Guide to Gigging
February 21, 2007 by Jo Minor
For those of you with any vision disorders, this isn’t “Guide to Giggling”, although I would love to write that someday.
Gigging is an activity riddled with countless variables that can throw anything and everything out of balance for you and your band. If you’re not completely prepared, physically and mentally, then you win yourself a good chance of humiliating you and your band mates in public.
This guide would probably be of some value in cutting down some of these variables - and for those of you who don’t understand my concept of variables; you will soon get the picture once you go through this.
Instruments and Accessories
If you wish to perform just as comfortably on stage as you are jamming alone in your bedroom or in the studio with your band mates, then you should always remember to carry all of your instruments and accessories - or at least most of them - for your convenience.
Never, and I repeat, never rely solely on the equipment and accessories at the venue of your performance. Most of the time, the instruments available are damaged or don’t perform up to standards due to abuse and wear and tear.
Always carry your own cables, picks, strings, tuner, effects pedals (if any) and a backup guitar - and keep some of the more important accessories close to you at all times. For example, I keep my picks on top of the amps or stick them with double-sided tape to my guitar. You can also opt for pick holders that attach themselves to your guitar strap.
Last Minute Checks
Remember to check your guitar tuning before each song, and carry an extra pack of strings in case you break any of them - and it’s impossible to restring your guitar in the middle of a show so a backup guitar (tuned to your main stage axe) would obviously be a better bet.
Also, set your guitar strap height to how your guitar would be if it’s on your lap when you play it sitting down - this way you know it will be in a comfortable position when you play standing up. It’s best to make adjust your strap while you’re sitting down with the guitar. I learnt this from the great Billy Sheehan when he came down for a bass clinic in Planet Hollywood some years back.
Another thing you should check before you rock out with your cock out is your amp and effects pedals settings. Never overlook this, and never experiment with anything right before a show. Seasoned professionals who have dedicated their lives to music are known to change certain elements in their set to keep the crowd at their feet, but that is best left to them.
Keep the number of your devices to the bare minimum. Don’t clutter your workspace by placing effects pedals you won’t use - and remember that any effects pedals that don’t have true tone bypass will eat up your tone. I always remember to leave my Crybaby at home on purpose when I go out jamming - just so I won’t have the urge to set it up just for the fun of it.
Last but not least, always make sure the other guitarists and bassists in your band are tuned the same way as you are. I have had the unpleasant opportunity to jam with a complete idiot of a guitarist who insisted on tuning a whole step lower than the Drop-D tuning of the song we were jamming. The result was a forgettable jam session that was a total waste of time and money.
Comments
Feel free to leave a comment...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
