Do You Play LH Bass On Another Keyboard? (Ergonomics Solution)

[elsongs]

Do any of you consider ergonomics when it comes to playing?

 

How many of you here play left-hand bass on a secondary keyboard? I do occasionally and it's a little uncomfortable for me. First off, with the main keyboard right in front of me and the bass keyboard a little higher behind it, I have to stretch my left arm forward and it usually gets fatigued. Also, my body posture is affected; somehow my weight is shifted to my left leg and I feel mild discomfort from that.

 

But I recently found a solution:

 

 

Instead of having the bass keyboard directly parallel to the main keyboard, tilt it some ~30 degrees and position it to the left of the main keys.

 

The above picture shows a Minimoog as the bass keyboard and a Nord Electro 2 as the main keyboard. Since I tried it this way, my arms don't have to stretch unnaturally, and my posture is balanced, with my weight distributed evenly. As a result I play (and sing) much better, since I don't have any physical discomfort distracting me!

 

I know it looks a bit unconventional, and obviously can't be done with an Apex stand or any multi-tiered stand. I'm able to do this with two X-stands.

 

So if any of you play bass keyboards with your left hand, try this! It feels much more natural!

[-groovatious-]

I've tried a few solutions for ergonomic LH bass playing.

 

Bass keyboard ABOVE other keyboard never worked for me - killed my shoulder.

 

One solution was the LH Bass keyboard a bit more than 90 degrees to the left of the main KB:

 

[YOUTUBE]VfGzsjRD5SM[/YOUTUBE]

 

But I still find the most natural solution (for me anyway) is the single split KB solution:

 

[YOUTUBE]LCwP6gGzX1I[/YOUTUBE]

[Tuba Four]

 

But I still find the most natural solution (for me anyway) is the single split KB solution:

 

 

+1 here. I play a nord stage for my lower keyboard and split the board for LHB. Too bad the electro doesn't split (except for organs) because you could midi the LH split to your moog and be much more comfortable!!!

 

aL

[mrcpro]

For many years I used to play left hand bass with a varitey of bass keyboards placed much like Elson's Mini. I used a heavy duty music stand flipped sideways to prop up the lower half of the bass keyboard, with the piano holding the upper half. He's right - it's much less fatiguing if you're doing a 4 1/2 hour gig.

 

These days I'm still playing LH bass in a Praise Band every Sunday, but just split the keyboard. It's a better solution really.

[Tuba Four]

Groovatious,

 

Very nice playing. Good sounding band!!!!

 

What's your set up in the second video below. Looks like two synths and maybe a laptop????

 

thx,

 

aL

[suitandtieguy]

Being an organist of the chitlin circuit school, I can't play LH bass except on the lower manual. RH playing, for some reason, I can do all day on upper, lower, minimoog on top the organ, minimoog to the right, etc.

[-groovatious-]

 

Groovatious, Very nice playing. Good sounding band!!!! What's your set up in the second video below. Looks like two synths and maybe a laptop???? thx, aL

 

 

Thanks man. In the second vid I'm using a Yamaha S90 on the bottom, strictly as a controller for MainStage2 on the MacBookPro. The Nord Electro 2 sits above for clav/hammond.

[Tuba Four]

What third party soft synths are you triggering through mainstage? Or are you using Logic plugs!! The EP's sounded really good.

 

aL

[rhat]

One thing I have done with my stand is to mark it with a white line . so its always are at the right height. Its a double x brace and has those teeth with single friction knob.

[-groovatious-]

 

What third party soft synths are you triggering through mainstage? Or are you using Logic plugs!! The EP's sounded really good. aL

 

 

Scarbee for the EPs and bass.

[Tuba Four]

 

Scarbee for the EPs and bass.

 

 

Both sound excellent!!

[Darkstorm]

I'll stick to the one evenly above the other. Sometimes I do stuff on upper keybaord I might normally do on the lower one. Its also not unusual for me to end up crossing arms one over the other to play lower register with right hand while left plays something else. It is easier to do all this standing with the keyboards positioned as is most comfortable to the player. Your solution works great for you it seems. But what I do doesnt allow for such single choices for is played with this or that hand wether lower, middle, or upper register on the two keyboards. When not playing in same register with both. Lol.

 

Rhats idea of marking stand with colored line for right position is excellent. Thats what I did when I used them two tier x stands.

[dan88z]

Do any of you consider ergonomics when it comes to playing? How many of you here play left-hand bass on a secondary keyboard? I do occasionally and it's a little uncomfortable for me. First off, with the main keyboard right in front of me and the bass keyboard a little higher behind it, I have to stretch my left arm forward and it usually gets fatigued. Also, my body posture is affected; somehow my weight is shifted to my left leg and I feel mild discomfort from that. But I recently found a solution: Instead of having the bass keyboard directly parallel to the main keyboard, tilt it some ~30 degrees and position it to the left of the main keys. The above picture shows a Minimoog as the bass keyboard and a Nord Electro 2 as the main keyboard. Since I tried it this way, my arms don't have to stretch unnaturally, and my posture is balanced, with my weight distributed evenly. As a result I play (and sing) much better, since I don't have any physical discomfort distracting me! I know it looks a bit unconventional, and obviously can't be done with an Apex stand or any multi-tiered stand. I'm able to do this with two X-stands. So if any of you play bass keyboards with your left hand, try this! It feels much more natural!

 

I think it's just an excuse to post pics of your very cool rig!