Doing it standing up

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Ooh err.

I meant playing guitar of course. Most of my playing time at home is spent sat down, but I played a solo gig again last week and I couldn't seem to play things very well stood up so I had to sit on a stool. I was fine then.

I've never had lessons and I presume this is something they cover in those. Are there any tips or tricks to helping with learning to play better standing up it is it just practice?

I presume it's just practice as that's why I can play OK sat down, I'm used to it and the muscle memory is relative to that playing position
Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
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  • Phil_aka_PipPhil_aka_Pip Frets: 9794
    I think it's practice.

    However if you set your strap right, you can get the guitar to sit at almost the same angle when you stand or sit.
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  • CirrusCirrus Frets: 8481
    It's practice. Playing in time involves anticipating the physical inertia/ swinging of your arms so they hit the frets and strings coordinated and at the right time. The feel of your limbs moving changes when you stand or sit, and the position of the guitar relative to your shoulders changes too.

    Practice standing up, that's all there is to it.

    I had a mate who fell over trying to play a hard riff standing at a band practice for the first time.

    Luckily, we were very poor in my family, couldn't afford chairs so I much prefer to stand and play these days.
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  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16253
    I think it's practice.

    However if you set your strap right, you can get the guitar to sit at almost the same angle when you stand or sit.
    I'd say that, although I've never got my guitar on a strap set exactly as I have it sitting down. I'm aware that if I'm learning something sat then I'm also looking along the fingerboard and for the same thing once I'm stood up the view changes and that can throw me. If I'm learning something for the band I would learn it seated and then give it a practice stood up. Quite a few famous guitarists who do certain sections of the show seated - SRV comes to mind as someone who seemed to have to sit down to play jazzier stuff. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
    I think it's practice.

    However if you set your strap right, you can get the guitar to sit at almost the same angle when you stand or sit.
    I set the strap height so things are the same for standing up or sitting down.

    I've never been able to look cool by playing a low slung guitar. In fact, I've never been able to look cool :(.

    It's not a competition.
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  • harpoharpo Frets: 177
    I remember my transition....it was bloody difficult. The string height is key and you'll find yourself looking at the fretboard ie tilting it backwards for a while. Try practising a bit standing up and concentrating on the side markers instead of the fretboard inlays
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  • I try to always play electric stood up as I also find seated practice doesn't fully translate. It is difficult when recording though as if you're stop/starting a lot you're liable to bash into the table. So I have it hung down between my legs so it is the same height - still feels a little different though.
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  • carloscarlos Frets: 3426
    Try to have the guitar at same height/angle in both positions. Use a mirror for this. Not joking. Once you've got it set well your practice from one will translate easily into the other.
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  • carlos said:
    Try to have the guitar at same height/angle in both positions. Use a mirror for this. Not joking. Once you've got it set well your practice from one will translate easily into the other.
    It doesn't though, well not unless you plan to stand 100% still when you perform.

    You still have to practice stood up, and doing whatever kind of movements you'll be doing live.  Otherwise you're practicing A then performing A + B.
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  • Phil_aka_PipPhil_aka_Pip Frets: 9794
    SRV comes to mind as someone who seemed to have to sit down to play jazzier stuff. 
    Isn't that one of the definitions of a jazz player - that he sits down?
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  • carloscarlos Frets: 3426
    carlos said:
    Try to have the guitar at same height/angle in both positions. Use a mirror for this. Not joking. Once you've got it set well your practice from one will translate easily into the other.
    It doesn't though, well not unless you plan to stand 100% still when you perform.

    You still have to practice stood up, and doing whatever kind of movements you'll be doing live.  Otherwise you're practicing A then performing A + B.
    Disagree.
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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    Thanks everyone. I will get practising then! My "practice routine" as it stands is pretty non-existent, in that I tend to just noodle or will occasionally play along to something on my stereo. I think maybe this could be a good motivator to do more structured and targetted practising as I imagine it will probably push me out of my comfort zone with some of the stock phrases we all have when noodling :)

    I guess with the practising with the moves etc, and the A or A+B idea - I think it's a mix. When I used to do my piano exams, I would always aim to be at 110% in my controlled environment (yes yes I know there's no such thing as 110%), so that when in a potentially variable environment with the added stress of the occasion, I might lose 20% or so but I'd still be at 90%, if that makes sense.

    The gig the other night was fine sat down as it was a bit jazzy/singer songwritery, and I now have a boom mic stand to practise with as the positioning of that was also an issue. But I'd like to be in a position to play the more uptempo rocker stuff standing up should the opportunity arise!
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • SambostarSambostar Frets: 8745
    edited April 2016
    Practicing electric sitting down is for girls.  I find it extremely hard actually and annoying and I can't get into it, as it's a tone feeling thing, although I do have arms like an orang-utan.  I don't tend to sit down much at all at home though apart from singing and playing acoustic, but only because it doesn't have strap buttons.  If you are of stocky build, I could imagine sitting down would be easier though or having the guitar strapped up by your neck so I can sympathise.  You would be of less stocky build if you practiced standing up though.  Just saying.
    Backdoor Children Of The Sock
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  • mike_lmike_l Frets: 5700
    I think it's practice.

    However if you set your strap right, you can get the guitar to sit at almost the same angle when you stand or sit.
    I set the strap height so things are the same for standing up or sitting down.

    I've never been able to look cool by playing a low slung guitar. In fact, I've never been able to look cool :(.

    Metoo.
    I set the strap so the guitar is supported when I'm sat. When I stand the guitar is more-or-less in the same place.

    I tried a low slung guitar, it didn't work for me.

    Ringleader of the Cambridge cartel, pedal champ and king of the dirt boxes (down to 21) 

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  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16253
    If I worked in Greggs and my target was to sell 80 sausage rolls per day and on Tuesday I sold 88 haven't I got 110% of my target? Anyway, singing and playing at the same time - practice at home and then get in front of a mic and you end up standing in a different way and realising you've been singing into your chest or whilst looking along the neck. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    edited April 2016
    Thanks chaps all good advice, I'm in the process of rearranging the room where my stuff is to enable me to practise properly in the right position etc so I shall be taking all of these things on board, seeing what works and then just practising the hell out of stuff

    Re the 110% thing, no, I'd say I'd exceeded my target by 10% - saying something is 110% might sound more dramatically impressive but strictly speaking, isn't it the case that the meaning of per cent stops it ever being above 100, 100 being the cent? I am part of the Pedants' Revolt :D
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • Phil_aka_PipPhil_aka_Pip Frets: 9794
    I think you CAN have more than 100%. In Eric's Greggs case it is entirely possible to sell 88 sausage rolls when you might normally expect to sell 80. If a valve has a quoted anode voltage of 250V, but you supply it with 275V, your supply is 110% of the valve's rating. But a motorbike cannot exceed its top speed (except perhaps downhill with the wind behind it).

    When it comes to a worker's effort, that's normally measured such that 100% is the max sustained effort averaged over a working day. In short bursts, the worker might achieve more than "100%" but then he/she needs a breather or at least some less strenuous activity, due to not being able to sustain more than "100%" all day.
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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    I still think linguistically, you can't have greater than 100% ;)
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • thomasross20thomasross20 Frets: 4423
    I play sitting down at home. 
    Things come into their own at rehearsal when you play with others in the same room standing up. It's not just the standing up - it's baptism by fire in every one of those moments.
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  • CirrusCirrus Frets: 8481
    edited April 2016
    I still think linguistically, you can't have greater than 100% ;)

    so, what if your target was 80 sausage rolls, but you sold 200? How would you express that as a percentage?

    Also, which Greggs do you work at? Is it in Brum? Any chance of mates rates on pink iced buns?
    ;)
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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    It'd be two and a half times your target - the same way you can't necessarily quantify a while kilometre distance in yards easily, you'd use the method most fitting to it :)

    I hate Greggs, dirty greasy pastry
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
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