Is it wrong to have your guitar way up?

[malin]

Hi folks,

I studied classical for about 5-6 years and the we all know that the guitar is very near the neck since we have a foot step. I always played that way but when I started playing electric guitar, I took my classical learning to my new style. When I play standing up, the guitar is very high and people have laugh and made comments. I tried the bring the guitar lower but the my hand will then bent and be in an ankward position. Why do people judge guitarist so much on this simple factor?

[kung_fu]

I don't think there's much judgement about that sort of thing these days to be honest. If you are playing drop-d nu metal riffs it makes sense to wear the guitar lower, but anything requiring any "real" guitar playing usually requires something a little less awkward.

[Necris]

There is nothing wrong with wearing your guitar high on your body. I have my guitars positioned high as well, it doesn't look "cool" but it makes up for that fact by being comfortable. It drives me insane seeing people with their guitars hanging around their knees.

[malin]

Originally Posted by Necris

There is nothing wrong with wearing your guitar high on your body. I have my guitars positioned high as well, it doesn't look "cool" but it makes up for that fact by being comfortable. It drives me insane seeing people with their guitars hanging around their knees.

Same here...I see their hands all bent up and weird shape and I'm wondering how can they play like that

[EcoliUVA]

The "low guitar" mindset is for posers. .... 'em.

Are the people criticizing you guitar players? If not, I repeat: .... 'em. If so, are they good? If not, I repeat: .... 'em. If so, do they have repetitive strain injuries? If not, .... 'em, they will. If so, laugh in their faces.

This is about where you should be playing, plus or minus a little personal preference:

[Demiurge]

I've seen "chest rocking" get equal amounts of flack as having the guitar slung way too low in the past, but not so much as of recent. I think there was a remnant of the grunge era where the there was an inverse proportion between the height of the guitar and the intensity with which one is rocking.

Comfort and ergonomics really trump aesthetics over time, though, for the individual player. I used to play with the guitar slung low, but I just can't play that way anymore because of poor picking angle just bugs my right wrist and it's equally problematic for playing leads chord shapes with my left hand. YMMV.

[-Nolly-]

Yeah nothing wrong with that - your guitar isn't even that high in the video!
Personally I find picking more comfortable with a guitar lower down (around waist height or just below), but obviously life becomes much harder for your left hand as you go lower.

[Jinogalpa]

people who laugh about hanging the guitar high don't have any idea of playing a guitar.
the right thing is somewhere in the middle and your wrist will be thankfully too.

[rectifryer]

I wear my guitar high, too. Kinda funny when your playing with a k7 with form that actually enables you to play leads.

[DrakkarTyrannis]

Depends on your playing style. I can't stand to have my guitar high up and I like it slung very low. I also lean into the mic as I'm a vocalist and the low guitar allows me to have a comfortable stance and position to play guitar and go vocals. Not to mention I think wearing the guitar as a neck tie just looks stupid on me and it annoys the hell out of me to see other people do it, but if it works for them then my opinion is obviously invalid. There is no right or wrong way if it works for you.

[Demeyes]

I prefer to see someone chest rocking instead of having it hanging down by their knees. If that was you in that video, it's not even that high up. I'd consider that level normal enough, I've seen people wear guitars even higher.

[goherpsNderp]

Originally Posted by kung_fu

If you are playing drop-d nu metal riffs it makes sense to wear the guitar lower

how so?

technically speaking it is more difficult for the human arm/hand/wrist to successfully and comfortably bar a chord across all the strings if it's lower like that.

i've always had my guitars somewhere between standard height and "chest rocker" height. very comfortable and i feel more accurate. the guitar also doesn't sway as much when im walking around or moving on stage, as my abdomen serves as an anchor of sorts.

[technomancer]

Personally I couldn't care less how people wear their guitars. Whatever is comfortable for the player is what's important. I tend to prefer mine up a bit higher, though not around my neck

[mmr007]

Originally Posted by EcoliUVA

The "low guitar" mindset is for posers. .... 'em.

]

Page and slash poseurs? I'll argue against

[darkinners]

just don't listen to those tards who judge musicians by how they look.

I honestly don't care if you put your guitar overhead and play, if what you play sounds great.

or if you low down your guitar to your ankle and you played like Fred Durst, you are still a looser.

[kung_fu]

Originally Posted by goherpsNderp

how so?

technically speaking it is more difficult for the human arm/hand/wrist to successfully and comfortably bar a chord across all the strings if it's lower like that.

That didn't stop 1000 bands between the years 1996-2002 from doing it did it? If your music is fairly non technical, you can afford to make things a little harder on yourself as a trade-off for looking cool. That's kind of all i meant, nothing wrong with it either. For the record, i could care less how high or low anybody wears their instrument. I personally wear mine about half way up my stomach.

[Evil7]

I wear my guitar where it is comfortable..

Korn played with the guitar on their knees.

Tom Morello is the king of chest rocking..

In this pic the guitar is under his arm pit.. lol


Either way... Its just how you like it bro... No matter where hang your guitar.. someone will have somehting to say about it.... lol You cant make everyone happy, so why not go for what makes you happy.

[davidengel]

Originally Posted by mmr007

Page and slash poseurs? I'll argue against
*pictures*

He said the mindset, meaning that people thinking it's cool to play guitar low (Mostly done by non-guitar players.) Page and Slash aren't posers because they're playing low, they play low because its comfortable for them.

TS - I probably play my guitar higher than you do.

[kung_fu]

Originally Posted by mmr007

Page and slash poseurs? I'll argue against

No, but they're both notoriously sloppy live. Just sayin. I could care less though. It's rock'nroll

[Steve08]

Hell no it isn't, in fact if you look at most advanced guitarists, they all hold it fairly high.

Generally speaking you will have more room to maneuver your left hand, which will lead to less bending of your wrist = helps avoid carpal tunnel/RSI. Most of the time, if you see someone put their leg on a monitor or get on their knees to play something (most often a stretchy wide intervallic lick) this will be why, but if your strap is high enough then you usually don't need to do this.

of course, after a point you look fairly silly, but around abdomen height is fine for most things IMO.

BTW, if you think you hold your guitar high check out Chris Letchford, highest strap setting I've ever seen I think

[DaveCarter]

I always thought that low-slung guitars looked cool, so it used to annoy me that I didnt find it comfortable. Im not entirely sure, but it was probably around the time that I developed chronic wrist tendonitis that I stopped caring what anyone thought about the height of my guitar. If your playing is good enough then that should be the only thing that people should care about.

[Matt-Hatchett]

I wear my guitar as high as possible. People make comments about it,but I just tell them to suck it. haha

[Joose]

I don't think there's a wrong or right way. It's all personal. I wear mine just a little higher than someone like Slash does. I could never wear mine as high as Petrucci, nor as low as Edsel Dope.

[C2Aye]

If my guitar doesn't cover my belly button, it's too low.

[Razzy]

I wear mine around my chest because I have huge nipples that protrude from my t-shirt, and I want to hide them.