playing standing up

by **meluaz** on Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:48 pm

i have a gibson explorer and i got a problem when i stand up playing, when the guitar is quite low i can play rhythm( all the lower notes) really well and i feel comfortable, but when is low i cant play solos except some alternate picking in certain positions, when i have it higher up(and looks gay ) i can play lead comfortably but it feels weird when i play rhythm, and yes i have tried the middle and thats the same as having it low, is this the guitars fault? cause i love my explorer but does a guitars shape make it any more comfortable to play lead and rhythm?

by **Holy Crap! Lions!** on Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:03 pm

The only advice I can give you is to turn your brain on, if you have one.

by **Atom** on Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:14 pm

Make the strap higher until it feels comfortable, fuck having it low just to look cool, do what feels better for you.

by **Dian Wei** on Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:49 pm

This, i have it just below my neck.

by **Metal Iain** on Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:17 am

Explorers are a dodgy shape and the headstock can cause them to be unbalanced. Gibson probably don't even put the strap buttons in the most logical of places either. You could try refitting them if you don't mind having holes in your guitar, which you probably do.

Personally, I hate playing standing up. To play lead properly you need to look like an uncharismatic tit, like Chris Broderick.

by **meluaz** on Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:22 am

hahah, i dont care how cool i look, im jus saying i have to choose between playing rhythm comfortably or lead, so this is probably the explorers fault itself, i remember seeing a video on youtube where the guitarist was complaining bout playing his guitar while standing up, my dream guitar would be a custom guitar shaped like glen tiptons phantom hamer, damn it looks sexy

by **Metal Iain** on Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:26 am

People obviously manage it. I think the worst part of playing standing up is that you have to drop your wrist more than you would playing sitting down. It can hurt like fuck if sometimes like. It must strain tendons or something.

by **James** on Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:35 am

Personally, I think I have the strap quite short - it's the way I find most comfortable - my strumming hand is probably about level with my belt, if not slightly above.

This makes it much more realistic to play lead, and I prefer playing rhythm like that as well, so it's the obvious choice. And also, I know some people have it low to look cool, but I actually think it looks a bit silly that way, you end of stomping around like Rob Trujillo!

Holy Crap! Lions! wrote:The only advice I can give you is to turn your brain on, if you have one.

Fuck off you nob.

by **Holy Crap! Lions!** on Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:43 am

James wrote:Personally, I think I have the strap quite short - it's the way I find most comfortable - my strumming hand is probably about level with my belt, if not slightly above.

This makes it much more realistic to play lead, and I prefer playing rhythm like that as well, so it's the obvious choice. And also, I know some people have it low to look cool, but I actually think it looks a bit silly that way, you end of stomping around like Rob Trujillo!

Holy Crap! Lions! wrote:The only advice I can give you is to turn your brain on, if you have one.

Fuck off you nob.

Well how hard can it be? He could ask something a little more challenging, maybe ask about strap button positions and balance?

It's pretty obvious that if you can't play well with a low guitar that you have two options - practice til you're good, or wear it higher. :doh:

by **Lev** on Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:16 pm

Your guitar should be the same when you're sitting down, to when you're standing up.

Adjust your strap 'til it's the same. If you feel geeky, start there, and lower it over time.

Obvious really.

by **meluaz** on Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:16 pm

haha i have been doing that, then i woke up one day and i couldnt play lead when it is low, i can play rhythm perfectly and even better when it is low rather than sitting down

by **origamikid** on Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:46 pm

I think (and many people will disagree with this) the Explorer is a rhythm players guitar, thats how ive always seen it. They arnt balanced that well and i think they are 22 fret as apposed to the 24 fret flying v's from gibson ( i think)

As people above have noted, what do you prefer playing? I dont really think its guitars fault, playing sitting down is radically different to standing up.

by **Metal Iain** on Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:01 am

To be fair, who actually uses the 23rd and 24th frets? I don't think it's fair to say the number of frets on a guitar can have a bearing on whether or not it's a lead-player's guitar: Joe Satriani plays 22. Personally, I'd never buy a guitar I couldn't play sitting down. I had a Jackson KVX10 and it was impossible to play sitting down given the position of the input jack on the lower horn.

Strats are the best shaped guitars so I play Superstrats.

by **meluaz** on Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:35 am

ron thai (bumblefoot) complains he dont have enough notes so he uses a knitting thingy to reach the higher notes, quite hard, im learning guitars suck by him, fucking amazing song, any guitarist should hear it

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