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Same here, I guess it's the pain of the solo/duo guys with no sound guy up front.
What I do is always, always start with the same 2 songs, they have everthing we need, from lead to harmonies so I can gauge the sound and fine tune the mix. One thing I learrnt over the years is that your audience is the best measuring stick to how you sound; by using the same songs, i have gotten used to how a generic crowd behaves to them, so if no one reacts, for example, i know we are to low, or have a muddy mix, if I get the increased conversation volume during the slower parts of the song, I know we are to loud, etc. you guys know what I mean.
First songs are for settling in and connecting to the audience, from there on...who knows what the hell we are going to do!
Rod
What I do is always, always start with the same 2 songs, they have everthing we need, from lead to harmonies so I can gauge the sound and fine tune the mix. One thing I learrnt over the years is that your audience is the best measuring stick to how you sound; by using the same songs, i have gotten used to how a generic crowd behaves to them, so if no one reacts, for example, i know we are to low, or have a muddy mix, if I get the increased conversation volume during the slower parts of the song, I know we are to loud, etc. you guys know what I mean.
First songs are for settling in and connecting to the audience, from there on...who knows what the hell we are going to do!
Rod
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Originally Posted by chemikool
For me - it's getting my ears acclimated to the sound of the room / and the sound of my bandmates. Sometimes that means making tweaks to the band's mix and/or my keyboard rig. Sometimes it simply means playing through it to get used to where the key things I'm listening for can be found in the sonic space.
I'm at my best if I do everything in my power to "hit the ground running". For me, that means taking a look at the set list I plan to play for the night earlier in the day - and spending a few seconds on each tune. I make sure I remember the 1st chord, the basic progression and rhythm groove of my part, the bridge - and any passages that may give me trouble. I'll blast thru each of these components of each tune (usually stoopid fast!) - just to refresh the song is muscle memory. It never ceases to amaze me how there's always one or two tunes (often tunes I've done a million times!) that I have to stop and think about for a second to remember. My "pre-gig" review goes along way in reducing screwups!
I also make sure that I get a good warmup immediately prior to starting. I'll sit on the dark stage - and just play thru headphones for 10-15 minutes shortly before we start. It gets my fingers loose, and gets my head thinking music.
Adrenaline can be a bit of an issue too. For me, it's critical that I start the night with a totally clear head (no drugs and/or miniscule (if any) alcohol) ... once I've settled into the evening, there may be a little wiggle room in this regard.
That's pretty much my routine. I've learned (the hard way!) that I'm at my best if I stick to it.
When playing new venues I'll usually walk up to the mic nervously and stutter, "This is my first time playing in front of real people". I'll fiddle with my guitar and prepare them for the worst and then jump into something that I have nailed 110% for laughs. It sets up the first 15 minutes wonderfully. After that tune I'll plaster on a fake smile, introduce myself and inform them that I was kidding. I'll let them know about requests and the type of music they'll hear. It gets a laugh and relaxes people and gets them involved right away. It's also great to watch the reactions if you have it in you to pull it off. Because TRUST ME- people will be staring at you ready for the worst.
Maybe I'm demented.
Maybe I'm demented.
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