Getting ready for a gig-not like it used to be

[Tman]

Getting together to do the Arkansas Alzheimers benefit gig in July. Going to be big with an estimate of 700 people (actually a combination of activities all centered around the benefit). I just started practicing. Most of the songs we have played before, last time 4 years ago. I realized I had zero memory of how to play them never mind which part I am supposed to play. A lot of songs would probably make you upchuck (stairway to heaven, freebird) but I am excited to play them because the folks at this concert will go nuts.

Now the reason for the post. In 1978-79  when I was playing 3 times a week, I would haul my own gear (which was my guitar, an amp and the only peripheral I had, a talk box). I would tune by ear before the gig and I would have notes taped to the floor as well as the song list.

Now I have an iPad loaded with the lyrics and chords in an app called setlists, music tuned down a half a step (so we geezers can sing them) on an app called Anytune which lets me play things at any speed up to full so I can learn the solos (Slash and Jimmy Page) and I can practice in a little room with either headphones or use an attenuator. I wish that I had what I have now...when I was younger.

For grins here is our setlist (singers are parenthetical). I like to post threads to get something out of it.

So here goes, how do you prep? Teach me.

SET 1
Rock n Roll (Guy)
We're an American Band (Terry)
Tie Your Mother Down (John)
Honky Tonk Women (Phillip)
Come Together (Terry)
Sweet Child (KeKe)
Carry on Wayward Son (Guy)
Renegade (John)
Jumping Jack Flash (Terry)
Victim of Love (Phillip)
Free Fallin' (Guy)
Don't Stop Believin' (Guy)
Acoustic Mini-set
Seven Bridges Road (Guy/Everyone)
Backwater (Guy)
SET 2
Rocky Mtn Way (Phillip)
May Jane's Last Dance (Guy)
American Woman (Terry)
Stairway (Guy)
Rock Candy (Guy)
Limelight (KeKe)
Encores
Hotel California (Guy)
Freebird (Terry)
Highway to Hell ( Guy)

[merciful-evans]

You're better prepared than I am.

There is s possibility of my band 'making a comeback'. I took a look at the set list and yes, some of those songs have blurred and need relearning.

Yours sounds like a great cause and a exiting gig in prospect. Don't forget to enjoy it! 

[kidblast]

Its definitely a different game as we get on in our years.

The recall can be a gas, but for prepping, it's usually just a matter of repitition.  having the sets laid out and everyone organized around that is a big deal.

It drives me crazy when we're reheasring and someone has to spend 1 minute looking for their charts or lyrics, AFTER I've taken the time to arrange the sets.

I politely urge them to organize their SH*T so they just turn the page, and there's the next song.. Sounds easy don't it??

 

 

[jdgm]

I don't have a working band right now, but when I do -

I also have a good rest (at least an hour) before leaving for the gig.

As far as other prep goes, I make sure I have everything on the gear and spares list (including a towel and a clean, dry t-shirt) and that it all works ok.  I tune before I leave so I only have to check my tuning when I get there.  I agree about putting the songs in order on your list, makes a huge difference to the impression you make.

The songs - I have to know exactly what happens where.  Are there 2 verses or 3 before the solo, etc.  These days my memory is so shot that I have a folder of the song sheets on a music stand which I try and place disreetly on my right. Depends on where I stand on the stage.  But normally I only have about 1 square foot to set up in so......wherever.

What really bugs me is when I am trying to set up and someone else wants to walk across my space or put their cases/leads/cabinets there, while they are doing something else.  GTF outa the way - PLEASE!

[kidblast]

55 minutes ago, jdgm said:

The songs - I have to know exactly what happens where.  Are there 2 verses or 3 before the solo, etc.  These days my memory is so shot that I have a folder of the song sheets on a music stand which I try and place disreetly on my right. Depends on where I stand on the stage.  But normally I only have about 1 square foot to set up in so......wherever.

 

yep.. notes for these are important for some tunes, and "ENDINGS"

Nothing says "We aint tight" quite like those long drawn out "concert" endings.  eventually we wont need these kind of notes, but right now,  yea..  our drummer loves to drag out all the endings,  like every song can't end the same dude.

 

 

Edited April 5, 2022 by kidblast

[Tman]

Thanks guys, we will practice 4 times that week before the gig so I definitely want to be prepared and not be a drag on anyone because all of us will be prepared, a bunch of OCDers. I forgot to mention that the other thing that can be done now that didn't exist back then is instantaneously looking up how to play something on YouTube or the like. Is saving me hours.

[NighthawkChris]

The guy I play with likes to record everything and does a good job at it. It helps to have recordings to listen to something again you did and all those cringe notes go away magically next time you play whatever it was you were listening to lol! I remember cassette tape recording and making that work! It’s a different game today. How about YouTube guitarists. It’s a thing I guess. It’s cool though… some super people out there. 

Edited April 5, 2022 by NighthawkChris

[Tman]

33 minutes ago, NighthawkChris said:

How about YouTube guitarists. It’s a thing I guess. It’s cool though… some super people out there. 

Agree. Marty Scwartz is a great teacher and doesn't seem to be full of himself.  Some others are painful and painfully slow but you can't please everyone. Seen some just wrong out there too. Otherhand some understated and really excellent. There was a lesson on Honky Tonk woman, a song I have played for 40 years, incorrectly it turns out. Had an ah ha moment recently. Really a lot of fun during these pandemic, war, social division days that we are in. Fun to play and reach a few milestones.

[Karloff]

naps. pre gig naps ... crucial. and coffee

[Karloff]

17 hours ago, NighthawkChris said:

The guy I play with likes to record everything and does a good job at it. It helps to have recordings to listen to something again you did and all those cringe notes go away magically next time you play whatever it was you were listening to lol! I remember cassette tape recording and making that work! It’s a different game today. How about YouTube guitarists. It’s a thing I guess. It’s cool though… some super people out there. 

yep, I've had lots of gigs recorded. I'll go back & listen / watch myself & critique. every once in awhile I'll think ehh, that'll do. usually I'm thinking more of this, less of that, too many notes ...

[Tman]

Thanks NHC and Karloff. This event will be recorded. Great idea.

Relearned Guns N Roses tune last night. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Still have some muscle memory.

[NighthawkChris]

7 hours ago, Karloff said:

yep, I've had lots of gigs recorded. I'll go back & listen / watch myself & critique. every once in awhile I'll think ehh, that'll do. usually I'm thinking more of this, less of that, too many notes ...

Even practices/rehearsals are good to capture. Sometimes there’s that time that someone does something really creative then and you’re glad you caught it in a recording. It sort of evolves something you do musically speaking I have found. But recording isn’t for the faint of heart. A lot of equipment, cables, software… My bud has a lot of this set up nicely in his basement. It’s like a really nice recording studio. We can practice and record everything without amps - really cool stuff. It’s sort of complicated to explain what it’s like but every player has their own mixer that can bring in volumes of others at desired volumes and such. Of course there’s a master out mix that goes to the audio file stuff, but as a player, really enjoyable experience. Of course, if you had to use an amp, go for it but generally can make good recordings with cab sims and such using only IEMs to hear the playback of the mix in real time. Not like the old fashioned put your amp against the wall with everyone else’s at practice haha!

Edited April 6, 2022 by NighthawkChris

[codename]

Great set list !

[rct]

Oh man that's a fun buncha songs!  I wish we had your singers, we'd open with Foreplay/Longtime and stagger downhill from there.

You been playing as long as me, so I can't tell you anything you don't know already, but I will, because you have to hear it sometimes.

Walk around playing and singing the songs in the order you are going to do them.  All hours day or night, just walk around playing them.  Sing, poorly, sing the ones you don't sing, just do the two things at once we have to do, while moving around, which is optional if you are a shoe gazer.

If you are singing and playing Honky Tonk or Rocky Mountain and you know you got a tough part coming up, stay with the singing, stay on that and do it as well as you can, you been at this a long time your hands and body know what to do, it's the dang singing that matters most and is the hardest part.  Never lean on guitar playing to get through singing, always sing as well as you can  and let yourself play the guitar.  Victim of Love I can't help you with.  I don't sing that one, so I get to just play and do some harmonies on the chorus.  Way too much gain and I fake slide it.  Always a hoot.

First tune, first chord, first note, 110% confidence.  Start that way, don't wait for the gig to tell you your confidence level, start way over confident, let the gig catch up.  Play it right, don't worry about the other guys.  "Alright fellas, almost like the record and it's a victory!".  Let the other guitar and/or keys lean on you when they have to, and don't hesitate to lean on them when you need to, just not at the same time.  lolz.

You know about gear so that shouldn't be a thought at all, you know what to have with you and if you have the stuff nothing can go too wrong.

Nap before a gig?  Jesus, I'm up at 6am waiting for a 9pm-1am to start.  I couldn't nap if I had to.

We don't use the apps and tablets and stuff, couple notebooks with typed out lyrics and notes, same old way.  We probably have 100 songs in regular rotation, so we have to have the books set up in some kind of set order so we aren't flailing around.  I have a page for every song, songs I've been doing/singing since they came out, because if I don't have them in front of me, that's the night I'll forget the words.  They don't know which mixylidian or Ionian arpeggio I just deftly plectrum'd my way through, but man they know it if I eff up the words to anything.

Anyone that pukes at Stairway or Freebird just hasn't had the pleasure of doing them half decent is all.  I'd play garbage all night to get to them two.  Do them with the authority and authenticity that only us old fux have and it's a win for everybody.  "We didn't do Freebird for you, we did it for your mom."  Always goes over well.

Have fun doing that stuff.  I know I would!!!

rct

[Tman]

Dealt with some car issues today, got home ate dinner with the wife unit and thought what the hey,  just be a Daryl Downer and go to bed early. Then I read Rotator Cuff Tear's post and immediately jumped off of the couch with a yea man and am ready to walk around singing Victim of Love (haven't played it in 40 years literally) for the next while. Really great suggestions and I think what I am taking out of it is, get your attitude right, get your heart into it, be familiar with it, OWN IT, be confident not cocky, and don't forget the words.

btw the other guitar player Guy, whom I have been playing with off and on for 44 years is an unbelievable singer (and guitar player). He can actually sing Robert Plant and Steve Perry in the original key. Downtuning is for the rest of us.

Thanks everyone and keep em coming. My enthusiasm is high and the ultimate goal is M-E and RCT's advice, have fun

[saturn]

Lots of good suggestions already. 

I can only say what I do, whether that works for anyone else IDK. Probably not .  But I never use Ipad or song sheets or any of that. Most of my band mates do. I will sometimes cheat off the Ipad next to me if possible :-).  But if your band isn't too anal about trying to get everything note-for-note, just try to know all the keys and chord progressions on each song. Most times when we do the set list we'll put what Key we play it in next to the Title. That helps. (I do print a Set List).  I use a mental trick of finding a way to connect each chord, riff, verse... whatever...to the following chord, riff, verse...whatever. Each thing jogs my memory to the following thing. That usually gets me through 80% and I fake the rest. No use over thinking sh!t and getting too stressed about it. Have fun and enjoy the gig, and most likely everyone else will too.

Hopefully enough money will be raised to find a solution to  Alzheimers before I get it.

[Tman]

44 minutes ago, saturn said:

Lots of good suggestions already. 

I can only say what I do, whether that works for anyone else IDK. Probably not .  But I never use Ipad or song sheets or any of that. Most of my band mates do. I will sometimes cheat off the Ipad next to me if possible :-).  But if your band isn't too anal about trying to get everything note-for-note, just try to know all the keys and chord progressions on each song. Most times when we do the set list we'll put what Key we play it in next to the Title. That helps. (I do print a Set List).  I use a mental trick of finding a way to connect each chord, riff, verse... whatever...to the following chord, riff, verse...whatever. Each thing jogs my memory to the following thing. That usually gets me through 80% and I fake the rest. No use over thinking sh!t and getting too stressed about it. Have fun and enjoy the gig, and most likely everyone else will too.

Hopefully enough money will be raised to find a solution to  Alzheimers before I get it.

Great advice and I was hoping you'd chime in because you gig regularly. Since I gig 3 times a year max I need the help especially lyrics since I can't seem to remember them all without a hint. Sometimes just the first word of a line. I love the idea of the mental trick helping remember the next piece. Got me through school, should do it here. Great stuff

[merciful-evans]

This set list is ancient. We don't even use a set list anymore. Whoever got the booking will just call the songs in whatever order they want. I still keep one of these in the guitar case though just as a memory aid (I am dreadful at remembering what key songs are in). 

[Tman]

9 hours ago, merciful-evans said:

This set list is ancient. We don't even use a set list anymore. Whoever got the booking will just call the songs in whatever order they want. I still keep one of these in the guitar case though just as a memory aid (I am dreadful at remembering what key songs are in). 

I'd love to hear you guys play momma told me not to come and Leave your hat on.