BASS POSITION 5

Hello, V!  Scroll and I came across the name Stand-Up Bass while studying the Bass’s sloped-shoulders and discussing all of the different names for the bass.

V, from your point-of view as position-training expert, the inventor of the Leverage Step – and let us not forget the infamous Friction Frolic – what is your opinion on whether to sit or stand while playing the bass?

Greetings again, Quest Maestro! My personal quest is always to improve my knowledge. After that introduction, my present quest is to try to live up to my own reputation. And, as always, it is an honor to see you again, Scroll. I’m pretty sure that Q has asked you to partake in the debate in order to keep me on my bow-tie toes!

Hey V– good to see you again. You were correct in placing the bass in the Violin Family! However, Gambas did influence them greatly!

V, why do you think the term Stand-Up Bass has been used by bass players over the years? I have my own theories as to why, but you have applied your knowledge to the issue. I wish to add more knowledge to the mental-file folder called Stand-Up Bass. So – V, What have you learned?

I can save us a lot of time and say only one word: leverage – it will serve to trigger everything that you already know. I also could encourage you to remember to use your brain when preparing to assume the bass playing-position, whether you are standing or sitting. But if we leave the matter there, we wouldn’t get the full benefit of what can be gained from learning the reasons why professional bass players choose to sit or stand while performing successfully. So – let’s debate.

Well, Scroll, I learned that each professional bass player has his or her own unique approach to playing the bass. In my opinion, learning to stand-up and play the bass makes the most sense. If you learn how to play properly while standing, then you can apply the same ability to the process of sitting and playing comfortably, depending on the performance context.

When first learning to play the bass, it is easier to get the feel of it while standing. The bass, as do all of the other string instruments in the violin family, come in student sizes. Most professional players use fractionally smaller sized basses, due to the physical demands of playing the bass. The playing comfort gained from a 7/8 or 3/4 sized, proportionally constructed bass is astronomical! If the bass is too big for the student, this already cumbersome instrument becomes more challenging to master.

Thank you, V.  So, the term Stand-Up Bass is what you suggest. I want to add a little more about the design evolution of the bass’s back. The back of the bass sometimes has a flattened section in order to lessen the width of the body of the bass. This was a product of trial and error on the part of bass players/luthiers. Knowing why this model came into existence will assist you in your bass playing-position set-up, whether or not your own bass has this feature.

The area from your body to the playing area of the strings is not a small reach. The idea is to minimize this distance by positioning the bass at the appropriate locations and then, to turn the instrument towards you, while keeping the majority of the weight of the instrument grounded by gravity to the floor, almost all of the time. Oh No! I said it – Gravity!