Bebop Heads (#4) - Moose the Mooche

**James W** · 03-29-2026, 04:35 AM

Originally Posted by pamosmusic

Alas Mick isn’t wrong about that one either … look in a mirror while you’re fretting those strings. Start angling the headstock upward like you’re trying to point it to the ceiling. As the headstock rises, your wrist will straighten out. That’s why classical guitarists sit with the footstool.

Bringing the guitar toward you can help. A footstool but they’re generally uncomfortable unless you have one made for your body size. A guitar support or raising the strap is a decent move generally.

it’s a tricky one

I vote for raising the strap. That's the usual way with electric, I think. Pasquale Grasso is the only person I know of in jazz guitar who uses a guitar support.

**grahambop** · 03-29-2026, 04:35 AM

@charlieparker: try wearing the strap! (in the video you have one but you’re not using it). Your guitar is in a horrible position, looks like Jimmy Page when it ought to be like Joe Pass.

As the others have said, get the guitar neck up more and get the guitar nearer to you.

I always use a strap when sitting down, for this reason.

**Mick-7** · 03-29-2026, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by grahambop

Your guitar is in a horrible position, looks like Jimmy Page when it ought to be like Joe Pass.

Oh, he had the wrong Yardbird! Easy mistake, their playing styles are very similar.

**AllanAllen** · 03-29-2026, 10:03 PM

Playing bars 14-16 with the metronome is killing me. Slower, slower and slower.

**Mick-7** · 03-29-2026, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by AllanAllen

Playing bars 14-16 with the metronome is killing me. Slower, slower and slower.

That is without doubt the toughest part of the tune.

**pamosmusic** · 03-30-2026, 01:12 PM

Oooooo a good candidate but I always had an easier time with 14-15 than with 10-11. Lot of really rough parts in this one.

**Mick-7** · 03-30-2026, 02:09 PM

Well, bar 10 has the sweep picking triplet which could be dodged in bar 2, but the hard part about 14 (aside from the 16th note triplet) is the quick shift in positions required, at least in this register. I bet it's easier an octave higher? I haven't even tried it.

**pamosmusic** · 03-30-2026, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by Mick-7

Well, bar 10 has the sweep picking triplet which could be dodged in bar 2, but the hard part about 14 (aside from the 16th note triplet) is the quick shift in positions required, at least in this register. I bet it's easier an octave higher? I haven't even tried it.

Typo … I meant 12-13

**charlieparker** · 03-30-2026, 02:26 PM

I tried the strap thing to get the guitar in a better position and it definitely was much easier to increase the tempo but my neck/shoulder is killing me where the strap was as the guitar isn't even resting on my leg when I use the strap. Do people really support all of the weight of the guitar via a strap?

I have a long torso so this has been an issue for me.

**Mick-7** · 03-30-2026, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by pamosmusic

Typo … I meant 12-13

As was mentioned earlier, the fake books have wrong notes in bar 12, the phrase they notated is a little harder to play.

**Mick-7** · 03-30-2026, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by charlieparker

I tried the strap thing to get the guitar in a better position and it definitely was much easier to increase the tempo but my neck/shoulder is killing me where the strap was as the guitar isn't even resting on my leg when I use the strap. Do people really support all of the weight of the guitar via a strap?

I have a long torso so this has been an issue for me.

You play a solid body guitar, right? It should still rest on your leg while sitting down when you're wearing a strap (at least the base of it). The tracks I've posted here were played on a Tele, which rests on my right leg and I'm wearing a strap, I am about 6'2"' tall. No matter how you hold the guitar, it should be parallel to your torso, not at a right angle to it as seen in your video. It's the angle at which you held your guitar that's the problem.

**pamosmusic** · 03-30-2026, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by Mick-7

You play a solid body guitar, right? It should still rest on your leg while sitting down when you're wearing a strap (at least the base of it). The tracks I've posted here were played on a Tele, which rests on my right leg and I'm wearing a strap, I am about 6'2"' tall. No matter how you hold the guitar, it should be parallel to your torso, not at a right angle to it as seen in your video. It's the angle at which you held your guitar that's the problem.

Nah dude. I don’t rest the guitar on my leg. That’s crazy talk. I wear that thing like a bow tie.

**Mick-7** · 03-30-2026, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by pamosmusic

Nah dude. I don’t rest the guitar on my leg. That’s crazy talk. I wear that thing like a bow tie.

No part of the guitar rests on your leg when you're sitting down?

**pamosmusic** · 03-30-2026, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by Mick-7

No part of the guitar rests on your leg when you're sitting down?

Nope. Top of the guitar sits at about the letters.

**James W** · 03-30-2026, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by charlieparker

I tried the strap thing to get the guitar in a better position and it definitely was much easier to increase the tempo but my neck/shoulder is killing me where the strap was as the guitar isn't even resting on my leg when I use the strap. Do people really support all of the weight of the guitar via a strap?

I have a long torso so this has been an issue for me.

Yes I support all of the weight of the guitar with a strap. Tbh I prefer it to a guitar support.

I wouldn't put your discomfort down to having a long torso. But I don't know what to suggest. Maybe a combination of strap and guitar support?

**pamosmusic** · 03-30-2026, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by James W

Yes I support all of the weight of the guitar with a strap. Tbh I prefer it to a guitar support.

I wouldn't put your discomfort down to having a long torso. But I don't know what to suggest. Maybe a combination of strap and guitar support?

Yeah I wouldn’t say you can safely chalk it up to the strap. Also wouldn’t say supporting with the strap is going to work for everyone.

Maybe footstool under the right leg? Sort of sacrilegious classical position?

It’s a good idea to bring the guitar up to you until the wrist straightens out. Danger of resting it on your leg with no other thing is that, if you’re not the perfect height, you’re going to hunch toward the guitar. So the wrists will work great but the back will be sore.

What kind of guitar support is out there that would suit the solid body? I’ve been out of the classical game longer than you so I’m not sure.

**Mick-7** · 03-30-2026, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by pamosmusic

Nope. Top of the guitar sits at about the letters.

I think that is uncommon.... or maybe I didn't say what I meant, the guitar touches your leg or hip at some point, doesn't it? (How could it not?) - I didn't mean literally "sit" on it.

As James suggested, cp may want to try a guitar support pad if a strap alone does not work for him, whatever way he can get the guitar in better alignment with his body and arms/hands will do.

P.S. - This conversation has made me realize that my playing posture could be improved upon.

**James W** · 03-30-2026, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by pamosmusic

Yeah I wouldn’t say you can safely chalk it up to the strap. Also wouldn’t say supporting with the strap is going to work for everyone.

Maybe footstool under the right leg? Sort of sacrilegious classical position?

It’s a good idea to bring the guitar up to you until the wrist straightens out. Danger of resting it on your leg with no other thing is that, if you’re not the perfect height, you’re going to hunch toward the guitar. So the wrists will work great but the back will be sore.

What kind of guitar support is out there that would suit the solid body? I’ve been out of the classical game longer than you so I’m not sure.

Actually ignore my last post, I realised my guitar does actually make contact with my legs.

But the strap still definitely plays its part.

As for footstools, I never liked them. Made my leg go numb after about 20 minutes. But they might work for other people.

**AllanAllen** · 03-30-2026, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by charlieparker

I tried the strap thing to get the guitar in a better position and it definitely was much easier to increase the tempo but my neck/shoulder is killing me where the strap was as the guitar isn't even resting on my leg when I use the strap. Do people really support all of the weight of the guitar via a strap?

I have a long torso so this has been an issue for me.

I use a 3" wide leather strap like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Levys-Leather...0845NCT1L?th=1

Because I'm also lazy and don't want to get my strap out of my gig bag, I'll put the guitar on my left leg. This gets close to the position Danny Gatton has here. Close enough for me anyway.

**Mick-7** · 03-30-2026, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by AllanAllen

I use a 3" wide leather strap like this.

Amazon.com

Because I'm also lazy and don't want to get my strap out of my gig bag, I'll put the guitar on my left leg. This gets close to the position Danny Gatton has here. Close enough for me anyway.

Don't copy the guitarist playing with Danny, he's not even wearing a strap.