I saw Jake played standing up for 2 hour on stage , I don't think too many of us can do that so the question is :
is there such a thing as standard height chair for uke / guitar playing?
My preference is to stand whenever possible. Something high like a barstool would be incredibly uncomfortable for me, since my legs wouldn't reach the floor as I'm not that tall. I would think this isn't a one-size-fits-all situation because we are all different heights, and ergonomics would play a part. At home if I'm not standing, I use my armless desk chair that is adjustable so my feet can reach the floor. When I play with my group, I stand, because when I sit my uke is at the same height as my music stand and I think that interferes with projection. And I can't play at all in a chair that has arms or while sitting on something squishy like a sofa or easy chair.
I was watching a tv show the other day, and a sub plot was that the two guys were going to do an open mic, one with guitar, the other with mandolin. But the mandolin guy always played his mandolin at home sitting on a cushion on the floor. So when they went to the open mic, they put the cushion on a bar stool, and the one guy sat cross legged on the cushion playing his mandolin. I laughed so hard at that.
My current chair where I do most of my practicing is an upholstered arm chair. It's comfortable, but sometimes the arms get in the way, so I end up scooting forward so I'm just sitting on the edge of the seat. I need to find something different...comfortable, but without the arms. Myabe that's my project for this week.
Standard kitchen chair with a standard height of 17" from floor to seat. If you are uncomfortable in the chair that you use go to Long & MsQuad and look at the adjustable drummers stools. The heavly padded one with the height adjustable air cushion post almost came home with me one day.
Have you ever heard of a wobble chair? There are different types, but the concept is the same; they promote "active sitting" by engaging your core as you sit. Smaller ones have been used with success to keep kids with ADHD more focused on their work in schools. I like sitting on my Hokki Stool when I'm playing my ukes at home because I can rock back and forth and it helps get me in a groove with the music. Plus it's fun and I'm a big kid anyway. ;-) The Hokki Stool comes in various sizes. See attached photos:
Standard kitchen chair with a standard height of 17" from floor to seat. If you are uncomfortable in the chair that you use go to Long & MsQuad and look at the adjustable drummers stools. The heavly padded one with the height adjustable air cushion post almost came home with me one day.
Have you ever hear of a wobble chair? There are different types, but the concept is the same; they promote "active sitting" by engaging your core as you sit. Smaller ones have been used with success to keep kids with ADHD more focused on their work in schools. I like sitting on my Hokki Stool when I'm playing my ukes at home because I can rock back and forth and it helps get me in a groove with the music. Plus it's fun and I'm a big kid anyway. ;-) The Hokki Stool comes in various sizes. See attached photos:
It's interesting to read this thread, and contrast it with the acoustic guitar forum typical response. There, one is likely to be pointed toward something like the Sound Seat (which looks fantastic, btw). Here? We are told a hammock, a chair from ikea, or any old regular chair.
A little more minimalist approach with uke players I guess
My preference is to stand whenever possible. Something high like a barstool would be incredibly uncomfortable for me, since my legs wouldn't reach the floor as I'm not that tall. I would think this isn't a one-size-fits-all situation because we are all different heights, and ergonomics would play a part. At home if I'm not standing, I use my armless desk chair that is adjustable so my feet can reach the floor. When I play with my group, I stand, because when I sit my uke is at the same height as my music stand and I think that interferes with projection. And I can't play at all in a chair that has arms or while sitting on something squishy like a sofa or easy chair.
Since I changed from a PC to a laptop my desk chair had been unused. It is now doing duty as an ukulele chair. Then again, that duty is shared with my recliner in the lounge.
