I hear you man. What I did to overcome this is raise the neck up a bit while practicing while standing, and keep the guitar strap pretty tight, so that the guitar is closer to my head than my groin.

Just keep playing. :]

Yes Page with the guitar slung to his knees lol. Believe me this is why Page caught a reputation of being a sloppy player as it made things difficult for him. Remember you have fret markers on the side of your neck which will guide you. But the main thing is to practice standing up and like anything else it will get easier. I have 3 herniated disc in my back so the days of me standing up are long gone. But I will admit I hate guitars that have no fret markers as everyone likes to sneak a peak of the fretboard but I notice a lot of cool axis today are made without them which is pretty cool and shows me a few players like it that way but not me.lol Also Johnny A who is a very good player performs seated for a young guy.

Practice, practice, practice...it all gets a bit easier, or at least it seems to get easier, the more you practice...

_________________
RAMA LAMA FA FA FA

I think everyone has this problem....I know i did when i first started.
A good rule of thumb to remember is that your guitar should be in the same position standing up, as it is sitting down. Adjusting your straps does help. One of the problems i found when standing up, is that i have this tendency to want to walk around......and trip on my on cord!
LOL this has caused me to take apart my Vox amp more times than i care to count to fix the input jack..

There has been alot of good advice here, like a bunch are saying here ease yourself into it and youll be standing up all the time before you know it. Once you get used to it, you wont want to sit down! You will be duckwalking and playing without thinking about it.

_________________
I can't find the Crossroads, my GPS must be broke....


2001 Fender Highway One, 2004 Fender SE Ash, 2011 Fender 200 SCE '99 Washburn WR120Pro, Amps: Fender Stage 160, Vox Valvetronix 30, Peavey 212 400 watt, Ibanez 50 watt Toneblaster

I started guitar playing while sitting. When I first started to play standing up, I found it quite different, and overcame it by forcing myself to play standing up. Now I can play either way. When I want to relax and play, I play sitting down. I even sit down when I jam and want to feel relaxed. But I will also stand, especially if it's a gig-type situation.

I bought a drummer's throne for when I play sitting down to make it more comfortable. It also enables me to swivel.

I once attended a concert of a local band. I was quite surprised to see all the guitar players sitting down, while playing the whole concert. They were very relaxed and were excellent players.

My personal preference to make it easier standing up, is to have the guitar about level with my stomach. But then......I guess the feel of where it hangs is a personal preference.

_________________
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."-John Wayne

Oh, come on. That's easy. Try doing that while standing on your head a drinking a stein of beer and singing at the same time and juggling golf balls between fretted notes. Now THAT'S a challenge.

_________________

Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

Highest strap maybe



Lowest and obviously the coolest guitarist ever

Our Johnny

_________________
No no and no

Ha - yes, I was thinking of The Ramones. Even lower than Jimmy Page, probably?


Interesting: I had a herniated disc too, but I find standing more comfortable than sitting. I guess I hunch too much when I sit which curves the lower back in a bad way.

When that disc first went it was too painful to play at all for about 18 months. Then I reached a stage where I could play lying flat on my back on floor. Years of back exercises later it's OK again now - provided I'm sensible. How much fun is sensible?

BTW: I've heard that Page's playing posture lead to awful back problems too...

Cheers - C

Wow...Lots of good, useful information. Thanks everyone...really.

_________________
2008 MIA Telecaster Crimson Red
2009 Highway 1 Telecaster Sunburst Maple
2010 Martin D-1
Vox Pathfinder 15R
Vox Night Train 15W
WhiteBox Cab w/12in Eminence Man O' War

It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive...

Wow! Does he play that thing from below?

I thought I wore my guitar high, but I'm Slash next to this guy.

_________________
I really like all them "Aster" guitars. You know, like the Stratoc, Telec and Jazzm.

RR

That is Mark King of level42. He was a bit of a slap specialist and would bring his right arm from the strap button to the bridge, enabling him to get a good technique.

A good example of his playing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k-vz-RJx7c

The absolute opposite of Johnny Ramone in more ways than his guitar strap. Still I prefer Johnny. That sledgehammer righthand rhythm technique of his, spawned just about every alternative guitarist aside from Johnny Thunders and Ron Asherton.

_________________
No no and no

Excellent feedback gents.

_________________
10-4 good buddy, over and out!

Saw 'Level 42' open for Madonna at Soldiers Field in '87 and even though my Bro Pat Leonard was playing keyboards for Madonna that night I really went to see Level, no offense Pat.

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

The lower the cooler, I just can't play that low.

_________________
10-4 good buddy, over and out!

Everyone has trouble playing standing up at first but stick with it... just play easy chord songs to get used to it. Believe me, it is much easier and more enjoyable to play standing up.

_________________
Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!