Posture question, lean against back rest or not when playing

Gerald Menke · From: Stormville NY, USA

All right, I admit this has to be the geekiest steel guitar question I have ever posed, but I am curious if you all who have seats with back rests actually rest against them when you play, or only lean back on them when you are getting a lecture from the bandleader. I normally sit stock straight, but found leaning back a bit on the backrest allowed me to relax considerably and let the music flow better.

I just got a new seat from Dan at Steeler's Choice, man that thing is a work of art. I have used Elite Seats, and a SteelSeat (God rest poor Thom Beeman), but the craftsmanship on this Steeler's Choice seat is really off the charts, fit and finish that make me proud to say it was made here in the USA.

Thanks for reading my post.

Gerald

Andy Jones · From: Mississippi

Gerald,I should have bought a seat without a backrest because I seem to never use it except when I stop playing.I tend to sit more towards the front of the seat and lean back when I take a break from playing.

Andy

Doug Earnest · From: Branson, MO USA

I think from a physical well-being standpoint you would be better off to lean back if at all possible. Back problems are no fun!
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Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

If there's a back rest, I use it! One of my biggest complaints about steel seats (besides their being way too heavy) is that the backrests are too small and too low.

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

I find that my back hurts unless I sitt forward on the seat. If I had a back rest, I would be nowhere near it. I wonder what Paul and Buddy do. What would Jeff say? Anybody have any pictures?
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Walter Bowden · From: Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

Here's one I took of Buddy at Jeffran and he didn't have a back on his pac a seat. I didn't see John Hughey using one when I saw him either and I'm pretty sure Jeff didn't use one. But this was a long time ago. Hope the pic loads.

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David Doggett · Posted 15 Sep 2009 4:27 pm

I have a seat with a backrest. I never lean back on it while playing - it's too far back. When I got it, I thought it would be nice for resting my back between songs, or when I'm laying out a verse. But I can get about the same relief by leaning forward and resting my elbows on the instrument. The seat, with a back rest and sidecar, is just too heavy. It is too small to hold all my spare cords and stuff. So I have to bring a gig bag anyway, and the seat is just one more heavy thing to schlepp around. I got a $30, light, collapsible keyboard bench that I carry to gigs. I have never missed the back at a gig.

I use the seat with the backrest in my rehearsal room. It's nice to be able to lean back occasionally during long rehearsals while the others are working out their parts and discussing stuff. But for gigs, I don't need it.

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

I'm dealing with really bad lower back pain at this very moment, so I have a little to add in the discussion. I even had to cancel two gigs last week, and this week I'll be wearing a back brace.

First, in answer to the OP, when picking I keep my back upright and to the front of the cushion. When laying out, I typically slouch against the back rest, with my butt still at the front, but my mid-back resting against the seat upright. WRONG!! This slouching is something I MUST change. I need to bring my butt farther back on the cushion, keep my gut pulled in moderately, and maintain curvature while resting the area just above the lumbar region with the backrest.

The important thing when playing with good back ergonomics is to keep correct lordosis (curvature of the lumbar region), and to have your thighs close to parallel to floor.

Typically my back is in somewhat correct lordosis postion when I'm picking, but I'm not picking for quite a bit of the time as well; between songs, between solos, etc. First, I must now train myself to maintain proper lordosis (not too little, like a slouch, or too much, which also damages the lumbar region) regardless of playing or not. Slouching is a big no-no.

Because I'm short-legged, sit on a 22" pack-seat, and prefer the steel low, my legs are not parallel to the floor and this is also a problem, I've recently discovered.

Almost all mechanical problems of the back are related in some extent to incorrect posture. Gravity tends to make our spine want to compress. Aging and incorrect nutrition makes our bones weaker and brittle over time. The spine slumps because of these factors. These defects in posture cause the muscles and ligaments in our back to overstress themselves supporting our torsos. Result = muscular back pain.

Incorrect posture is common to aging, overweight, people... does that sound like a typical steel player? Laughing

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Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

Look how nice and straight Buddy is sitting.
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Jim Venverloh · From: Texas, USA

Couldn't find a steel seat that I liked, so I went to Sam Ash and tried every seat that they had. I finally bought a Pearl 2000BR drum throne.......and I love it. The whole seat is totally adjustable.....angle of backrest.....height of backrest.....and I have never sat on ANY seat as comfortable as this one. I am able to sit straight upright and still have the back support that I need. Even has a hollowed out area for your butt crack. No more back pain after extended practicing. Check them out on the Pearl website. I would totally recommend it to anyone.

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

I always lean forward a bit when playing, not touching the backrest on my steel seat. Bewteen songs though, it's great to be able to lean back a bit and rest. I found that I was a lot less tense when I got a seat with a back on it to provide a breather for my back. ALL the chairs in my house and all the seats in my car have a backrest!

Greg

Hook Moore · From: South Charleston,West Virginia

Yes, after back surgery I found a seat with a back to be very important. My Dan Rollans Steelers Choice seat seem to be the best fit for me right now. Takes a little time to get use to sitting back a little more but it is well worth the effort.
Hook
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David Doggett · Posted 16 Sep 2009 10:59 am

That Pearl ergonomic drum seat sounds good. Another possibility for back problems would be an ergonomic secretary's chair, with or without the wheels. Steel seat backs aren't very ergonomically correct.

Also, we should all be doing some stretching and weight training exercises for our backs, and situps or crunches for the opposing stomach muscles. This strengthens the muscles and ligaments, and also maintains bone integrity. Start very slowly with light weights if you already have back problems.

Jim Venverloh · From: Texas, USA

The Pearl Drum Throne costs about the same (or less) than a quality steel seat. I paid about $280 for mine. The seat is a gel combination that is infinitely more comfortable than any vinyl over foam rubber seat that I have tried. Only downside.....no place for storage. If you're in the market for a seat, do yourself a favor and stop by your local music or drum store----you'll be glad you did. (No--I do not have stock in Pearl!!) David is right---good stretching is the key to a healthy back.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

When playing, I lean forward enough to not use the back rest, however, I like to lean back against it between numbers. Very Happy

Cal Sharp · From: the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN

Years ago Harold Fogle, who had been playing steel for Stonewall, came out to see me at a gig. He was in a wheel chair. He complimented me on my posture and then told me what'd happened to him. He sneezed. He sneezed and threw his back out. The doctors told him it was likely a result, at least in part, of poor posture all those years of playing. He never walked again, AFAIK, and passed away a few years ago. He was a good ol' boy.
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Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Paul Sutherland · From: Placerville, California

This is a very timely thread for me. I have recently taken a 3/4 inch thick garden knee pad, cut it to size, and duct taped it to the back rest of my Elite Seat. This helps me get into a more comfortable position for long practice sessions. I find having to lean forward when I want to play something serious/important is fatiguing, and diverts my attention from the task at hand. I want to be in a very upright position at all times.

We all have anatomical differences such that there is no one answer for everyone. I need a back rest and it need to be set rather far forward (towards the steel). Good driver's seats in cars have adjustable lumbar supports. Wouldn't that be a good thing for steel seats?

I just looked at my Elite Seat back rest and it appears something could be done at the hinge to adjust the back rest forward. I would love to get rid of the duct tape business. Any suggestions?

Cal Sharp · From: the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN

You're always reading about ergonomic chairs for computer users, and the proper way to sit, but I've never seen a thing about steel players. Or drummers or piano players. Hmm, I'm off to register www.ergonomicmusicianseat.com Laughing

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Joe Naylor · From: Avondale, Arizona, USA

Since buying steelseats I have been trying to build what players want. I had a few that wanted a simple, economical light seat so I built a Lite model.

After building a few someone wanted a back rest so I built that.

I have added 4 or 5 models while keeping the Original steel seat.

Yes I can make adjustable back rests. Steelseats has built them in the past.
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Bill Ford · From: Graniteville SC Aiken

I installed a backrest on my seat, but still didn't feel just right even after some tweaking, I cut a couple blocks of 3/4" plywood and put them under the front legs just to see what the tilt factor would do. I'm thinking about adding to the front legs permanently. Try the blocks first so as not to butcher your seat. We normally have a 45 min runthru with a short break, then an hour, sometimes two hour+ praise and worship service...Backrest is really good then, I normally resort to the hunchback position when playing, use backrest when laying out and between songs.

BF
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John Drury · From: Gallatin, Tn USA

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Bill Ford · From: Graniteville SC Aiken

John,
Are you saying that if a player doesn't look good, he/she can't sound good?????? I've seen some pretty bad looking players (no names please) that could really burn.
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Cal Sharp · From: the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN

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