Guitar Swing

Ever wonder how guitar players swing their guitars around their backs to catch it and resume playing? This normally goes with the "Hardcore/Metal core/or anything -core" music type. The guitarist, or even bassist, will swing his/her guitar around their backs and still play! It's actually quite simple. Say, as soon as a breakdown is occurring and the other guitarist guitar squeals, it is the perfect time to guitar swing. This technique was created by Jonas Hansson (Silver Mountain) and is shown in this video clip from 1981. This the earliest proof of who started it and when. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuZcO-wC9z0

Steps

  1. Take the guitar neck and part of the guitar body and take it and throw it back like your using an axe. There is an alternate way to do this, swinging it towards the pickup side, but this is telling you the headstock/neck direction.
  2. Make sure you don't drop the guitar down, this will make it drop and slam into your legs. Throw it back hard enough so that it is thrown around your torso.
  3. During this second that has been thrown back and behind you, put your right arm up (left arm for left handed guitarists) so it doesn't slam into your elbow.
  4. At this point it's in front of you, but be careful, it's going to swing up, (not fast) but still swing up. Just hold on to the neck and put your right arm on the body ready to play away!

Tips

  • Use an old guitar to practice with so you don't break your good one.
  • Make sure your guitar is secure in your strap, broken guitars aren't as easy to play as their unbroken brethren.
  • If you are scared of knocking yourself in the back of the head throw at a 10-4 clock angle. not so straight up.
  • You can also double-strap this means, use 2 straps put 1 on then the other, that way, if your guitar strap breaks mid-swing, another is there to catch it
  • If you are a bass player like me try it with a guitar first, they are lighter and make it easier to learn the motion with lighter weight and shorter neck.
  • Try both ways: swinging it toward the headstock way or the pick up way. With your different body structure, the different way
  • Practice! It really helps!

Warnings

  • Practice or perish.
  • Make sure you have a strap lock or duct tape the strap to the bolts where the strap goes in.
  • Wear a hood over your head or a collared shirt so the strap doesn't give you rug burn, or "strap burn" This stings and appears as a cut for the next few days.
  • Use a cheaper guitar to practice, and not your nice custom Gibson
  • Try to do the swing in an open space, otherwise you may end up breaking something.
  • Always be aware for the cables!!!
  • If you want to be really cautious, wear a helmet, this protects your head from the guitar hitting it during a weak swing.

Things You'll Need

  • A cheap guitar
  • A Strap
  • Strap Locks
  • Or a hard fastened Automobile Seat Belt

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