ISO Playing Acoustic While Standing Help

[FirstBassman]

While working on trying to get a setlist together I thought I’d attempt playing acoustic (six and twelve) while standing. Yikes did it feel weird (compared to playing while sitting down). I could not get comfortable. It felt like my right (strumming) hand had to reach a million miles away reaching over the body of the dreadnaught.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[rangercaster]

get a shorter strap play the guitar as high up as you can ... i practice 100% sitting down and it is a hard transition to standing, as the guuitar is in a different position... probably practicing while standing would help some ...

[DocG]

Adjust the strap so the guitar is positioned the way you're used to it being, or as close as possible. Practice while you're standing up. That about covers it!

[OM 21]

Ditch the dread and get a 000/OM model? That or the old practice, practice practice.

[weiner71]

I know what you mean. I had the troubles too. especially moving the hand up and down the neck. I got used to it by practicing standing up. Then it became natural and I can do it in both positions. In short practice how you will play.

[mudbean]

Not much to add ... I, too, strap 'er up pretty high - I try to approximate where on my body the guitar rests when I'm sitting. So, you can see, it's bottom edge is above my hips.



Other than that - yes, it feels weird at first. Gets better, somewhat.

mud

[FirstBassman]

Thanks guys.
Certainly practicing is the best logical answer.
But here is some irony on the “hang it high” solution.

For (thin bodies) electric guitars I, like every one else, have found a comfortable position for both hands while playing standing up. Somewhere not as low as Johnny Ramone and not as high as George Harrison sometimes played.

However, what I’ve found with acoustic guitar is the following conundrum: If I strap on the guitar high enough so that my left (fretting) hand (and my eyes) can easily find the frets, my right (strumming) hand has to reach way over the thick body, which causes my right elbow to fly way out there.
And if I hang it lower, the left hand can’t make its chords.
Now I know why people like Dylan played with their right arm coming around from the bottom:





Oh well, no one ever said playing guitar would be easy.

[Tim Bowen]

Originally Posted by FirstBassman

However, what I’ve found with acoustic guitar is the following conundrum: If I strap on the guitar high enough so that my left (fretting) hand (and my eyes) can easily find the frets, my right (strumming) hand has to reach way over the thick body, which causes my right elbow to fly way out there.
And if I hang it lower, the left hand can’t make its chords.
Now I know why people like Dylan played with their right arm coming around from the bottom:

I had the exact same issues when I started doing acoustic gigs about ten years ago. It was quite the foreign and awkward beast at first. You need to do the time; you'll adjust and get comfortable as you and the instrument get to know each other better.

I initially placed the instrument fairly high with a strap (not quite Bob Dylan high), but it kept falling lower and lower over time. For about the last 6-7 years, my picking hand has resided about two inches higher than my belt buckle - which is about 4-6 inches higher than my comfort zone with electric guitars.

What might seem negligible, but is surely a factor, is exactly how the strap is mounted to the instrument itself. Some folks forego (aftermarket) strap buttons and secure to the headstock (yuck); this is *okay* with a mandolin, but I pretty much hate it with guitars. As for a strap button, it can be installed on the back heel or treble-side or bass-side bout of the neck. Techs and luthiers have their various opinions as to the most 'stable' choice. I've played all of the above. For comfort and natural "hang", I prefer (by far) a strap button placed on the treble side of the neck bout.

[Joe-Bob]

If you don't have your strap button on the heel of the neck, then that is your problem.

[FirstBassman]

Originally Posted by Joe-Bob

If you don't have your strap button on the heel of the neck, then that is your problem.

The six-string does. The twelve does not.


Two little side points about that:

The strap button (on the six) is parallel to my body compared to electrics where the button is perpendicular. Seems like a small thing but it makes a difference to me.

Also the buttons on the acoustic-six are way too big. It's impossible to get the strap slit over them.

Why are they not the same size as on electrics?

[Tim Bowen]

Originally Posted by FirstBassman

Also the buttons on the acoustic-six are way too big. It's impossible to get the strap slit over them.

Why are they not the same size as on electrics?

Most music stores cater to electric guitarists, and this would certainly include straps. Straps at 99.9% of music stores are designed to work with electric guitars. These suck when dealing with an end pin jack on an acoustic-electric guitar, and they're usually not long enough either, for my purposes. I've dealt with these types of straps in a pinch, but I've always taken an Exacto knife to the slit in the leather to fashion it accordingly.

While they're getting more difficult to find (I NEVER see them in music stores anymore), Martin guitar straps are a really good choice for the acoustic-electric guitarist. Very comfortable, the pre-cut slits will accomodate end pin jacks and larger buttons, they're plenty long enough, and (at least the last time I saw one for sale) they're about 20 bucks.

[FirstBassman]

Originally Posted by Tim Bowen

While they're getting more difficult to find (I NEVER see them in music stores anymore), Martin guitar straps are a really good choice for the acoustic-electric guitarist. Very comfortable, the pre-cut slits will accomodate end pin jacks and larger buttons, they're plenty long enough, and (at least the last time I saw one for sale) they're about 20 bucks.

Thanks Tim.

Actually I do have a Martin strap somewhere in the house.

I just have never opened it up and used it.

Duh!

[P Thought]

Funny, I'm having the same problem in reverse! I have always played standing up. I've had problems with back spasms lately, though, so have (temporarily, I hope) stopped playing my guitars standing. Sitting down to play is weird and uncomfortable for me. I'm starting to get it, though, and I think it gives my back a break.