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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Should I Be Playing Standing Up ?
Posted by: Eat-Sleep-andJam Mar 12 2007, 08:04 PM
Well I dont know if it matters or not but I do play alot better sitting down .....Should I play standing up ?
Posted by: Norven Mar 12 2007, 08:43 PM
practise with the guitar on the left leg. then it will be much easier to stand up and play.
but you should practise while standing to.
Posted by: Robin Mar 12 2007, 09:16 PM
Playing when standing up is hard when you havent done it before, just practice it a bit then its no problem after a while 
Posted by: Eat-Sleep-andJam Mar 12 2007, 09:43 PM
Alright I remember Pavel talkin about the left leg thing. Thanks All
Posted by: Scott Gentzen Mar 16 2007, 08:37 PM
but you should practise while standing to.
I read the left leg thing not long after I started. Thing is that for some reason, I can't position my left hand at all when the guitar is resting on my right leg. No room. I don't know if it's my size relative to the particular guitar I own or what, but physically, it just doesn't work. Someday I'll get another guitar and see how it goes. But the left leg is perfectly comfortable to me even if it looks a little odd.
Posted by: JCJXXL Mar 20 2007, 04:28 PM
Scott I totally understand what you are saying. If play with the guitar on my right leg it seems like the angle change makes it difficult for my left hand to do anything cleanly. Classical position looks odd, but it works for me. I also agree that it is more closely related to the standing position as far as the position of the guitar is concerned. And if I remember right, didn't George Lynch use the classical seated position? And he ain't to bad of a guitar player!
Posted by: Guitar1969 Mar 21 2007, 08:54 AM
I believe its because when sitting, the guitar fretboard is angled up a bit rather than perpendicular to the floor. If you are going to perform, you need to practice standing. I had a hard time adjusting to standing, and still prefer to sit, but I play at my church so I practice standing.
Posted by: sanders4617 Mar 21 2007, 09:02 AM
Nothing beats practice. It took me a little while before I could play standing up just as well as sitting down, but now I don't really notice a difference. I prefer sitting down, for the sake of being able to sort of just rest.. but standing up becomes second nature after a little bit.
Posted by: Rob_g Mar 23 2007, 04:16 AM
cmon now when your performing you dont sit, so its a must to practice standing up. Unless you want your guitar tied around your chin when your perforoming you half to. Plus it makes practicing more fun, when standing you can practice stage moves and what not, thats always fun.
Posted by: Eat-Sleep-andJam Mar 24 2007, 04:05 PM
I agree rob . Ever since ive started this thread ive made it apoint to stand up while playing.
Posted by: betschart Mar 31 2007, 07:22 PM
I haven't heard of the left leg thing...someone care to explain?? I've been practicing for a year and a half sitting down with the guitar on my right leg (I'm right handed BTW).
Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Mar 31 2007, 07:54 PM
Putting the guitar on your left leg should give you a "better" playing poision - flatter to your body. Also, when you stand up, this is pretty much where your guitar naturally falls on your body so practicing on your left leg should make it easier to play standing up. Doesn't make a lot of difference to me either way but I've been playing a long time, and I did start on acoustic, using a footstool and my left leg.
Posted by: Zee Deveel Apr 2 2007, 12:02 AM
I find playing standing up really easy, I practiced it right from the start.
Playing on the left leg is even easier than on your right I find but you don't look so cool, and let's face it.. Looking cool while playing guitar is pretty fricken important! 
Posted by: lefty01 Apr 2 2007, 10:33 PM
I have found that how high you keep your guitar strap, has a huge outcome on standing vs. sitting. I play with my guitar up higher than average (think Tom Morello), but this helps when sitting down. I find in much easier to play chords and fast runs when the guitar is higher. If you play sitting down, and your guitar hangs low when you stand, all your positions can/will change.
I hope this helps...good luck to you.
Posted by: Eat-Sleep-andJam Apr 3 2007, 03:27 AM
Playing on the left leg is even easier than on your right I find but you don't look so cool, and let's face it.. Looking cool while playing guitar is pretty fricken important!
You got that right
I hope this helps...good luck to you.
Yeah that did help. now im always making a point to have my guitar higher. And it helps!
Posted by: Ric Apr 3 2007, 11:08 PM
Thanks ES&J for a surprisingly interesting and useful thread!
As a complete newby to the guitar, I'd been mostly playing sat down (it was so much easier to see my fingering on the fretboard!) - but it was difficult to translate this to standing up.
Of course the answer is (as it always is!): practice!
Since reading the thread, I've made a point of doing the vast majority of my practice standing up - and it's paying dividends.
The moral of the story is: practice until you drop. Then practice some more 
Posted by: Eat-Sleep-andJam Apr 8 2007, 05:06 PM
As a complete newby to the guitar, I'd been mostly playing sat down (it was so much easier to see my fingering on the fretboard!) - but it was difficult to translate this to standing up.
Of course the answer is (as it always is!): practice!
Since reading the thread, I've made a point of doing the vast majority of my practice standing up - and it's paying dividends.
The moral of the story is: practice until you drop. Then practice some more
Your Welcome! I hope this helped others as it helped me
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