Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

Z

zionstrat

Well-known member
Not the normal, change strings, practice choke points or update setlist stuff...

If I haven't performed in more than a week...

1. I run the set on my beach guitar... a doggy, not optimal guitar...if I can make it through on it, there's little in the real world that could derail me.

2. And if I have more time, I will solo all over the recordings of all the songs... Reinforces key, changes and sometimes inspires new parts.

I don't do #1 if we're doing house band or giging the same material on a regular basis, but in those cases I try to ramp up number 2 to get new takes on the same material.


I think this has been covered before but interested in your current best practices.

Peace,
Zstrat

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Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

Bump... No one has unusual pre gig routines?

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Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

I go over the difficult parts. I tend to write things that I have difficulty playing, so every song has some weird or fast thing that is just at the edge of my ability. I tend to have low blood pressure, so I literally have to 'warm up'. I need to make sure my hands are the same temp as my body, or else they don't obey my brain! I make user any programming of my sounds is done, and I pack up the gear the night before. If I've never been to the venue, I make sure it is ready to go in my GPS.
 
Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

Mincer said:
I go over the difficult parts. I tend to write things that I have difficulty playing, so every song has some weird or fast thing that is just at the edge of my ability. I tend to have low blood pressure, so I literally have to 'warm up'. I need to make sure my hands are the same temp as my body, or else they don't obey my brain! I make user any programming of my sounds is done, and I pack up the gear the night before. If I've never been to the venue, I make sure it is ready to go in my GPS.
Click to expand...
GPS!!!;)
I've got to listen to your tunes, it sounds like you have lots of custom settings going on. I wish I had more of that, hard to find time.



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Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

Coffee and I try to run through any known trouble spots at some point earlier in the day.
 
Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

I always MUST take a pre-gig dump. Lol
It's a nerves thing. Doesn't matter how many times I've played he same club or the same songs....I always get a small case of pre-gig jitters which results in a trip to he bathroom.
 
Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

Gtrjr... Liquids go right thru me, so i have a similar challenge.

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Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

...me, so i have a similar challenge.

Chadd, yeah I run the choke points no matter what else I do... I'll even run them in the car playing air guitar or just thinking, do this not that.

A good teacher tried to get me to stop doing last minute 'rehersals' because its better to relax and be in the moment, etc. But for me, be in the moment starts on stage and I've never changed.

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Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

zionstrat said:
...me, so i have a similar challenge.

Chadd, yeah I run the choke points no matter what else I do... I'll even run them in the car playing air guitar or just thinking, do this not that.

A good teacher tried to get me to stop doing last minute 'rehersals' because its better to relax and be in the moment, etc. But for me, be in the moment starts on stage and I've never changed.

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Click to expand...

I sometimes do that too. Ill rehearse in my mind. But it's either you're gonna nail it or not so even still it's a crap shoot.

Plus, I recently started up lessons again. My new teacher has me going back and fixing bad habits and things I should have worked on years ago. On one hand, I absolutely need to do this. On the other hand, I'm now second guessing myself in areas that I never had a thought to in the first place. It's frustrating to say the least. And my confidence is a little shaken.
 
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Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

I restring & stretch then polish my gig guitars. Also I typically do a gear check and makes sure my gig bag is prepared for any emergency.
 
Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

Securb said:
I restring & stretch then polish my gig guitars. Also I typically do a gear check and makes sure my gig bag is prepared for any emergency.
Click to expand...

I do this, too. After outside shows in Florida I change strings every gig, too. I don't get anxious onstage, but I do before- mostly about things I can't control...bad stage management at a festival, a close place to park, dealing with security, unsecured 'staging area' on the side of the stage when we are loading our gear in and out.
 
Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

Gtrjunior said:
Plus, I recently started up lessons again. My new teacher has me going back and fixing bad habits and things I should have worked on years ago.
Click to expand...

If I have a quotable quote it would be "Always be taking lessons as well as teaching"

As you say, others will see our challenges and help with work arounds so taking lessons is great.

But when I teach, I have to think through everything I am doing and I have probably learned as much preparing for a student as I have from teachers.

And don't imagine you can't teach- you always can find someone who needs to learn what you learned last year.
 
Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

i regularly gig a few times a week. im almost always running late. 90% of the time i grab a guitar and make sure it has six strings, i grab another guitar and make sure it has six strings. make sure there is an amp and my bag of stuff (cables, tuner, picks, etc.) in the car and off i go. if its a fill in gig or theres a new song or something, ill try and put some time in and make sure i have parts down. if the gig is a decent distance, ill bring all the songs on the set list (mp3s) and listen to them on the way

Mincer said:
I do this, too. After outside shows in Florida I change strings every gig, too. I don't get anxious onstage, but I do before- mostly about things I can't control...bad stage management at a festival, a close place to park, dealing with security, unsecured 'staging area' on the side of the stage when we are loading our gear in and out.
Click to expand...

i dont usually change my strings for each gig but always have extra string and a second guitar ready to go should i pop a string. bad stage management sucks but since i cant control it, i dont worry about it. i make sure i am ready when im supposed to be and the rest of the band is as well. if things are running late or chaos is running rampant, we wait patiently or help if we can. not much else to be done. un-secured staging area's are the one thing that i do worry about sometimes, since there are frequently tons of people running around and some of them typically look pretty seedy. i try and make everything in one trip if i can or we take turns baby sitting the gear.
 
Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

jeremy said:
i try and make everything in one trip if i can or we take turns baby sitting the gear.
Click to expand...
Boy you nailed that one and introduced a topic I think I block out:)

I far prefer standing gigs because I am certain as to what rig to take and I will often run thought things like, gotta run power cord stage rt, etc.

I usually bring my little rig as backup, but actually like it when we're there enough to leave an amp and just cary tubes.
 
Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

A couple days or the night before I'll play through the set myself and see if the guitars for that gig need any last minute maintenance. I've chanced going to gigs without extra strings before and it's nerve-wracking!

I try to get some exercise in on gig day. If I have time I'll go for a run or hit the gym, but try not to lift too much and tire out my arms/hands/guitar muscles other than lifting our gear.

After exercise, if there's time before heading to the venue I'll pick up a guitar and run through the "choke parts" (that term is going in my vocab!), and just play through the set by myself. When at the venue, after loading in, I'll do the same, play a little and warm up. Then I'll go mill about with people and have a beer or cocktail.

My hands get chilly and stiff when I get nervous (happens every time) so I'll wear an extra long-sleeve layer to stay warm. I have to hit the can maybe 10-15 minutes before playing, and wash my hands with soap and warm-to-hot water to get the blood flowing, and make sure my fingers are smooth across the strings. A bit more noodling and quickly practicing any hard parts before hitting the stage. Sometimes a bit of jumping around or dancing to get pumped up. If I need a drink refill, I'll grab one now. If there's time once my amp is setup and on standby, I'll run to the can and do the quick hot water wash one last time so it's only clean hands on my guitar.

In an ideal world I get to do all these things, but the most important to me are keeping my whole body (especially hands) warm and loose, and at least one hand wash.
 
Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

Metalman_666 said:
A couple days or the night before I'll play through the set myself and see if the guitars for that gig need any last minute maintenance. I've chanced going to gigs without extra strings before and it's nerve-wracking!

I try to get some exercise in on gig day. If I have time I'll go for a run or hit the gym, but try not to lift too much and tire out my arms/hands/guitar muscles other than lifting our gear.

After exercise, if there's time before heading to the venue I'll pick up a guitar and run through the "choke parts" (that term is going in my vocab!), and just play through the set by myself. When at the venue, after loading in, I'll do the same, play a little and warm up. Then I'll go mill about with people and have a beer or cocktail.

My hands get chilly and stiff when I get nervous (happens every time) so I'll wear an extra long-sleeve layer to stay warm. I have to hit the can maybe 10-15 minutes before playing, and wash my hands with soap and warm-to-hot water to get the blood flowing, and make sure my fingers are smooth across the strings. A bit more noodling and quickly practicing any hard parts before hitting the stage. Sometimes a bit of jumping around or dancing to get pumped up. If I need a drink refill, I'll grab one now. If there's time once my amp is setup and on standby, I'll run to the can and do the quick hot water wash one last time so it's only clean hands on my guitar.

In an ideal world I get to do all these things, but the most important to me are keeping my whole body (especially hands) warm and loose, and at least one hand wash.
Click to expand...
Exercise and washing... I need more of both[emoji41] Good ones.

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Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

Get the drummer all worked up until he is as angry as a rabid ape and let him pound the top of the drums clean out the bottom.
 
Re: Unusual things you do to prepare for gig?

I always check and double check that I have all my gear ready to go and that its in working order. I exercise my fingers and hands, Go over the tunes that I will sing for the event and have a short practice. Like to show up about half hr to 40 minutes early, to relax and do some warm ups especially in winter to get the body warmed up.
 
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