Y'all,

Here's a problem that I've had recently:

Over the past 6-7 months, I've been gigging with a top40 cover band. One of my new 'requirements' is to try and put forth some energy while I'm playing, which generally means dancing and jumping around a bit.

So, whenever I start to 'get down' and shake my rump a bit, I pluck the strings a lot harder which has forced me to increase the action on my bass to compensate.

Anyone out there have a similar problem? I would like to be able to maintain the same right hand finger pressure all night, regardless of whether I'm standing still or dancing around...Hmmm?



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Rob Miller
Philadelphia, PA
http://www.bklounge.net

Well, just becoming aware of the problem is the first step toward changing it (I'm starting to sound like a shrink here ). But you have to find a way to create a separation between your physical activity and your playing. Good luck. I have limited experience with jumping around. I played with Barrence Whitfield and the Savages in the mid 80's and as you might gather we were...uhm... savage. I had to try to jump around because I felt a certain amount of obligation to present that onstage. It definitely made me play harder, but that was appropriate for the gig. It was very different than all the subdued jazz stuff I usually do.

See if you can create an invisible line between your body and your "chops". Put the body jumping around on one side, and the relaxed right and left hands on the bass on the other side. Creative visualization. Also, breathe deeply, it relaxes you.

Stage presence is more than just jumping around. If you SMILE and make eye contact with the audience - it usually helps to look just over their heads - you'll connect with them, and that's what really matters. It's also very important to make eye contact with the other members of your group, to convey the sense that you enjoy playing together.

If you MUST jump around, use motions that come easily to you, so that you don't have to think about it. Have fun, and the rest will follow.

In the late sixties I played with an R&B showband and through the seventy and eighties played a lot of gigs with Bo Diddley. In both these situations we did a lot of choreography. It probably helps that I was already a good dancer and have always and still am in good physical shape. But sitting here and thinking about it, something that I feel helps is the position of my bass. I have it positioned extremely high. Most of movement comes from the lower body and with any upperbody twisting my bass moves along with me. What Ed said about breathing is very important. That's were being in good shape helps.