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Topic: steel players posture while playing........... |
Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 23 Aug 2015 4:49 pm |
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Do any of 'us' think about our stage 'appearance' and/or posture when we're playing before a crowd?
Many times all one can see from the audience is the precise part of the players' hair and the extent of dandruff that has taken over the player's scalp.
Piano players, horn blowers, vocalists, etc., seem to be far more aware of their stage image than most
steel guitarists.
What say you?  |
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Skip Edwards
From:
LA,CA
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Posted 23 Aug 2015 9:13 pm
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Almost anyone who sits to play their instrument has bad posture of some sort...it goes with the territory. Between slumping and having legs & feet at odd angles...between steel, piano & organ my posture is a mess.
Ever watched an orchestra walk on or off stage? Every one of them will have some sort of a limp or a slump.
Pity the poor violin players... |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 24 Aug 2015 12:29 am
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You have a unique perspective, Ray, and have probably seen more than your share of horn players coming and going.
The most effective steel players seem to be the ones who rest firmly on their SIT bones and muscles, like this guy, with relaxed shoulders:
And the piano player typically doesn't have the worry about having to pack up the instrument at the end of the night.
Drummers, at the back of the pack, seem to have the worst posture of any and the most likelihood of developing carpal tunnel problems.
And bass players--don't get me started, because I'm one--some shoulder the weight well and others just gain mass to offset it.
It's hard to say when image-consciousness ends and a relaxed stage presence begins; Mark Knopfler seems to be the least self-conscious
of any, but then, we don't really know if that's so or if he's simply absorbed his image over the years and merely seems unconcerned.
_________________
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2015 7:16 am
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| I think attitude is more important than posture. Did you ever see a picture of Buddy Emmons where he didn't look like he was having a good time? |
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Billy McCombs
From:
Bakersfield California, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2015 9:42 am
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I bought a seat with a backrest and its really helped my posture,
_________________
78 Emmons PP,Great tone.82 Emmons SKH #56 |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 24 Aug 2015 1:18 pm Re: steel players posture while playing...........
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| Ray Montee wrote: |
| stage 'appearance' and/or posture |
so there are two questions there. Pedal steel posture is generally more symmetrical than that of other stringed instruments (certainly the poor fiddlers)and should give rise to no long-term problems as long as we keep our wrists reasonably straight.
As to stage personality, because we have to look down most of the time if we want to figure out what we just played, we can look downcast; so meeting the audience's eye now and then, or looking round at the band for no particular reason are skills worth acquiring if you have the confidence. I don't.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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