Guitarists

[Ultima Ibanez Overlord]

Does anyone else play with their guitar hung as low as MJR?

I've never really hung my guitar too low, but as I got more and more into technical playing, my guitar seemed to rise up. For years now I've always had my guitar pretty high up.
I just couldn't entertain the thought of maintaining the level of control MJR has (not that I have it anyway) with the guitar as low as he has it!!
Add to that the fact he looks like there's no effort at all needed when playing. Jesus, enough to make you sick!!

 

[Jax]

Hey, welcome to the SymX board, Ultima Ibanez Overlord!!

Can't answer your question, as I'm not a guitar player, but I'm sure there'll be some comments soon.

Jax

 

[Pure Evil]

i keep my guitar at a medium height. i also find that the lower i go it harder it is to play.

 

[Manbient]

My guitar is pretty high up too... i can't play leads with it low.

 

[Gulder]

It all depens on how you practise. If you practise sitting down all the time you tend to hang your guitar pretty high. But, when you practise standing up you'll be able to hang your guitar pretty low.

Dimebag Darell (Pantera) for instance practises standing up. He said once 'You don't go to war sitting' Yngwie on the other hand practises while sitting (He too hangs his guitar high) but putting the guitar on one leg (the right leg only), while Romeo puts the guitar between his legs (The classical way). I think that holding the guitar between your legs has much more advantage then just on one leg. You practise your guitar the way you hold it when you stand up and you can hit high frets MUCH easier...
Ofcourse it's all a matter of preference, but I noticed I could play standing up a little better and a little lower when I hold the guitar between my legs. If you don't do this already, be carefull the first week or two you try this. You'll feel stiff the day after or you'll have some pain in your neck while playing. Pain means that something isn't right. So don't overdo it ! Don't start practising 8hours straight in this position if you aren't used to it !

If you just want to hang your guitar a little lower because you have a gig and you don't wanna go through all that 2legtrouble I suggest that you practise 3 weeks before your gig standing up. If you practise your licks and riffs standing up with a low hanging guitar you'll get them eventually. The more you do this, the better you'll get (duh)

Well, I hope it helped. If you don't understand the 2leg thingy i'll post a picture Also if you have a flying V you should hold it the classical way (I would know how else to do it, besides standing up)

 

[Yngvai X]

I have a feeling Romeo hangs it as low as he does because any higher and his guitar would start to tilt up on top of his belly .

Seriously tho, I have mine about medium (not quite as low as Romeos maybe around where Yngwie has it). I dunno, I think it feels more relaxed to not have it all up in your face the way it is when its higher. Gilbert has his pretty low too. I also practice sitting in the classical manner as well.

 

[Ultima Ibanez Overlord]

Thanks Lady of the Oracle.

@Gulder:

That's a good analysis of the situation. But I wasn't exactly looking for a way to learn to play with it lower, and if I was, I guess I'd just practice. That said, you answered my question, still!

I was just interested because it seems that a lot of technical players tend to have their guitar high up as well.
You've hit the nail on the head as to why this is the case:
Playing technically well necessitates putting in a lot of practice time. If you practice a lot, you probably adopt the same position everytime. Since a lot of people naturally practice sitting down, the ones who practice a lot get used to having their guitar so high up.

Of course, it's not a rule that is going to apply to everyone, but I suppose that's an explanation of the majority of cases.

Thanks!

 

[Thorns of Sorrow]

well not only that, its kind of hard to get ur hand under the neck when ur guitar is so low, making it diffucult to execute certain passages, licks, etc.

 

[Ultima Ibanez Overlord]

That's sort of the opposite of what Gulder was saying and what I agreed with and explained: that you probably wouldn't find that to be the case if you practised with it low.

But for those of us who have the guitar high up; yeah, it's difficult to play with it so low.

 

[†Russel Allen†®]

I actually play the guitar almost in the same hang as MJR... but, it doesn't bother me at all...

 

[TempleGod]

playing higher is just easier cause its easier to reach...romeo doesnt actually play that low, i'd say he keeps it at a medium height

vai actually plays pretty low...if you have long arms you can pull it off

 

[Freddy Krueger]

Honestly I couldn't tell you, but I agree with you about MJR.. He does play it rather low... I wonder if it's easier for him to play that way or if it's just a style he aquired...

 

[Gulder]

Lets face it. A guitar up your chin doesn't really look as flattering as at your waist I don't really understand why those punkrockpopnumetalgaragebands hang their guitar at their knees, you can't even pick a powerchord descently.

Oh, and the reason why PG (just like Vai) hangs his guitar so low is because he has LONG arms ! Ever seen him do some tricks in his instructionals with the 'no sleeve' tshirt ? Damn those arms were long and skinny !

And yes, I too play pretty high. I get a really wierd feeling when I hang my guitar low, almost a puke feeling. I guess it's all about image. Other guitarists will know you practise sitting if you hang your guitar high, but to outsiders you will just look like some kind of freak
Sorry if I didn't aswer your question correctly, hope I did now, eh eh. But maybe other people can use it. Hope so, didn't write all that stuff for nothin'