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Posted by: Gus Jun 13 2009, 03:10 PM

Hey, guys.

Every time I play live I start wondering about this again, so I just decide to ask...

I feel comfortable playing while seated, but I feel very crippled when I am playing standing up. In special, I become very slow and hardly can do 3 notes per string runs. Everything seems way harder while standing up and this a little frustrating since the final goal of practicing a lot of guitar is to be able to have good live performances.

I've been trying a lot with different positions for my strap, but it does not solve the problem. If I put it too low (like Slash) I can not play at all. If I put it too high, I can do better runs but it seems all the strength that should go into bends go on holding the guitar instead. And then the bends become really bad. I am trying to play on more or less middle strap position, where the bends are ok, but the runs are a little hard...
I am also trying to practice standing up but the improvement is marginal so far.

So, what you guys do? Any tip to improve my playing while standing up?

Posted by: kaznie_NL Jun 13 2009, 03:14 PM

I gues just throw away your seat and only play while standing? I think that's the only solution, practice!

Posted by: Fingerspasm Jun 13 2009, 03:16 PM

QUOTE (Gus @ Jun 13 2009, 08:10 AM)

Hey, guys.

Every time I play live I start wondering about this again, so I just decide to ask...

I feel comfortable playing while seated, but I feel very crippled when I am playing standing up. In special, I become very slow and hardly can do 3 notes per string runs. Everything seems way harder while standing up and this a little frustrating

since the final goal of practicing a lot of guitar is to be able to have good live performances.

I've been trying a lot with different positions for my strap, but it does not solve the problem. If I put it too low (like Slash) I can not play at all. If I put it too high, I can do better runs but it seems all the strength that should go into bends go on holding the guitar instead. And then the bends become really bad. I am trying to play on more or less middle strap position, where the bends are ok, but the runs are a little hard...
I am also trying to practice standing up but the improvement is marginal so far.

So, what you guys do? Any tip to improve my playing while standing up?

I had the same problem. For me I just had to spend half of my time practicing standing up. After awhile you get used to playing standing up. I also bought a tall guitar stool. It has a shaped seat that is comfortable to play guitar. Its just tall enough so I can sit with my legs just barely touching the ground. works great when my back starts to hurt from standing. But it still keeps me close enough to the standing position. Anyway its like anything else you just have to practice standing up instead of sitting.

Posted by: Startear Jun 13 2009, 03:17 PM

Practice makes perfect, you should experiment and use each position for a certain amount of time. Somehow I get the feeling that something is wrong with the way you hold the guitar. Maybe you should post some pictures...

Posted by: Dexxter Jun 13 2009, 03:17 PM

Always practice standing up is probably best, but a little hard in the long run maybe Try having almost the exact position and everything when sitting as when standing. I have a randy rhoads v, so it's probably a bit easier for me. But try different positions, more than you've already did, until you find a comfortable one. Try resting the guitar on your left leg, this will maybe feel uncomfortable at first, but you get used to it, and you have much better access and can do wider stretches and so forth, and it's alot similar to how many have their guitar when standing. Hope that helped you a little

Posted by: sted Jun 13 2009, 03:17 PM

I've gone through the exact same thing mate, I played in a bar the other week on my mates acoustic on a strap and it was awful, I have since started practicing standing and find this more comfortable now than seated!!

I think the key is familiarity, I know my blues scales inside out and can do this easily whilst standing, in fact having the guitar suspended in this manner has improved my vibrato no end. Once you have the muscle memory of what you are trying to play it becomes easier on the strap than on the knee, i find you can hunch too much when playing seated anyway and start to angle the guitar to see the fretboard, which if you get used to playing this way can be a big shock when you only have top markers to go from!

In all I woud say learn seated and once you know it, practice it standing from then on, Ive got a full set of songs I routinely practice now ready for a gig, all whilst standing.

Oh and a good strap and neutral balance guitar is good to have too!

Posted by: edguy Jun 13 2009, 03:20 PM

Hey I have that problem too. It's very hard for me to pay while stand up. My fingers go in another position and that's bad because my pinky is then to short to hit the notes right when my thumb is in the middle of the nexk. Sounds stupid but that's my problem I have a buckled pinky Mybe I find a solution for that in the future but it could be hard.

Posted by: sted Jun 13 2009, 03:27 PM

QUOTE (edguy @ Jun 13 2009, 03:20 PM)

Hey I have that problem too. It's very hard for me to pay while stand up. My fingers go in another position and that's bad because my pinky is then to short to hit the notes right when my thumb is in the middle of the nexk. Sounds stupid but that's my problem

I have a buckled pinky

Mybe I find a solution for that in the future but it could be hard.

You dont have to have you thumb in the middle of the neck all the time mate, its a lot more natural for some people (Like me!) to have the thumb over the top which is a lot more relaxed, admittedly it makes hitting clean notes a lot harder but you should be able to play comfortably in both positions as they both have benefits, for instance you will NEVER play little wing by hendrix if you cant get your thumb on the G note on the low E string.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jun 13 2009, 04:52 PM

It's all about the practice and comfortable positions. If you are still filling a bit unsecure, more gigs, more practicing while standing and raising up the guitar a bit should help you overcome this problem.

Posted by: Pedja Simovic Jun 13 2009, 04:55 PM

My advice is - play standing up the same way you practice when sitting down. That basically means that you have to adjust your guitar strap same way so that it feels exactly the same when you are standing and sitting down. This is especially true if you play very technical type music which can lead to various hand injuries if you overdo your left hand in unfamiliar position !

Posted by: vampire18 Jun 13 2009, 11:55 PM

i dont know exactly what your problem is because you only say you cant play the runs but dont say why, anyways i had problems because i couldn't see the strings that i started practicing without looking or with my eyes closed and discovered that if i play something without looking its makes it easier to go to a stand up position.

plus if you need a quick fix temporary solution, i hope you can play the rhythm part standing up and that when you get to the solo get down on your knees as if your really into the song and the solo and from there it shouldn't be a problem finding a like sitting position

Posted by: TheKeplerConjecture Jun 14 2009, 05:52 AM

I dealt with this same problem. My solution was to develop comfort holding the guitar in the "classical" style while sitting, with the body sitting on my left leg (I'm right-handed), rather than on the right. This emulated the guitar's position while standing. I adjusted the strap to have no slack when worn sitting in this position.

The toughest part was posture while sitting. I tended to lean over the guitar, looking at the fretboard. That's not possible when standing, so the consistency isn't there. It took time. But, I'm at a point where I can play the same stuff standing and sitting.

There is a downside: I look like a dork. I hold the guitar funny when I'm sitting, and it's slung a bit too high when I'm standing. But it's cool, cuz I'm still pulling the same amount of chicks (0).

Posted by: Gus Jun 14 2009, 10:41 PM

Hey guys. Thanks a lot for all the info.

From all the answers, it seems it narrows down to 2 things:
1) practice a lot standing
2) Making playing seated more alike playing standing (by either changing the way to play seated , moving the strap position or both).

I will try to apply both things.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jun 14 2009, 10:50 PM

You got it mate, those 2 things are the key.

Posted by: MickeM Jun 14 2009, 10:58 PM

Practice standing up

Get a good leather strap that will hold your guitar still on your shoulder.

Posted by: Canis Jun 15 2009, 01:22 AM

QUOTE (MickeM @ Jun 14 2009, 11:58 PM)

Practice standing up

Get a good leather strap that will hold your guitar still on your shoulder.

+1

The strap has just as much to say as the thickness of your pick or gauge of strings when you're standing up, in my opinion. You gotta find yourself, so to speak

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jun 15 2009, 06:09 PM

QUOTE (Canis @ Jun 15 2009, 02:22 AM)

+1

The strap has just as much to say as the thickness of your pick or gauge of strings when you're standing up, in my opinion. You gotta find yourself, so to speak

I wouldn't go that far, but good quality strap is important for comfort

Posted by: Scott Gentzen Jun 15 2009, 09:51 PM

When I discovered that playing standing was so much different, I pretty much started practicing both sitting and standing. Usually anything new or specifically technique-oriented, I'll do sitting down, but for songs or parts of songs that I'm somewhat comfortable with, I'll practice those standing.

I have a couple of different places in the house that I'll practice...one is sitting and unplugged and the other location is standing plugged in. So I tend to determine what I'm going to work on based on where I am when I start.

Posted by: Pedja Simovic Jun 15 2009, 09:54 PM

QUOTE (Scott Gentzen @ Jun 15 2009, 10:51 PM)

When I discovered that playing standing was so much different, I pretty much started practicing both sitting and standing. Usually anything new or specifically technique-oriented, I'll do sitting down, but for songs or parts of songs that I'm somewhat comfortable with, I'll practice those standing.

I have a couple of different places in the house that I'll practice...one is sitting and unplugged and the other location is standing plugged in. So I tend to determine what I'm going to work on based on where I am when I start.

This is excellent method and I strongly encourage it !

Another thing that can help you playing standing up is performing in front of friends and family. Since they will be mostly sitting down listening to you play, it would be nice change if you were standing up and doing some moving when playing. Lets face it, you play guitar not piano, you are suppose to stand up and move around

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Jun 16 2009, 11:13 AM

As everyone said, try to practice standing. It gets weird at start but you will get a hang of it and it will became a practicing habit. Also its a good idea to adjust the strap while sitting, just tighten the strap while you are sitting so that guitar stays in approximately same position when you stand up with it.

Posted by: Ian Bushell Jun 16 2009, 12:48 PM

The main problem is probably from to much practice sitting down.
Considering you're going to be standing up ( most of the time) when performing, definately spend some time standing up during your practice routine.
But like Pedja said make sure your guitar is in a comfortable position for standing up. To avoid injury to your left hand.
You can avoid this by going for a higher strap setting rather than the low one.

Posted by: Koopid Jun 16 2009, 01:13 PM

QUOTE (Ian Bushell @ Jun 16 2009, 01:48 PM)