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My posture is often quite bad when I'm practicing. I either sit on the sofa, the floor or a chair that doesn't have a suitable place for me to rest my foot. Sometimes my back aches a bit after practicing alot. Have any of you bothered investing in a practice stool, or a footrest?

A store 15 mins walk from me sells the Fender bar stools. It seems like quite alot of money to spend, but I'm starting to think it might be worth it.

Any opinions?

Check this thread out.

Loads of great suggestions!

Posture and body mechanics. Address them now so you don't end up with long term, self induced aches and pains.

Dhana Solish designed this chair is the late 80's to specifically coax a classical guitar player's body into a proper playing posture.

Find a chair or stool that is at the correct seat height. Combining that with a footstool will make a huge difference in reducing fatigue.

I know you're asking for a chair, but have you considered practicing standing up? I find it makes a noticeable difference for my playing, e.g. with regards to instrument balance or fretting hand position, and standing is what you usually do when playing live, so that all translates better. I also find I automatically have a (somewhat...) better posture when standing.

thenewromance wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 08, 2019 5:12 am

I know you're asking for a chair, but have you considered practicing standing up? I find it makes a noticeable difference for my playing, e.g. with regards to instrument balance or fretting hand position, and standing is what you usually do when playing live, so that all translates better. I also find I automatically have a (somewhat...) better posture when standing.

Good point. I have to admit the few times I've played standing up it felt a bit weird, so I probably need to start doing it!

PorkyPrimeCut wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 08, 2019 1:17 am

Check this thread out.

Loads of great suggestions!

Than ks! Not had time to read it today, but will do tomorrow,.

Invader Zim wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 08, 2019 1:20 am

Posture and body mechanics. Address them now so you don't end up with long term, self induced aches and pains.

Dhana Solish designed this chair is the late 80's to specifically coax a classical guitar player's body into a proper playing posture.

Find a chair or stool that is at the correct seat height. Combining that with a footstool will make a huge difference in reducing fatigue.

In the late 1980s or the late 1880s? That photo looks really old! But you are right of course... I need to do something!

I normally play standing up, but I have invested in a few stools, mostly for playing, but they are also nice bar stools. Dual use helped me to justify spending more on them. They’re very nice, but they don’t have much back support, and that’s something that makes a huge difference, especially for long periods.

When I play outside, all of the chairs have arms, which sucks for playing. I tried using a semi-crappy drum throne I have, but it’s too rickety.

So I recently decided to buy a new drum throne since the one I have kinda sucks, and use it for playing guitar, and as a drum throne when I do that again. I paid a LOT of money for it (I think), but it’s really nice, velvety and has a backrest and a spit seat. It’s an Ahead Spinal G Saddle, and its over $200, but it’s awesome. Very comfortable. Should be nice to use with my drums, when I get around to setting them up again.

I think a stool would be a good investment, but back support is also important, so consider something with a backrest. Also consider getting a foot rest specifically for guitar. I bought a Córdoba footrest for playing my classical, and i’ve found that it can make a big difference, more the longer you play.

Some good playing positions if you have bad posture habits:

• Standing up
• Comfortable dining chair
• Half-decent computer chair with good back support

Do not use a backless stool. Do not use a lounge chair or couch. Do not waste money buying some fandangly invention if you already have the above.

Thanks for the replies! All taken onboard.

Having a good posture while practicing is important for your overall health and can even improve your playing technique. If you find that your current seating options are not providing you with enough support, investing in a practice stool or footrest might be worth considering. You can also see the assortment in stores that specialize in garden furniture, but they also have ordinary furniture, see this here. You should not skimp on your comfort.

Any chair i use must have lower back support and a firm seat. Otherwise, i get terrible back pain.

I play standing when possible, and often use a foot stool when seated. Started out in classical guitar so it was normalized from the get-go.

When I see people hunched over a guitar on their right knee with the neck parallel to the floor, my back and wrist ache on their behalf. It just looks so uncomfortable.

But, that doesn't mean it's uncomfortable for them. probably not ideal, though. The single most important ergonomic thing on a guitar is maintaining a neutral wrist IMO. Dexterity drops the further you get from neutral, and risk of RSI increases as well. For me, that means always having an upward tilt of the neck, whether standing or seated, and a foot stool is necessary when seated (unless it's a flying V).