INSTRUMENT REST

On the back foot Improving the ergonomics of bass playing

Sitting on a stool, most bassists will rest the instrument against the right leg, with the right foot on the loor and the left on the foot rest. ‘It puts your back in an unnatural position that can become uncomfortable if held for any length of time,’ explains Petru Iuga, a German bassist and professor at the Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts. ‘The Ergo Bass support provides an “adaptor” between the instrument and the left knee.’ Iuga first developed it in an attempt to protect his own arms, shoulders and spine from strain. ‘Holding the bass in this way allows both feet to be placed squarely on the loor, centring the spine and creating a playing position that can be held comfortably for long stretches of time.’