what's wrong with me??

[hammettman]

Well, here's my problem - I can play pretty well when I have my guitar sitting on my knee, but when I wear it standing up like I'm on stage, I start to really suck. I can play most of the stuff that I can play sitting down, but it sounds awkward and strained. My fingers tend to curl inward too and I lose a lot of speed. What am I doing wrong? is it my hand position, or the way I'm standing or something? Maybe my hands are just horribly deformed. thanks for the help!

[Levinson Blade]

It's all to do with body posture, sitting and standing are different body postures so if you spend most of your time sitting whilst practicing when you stand and play it will feel alien to you, My advice is to spend half your practice time sat down and half stood up well it works for me now I spent the first 4 months of my playing sat down and the first time I tried to play stood up it was like I had started over again, but after a few sessions standing it all fell into place

[ZakNafien]

I have the opposite problem i practice sitting down and it's very hard and slow for me i was learning the intro to cradle of filth's version of hallowed be thy name and sitting down it was slow as hell and sounded rubbish, as soon as i stood up i could play it three times faster and it sounded alot more clear.

Am i just weird in that way or do other people experiance the same thing?

[GuitarGuillermo]

I have a couple of peices of advice for you.

First, try to adjust your guitar strap so that it holds the guitar in a more comfortrable position. a lot of people strap their guitars way too low. or you might have it to high. try to get the strap to hold the guitar at an angle and level similar to that which you hold it when you practice sitting down.

Second, of course, you can practice standing up. you should do this along with the previous suggestion.

If all else fails. put a bar-stool on the stage and play sitting down.

[Death_Hammett]

Originally posted by GuitarGuillermo
I have a couple of peices of advice for you.

First, try to adjust your guitar strap so that it holds the guitar in a more comfortrable position. a lot of people strap their guitars way too low. or you might have it to high. try to get the strap to hold the guitar at an angle and level similar to that which you hold it when you practice sitting down.

Second, of course, you can practice standing up. you should do this along with the previous suggestion.

If all else fails. put a bar-stool on the stage and play sitting down.
i have it low i like it there i can't play guitar all the way up like some of my Band members

[smfulla]

Death_Hammett =]
your little ummm signature down the bottom of your post is wrong
It's 'Take a look to the sky just before you die, it's the last time you will'
You had 'Take a look up to the sky, just before you die, it's the last time you will'
Just thought I'd let you know

[F-art]

I also have a live version where it is: Take a look at your beer just before you die, it's the last time you will.

Kinda strange for a band with a nickname like AlcoholicA ;).

Anyway, if you like your guitar to hang low because you like it there is stupid. If you would like it there you should not have started this thread. You probably like it there because it looks better, then you should probably be doing something else instead of guitar playing. Just put the strap up and you will find out that you will play alot better standing up. If you have your guitar hangin' too low, your fingers lock up because of the angle your wrist is in, and thus you loose speed.

[Death_Hammett]

Originally posted by smfulla
Death_Hammett =]
your little ummm signature down the bottom of your post is wrong
It's 'Take a look to the sky just before you die, it's the last time you will'
You had 'Take a look up to the sky, just before you die, it's the last time you will'
Just thought I'd let you know

Damn!!!!! thx Getakepa well i'll fix it right away :D

[Death_Hammett]

Originally posted by Death_Hammett


Damn!!!!! thx Getakepa well i'll fix it right away :D



Better now? :D :D :D

[smfulla]

hehe yeah bo, its all better =]
btw F-art, it is possible to play it down low
Not really lead guitar, but rhythm definately
But neway, for the dude who can't play standing, I suggest starting the strap up high, then progressivly bring it down a little bit coz you dont want you're picking hand all cramped up.

[treyphish]

i remember the first time i stood up too iwas like how the hell am i supposed to do this.....but it just takes time and where you have your strap.

the lead guitar player from widespreadpanic his name slips my mind right now......he plays the whole show sitting down so......

[fizz]

sitting down..
so much for stage presence?

[jazzman15]

To quote my jazz band director, "All good guitarists sit."

You don't lose stage presence sitting down. It's not like you're acting or anything. It's the music that gets people's attention. I've seen many shows where the guitarist sat and the people applauded much louder for him or her than for the horn players who stood.

[F-art]

It is possible to play it low at rythm sections, in fact, I can play a lot faster when it is hanging low, but I don't like it because you can't reach a lot of frets.

[treyphish]

yeah i agree who cares if they stand or sit i'm a jam band fan so i'm usually smokin the kind cigs at the show anyway getting a nice vibe off the tunes.

[mullz]

The tollz lyrics on the album are actually "Take a look to the sky, just before you die, it's the last time _he_ will"

But as you all said, James sings "...you" when played live and I think it has a much better effect (especially with the lights off1!!)

Oh, and to make this post relevant to the original subject... I sometimes change my strap depending on the songs im playing, most of the time its kinda high, but not too high, cos I play lead.

The benefit of a high strap of a high strap is you generally have more control over your hands (like for sweeping), but having it low makes fast down-picking rhythms (Creeping Death, Puppetz) just that little bit easier :)

mullz

[smfulla]

no, sorry =]
you're wrong about the lyrics
because that would make absolutely no sense ..."just before YOU die, it's the last time HE will" See, that makes no sense, it is written on the inside cover of the Ride The Lightning CD slip ..."it's the last time YOU will"

[slaughteredsoul]

dude where the hell did you get "its the last time HE will" from? its definately its the last time YOU will,and like smfulla said, it doesnt even make sense using HE.
live or not live, its YOU!

[mullz]

sheesh you are right, sorry
wonder what I was thinking about? hehg