Performance Tips for Bands

In our line of work, we see many common problems arising at live gigs. If you want to take your music seriously and are looking to eventually get a record deal then it is good to develop a professional approach to playing live. To try to help avoid the common pitfalls that let bands down, we have collated this set of advice. Some of this may sound a little like a rant from our perspective but we want to make you sound good and, if you are serious about your music it should help you deliver a slicker, more professional performance each and every time.

Timekeeping

Keeping things running to schedule is important. The audience is expecting to see you on stage as advertised and it is impolite to keep them waiting - especially if they have paid. Other people also like things to run to time. The venue management are expecting to lock up at a particular time, the engineer is expecting to soundcheck at a particular time and the crew may require a certain amount of time to strip down the stage and load it back in the van at the end.

To ensure things run smoothly, plan it well. Know how long your set runs - this should be apparent from previous gigs and rehearsal sessions. Stick to your set list once at the gig and don't be tempted to add extra songs just for the audience - unless you know there is going to be time to spare.

Make sure you arrive at the venue in plenty of time. If you have been requested to be there for a soundcheck at a particular time, try to arrive 15 to 20 minutes before this to allow you to get your equipment into the venue. For the performance, know when you are due to be on stage and make sure you are ready for that. You don't want to be looking for your drummer 2 minutes before you are due on.

At gigs where there is more than one band playing you need to be even more disciplined. Sound checks and performance slots will generally be set by the promoter. Find out when you need to be there and stick to that. You may even be refused a sound check if you are late. However, do make sure that the schedule is realistic. You will need at least 15 minutes between bands to change-over and if this is not allowed for then everything will run late. If you are concerned then you should speak to the promoter in advance.

Finally, if you are organising the gig yourself, don't forget to allow time at the start and end of the gig to set-up/tear-down the sound and lighting rig. A full stage PA may take up to 2 hours to set up and about the same to take down. If the venue shuts at midnight, make sure the last band is finished before 10pm. Check with whoever is supplying your equipment to find out how much time should be set aside for rigging.

The Engineer

The sound engineer, contrary to popular opinion, is your best friend at a gig. He or she will shape your sound for the audience and can make or break you. Be nice to them. The vast majority of them do their job for a living and, as such, take a professional attitude to their work. They are there to help you sound good.

However, some bands give them a hard time - presenting them with excessive lists of demands right before they go on, arguing over backline levels, playing away while the engineer is trying to soundcheck another instrument, etc. At the end of the day these people are only human and if you don't make the effort with them don't expect them to do likewise.

Its worthwhile when you arrive to introduce yourself to the engineer and give them a copy of your set-list along with any special instructions for songs - e.g. reverb, delay, etc. Don't expect miracles though. It is quite likely that they have never heard you before and trying to insert a key effect at a specific place in a song may not be achievable.

If your sound is important to you it is worthwhile getting your own engineer. This person will know your own 'sound' and your songs and can reproduce this at every gig. Most house engineers will have no objection to your own engineer running the desk when you are on stage. If it is not practical to do this for every gig then try to have them present at the important ones at least.

Special Requirements

Some bands have a tendency to introduce little surprises. Strange instruments, stage sets, even 12 piece brass and string sections! These cannot always be accommodated.

If you do have any special requirements, e.g. special effects, bizarre instruments, etc, contact the venue in advance to ensure these can be accomodated. It is also worthwhile speaking to the sound engineer in advance to ensure that he/she is aware of these needs.

Another great tip is to put together a Rider. This is a document that details the requirements of the band at a gig and is used by most professional touring bands. It will detail the technical setup of the band including the instruments, sound and monitoring requirements and possibly lighting requirements. It will also list any off-stage requirements such as number of dressing rooms, refreshments required, etc. Obviously, only big name bands get to start making demands to this degree but its worth putting together the technical part at least. Once complete, you can send this to the venue and/or promoter when the gig is booked and then the in-house engineers will know in advance how to set things up for you.

Power

One of the most common questions we get asked by a band at a gig is "Do you have another mains extension?" There never seem to be enough plugs to go around for all the equipment on stage and everyone assumes that its someone else's responsibility to provide them.

The best advice here is to spend a few pounds at B&Q and buy some mains extensions for the band. Also, assume the worst case scenario of there being only one plug and its at least 10m away if not more. When hiring out a PA system we always supply sufficient distribution to power up the entire rig and have some extra sockets free for 'surprise' additions. We also assume that we may have to run the entire rig off a single socket and so bring enough extension to achieve this. If you follow the same approach you will never have the hassle of wasting half an hour looking around for a spare plug!

Once again...

Never Assume Anything!

Backline

By 'Backline' we are referring to the amplifiers used by performers on the stage. The purpose of backline is two-fold. Firstly, it helps the performer to create their 'sound' - especially in the case of guitarists. Secondly, it acts as a monitor to help the performer hear what they are playing. At small gigs (150-200 people), it also serves as a main source of sound for the audience as well as a monitor for the performer. In larger venues, however, these amps will be mic'd up and put through the PA removing their use as a main audience sound source.

When using backline in a larger venue it is important to bear this difference in mind . The amplifier is no longer there for the benefit of the audience - only for you. As such, you do not need a huge amp anymore. It need only be large enough for you to hear yourself clearly on stage. The sound engineer may actually ask you to turn it down. This will be because the amp is so loud that it is dominating over the main PA sound and therefore cannot be 'controlled' by the engineer in the mix. The backline should be adjusted during the sound check to get the optimum balance. Once set, take a note of the settings and whatever you do DON'T CHANGE IT DURING THE GIG! Changing the level of the backline will affect the main mix. If you need more volume you should be able to get it through the on-stage monitors. Let the engineer know that you require more.

Achieving this balance can be difficult sometimes as different musicians have differing ideas on how much volume they personally require from their backline. To make things easier, try the following.

Don't sit your backline amp on the floor - especially if its quite small. It will be playing to you legs! Either raise its height by sitting it on something (box, beer crate, flightcase, etc) or put it at an angle to get the sound directed more at your ears. There are special folding stands that you can buy that not only get the amp off the ground but angle it too. These cost about Ł30 - Ł40. Contact us if you would like to order one.

Try to avoid facing the amplifier straight out to the audience - it will affect the mix. If possible have it at the side facing into or across the stage. This will help contain the sound from it.

Leads and Cables

The various leads used to interconnect all your equipment can be a source of many problems. Loose connections or damaged cables cause crackles and pops and broken connections result in loss of sound completely. Here are some tips...

Check all your leads before you set off for the gig. Wiggle them near the connector to ensure that there are no loose connections. If there is a fault, fix it or replace it. It will let you down otherwise. Another useful band purchase would be a cable tester which quickly allows you to check leads even at the gig.

Always use good quality cables with solid metal connectors. Plastic ones simply don't last. Connectors should also have some form of 'strain relief' to prevent the cable being pulled out of the connector. We can supply you with any type of cable made to 'gig' specification if required.

When packing up, don't wind cables around you arm like a washing line. This not only kinks the cable but also puts a strain on the internal cores which may eventually break resulting in pops and crackles. Hand-coiling is the method we use. This preserves the cables but does take a little more practice. Grab us at a gig and we'll show you how its done.

Learn to solder. Then you can make/repair your own leads with very little expense.

And finally, always carry spares. Sounds obvious, but do you?

Electrical Equipment

Anything electrical can be a source of problems. From your amp head to the little plug-top power supply for your effects pedals, these devices, if faulty, can introduce noise and interference into the system and may also produce intermittent or permanent drop-outs in the sound.

Keep equipment is good order. If it looks knocked about on the outside then there may also be damage on the inside. Store equipment in a clean, dry place and transport it carefully. If you have the cash available, invest in some proper flightcases for your gear. We can have cases made for practically anything!

If anything seems to be producing excess noise/crackles, etc, have it serviced by a reputable dealer. It may sound like just a small buzz on stage but once amplified by the PA it will sound awful!

The little, plastic, plug-top power supplies get some of the worst treatment and will generally always cause you problems down the line. Try to have some spares available or purchase a more robust, metal contructed power supply. Bear in mind though, that all power supplies differ and you will need to know the voltage/current required for your apparatus. We can supply such supplies so please contact us if you would like some advice.

Some equipment you may use is not designed for use on a stage. For example, you may use a Minidisc deck to playback a backing track. Unless you specifically purchased a 'Professional' grade model, the chances are that you are using a 'Domestic' version. These are designed to be sitting permanently in your front room, not being thrown in and out of a van every night. The insides of such units will be mainly plastic and will eventually break. Professional grade equipment is built to 'gig'. It does cost more but it will withstand life on the road. It is also worth noting that the warranty on 'domestic' equipment will not cover faults if they find out you've been using it on a gig.

Have your equipment PAT tested for electrical safety. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) applies to all electrical equipment that is used in a place of work. More and more venues are now insisting that any equipment brought in must have a valid test certificate to show that it is electrically safe. Testing should be done annually and can be done by companies such as ourselves. It is relatively quick and does not cost very much to do.

Quality of Instruments

Somebody once said - "A great engineer cannot make a bad musician sound good." This is also true of the instruments they play. If an instrument sounds bad, the sound engineer cannot do much about it. Here are some tips...

With Guitars and Basses, tuning can be one of the major problems. Cheaper models tend to be more susceptible to tuning problems so buy the best you can afford. Use good strings and if you find yourself going out of tune too quickly, arrange to have the guitar serviced by a good technician.

Another option is two have two guitars and a willing friend. Have your friend offstage tuning the second guitar while you are playing and then swap over for the next song. Its very slick, very professional and you'll always be in-tune.

With drums it is the heads that are important. These should be tuned prior to the gig to create a nice, tight, defined sound from each drum. Heads should also be replaced when they start to wear. It is amazing the difference in sound between an untuned kit with old heads versus a tuned kit with new heads.

Keyboards and other electronic instruments are generally better behaved than accoustic ones. Make sure, however, that there are no problems with the connections that would cause pops and crackles. It is also worth checking that you have a proper Line Out connection rather than just a headphone socket. Headphone sockets have a different signal level and can sometimes distort the sound.

Getting ready to go on

Before you get on the stage there are a few things to get ready in advance. Again, most of these will sound obvious when you read them but it is amazing how many bands don't do them.

Tune all guitars, etc, before going on stage. There is simply nothing worse for the audience than a band that is announced, takes to the stage to a huge burst of applause and then stands around for several minutes tuning up! If you tune up just before going on you can take to the stage and kick straight into your first number carrying the audience along on the momentum.

Have some chat and banter available. Not only does it help to bond with the audience but is also useful for filling in if there is a problem (broken drum head, guitar string, etc.) These things do happen so be prepared. Don't just leave the audience standing there waiting.

Don't go on drunk. Drunk performers simply don't sound good.

Finally, make sure the audience know who you are. If you are not announced by the house, make sure that you tell the audience yourself - clearly. If they like you then they need to know your name so they can see you again. As does the A&R guy at the back that you were not aware of....

Well, I hope some of the above is useful to people out there and apologies if I've offended anyone in the process. At the end of the day its down to how serious you are about your music.

Good luck and happy gigging.

Unit 6, North Leith Sands, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 4ER, Scotland, UK Tel. 0131-555 5200