hang low at my waist. I have a friend who is a great guitarist who hangs his guitar very high on his chest. You have to find what is comfortable for you.
Myself, I like the guitar to be on my side or hip with the headstock up just to the left of my face. I find this gives me reach. So experiment with positions until you find what works best for you.
Just practice standing up. It will feel very natural in a short while.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
