Playing Standing Up Options

[Alex Feather]

Hi guys! For me it's always been a challenge to play standing up! I have been learning guitar and already was playing with bands and going on tours, but I just couldn't play standing up at all, as soon as I got up from the chair it sounded like I just picked up guitar! It took me a while to make it work! I literally had to re learn everything standing up it was crazy!
Did you get the same problem? How are you dealing with it?

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[Yash]

No, Never, in fact, I feel more comfortable standing up. I don't know why, but it's always been that way Came to me very naturally

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[Opetholic]

Hi guys! For me it's always been a challenge to play standing up! I have been learning guitar and already was playing with bands and going on tours, but I just couldn't play standing up at all, as soon as I got up from the chair it sounded like I just picked up guitar! It took me a while to make it work! I literally had to re learn everything standing up it was crazy!
Did you get the same problem? How are you dealing with it?

I don't deal with it I don't need to play standing up so I don't play standing up But I think if I adjust the strap high enough it feels like sitting down, would you agree? Maybe it doesn't look very cool but hey, look at Petrucci, he has it really high also for example..

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[Alex Feather]

I don't deal with it I don't need to play standing up so I don't play standing up But I think if I adjust the strap high enough it feels like sitting down, would you agree? Maybe it doesn't look very cool but hey, look at Petrucci, he has it really high also for example..

That's true but you don't want to strap too high either!
For some reason it was hard for me! I guess I am the only one!

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[Opetholic]

That's true but you don't want to strap too high either!
For some reason it was hard for me! I guess I am the only one!

I think it is definitely very difficult playing standing up with the strap not so high. Then the fretting hand has a different angle and it is not as easy to play fast as in the classical position. But for me it just doesn't matter since I don't play in a band or anything If I have to play standing up, I guess I would put the strap as high as necessary to have the same fretting hand angle as I was sitting down..

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[zoom]

I find it harder. When sitting down you sort of lean over your guitar to see what your doing but you can't do that standing up. It's not so bad now. Another issue is playing in dark places I experienced this and very difficult.

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[Bossie]

I had the same problem...always noodling on a chair...and then playing standing up was a shock!
When you plan on gigging you have to combine them for sure..for me it was like day and night

Same thing with muting..in the beginning i played low volume on a 10w practice amp..then i switched to a high gain amp
with the volume up ....that woke me up and realised i had a lot of work to do
on keeping the string noise down...all of these things are rarely discussed on guitar sites but it's essential stuff

when you do practice sitting down you should keep the body pretty vertical...like as you stand up..

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This post has been edited by Bossie: Jul 23 2012, 09:07 PM

[ringmar]

Well, I play standing up in the band, so I have to practice that way.. and I have to practice with my mic and keyboard in front of me as well, and I can't stare at the fretboard either. Otherwise practice will not translate to performance. This applies to stuff I do with the band : lead vocals, mainly rythym guitar and also some keys. At this point nothing too complex as far as guitar technique goes.

But for some of the stuff like that in Todd's lessons, I do work some of the time sitting down in order to get that perfect shred/classical position of the guitar. I then practice it standing up as well.

Those of you sitting down all the time... if at some point you are going to play with others you'll likely need to stand up. I'd start spending *some* time standing up now, to start the process of getting used to it. It *is* different. And, like it or not.. if you put your guitar too high it doesn't look good. And if you think looks don't matter, you're smoking something. I'm not saying you need the guitar below your waist, but you can't have it above your belly button either...

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This post has been edited by ringmar: Jul 23 2012, 09:23 PM

[SirJamsalot]

Definitely a different animal standing up. Not just fretting, but picking as well because the lower your guitar is, the more accentuated your pick angle becomes. The hardest things to re-learn for me were 2 main positions on the guitar neck - reaching the low E string notes around the 10th - 12th fret, mainly because my little finger has to do a little overtime trying to span a whole step. The lower register is also difficult.

I decided a while ago that strapping low just looks best on stage, so what I do to practice are scales starting in the first position. It really stretches the wrist, and takes some time to get get accustomed to, but I've got it down now. As others posted ~ if you're going to be in a band, I highly recommend practicing at least some standing up. You certainly don't want to try out for band having not spent much time standing up because it's just not the same, and it will show in your playing.

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[Pourliver]

I can't play while standing up. I mean, it's just too hard, and I never played like that, it's really not natural, I can't mute strings, I can't play "fast" and things like that. You are not alone !

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[Nihilist1]

My guitar has always been in the same position whether I am sitting or standing. I have my strap adjusted perfectly for this. I tremolo pick better when I am standing, but that is the only real difference.

I use a footrest and play with my guitar in the classical position when I sit. It moves a bit to my right when I stand. I definitely recommend the footrest and position to everyone. It might help.

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[derper]

It was difficult for me, for a while, and I saw a noticeable decrease in my playing while standing. So, when I moved to Portland and started playing out consistently, the answer was quite obvious.... ONLY practice while standing!!

So now, it's natural and I play better standing. Humans are resilient and versatile, as long as we don't TELL ourselves that we CAN'T!!


Also, regarding height....everyone is built different, and no 2 bodies are alike. There are some general "advantages" to playing high (technicalities) or low (looking COOL! ) but we are all different. One of my favorite local jazz/rock GREATS is Scott Pemberton, and he plays strapped super low, or even sits the guitar on a stool with the neck facing straight up and plays that way. And dude is accurate, and bad to the bone. Total pro. Regional, not quite world-renowned yet....but I'm betting someday maybe.

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[XJapan]

It was difficult for me, for a while, and I saw a noticeable decrease in my playing while standing. So, when I moved to Portland and started playing out consistently, the answer was quite obvious.... ONLY practice while standing!!

So now, it's natural and I play better standing. Humans are resilient and versatile, as long as we don't TELL ourselves that we CAN'T!!


Also, regarding height....everyone is built different, and no 2 bodies are alike. There are some general "advantages" to playing high (technicalities) or low (looking COOL! ) but we are all different. One of my favorite local jazz/rock GREATS is Scott Pemberton, and he plays strapped super low, or even sits the guitar on a stool with the neck facing straight up and plays that way. And dude is accurate, and bad to the bone. Total pro. Regional, not quite world-renowned yet....but I'm betting someday maybe.

I Definitely agree, I practice standing up so much now that If I sit down, my hands are in a position which is less comfortable!

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[Alex Feather]

I think it takes time to get use to playing standing up! I will post exercises that helped me in a few hours so you guys can try them out

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This post has been edited by Alex Feather: Jul 24 2012, 08:36 AM

[mad]

Normally I play sitting on a chair. I can play rhythm guitar in a standing up position but lead is difficult.
I remember a rehearsal maybe 2 years ago - I was practicing a lead melody (very simple and slow just a few bends and hammer-ons) over a riff
(while sitting). It was perfect. Then one hour later, while rehearsing (in standing up position), I said to my band mate 'hey, play that riff again - a got something to play over it'....
it was like .. holy sh**. I was far away from playing what I played shortly before. We all just ..
Today, when I practice stuff for jamming with band mates I do it first place while sitting and then when I nailed it, with standing up position..

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[Slavenko Erazer]

U should get a Guitar like this




It's so hard to play it seat, so it'll force u to play it while standing!!

\mm/

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This post has been edited by Slavenko Erazer: Jul 24 2012, 12:55 PM

[Gitarrero]

It is the same for me Alex.
I practice sitting down most of the time.
When I was still in a band, we'd rehearse standing up, but I was mainly playing chords or classic riffs like Smoke on the water or Sweet Home Alabama...you could play that lying in your bed, face in the pillow, guitar on your back
It is no problem bashing power chords or playing simple melodies standing up for me, but when it comes to the stuff Todd does at his video chat it is pretty tough to play it standing up, especially since I wear my guitar kinda low (come on, we all wanna look cool).
But if you force yourself to play this stuff standing up it will work eventually cause the lick is in your muscle memory, you just need to adapt to the different hand position.

Christian

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[Max Sokolov]

I've got my guitar quite high on strap and also I'm using very convenient wide Levy's strap.
I'm experiencing the same problem, but a good strap made it much easier for me!

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[Yash]

My guitar has always been in the same position whether I am sitting or standing. I have my strap adjusted perfectly for this. I tremolo pick better when I am standing, but that is the only real difference.

I use a footrest and play with my guitar in the classical position when I sit. It moves a bit to my right when I stand. I definitely recommend the footrest and position to everyone. It might help.

Finally, I see someone on the thread who I am similar to in this regard Cheers man

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[Alex Feather]

You know what helped me a lot? Is playing this simple exercise standing up!

---------------------------------------
------------------------------1-2-3-4-----------------------1-2-3-4------------------------1-2-3-4-----------------------1-2-3-4------------------------1-2-3-4--------------------------------

I know it is very simple but I did it for a couple of weeks and it worked!

You know what helped me a lot? Is playing this simple exercise standing up!

E |----------------------------------------------------|
B |----------------------------------------------------|
G |--------------------------------------1--2--3--4----|
D |--------------------------1--2--3--4----------------|
A |--------------1--2--3--4----------------------------|
E |--1--2--3--4----------------------------------------|


--------------1--2--3--4--5--4--3--2----------------|
--1--2--3--4--------------------------5--4--3--2----|
----------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------|


----------------------------------------------------||
----------------------------------------------------||
--5--4--3--2----------------------------------------||
--------------5--4--3--2----------------------------||
--------------------------5--4--3--2----------------||
--------------------------------------5--4--3--2----||

I know it is very simple but I did it for a couple of weeks and it worked!

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