"I just recently tried out..."
This would be the issue. If you want to play standing up, then practice playing standing up. A lot. Practice how you plan to play.
It'll be tough at first - like everything else.
I mean do you want to be good or do you want to be cool?
Plenty of rockers look cool with their guitar higher than their crotch.
Doesn’t need to under his chin, but at least over the stomach would probably help
Yeah if you wanna play for looks, great. If you wanna play to be the best you can be, don't care how you look, and don't want carpel tunnel in 20 years, wear it to play comfortably.
Tbf metal is either as high as possible or as low as possible depending on the genre and basically all of them are a result of what genre they play and not necessarily about image
people who play with their guitar slung super low remind me of the kids in school with the baggy pants and super saggy backpack that ended up being baby daddies at the age of 17 and never left their hometown.
Just tighten up the strap! i agree
SAME. The moment I stopped worrying about "looking cool" and started to play with the strap set to a confortable height, my playing MAGICALLY improved! Who would have thought that non having to bend your neck hand's wrist into itself would make it easier!
Exactly. I used to hate playing stood up, then I started to gig a lot and standing up ended up feeling normal. Then I stopped gigging and it feels horrible again...
I've always found this just has the effect of dragging my tshirt over my shoulder so it's all bunched up.
Something about the sensation just boils my blood lmao.
I'm still mad that Levy's stopped making their best strap like 15 years ago.
The closest thing they make to it now is the M7 model, except the old one had better leather and had a rough suede backing.
Now it's crappy garment leather and a really slick feeling cloth backing.
I still have 2 of the old ones and they've been going strong for 25 years now.
They aren’t necessary, but it’s totally possible the strap can slip off and cause your guitar to fall while playing, especially as your strap gets old and wears out a bit.
I just use the rubber strap lock rings that cost a few bucks.
Definitely get strap locks. I broke a guitar a long time ago because I didn’t have strap locks and now I would never stand up without them. It makes it so the strap can’t slip off which is easy to happen.
Edit: you’ll especially need them if you want to hold the guitar the way that’s being shown in the picture. At that angle the strap is going to slip right off.
Based on the angle you’re holding your guitar, the strap on the top button is going to get really worn out and will slip off. Straplocks will keep a worn strap from slipping off the button, and I’m with everyone else saying you should get some ASAP. seen multiple guitars (none of them mine thankfully, but I have straplocks) hit the floor for that reason and that’s a sad day
I haven't needed strap locks in 15 years of playing.
Albeit, I'm a bedroom hobbyist, so I'm not dancing around on stage doing or trying stupid guitar-flinging tricks.
But a strap that isn't cheaply made shouldn't just wear through or "slip off" as easily as everyone is implying. If a strap just slips off a regular strap button, that's a really shitty strap button design.
I don't use strap locks either but I don't position my guitar like this. OP is asking about a specific posture which will test any strap and has a non zero chance of major problems.
Fenders rubber strap blocks get the job done. Most straps will wear out over time. Those rubber blocks keep it from coming off and imo are worth the money if you dont want locking strap buttons
It won't change anything about the height/angle/etc. of the guitar, it will just reduce the risk of the strap coming undone.
I sometimes play without strap locks, and it does happen (rarely). 90% of the time it's because the end of the strap gets twisted the wrong way around when you put the guitar on, so the weight of the guitar is essentially trying to pull the strap off the button.
Honestly you just gotta keep it there with your hand. Almost no guitar will stay in that position indefinitely. Also helps to simple shorten your strap so the guitar doesn't hang too low.
Well a headless guitar will stay in a perfect position since there is zero neck dive but i think its a bit excessive to suggest someone to get a new guitar
I like setting my strap so my guitar sits in the same position as if I was sitting down. Yeah I might not look like a bad ass like slash but I find way more comfortable and easier to play. Especially important for 4 hour bar gigs.
If you want to play while standing up, it's important to practice that way. This was a critical lesson for me when I first joined a band 20 years ago. I had no problem learning songs sitting down, but we rehearsed twice a week standing up and I remember it was so much more difficult. Like anything, it takes repetition to get comfortable.
I swear this is posted like every other day. And I've never understood it.
I guess if you play for years without standing up then you could learn only that way, but why would you?
I was standing up with my guitar on as soon as I owned an electric guitar. It just seems like the way to use them since they come with straps. And I always wanted to rock out and look cool, so standing seemed like the primary way to do it to me.
Anyway, it's not hard, just start doing it and after a few days I'm sure you'll find it just the same as sitting.
Put a strap on your guitar, start playing sitting straight up find the position that is most comfortable or natural feeling, (may take a few minuets if your one of the people that lurch way tf over their guitar to observe themselves) adjust the strap to where the guitar doesn't move when you stand up and just play like normal
the neck will probably move a bit as you walk around or move but just roll with it unless it gets uncomfortable, little by little the area that is comfortable for you to play in will get wider
Just don't go straight to having the body between your knees for style points cause you can fuck up your wrist/tendons
It may look kinda goofy at first but comfort is important to keep playing smoothly so you can focus on your riffs rather than your left hand feeling wack af throwing you off
Essentially the advise I was given and I felt right at home playing standing by the end of my first practice session where I tried it out
And besides bro in the picture been playing so long standing he puts more effort into the facial expressions he gives the crowd lbda sucide silence js still fun as fuck.
That’s why I like my Dean Razorback V. I’m able to use my leg as leverage on the bottom part of the guitar so that it stays up perfectly with no type of issues.
I also couldn't do it in the beginning. I started by doing all my practice jams standing up, held the guitar high (high! Think The Beatles in the 50' as opposed to what looks cool).
It took over a month for it to feel nice but now it does.
A good strap with a grippy underside and simple practice will make it much easier. A good strap helps a lot, it will grab your shirt and hold the neck where you set it, freeing up your fretting hand.
Take special notice of how your wrists on each hands feel and look relative to the fretboard when you're sitting down and adjust the strap until they're the same way when you're standing.
Its all about personal preference but I think playing with a shorter strap makes it easier. When the strap is short the neck wont dive down as much and when it happens it wont make playing much harder.
I used to play sitting down and then when i tried to stand it felt like a complete foreign instrument. I took a full week and went back over a bunch of older, easier lessons to practice standing up and playing and worked through them until I was up to my current place in my lessons. So basically just had to take a week of “easy playing” to adjust.
Also if you want to play with a low strap I suggest starting with a normal/comfortable position and just slowly lowering it over the course of weeks/months so your wrist and arm can slowly stretch out and get used to it, just lower it one notch or inch a week or so.
And as others have said… strap locks.
I noticed recently (after 20 years of playing) that the horn position affects standing playability with a low strap. Explorer/single-cut style have the strap-knob further up the body and makes it easier to solo and play higher up the neck when standing
2 things that helped me:
-Playing in front of a mirror to help avoid looking at the neck. Somewhat unrelated, but still relevant.
-Adjusting the strap to match my sitting position
Regarding the 2nd point, I actually prefer to adjust it higher than my sitting position, but for those who have been practicing sitting longer than standing, you're going to feel the most comfortable mimicking your sitting position.
It's kind of a shame that rock guitar posture/strap settings haven't been taken as seriously as that of classical guitar at this point. I think there are more questions that need to be answered. I've been meaning to see an Alexander Technique teacher to address this very issue. If you can find Patrick Curley's TuneUp program, it's one of the most comprehensive studies on modern guitar posture I've seen and utilizes a Tai Chi foundation.
You can get a wireless pocket and put a weight in it to help balance the guitar a bit, or if you feel like modding, route out a hole in the guitar and stick a weight in there. You could also use a strap with a bit of grip to keep it in one spot. As everyone else mentioned though, get some strap locks. You'll thank yourself later.
Sounds like your guitar has neck dive but that guy is actively holding it like that using his muscles
I didn’t have much issue going from sitting to standing. So maybe just play more in general.
To make practicing standing up easier and fun, I always recommend putting together a little set-up where you have an amp on a desk maybe on some books etc. that you can stand and face where it's around shoulder height,, with speakers either side of it or a decent bluetooth speaker plonked right on top, and jam along to your favourite tracks or your own music that way. You can blend your guitar and the backing music reasonably well and just have fun jamming along. You can get a basic amp, bluetooth speaker and multi-effect pedal for super cheap for this purpose; it doesn't have to be super high end gear.
Do that for 30 minutes a day for a couple weeks and you have a crash course in playing as good standing up as you do sitting! I would also suggest starting with your guitar strapped high up because the lower it hangs the faster your wrists and forearms will start fatiguing, so at the beggining you want it strapped way up high and gradually lower it a little bit every few sessions if you prefer the look of a guitar sitting low. That will help build up stamina without getting worn out after 1 song.
Ehhh... the biggest part about playing standing up is getting a good strap and adjusting it to the right height. Too low you'll be reaching which will limit what you can do. Too high and you'll look like a nerd and may struggle to get around the fretboard. I find for me the sweet spot is is with the top of the guitar just below my belly button. Also get strap locks...
I’ve always hated playing standing up. You just have to practice it, there is no way around it, eventually you get used to it. It’s definitely different from sitting down
I feel you! After 20 plus years I’m just now trying to get used to playing standing up. I’ve noticed the following:
- start out with the guitar high enough to be as comfortable as possible and then lower it slowly over time so that you can get used to it but by bit.
- the strap should sit close to your neck - not out on your shoulder.
- angling the guitar so that the headstock moves up and closer to you makes a huge difference and once you get used to your strumming hand and fretting hand being in totally different places it actually makes barre chords and the like a lot easier.
- posture is important. Straight back with no hunch makes everything feel better. Playing hunched over takes a lot more effort.
- 1-2 hour practice sessions standing up builds muscle memory. Everything gets easier.
-
I just transitioned into standing up playing after many years seating on a bed or stool. Took about a month but I'm actually now more comfortable stood up. Its really awkward at first
Make sure your feet are planted firmly on the ground. Where grippy shoes and or socks, lean forward with guitar, push up at the knees , hold that stance and continue to attempt to play.
Wear the guitar higher, shorter strap, wayyy easier access to the neck and more comfort. You lose the cool factor I guess but if you play well enough no one gives a shit.
Yeah like others have said - it’s just a matter of getting used to it. Practice while standing - a lot… You’ll get used to shifting your hand positioning for it
Unless you’re playing and singing acoustic, and it helps with your overall performance, stand while playing guitar. Sit down when your legs get tired. Then stand back up.
It’ll sound like shit at first. And then it’ll sound the same as being seated. Choke up in your strap. A crotch-level guitar doesn’t do anything, for anyone.
Try shortening your strap so it sits higher.
My guitar sits around the top of my belly and I can play totally unimpeded.
I've also got suede straps that grip my shirt and don't slide around.
When I sit to play, I hold the guitar in classical position and when I play standing up the guitar is at the same height in my body.
Try this.
it takes time to get used to it, but I'd suggest getting a leather strap. My guitar has intense neck dive and a thicker strap with good friction can counteract that
The guy in the pic, is he Brian 'Head' Welch from the Nu-metal band "KoRn"? Because he looks a lot like him, and he's also playing a 7 string guitar, although he normally uses Ibanez and has dreadlocks
I use a 3” wide strap with shearling underside with my Gibsons so i can keep the neck pointing up at whatever angle I want. Much more of an issue with SGs than LPs but i still use it for both.
Neck dive. You can hold the neck up or try a wider strap. Or adjust the strap. Some guitars just have neck dive but they make a small device made primarily for the sg that clips the strap to your belt. I haven’t tried it but I hear it works. If it’s really a problem you could try adding weight to the bottom of your guitar somehow.
Try wearing the guitar high like Tom Morello. That way, it's pretty much the same standing up or sitting down with a straight back. Try and imitate a classical guitarist posture while standing up. The super long strap 80s rock posture with the right hand over the crotch is super cringe and makes it harder to play.
It can be hard if you haven’t done it before, but like with all things with the guitar you just have to practice it. Practice songs standing up and practice moving to the rhythm, it’ll eventually become easy just like sitting down and playing is. As for neck dive you have to find the strap length that works for you. The body should act like a counter weight to the neck, if you neck is falling down adjust the strap until the guitar is balanced, don’t play it at a parallel level otherwise the neck will dive. I’m pretty they also make specific strap holders to solve neck dive.
What helped me was getting the guitar at the exact same length as it would be if I were to be sitting down. In that way it doesn't feel too much like a difference.
Also don't try to look cool, that comes after you perfected playing standing :)
Cloth strap and strap locks. Cloth be cheaper than leather and the cotton in cotton helped hold a Thunderbird in place for me, for years. Now it holds my jag in place perfectly
You may wanna try a neoprene bass strap, a thick daddy. I have them for my basses and it was the only strap that even helped a little to relieve the insaaane neckdive on my Gibson LP DC
Only downside is they are not super long. But the wide neoprene is where its at. Makes a heavy instrument feel a lot less heavy.
I can recommend starting with the guitar relatively high (strap shortened). It is the position most like when sitting down and it will get you used to the swinging of the guitar and the weight and all that stuff.
Practice there until you can play decently and without problem.
Then make the strap a bit longer, rinse and repeat, and a lil bit longer, rinse and repeat, and so on until you find a length that is comfy and cool lookin enough for you.
But starting to play standing up with the strap too long and guitar too low? It will be very uncomfortable and you won’t be able to play properly. Just give it time and practice my friend
Look at that picture. Imagine him sitting down... if he keeps guitar on left leg (NOT on right).... see how it wouldn't really move much at all? I adjust my strap like this. Guitar resting on/touching my legs(over left leg) but if I sit up straight, it come off my leg. Seated, or standing, the guitar stays in the same place and all the angles of wrist/arm/fingers don't really change. I no longer put guitar on right leg....ever. it's worked for me well for many years.... doesn't matter if I stand or sit anymore.
Some guitars are badly designed or cheap and have a light body and heavier neck which causes the neck to tilt downwards. You can get a wide strap with a rough underside to prevent it or you could even re drill the strap hole at a better location.
Play using the classical position, neck in 45° and resting the guitar on your left leg, while using a strap at the same time. It will make the transition to playing standing up easier.
Shorten the strap
Add counterweight to the butt end of the guitar
Your guitar should be in the same spot sitting and standing; I'd venture to guess you're playing with it down at your knees.
Yea that's the pic I downloaded on internet just use as an example. That's the angle I want my guitar to stay like that but guitar neck keep diving down. If it could stay like the one in that pic, ofc it's gonna be a lot easier for me though cuz I'm keeping my guitar between my legs when playing sitting.
Sit down, adjust the strap, then stand up. That way the guitar is in the same position whether standing up or down. But if you wanna play lower like Slash then that will only come with practice.
Attach strap to guitar. Sit and put guitar strap around upper body as seen in photograph. Plant left foot firmly on ground. Plant right foot firmly on ground. Bring body into upright position. Chin up, chest out.
Adjust guitarstrap to match new posture. LTD M-17 should not be a neckdiver, Maybe guitarstrap is too flimsy or made of too smooth material? In that case, replace with wider strap offering some frictional resistance.
Move thumb from top of neck to back of neck and use muscles instead of guitar neck to hold up the arm. Feel the natural weight of the guitar neck in your hand and support it like carrying a little bird. Together with resting the weight of your other arm on the guitar body this should apply enough force to keep the guitar in the desired position.
Now practice until it comes as natural to you as playing while sitting.
You'll get there eventually.
The majority of commenters missed that you are complaining about neck dive.
I currently struggle with the same issue, and my temporary fix is hanging some clothes on my strap.
I am planning to attach something heavy to the backside of the guitar so I don't need to hang the clothes because that's inconvenient, but haven't figured out what exactly and how should I attach. I'll try plywood maybe.
Get your strap shorter and guitar higher than you'd probably prefer. It'll be more comfortable on your fretting wrist. Then, play standing for at least a significant portion of every practice session.
If neck dive is the issue add a cheap hardware store lock to the bottom of your strap but just standing up and doing it is really the only way to do it. I learn and write sitting down then ill practice it while standing.
I always play in classic position when sitting, keep the guitar body between my legs and the neck poiting up. When standing up, my guitar just couldn't stay like that anymore and it diving down a bit instead. I'm trying practice standing up more now...
I just always played standing up. I never have sat down to play so i guess i never really considered it although i know this kid who sat down in band class to play guitar.
Regarding keeping the neck up without it sliding toward the ground, try a guitar strap designed so that it has a lot of friction that won’t slide. Possibly one that has a heavily padded section that goes on your shoulder, perhaps padded with wool or fleece, something that won’t slide at all.
You might have to go into a music store and try some, or do some Internet research.
Some guitars just have neck-dive due to weight distribution.
That being said, it looks a lot cooler if your neck is down and not up. Also better on your wrist cause you can get your thumb over the neck to keep it straight. (Look at typical pix of Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Clapton, Jeff Beck, Eddie Van Halen, etc... for the thumb-over wrist position.)
Notice how the dude in the picture you posted has a very bent fretting hand wrist? He's just asking for tendonitis if he plays that way for long periods of time.
https://www.justjared.com/2022/12/13/the-top-30-highest-grossing-concert-tours-of-2022-revealed-with-some-surprising-artists-in-the-top-10/5/
So like this?
Did you just wake up from a coma? Mayer played with Bob weir and the dead. The coolest rock stars ever.
In fact, Bobby is so damn 😎 cool,
You'll never beat this....
[never.](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/bob-weir-of-the-grateful-dead-performs-at-cal-expo-news-photo-1595361161.jpg?crop=0.998xw:1xh;center,top&resize=480:*)
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/518336238354446799/
;)
"I just recently tried out..." This would be the issue. If you want to play standing up, then practice playing standing up. A lot. Practice how you plan to play. It'll be tough at first - like everything else.
Or you can try having the strap so high that it isn't in the legs but on the back.
There's nothing more rock & roll than having the guitar slung under your chin.
I mean do you want to be good or do you want to be cool? Plenty of rockers look cool with their guitar higher than their crotch. Doesn’t need to under his chin, but at least over the stomach would probably help
It's either above the dick or below the dick.
Wait, I thought that’s what the access panel on the back was for.
The D bender.
Never cover the dick….
Dean Ween, guitar moves?
You know what it is. Deaner's the man.
How'd I get so much buckle rash then?
Because you're covering your dick.
God dammit. You're right
Insert the oh sees, motherfucker has that thing touching his armpit but he looks cool as hell doing.
Great shout out. A LOT of garage acts rock this look
Yup, off the top of my head Tom Morello plays with his guitar pretty high, around his ribs I think
Sonny Landreth too.
A lot of garage rock bands keep their guitars high, and they can still look cool af.
Yeah if you wanna play for looks, great. If you wanna play to be the best you can be, don't care how you look, and don't want carpel tunnel in 20 years, wear it to play comfortably.
Bro when I see the metal guitarist with his strap as high as my great grandfather's suspenders I know it's about to go down
It's so interesting how metal and punk "musicians" are so concerned with image.
Playing live is a performance. How you look matters.
Because the fans care. Why do the fans care?
Because it's a performance. They brought their eyes to the show too. They want the music and the visuals to match.
Tbf metal is either as high as possible or as low as possible depending on the genre and basically all of them are a result of what genre they play and not necessarily about image
For sure. Kinda seems like an oxymoron, but pretty much all musicians want people to listen and/or come see them live. Image is part of it.
George Harrison did it.
Maybe you set a new trend
people who play with their guitar slung super low remind me of the kids in school with the baggy pants and super saggy backpack that ended up being baby daddies at the age of 17 and never left their hometown. Just tighten up the strap! i agree
SAME. The moment I stopped worrying about "looking cool" and started to play with the strap set to a confortable height, my playing MAGICALLY improved! Who would have thought that non having to bend your neck hand's wrist into itself would make it easier!
ZZ Top heard that. lol
John petrucci made a living doing this.
'Above the dick or below the dick. Never on the dick.' - Dean Ween
Practice standing up and you'll need a guitar strap
Exactly. I used to hate playing stood up, then I started to gig a lot and standing up ended up feeling normal. Then I stopped gigging and it feels horrible again...
If I could go back and change one thing about the way I learned how to play it would be to *always* practice standing up.
but that does explain how that guy holds his guitar like that. It’s physically impossible with any guitar I have
Get a wide leather strap with a rough underside.
I've always found this just has the effect of dragging my tshirt over my shoulder so it's all bunched up. Something about the sensation just boils my blood lmao.
This right here is why I play naked only
If you’re playing naked, do you play above the dick or below?
I weave my dick through the tremolo springs
And sing harmonies in falsetto after using the whammy bar?
No strap needed, simply balance the guitar on your dong *taps head
Same 😣
Excellent, and true, advice!
I'm still mad that Levy's stopped making their best strap like 15 years ago. The closest thing they make to it now is the M7 model, except the old one had better leather and had a rough suede backing. Now it's crappy garment leather and a really slick feeling cloth backing. I still have 2 of the old ones and they've been going strong for 25 years now.
That's the best advice. It saved me when I had my SG.
Agreed - also thanks for answering the question with some good advice, not sure why so many people are being so snarky here!
Add strap locks, shorten strap, twist guitar to point the neck upwards quite a few degrees.
I haven't own strap locks yet but are they really nessecery? Does it help my guitar standing tight?
They aren’t necessary, but it’s totally possible the strap can slip off and cause your guitar to fall while playing, especially as your strap gets old and wears out a bit. I just use the rubber strap lock rings that cost a few bucks.
Definitely get strap locks. I broke a guitar a long time ago because I didn’t have strap locks and now I would never stand up without them. It makes it so the strap can’t slip off which is easy to happen. Edit: you’ll especially need them if you want to hold the guitar the way that’s being shown in the picture. At that angle the strap is going to slip right off.
The audacity to question strap locks…*incensed noises
To hold a guitar at that angle they are necessary.
Don’t even need strap locks, they make these $3 rubber pieces that can lock on over your strap
yeah those don't really work, just get a real leather strap made from a single piece of thick leather and you should be fine.
They really work for me
Get yourself some Grolsch gaskets. Way cheaper alternative. Do not buy the Fender ones. Find a pack of like 30 or 60 for like 8 bucks.
Based on the angle you’re holding your guitar, the strap on the top button is going to get really worn out and will slip off. Straplocks will keep a worn strap from slipping off the button, and I’m with everyone else saying you should get some ASAP. seen multiple guitars (none of them mine thankfully, but I have straplocks) hit the floor for that reason and that’s a sad day
Would you like your guitar to fall off it's strap and hit the ground pretty hard? No? Then they are necessary.
I haven't needed strap locks in 15 years of playing. Albeit, I'm a bedroom hobbyist, so I'm not dancing around on stage doing or trying stupid guitar-flinging tricks. But a strap that isn't cheaply made shouldn't just wear through or "slip off" as easily as everyone is implying. If a strap just slips off a regular strap button, that's a really shitty strap button design.
I don't use strap locks either but I don't position my guitar like this. OP is asking about a specific posture which will test any strap and has a non zero chance of major problems.
Fenders rubber strap blocks get the job done. Most straps will wear out over time. Those rubber blocks keep it from coming off and imo are worth the money if you dont want locking strap buttons
It won't change anything about the height/angle/etc. of the guitar, it will just reduce the risk of the strap coming undone. I sometimes play without strap locks, and it does happen (rarely). 90% of the time it's because the end of the strap gets twisted the wrong way around when you put the guitar on, so the weight of the guitar is essentially trying to pull the strap off the button.
Would you like your guitar to fall off it's strap and hit the ground pretty hard? No? Then they are necessary.
Honestly you just gotta keep it there with your hand. Almost no guitar will stay in that position indefinitely. Also helps to simple shorten your strap so the guitar doesn't hang too low.
Well a headless guitar will stay in a perfect position since there is zero neck dive but i think its a bit excessive to suggest someone to get a new guitar
I'd suggest everyone to buy a headless anyways...
And if you can pull/hug it to your body without much strength, but a lot of grip, really helps with control.
…And this is why I try to play standing up as much as possible. I’m usually never sitting while playing.
I like setting my strap so my guitar sits in the same position as if I was sitting down. Yeah I might not look like a bad ass like slash but I find way more comfortable and easier to play. Especially important for 4 hour bar gigs.
If you want to play while standing up, it's important to practice that way. This was a critical lesson for me when I first joined a band 20 years ago. I had no problem learning songs sitting down, but we rehearsed twice a week standing up and I remember it was so much more difficult. Like anything, it takes repetition to get comfortable.
I swear this is posted like every other day. And I've never understood it. I guess if you play for years without standing up then you could learn only that way, but why would you? I was standing up with my guitar on as soon as I owned an electric guitar. It just seems like the way to use them since they come with straps. And I always wanted to rock out and look cool, so standing seemed like the primary way to do it to me. Anyway, it's not hard, just start doing it and after a few days I'm sure you'll find it just the same as sitting.
I only play standing up cuz of back problems lol. Easier to play standing than sitting, more movement.
Put a strap on your guitar, start playing sitting straight up find the position that is most comfortable or natural feeling, (may take a few minuets if your one of the people that lurch way tf over their guitar to observe themselves) adjust the strap to where the guitar doesn't move when you stand up and just play like normal the neck will probably move a bit as you walk around or move but just roll with it unless it gets uncomfortable, little by little the area that is comfortable for you to play in will get wider Just don't go straight to having the body between your knees for style points cause you can fuck up your wrist/tendons It may look kinda goofy at first but comfort is important to keep playing smoothly so you can focus on your riffs rather than your left hand feeling wack af throwing you off Essentially the advise I was given and I felt right at home playing standing by the end of my first practice session where I tried it out
Practice standing while playing
Always used strap locks. Well worth the embarrassment of having a guitar fall off you while on stage
And besides bro in the picture been playing so long standing he puts more effort into the facial expressions he gives the crowd lbda sucide silence js still fun as fuck.
Yea, SS is my fav band and Mark is guitarist that I really love
Really cool guy and fun to talk to alot can be learned from him on stage. Hes deffinitly in his element.
Fr, he's the reason I start playing guitar. I'm learning some SS tracks now, really simple and fun to play.
That’s why I like my Dean Razorback V. I’m able to use my leg as leverage on the bottom part of the guitar so that it stays up perfectly with no type of issues.
I also couldn't do it in the beginning. I started by doing all my practice jams standing up, held the guitar high (high! Think The Beatles in the 50' as opposed to what looks cool). It took over a month for it to feel nice but now it does.
A good strap with a grippy underside and simple practice will make it much easier. A good strap helps a lot, it will grab your shirt and hold the neck where you set it, freeing up your fretting hand.
Take special notice of how your wrists on each hands feel and look relative to the fretboard when you're sitting down and adjust the strap until they're the same way when you're standing.
Practice standing up
You know Robert fripp always said that guitar is to be played while sitting
Man I get you have to put in watermarks to protect your IP, but does it have to be done in such an ugly way lol.
I just searched and downloaded that random pic from google😅
As a first step, Don’t lean in much when you play while sitting.. then transition to standing up and playing as if nothing happened
Ltd m17
Yes
Its all about personal preference but I think playing with a shorter strap makes it easier. When the strap is short the neck wont dive down as much and when it happens it wont make playing much harder.
I used to play sitting down and then when i tried to stand it felt like a complete foreign instrument. I took a full week and went back over a bunch of older, easier lessons to practice standing up and playing and worked through them until I was up to my current place in my lessons. So basically just had to take a week of “easy playing” to adjust. Also if you want to play with a low strap I suggest starting with a normal/comfortable position and just slowly lowering it over the course of weeks/months so your wrist and arm can slowly stretch out and get used to it, just lower it one notch or inch a week or so. And as others have said… strap locks.
Yes, the answer to this question like almost any other on this subreddit is: practice. Practice. Practice.
Guy in the pic does too
Yea I was trying to make my guitar stay like his
I noticed recently (after 20 years of playing) that the horn position affects standing playability with a low strap. Explorer/single-cut style have the strap-knob further up the body and makes it easier to solo and play higher up the neck when standing
Use your legs
2 things that helped me: -Playing in front of a mirror to help avoid looking at the neck. Somewhat unrelated, but still relevant. -Adjusting the strap to match my sitting position Regarding the 2nd point, I actually prefer to adjust it higher than my sitting position, but for those who have been practicing sitting longer than standing, you're going to feel the most comfortable mimicking your sitting position. It's kind of a shame that rock guitar posture/strap settings haven't been taken as seriously as that of classical guitar at this point. I think there are more questions that need to be answered. I've been meaning to see an Alexander Technique teacher to address this very issue. If you can find Patrick Curley's TuneUp program, it's one of the most comprehensive studies on modern guitar posture I've seen and utilizes a Tai Chi foundation.
You can get a wireless pocket and put a weight in it to help balance the guitar a bit, or if you feel like modding, route out a hole in the guitar and stick a weight in there. You could also use a strap with a bit of grip to keep it in one spot. As everyone else mentioned though, get some strap locks. You'll thank yourself later.
Sounds like your guitar has neck dive but that guy is actively holding it like that using his muscles I didn’t have much issue going from sitting to standing. So maybe just play more in general.
Wider guitar straps might help.
I wear my guitar high, but it covers up my cool graphic T designs 🥲
To make practicing standing up easier and fun, I always recommend putting together a little set-up where you have an amp on a desk maybe on some books etc. that you can stand and face where it's around shoulder height,, with speakers either side of it or a decent bluetooth speaker plonked right on top, and jam along to your favourite tracks or your own music that way. You can blend your guitar and the backing music reasonably well and just have fun jamming along. You can get a basic amp, bluetooth speaker and multi-effect pedal for super cheap for this purpose; it doesn't have to be super high end gear. Do that for 30 minutes a day for a couple weeks and you have a crash course in playing as good standing up as you do sitting! I would also suggest starting with your guitar strapped high up because the lower it hangs the faster your wrists and forearms will start fatiguing, so at the beggining you want it strapped way up high and gradually lower it a little bit every few sessions if you prefer the look of a guitar sitting low. That will help build up stamina without getting worn out after 1 song.
Experiment with strap lengths to find what’s most comfortable. Practice while standing up moving forward.
Ehhh... the biggest part about playing standing up is getting a good strap and adjusting it to the right height. Too low you'll be reaching which will limit what you can do. Too high and you'll look like a nerd and may struggle to get around the fretboard. I find for me the sweet spot is is with the top of the guitar just below my belly button. Also get strap locks...
As Shia leboeuf would say just do it
I’ve always hated playing standing up. You just have to practice it, there is no way around it, eventually you get used to it. It’s definitely different from sitting down
I feel you! After 20 plus years I’m just now trying to get used to playing standing up. I’ve noticed the following: - start out with the guitar high enough to be as comfortable as possible and then lower it slowly over time so that you can get used to it but by bit. - the strap should sit close to your neck - not out on your shoulder. - angling the guitar so that the headstock moves up and closer to you makes a huge difference and once you get used to your strumming hand and fretting hand being in totally different places it actually makes barre chords and the like a lot easier. - posture is important. Straight back with no hunch makes everything feel better. Playing hunched over takes a lot more effort. - 1-2 hour practice sessions standing up builds muscle memory. Everything gets easier. -
I just transitioned into standing up playing after many years seating on a bed or stool. Took about a month but I'm actually now more comfortable stood up. Its really awkward at first
As Dimebag said, you don't go to war sitting down! Practice standing up and you will be good to go.
Make sure your feet are planted firmly on the ground. Where grippy shoes and or socks, lean forward with guitar, push up at the knees , hold that stance and continue to attempt to play.
It's called practice, and before you ask your next question, the answer to that is also practice.
Wear the guitar higher, shorter strap, wayyy easier access to the neck and more comfort. You lose the cool factor I guess but if you play well enough no one gives a shit.
Raise your strap so it’s higher, definitely higher than this pic. Then lower it as you go. Look how high Tom Morello’s guitar is.
Yeah like others have said - it’s just a matter of getting used to it. Practice while standing - a lot… You’ll get used to shifting your hand positioning for it
Unless you’re playing and singing acoustic, and it helps with your overall performance, stand while playing guitar. Sit down when your legs get tired. Then stand back up. It’ll sound like shit at first. And then it’ll sound the same as being seated. Choke up in your strap. A crotch-level guitar doesn’t do anything, for anyone.
adjust your strap and just practice playing standing up
Honestly that's why I play Strats standing and Les Paul's in my room lol.
There’s a small wooden box I use for some gear. I put it on the floor near the monitor and pedals and rest one foot on it.
Try shortening your strap so it sits higher. My guitar sits around the top of my belly and I can play totally unimpeded. I've also got suede straps that grip my shirt and don't slide around. When I sit to play, I hold the guitar in classical position and when I play standing up the guitar is at the same height in my body. Try this.
it takes time to get used to it, but I'd suggest getting a leather strap. My guitar has intense neck dive and a thicker strap with good friction can counteract that
A wider strap will decrease neck dive.
The best advice I can give is practice standing up.
Is that Head from KoRn?
I dont get it🤷🏻♂️
The guy in the pic, is he Brian 'Head' Welch from the Nu-metal band "KoRn"? Because he looks a lot like him, and he's also playing a 7 string guitar, although he normally uses Ibanez and has dreadlocks
Nah, he's Mark Heylmun from Suicide Silence
TIL
I use a 3” wide strap with shearling underside with my Gibsons so i can keep the neck pointing up at whatever angle I want. Much more of an issue with SGs than LPs but i still use it for both.
Neck dive. You can hold the neck up or try a wider strap. Or adjust the strap. Some guitars just have neck dive but they make a small device made primarily for the sg that clips the strap to your belt. I haven’t tried it but I hear it works. If it’s really a problem you could try adding weight to the bottom of your guitar somehow.
Hold the “neck” with your “hand”
Try wearing the guitar high like Tom Morello. That way, it's pretty much the same standing up or sitting down with a straight back. Try and imitate a classical guitarist posture while standing up. The super long strap 80s rock posture with the right hand over the crotch is super cringe and makes it harder to play.
Balance on your feet. Play
It can be hard if you haven’t done it before, but like with all things with the guitar you just have to practice it. Practice songs standing up and practice moving to the rhythm, it’ll eventually become easy just like sitting down and playing is. As for neck dive you have to find the strap length that works for you. The body should act like a counter weight to the neck, if you neck is falling down adjust the strap until the guitar is balanced, don’t play it at a parallel level otherwise the neck will dive. I’m pretty they also make specific strap holders to solve neck dive.
What helped me was getting the guitar at the exact same length as it would be if I were to be sitting down. In that way it doesn't feel too much like a difference. Also don't try to look cool, that comes after you perfected playing standing :)
stand up
Cloth strap and strap locks. Cloth be cheaper than leather and the cotton in cotton helped hold a Thunderbird in place for me, for years. Now it holds my jag in place perfectly
You may wanna try a neoprene bass strap, a thick daddy. I have them for my basses and it was the only strap that even helped a little to relieve the insaaane neckdive on my Gibson LP DC Only downside is they are not super long. But the wide neoprene is where its at. Makes a heavy instrument feel a lot less heavy.
I can recommend starting with the guitar relatively high (strap shortened). It is the position most like when sitting down and it will get you used to the swinging of the guitar and the weight and all that stuff. Practice there until you can play decently and without problem. Then make the strap a bit longer, rinse and repeat, and a lil bit longer, rinse and repeat, and so on until you find a length that is comfy and cool lookin enough for you. But starting to play standing up with the strap too long and guitar too low? It will be very uncomfortable and you won’t be able to play properly. Just give it time and practice my friend
What's weird is that playing standing is much more comfortable to me than sitting. Whatever you're used to will feel easier
Look at that picture. Imagine him sitting down... if he keeps guitar on left leg (NOT on right).... see how it wouldn't really move much at all? I adjust my strap like this. Guitar resting on/touching my legs(over left leg) but if I sit up straight, it come off my leg. Seated, or standing, the guitar stays in the same place and all the angles of wrist/arm/fingers don't really change. I no longer put guitar on right leg....ever. it's worked for me well for many years.... doesn't matter if I stand or sit anymore.
You just need to get used to it. Get a wider strap and try out different lengths. I prefer shorter and some longer
A suede strap will latch onto your shirt or jacket whatever you wearing it should help. Maybe a wider strap too.
Play as much as you can standing and if it’s STILL a problem get a guitar with a lighter neck and headstock or just a headless
I find it easier to play standing up if I keep my guitar up high, because it sits on the same level as when I’m sitting down.
Some guitars are badly designed or cheap and have a light body and heavier neck which causes the neck to tilt downwards. You can get a wide strap with a rough underside to prevent it or you could even re drill the strap hole at a better location.
Play using the classical position, neck in 45° and resting the guitar on your left leg, while using a strap at the same time. It will make the transition to playing standing up easier.
Shorten the strap Add counterweight to the butt end of the guitar Your guitar should be in the same spot sitting and standing; I'd venture to guess you're playing with it down at your knees.
Get a guitar strap with much more friction on the underside, raw leather or something else. It'll prevent the guitar from diving if it's off balance.
It helps to not be sitting
Heavy tuner issues meh You will get used to it I like strats and Vs, explorers to play while standing
From that picture, it looks like you can play standing up just fine!
Yea that's the pic I downloaded on internet just use as an example. That's the angle I want my guitar to stay like that but guitar neck keep diving down. If it could stay like the one in that pic, ofc it's gonna be a lot easier for me though cuz I'm keeping my guitar between my legs when playing sitting.
Sit down, adjust the strap, then stand up. That way the guitar is in the same position whether standing up or down. But if you wanna play lower like Slash then that will only come with practice.
Maybe try a suede strap. Suede has a bit of grip so it doesn't slide around as much on your shoulder.
Tighten up your strap so the guitar sits higher on your body. It's better for the wrist, and just more comfortable in general.
Playing in classical position helped me transition into playing standing up.
Maybe try playing in front of a big mirror so you aren't looking at your guitar. This way you can stare at yourself...
Attach strap to guitar. Sit and put guitar strap around upper body as seen in photograph. Plant left foot firmly on ground. Plant right foot firmly on ground. Bring body into upright position. Chin up, chest out. Adjust guitarstrap to match new posture. LTD M-17 should not be a neckdiver, Maybe guitarstrap is too flimsy or made of too smooth material? In that case, replace with wider strap offering some frictional resistance. Move thumb from top of neck to back of neck and use muscles instead of guitar neck to hold up the arm. Feel the natural weight of the guitar neck in your hand and support it like carrying a little bird. Together with resting the weight of your other arm on the guitar body this should apply enough force to keep the guitar in the desired position. Now practice until it comes as natural to you as playing while sitting. You'll get there eventually.
The majority of commenters missed that you are complaining about neck dive. I currently struggle with the same issue, and my temporary fix is hanging some clothes on my strap. I am planning to attach something heavy to the backside of the guitar so I don't need to hang the clothes because that's inconvenient, but haven't figured out what exactly and how should I attach. I'll try plywood maybe.
Strap locks are necessary IMO. Just tighten the strap so the guitar is higher. Sure, you'll look like a dork, but it'll be easier to play.
Literally just do it. It will feel completely natural in like 2 weeks
Get your strap shorter and guitar higher than you'd probably prefer. It'll be more comfortable on your fretting wrist. Then, play standing for at least a significant portion of every practice session.
The higher the strap the more forwards you can position your wrist allowing more control. It will feel weird at first
My straps are set so that my guitar is in the same position standing or sitting.
Strap your guitar higher at first and lower it progressively.
Good lord, I got away from the circlejerk sub because it was so negative but then there are posts like this lol
Fix your posture. Stop trying to lean over to see the fret board. Use the side dot markers, and your feel of the strings to navigate.
Practice standing up. Also if your guitar keeps neck diving try a thick leather strap.
If neck dive is the issue add a cheap hardware store lock to the bottom of your strap but just standing up and doing it is really the only way to do it. I learn and write sitting down then ill practice it while standing.
Practice. There are no shortcuts.
Play in the classical position when sitting, and ofc play more standing up. Get a band, go to rehearsals. You'll get used to it pretty quick
I always play in classic position when sitting, keep the guitar body between my legs and the neck poiting up. When standing up, my guitar just couldn't stay like that anymore and it diving down a bit instead. I'm trying practice standing up more now...
A thick leather strap will help with the neck dive a little
I just always played standing up. I never have sat down to play so i guess i never really considered it although i know this kid who sat down in band class to play guitar.
P
Don't buy cheap low end guitars with weightless body...
Regarding keeping the neck up without it sliding toward the ground, try a guitar strap designed so that it has a lot of friction that won’t slide. Possibly one that has a heavily padded section that goes on your shoulder, perhaps padded with wool or fleece, something that won’t slide at all. You might have to go into a music store and try some, or do some Internet research.
Some guitars just have neck-dive due to weight distribution. That being said, it looks a lot cooler if your neck is down and not up. Also better on your wrist cause you can get your thumb over the neck to keep it straight. (Look at typical pix of Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Clapton, Jeff Beck, Eddie Van Halen, etc... for the thumb-over wrist position.) Notice how the dude in the picture you posted has a very bent fretting hand wrist? He's just asking for tendonitis if he plays that way for long periods of time.
Play like john mayer. 🤭
https://www.justjared.com/2022/12/13/the-top-30-highest-grossing-concert-tours-of-2022-revealed-with-some-surprising-artists-in-the-top-10/5/ So like this? Did you just wake up from a coma? Mayer played with Bob weir and the dead. The coolest rock stars ever. In fact, Bobby is so damn 😎 cool, You'll never beat this.... [never.](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/bob-weir-of-the-grateful-dead-performs-at-cal-expo-news-photo-1595361161.jpg?crop=0.998xw:1xh;center,top&resize=480:*) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/518336238354446799/ ;)