When you gig do you bring your own stool/ guitar throne ?

[christianm77]

I sit down mostly, but I'm thinking that standing would be better for my health in general. The chair is a killer!

I should get rid of the chairs in my practice room, and practice standing up.

There are issues with posture, but I have issues with posture seated too.

[destinytot]

I used to sit*, but I always stand now. (None of us are getting any younger - I take posture seriously, too. It?s Not Magic, It?s True « Cheng Man Ching )

*EDIT Yes, I used to bring a folding stool - a tall one.

[vinlander]

Even some loud rock guitar player can see the benefit of sitting



I have sweet childhood memories of helping my dad bring his guitar gear in the afternoon for their evening gig, he was playing on a guitar stool similar to the one on the picture

[destinytot]

I remember being struck by the (unusual) sight of these two Greats standing:

[Top of the Arch!]

I always take my seat with me.

[christianm77]

Maybe playing serious, 'concert' jazz, it's fine to sit, but I saw guys sitting down playing in a club for dancers! Not a big band, just a combo. It kinda looks ridiculous, for swing and trad jazz.

I hate playing sitting down, I like moving and grooving while playing, and also it makes me feel old!

Well - the authentic way to play swing and trad guitar is seated. It's impossible to get the authentic right hand technique and position of an acoustic archtop standing. This is true of both combo and seated playing.

Historically Freddie Green etc, all played seated. James Chirillo, Jonathon Stout and other current guys who specialise in this music seem to play seated.

For gypsy jazz - well most gypsy jazz guitars don't even come with strap buttons.

At proper swing dance events - dance festivals and camps and so on, there is really not much focus on the band so I don't think it matters.

In trad the tradition is that even the horn players stay seated and only rise at moments of particular excitement :-) Make of that what you will.

Personally, I play most swing and trad gigs seated. I play standing if I can't find a chair (my gypsy guitar does have strap buttons :-)) Modern audiences are probably expecting a rock and roll standing guitarist vibe. TBH I don't give a monkey's about what's historically accurate any more. Most of these gigs are played with a fair amount of amplification, so having the guitar ring freely is actually a detriment.

If you lead a band, I think it's much easier to do it standing.... But back in the day, most leaders were not guitar players...

[mr. beaumont]

Guitarists should stand when they perform.

Really depends on the gig and the guitarist's role.

[Woody Sound]

I think a lot of musicians use the Ikea Franklin folding stool. I've got one, but I rarely bring it to gigs as I prefer to travel light.
FRANKLIN Bar stool with backrest, foldable, brown-black, silver color - brown-black/silver color - 24 3/4 " - IKEA

I have something similar from BB&B, a little fnicer, some padding. But I wish the foot rest was higher. Looks like the same problem with the Ikea.

[whiskey02]

If you don't like seeing guitarist sitting, you can always suck an egg. Jesus some people like to control the whole freaking world. Seriously, if you have an opinion on everything​, you have issues you need to deal with.

[Danny W.]

Many years ago I decided to play rock gigs standing and jazz gigs sitting. For the past 15 years I've always carried this exotic piece of seating apparatus to gigs, although I sometime opt to use the venue-supplied chair if it's comfortable and I don't care if the audience can see me or not:



It was $10 at Walmart. The cross-bar is not ideal and I keep thinking of ways to improve it, but so far I just use it as is.

Danny W.

[Herbie]

Here starts my decorational side to be alarmed. A stool or a chair in the stage under an amp looks somehow anti climaxing or something. And quite often they are wrong shaped to be trusted.
There was times I gigged with a light case for the amp, it is perfect for rising it upper – but I always had a black piece of cloth to cover the case.
Nowadays I try not to carry anything extra with me so I install tilt back legs to my combos.

I misunderstood the question of the thread TOTALLY.

But the fact that I thought first a stool for my amp is my personal answer for the question: I didn't even think about a stool for myself!

Learned to play public in a rock band, standing, moving, jumping. The movement of my right hand fingers start from the hip. I like to have it more "physical".

Sitting would change my whole playing. But maybe it would be in a good direction, who knows!

[KirkP]

I have something similar from BB&B, a little fnicer, some padding. But I wish the foot rest was higher. Looks like the same problem with the Ikea.

The foot rest on the 25" ikea stool is about the right height for me, but I do wish I could adjust it. I might try to Macgyver something.

The Ikea seat has a nice shape, so my built-in padding is adequate. :-)

[Hep To The Jive]

Well - the authentic way to play swing and trad guitar is seated. It's impossible to get the authentic right hand technique and position of an acoustic archtop standing. This is true of both combo and seated playing.

Historically Freddie Green etc, all played seated. James Chirillo, Jonathon Stout and other current guys who specialise in this music seem to play seated.

For gypsy jazz - well most gypsy jazz guitars don't even come with strap buttons.

At proper swing dance events - dance festivals and camps and so on, there is really not much focus on the band so I don't think it matters.

In trad the tradition is that even the horn players stay seated and only rise at moments of particular excitement :-) Make of that what you will.

Personally, I play most swing and trad gigs seated. I play standing if I can't find a chair (my gypsy guitar does have strap buttons :-)) Modern audiences are probably expecting a rock and roll standing guitarist vibe. TBH I don't give a monkey's about what's historically accurate any more. Most of these gigs are played with a fair amount of amplification, so having the guitar ring freely is actually a detriment.

If you lead a band, I think it's much easier to do it standing.... But back in the day, most leaders were not guitar players...

You are right, historically speaking, sitting down, yes! But you are also right about not giving a "monkey's about what's historically accurate any more". That's the school of thought I come from

[wintermoon]

I sat for maybe the first 20 yrs I played. then for some reason I stood for the next 10.
then I was working for/a Hammond B-3 player who said " hey man, do you have a stool like Kenny Burrell?, he looks so cool sitting" so I started sitting again. [though I've seen Kenny sit and stand]

then I fell down the steps carrying a laundry basket a few yrs ago and screwed up my knee.
so now I'm back to sitting--permanently probably....

[electricfactory]

Some performing situations, particularly those that are initimate and not in a bar setting are compatible with the seated guitarist. Leaping about or hip action isn't so much a part of that scenario, again the music and situation dictates.
Conversely, I've been known to tinker a measure or two of straight up blues, on Stratocaster no less. That situation is completely different than the one inspiring this thread.
So far I've seen quite a few alternatives, many 'bar stool' types like the Fender, Marshall etc versions. Being the world's laziest musician I think I'm going to go into Guitar Center and ask if I can buy a 'floor model', already put together and butt-tested.

[GNAPPI]

If I were going to carry around a seat, it would have to look cool, like an old guy sitting on an amp...

They were made last year but the bean counters discontinued them, they were called the "hotseat" This one is on Reverb

[AlsoRan]

This might help a little...

https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/every...n-hurting.html

[KirkP]

The ikea stool has just 2 screws as I recall, so no work for the lazy musician.