syxxstring Posted January 21, 2004 Report Share Posted January 21, 2004 Alright some of us around here have to have found the little tips and tricks that help gear and performance. lets share some of them. Examples: Combo amps sound way better off the floor to me and on a stand. Also project better this way. Noisy pedal board. Change to high quality cable it might quiet itself down. Recording-Little amps cranked up may be better than your recto on 11.(a lot of how hendrix and page got tone) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wylde1919 Posted January 21, 2004 Report Share Posted January 21, 2004 If you use Electro-acoustics, buy 9 volt batteries in bulk!!!! but then again I think we all know that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezerboy Posted January 21, 2004 Report Share Posted January 21, 2004 2 very very obvious but nontheless great tips 1...tuck your lead behind your strap because lets face it you don't want that falling out 2...gaffa tape...aah so many uses...the most vital it to tape all leads down to the ground so that 1:you don't trip up and unplug things, pulls heads off of cabs etc and more importantly 2:club promotors wandering the stage don't trip up and sue your sorry ass into an oblivion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syxxstring Posted January 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2004 OOh not everyone has power to the front of the stage for pedal boards. so pack extra. cables extension chords etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FajiiNako Posted January 21, 2004 Report Share Posted January 21, 2004 Things i've seen others experience 1. Try to keep your instrument atleast two guitars lengths away from any other band member when jumping around and all that stuff. You could hurt someone, or more importantly, you could hurt your guitar o.O 2. If you write a song that's an instant classic, when playing it on stage, DON'T do adlibs or improvisations >.< It'll just confuse everyone and make them complain later. 3. Don't do what Rob Trujillo does on stage 4. Don't chew gum on stage if you're the singer (its happened in one of the bands i was in) That's all i can think of right now ^.^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otter Posted January 21, 2004 Report Share Posted January 21, 2004 Don't snap the top off of one of the tuning pegs, and then use two pens to turn the remaining bit to tune it 5 minutes before a gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezerboy Posted January 21, 2004 Report Share Posted January 21, 2004 gig bag essentials: @two or three packs of strings @allen keys (if using a fr) @spare batteries for pedals @spare leads (they always die when you need them most) @gaffa tape (see above) @wire cutters @plasters..you don't want blood everywhere @string winder @spare capos @spare slides @spare picks @spare anything that money permits @something heavy to throw at the drummer...maybe a knife of some kind theres plenty more you can add but my memory is failing right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otter Posted January 21, 2004 Report Share Posted January 21, 2004 learn guitar in a day, 3 chord songbook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper Posted January 21, 2004 Report Share Posted January 21, 2004 Boosted mids can sound good. And on some axes, you can use the volume knob to clean up your sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 dont use a yamaha amp, they just plain suck In my opinion anyways Curtis P.S. never thought about taping down the cords.... Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 The biggest error I see with most unexpirienced bands is that their guitarists play with that scooped mids sound and too much gain. Alone it may sound nice, but live and with a complete band noone will hear what they play and they turn the overall sound of the band to mud. If you are not that expirienced take a long guitar chord with you, go off the stage during soundcheck and check how your guitar sounds in the whole picture and from where the audience will hear it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FajiiNako Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 I've had that experience as well. When i went to battle of the bands back in highschool, the first band played, and i was thinking "a little bass, and a lil less mid wouldn't hurt the guitarist..." He was probably used to playing in an enclosed room or something, and didn't set his amp up for stage, because the sound was that kind of sound that just makes your ears pop >.o kinda like when you turn on a TV and it makes that high pitched sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pushead Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 @something heavy to throw at the drummer...maybe a knife of some kind Yes. ALWAYS bring a tuner you can trust, and EVERYONE use it to tune. I've played in bands where the basist would use his own tuner and always be a hair flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 If you are playing off of sheet music and you play outside, bring either clamps or use a piece of acrylic to put over your notes or you'll see them fly. alternatively, put them into a ring book with plastic document covers if you don't have to turn pages mid-song. When doing your own soundcheck use a CD with a song you know and like for doing the PA set up (applies to solo artists like me who only need to adjust master EQ and volume and don't have to care about individual sound ratios). If you don't have anything better handy, a replacement pick can be tucked between the three top strings between the nut (esp. for floyd users, tuning will not be affected). If you drop one mid-song, just reach up to the headstock and grab it. If you use that one too, pull a crazy tapping lick and pray that the song will be over quick ;-) In addition to "bring everything for yourself", if you are like me, you have everything twice, especially leads, strings, guitar straps. Been there, done that. so long ace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pour bleeding me Posted January 25, 2004 Report Share Posted January 25, 2004 would a soldering iron be a bad idea? i mean you NEVER know ...and it could also fix that drummer problem haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pushead Posted January 25, 2004 Report Share Posted January 25, 2004 In fact, bring an extra drummer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STAHLER Posted January 26, 2004 Report Share Posted January 26, 2004 Do not wright your set list out in RED pen. When the stage lights come on you will not be able to see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWishICouldShred Posted January 26, 2004 Report Share Posted January 26, 2004 would a soldering iron be a bad idea? i mean you NEVER know ...and it could also fix that drummer problem haha definitely bring one on the road if you're touring... but not so much if its a gig in your town lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted January 27, 2004 Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 Number One No-No : If you're playing on Friday night, don't change anything major on Thursday afternoon! The guys next door at our rehearsal space are a prime example - last week, the night before their first gig in about a month, they made a few improvements: 1. Guitarist #1 rewires his pedalboard. 2. Guitarist #2 replaces his bridge pickup. 3. Bassist decides to start using his footswitch to switch channels. 4. Drummer replaces heads on his kick and all his toms. Needless to say, the pedalboard went postal, the pickup cut out at random all night, the footswitch stopped working, and the drums had to be tuned between songs, and of course with all this going on, they started forgetting the arrangements. It was chaos, and I don't mean that in a good way. Thing started to stabilize about the time their set was over, but it was quite comical for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bingo328 Posted January 27, 2004 Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 1. In addition to looping your lead through your strap. Loop the end out of you amp around your handle on top. If your lead is long enough then run it down behind your amp and underneath the casters. It will keep it flat on the floor and reduce the risk of pullout 2. If your prone to dropping picks, invest in Gorilla snot. A little on your thumb and index finger will do wonders. 3. If you have a guitar with a pickguard. Take out one screw and you'll have enough of a gap to store 2 or 3 picks. Works especially good with strats. 4. Use a combination bike chain run through the handles of all guitar and bass cases together that you bring to a gig, it will greatly reduce the risk of someone making off with just a single one. Also stenciling your name on cases, cabs, etc make theivery a little more obvious. 5. If a cymbol is developing a crack drill a small hole (approx. 1/8") directly at the end of the crack. If done cleanly it will usually prevent the crack from spreading any farther. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvertonessuckbutigotone Posted July 27, 2005 Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 (edited) dont schedule a gig 2 weeks away before you even have a full band. (I did that and it worked out fine, because we found more members for the band and got a bunch of songs learned and practiced but it was way too stressful and annoying) also, if you dont have time or money for strap locks, a big fat washer instead of a normal strap button works wonders. Edited July 27, 2005 by silvertonessuckbutigotone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 Number One No-No : If you're playing on Friday night, don't change anything major on Thursday afternoon! ← The other guitarist in my last band would change his strings the day before, then spend a good minute or so re-tuning between songs. Death. But all was forgiven after one gig where he pulled out a harmonica for his (normally) guitar solo...and nailed it! It was a complete surprise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stageleft Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 Everything above is good. I don't play out live so I'll attack this from a slightly different angle. I photograph bands and I usually have a capo, 9v batteries and picks (with my business name on them) in my camera bag. The one thing I will add, if you are going to play a few songs in a different tuning, bring another guitar in that tuning. The easiest way to loose a crowd is to spend time between songs going to an alternate tuning and back again. A backup guitar in your standard tuning is also a must. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 Absolutely. Always have a backup guitar in case you break a string (or pop a trem spring) mid-set. I'll never forget the one time I didn't have a backup I broke my high E on the first song of the first set and had to finish the rest of the set with 5 strings. Thank goodness that guitar had a locking trem on it. On the bright side, having one string gone will make you break old soloing habits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tezifon Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 bone nuts, they rule Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.