Sit or stand

[lorilu]

When I practice should I be standing up as someday I will play out. I am using tabs right now to learn stuff and am enjoying that but I do play sitting on the couch. What do other people do when they practice? Does it matter at this stage?

[tim3finger]

>When I practice should I be standing up as someday I will
>play out. I am using tabs right now to learn stuff and am
>enjoying that but I do play sitting on the couch. What do
>other people do when they practice? Does it matter at this
>stage?

LL

For just practicing new material, I think sitting on the couch, chair, whatever, is fine. You are learning new material and sitting lets you have it close to you eyes. That's a big plus when you have old eyes like mine that need bifocals.
Rehearsing is a different story. You need to be standing with that axe around your neck, so you can get used to not seeing the fretboard, plus it lets you get used to the weight of the instument,discomfort of standing with it for hours, postion of the strap, etc. IMHO

Tim

"along the road, take time to smell the flowers"

[lorilu]

Thanks Tim. Perfect. It is still a little hard for me with pain in my neck and shoulders from an accident I was in and it's hard to see, too. I am working on not looking as much at the fretboard and fingering so as to go more by feel. That's happening almost naturally. It's coming along pretty well, though I have a long ways to go but am smelling the flowers along the way and having a good time doing it.

[tim3finger]

It is still a little hard for me with
>pain in my neck and shoulders from an accident I was in and
>it's hard to see, too. I am working on not looking as much
>at the fretboard and fingering so as to go more by feel.

That's cool.
The key to playing without looking is just not to look. Your muscle memory will take over after a while and it will, as you said, come naturally. I also like to visualize in my mind, the positions on the fret board and the scales I use on those positions. I play a lot with my eyes closed and am getting better at hearing the notes. Instant feedback if Iam in the wrong place .

I don't remember what kind of bass you play, but I would highly recommend a short scale bass. The advantages are, closer spacing on the frets(easier stretches),generally much lighter in weight, less pressure required to fret cause the ligher gage strings are under less tension. Short scales do have tendency to sound a little muddy on the bottom and real bright on the top. But, for most people, they sound fine and are super easy to play.I know this will offend purists( suck it up, be a man, play a full scale!!!), but, unless you make a living playing, then it should be all about fun, and enjoying yourself, hey?

Just a few names of people that did okay with short scales; Jack Bruce, Allen Woody, Stanley Clarke, etc.
"along the road, take time to smell the flowers"

[oleman]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON Apr-11-06 AT 02:30 PM (EST)]Lori, back and shoulder pain can take all the pleasure out of a gig and detract from your playing because of lack of concentration on the music due to the pain. Practice sittin or even laying down.
When I used to play Bass Guitar I got a very wide, foam, stretchy strap and attached it to a steinberger copy that only weighed in at 7 lbs. It looked kinda lame but I could play and dance around all nite without any pain killers except for a couple shots of tequila.

With the doghouse I use a tall stool at about the second set to relieve the back. thus the moniker "oleman"

It really is about having a good time and playin in pain ain't fun!

Lookin froward to havin some fun this weekend in a very swanky bar [for us] playin the old standards from Willys "Stardust" cd, mixed in with with our blues. Feels good to get away from C&W for awhile!

Peace ole!

[fat paul]

I only stand when performing, band rehearsel or when playing the upright bass. Also if you have pain in the back and shoulders a short scale bass might not be a bad idea as noted above.
fat paul

[lorilu]

TEQUILA! That's what I've been forgetting!

Thanks for the feedback, very helpful, although I must admit to having my feelings hurt that you don't remember what bass I play (sniff, sniff). I do play a short scale. A FENDER MUSICMASTER 1978 that I refinished and bragged about for a while. It is a little heavy but, like you said, easy to fret. I bet that steinberger copy is super lightweight. I have started lifting weights again so am hoping to build up my shoulders, back and abs and I stretch a lot to relieve the pain. It will probably always be a fact of life and it does affect my drumming and everything else. It has shortened my practice time but I am learning to play, stop and go back and play again. Break it up a bit. I'm hoping in time I will get pretty strong. I might, at some point look for an even lighter bass.

There's a guy on a drum forum I go to that has been in an accident and has worked his way up to 3 hours a day practice on the drums (he's pro) and walks his dogs in between. So that was inspiring.

[lorilu]

I also mentioned that I had bought a used amp a few months ago and now that I know you weren't listening;-) maybe I could get some feedback now. I got a used Fender BXR 300 bass amp for $100 from a real nice guy that had one of those oldies type touring bands. What do you guys think of that amp. I can finally really hear myself.

[tim3finger]

A Musicmaster, huh! I hate to see you saddled with that thing, when you feel like you can't handle the weight anymore and the trashy sound, let me know and I'll take it off your hands for you. ( just kidding ). Nice Bass!
You are on the right track with the workout regimen. Keep it up!
Don't know anything about a BXR300 amp, try Harmony-Central.com for a review.

TIm

"along the road, take time to smell the flowers"

[lorilu]

Thanks, Tim! I have had a few offers to have it taken off my hands but I really like it. And it was too good a deal. A bass player hocked it to a friend of mine and he showed it to our then country band and I said this here is mine! The guy did not want to buy it back so I scraped up the money and then refinished it. Sometimes that happens when you know something just has your name on it. I go by that, doesn't happen all that often, thank goodness. Everything I own is used and all of it was a gut feeling that I was supposed to go get it.

[bigdaddy]

If I'm writing a songs I'll sit but when it's time to play I flip on the drum machine and stand to play it out. When I'm just playing to enjoy I stand also. I bought a cheap Washburn bass for the house and I take on the gigs in the event the Precision craps out. I had my friend change the pots, jack and capacitor in the Washburn but I left the pickup alone. Didn't wanna put a $25 blade in it because it's cheap. The Washburn is light and easy on the shoulder. Sounds good now that I Big Daddified it. I'd use at a gig if I had to. Anyway, I stand when I play because I tend to dance a little and swing the guitar around. Even with the Strat out on my street gig I dance a bit. Standing just feels good to me. I'm sure when I am really old there'll be alot of sittin' and playin'.

[mike932]

Invest in a quality strap, nylon ones slip, wide padded leather straps distribute the weight and stay in place. (And look way cool)

[bigdaddy]

I like the nylon straps because they do slip. When I play my bass is movin', to be stuck on my shoulder wouldn't work for me at all.

[lorilu]

Thanks, guys, as usual, good information.