ADVANTAGES TO THE STAND-UP BASS APPROACH
Standing provides your body with more freedom of motion and makes it easier to direct the weight of your body into your playing motions. It is much easier to apply the use of larger muscles to your playing motions when you stand-up to play the bass. You can adjust the position of your stance and the angle of the bass more easily when standing to play the bass than when sitting. Further – while standing to play it is easier to reach notes along the entire length of the strings.
The wooden body of the instrument needs to be free in order to vibrate without restriction. The more contact that your body makes with the bass, the less resonant the instrument will sound. When you sit to play, your body muffles the sound of the instrument. When you sit to play, you may get less tired, but when you stand and play, the investment of placing more energy into your playing motions results in more powerful, sound answers!
Other comments that pros have shared, relate to travel. I know several bass players who bring their instruments with them when they are shopping for a vehicle – they want to be certain that their instrument fits inside securely. The bass is considered large, fragile cargo. Bass players who chose to stand to play do not have to travel with a bass stool. There is one less thing to pack along with your suitcase, your instrument and your concert clothes. On the road, when you arrive at the concert hall, it is rare to find a chair or stool there that is the correct and comfortable height for you.
It is important to note that there are several world-class bass players who sit to play the bass. When first learning to play, most of these players learned to play standing up. Players who sit in order to play have mastered the physical concepts needed when standing to play and apply them when sitting to play. These pros insist that their decision is best.
If you ask 10 professional bass players if they prefer to sit while playing the bass, you will get 10 different opinions. Most agree that it depends on the shape and design of your instrument and its relationship to your personal body dimensions.
There are distinct advantages to standing up to play the stand-up bass. The term Stand-Up Bass is a great name for the Bass.
