the mad ginger get a wah pedal. next time that happens, grab the end so it feeds back and use the wah pedal to get space sounds. make it look like it was intentional.
I've heard an advice that seems pretty obvious, but apparently it's not: give it everything you've got, no matter what audience is. It doesn't matter if you play in front of 20,000 people or 20 people, you step on the stage and act like you play at goddamn Wacken. Firstly, because in the audience of 20, there might be a promoter, a manager or a guy from a good record label, like Nuclear Blast (yes, it's too much, but it might happen) and you want them to be amazed by your band, right? Second of all, those 20 people had paid the price of the ticket and they deserve non less than if there was a huge crowd.
As a great man once said, "You've got to approach every gig like it's the last one you'll ever get to play, like they're gonna outlaw music at midnight and you will NOT be taken alive when they come to shut you down!"
As a guitarist, bassist, and sound guy, TIP 7 IS ESSENTIAL! Even if you don't realize it, the sound staff will be SHITTALKING YOU HARD IF YOU ARE A DICK! We won't care as much about how you sound, we won't work as hard to keep your levels perfect, etc. etc if you're rude to us. It's not necessarily even a conscious thing, it's sort of a natural human reaction to being treated like shit for no reason when you have a difficult and important job.
Don't get drunk before playing especially when you are just starting out and are not very used to playing gigs. I did that on my first gig because I thought it would give me confidence and make me perform better, I was very wrong amongst a lot of major fuck ups that night I managed to step on my guitar lead just before a guitar solo and it took me ages to notice that the guitar was unplugged because I was so drunk so I missed out the entire solo.
margin .annihilator admitedly a lot of bands can get away with it but they are used to touring and playing gigs drunk, they have mastered the art. Most small time bands though that you see 9/10 if the guitarist is drunk they will suck.
felix knott sorry but you obviously have no idea. alcohol is just a thing, if you know how to properly use it to your advantage than do so. but just because you don't know how to, doesn't mean others don't. get a clue :D
Terence Mckenna wow do you not know how to take something light heartedly. Anyway I admit that many people are good at playing whilst drunk but naturally alcohol can make playing guitar harder, when you are drunk it is harder to focus on what you are doing and it is harder to hit the right notes because putting your finger on the right fret takes quite a bit of focus. I would say though that I play better if I have like 2 or 3 pints before going on to ease the nerves but anything more than that and it is just sloppy.
Finally someone that understands how it's supposed to work on and off the stage. Very well put and your tips that you have provided are practical and valuable. Good job!
Great vids Colin, nice one. Subbed after watching the tone pot advice. #7 is spot on. I would add - *_PROTECT YOUR HEARING!_*. Once it's gone it's gone for good. Invest in earplugs with attenuation filters. You'll still be able to hear yourself, and afterwards... you'll still be able to hear!
Great advice. I've been playing live for 50 years now, and each of these tips ring true. I could have done a video on this, but I don't have the uber cool Scottish accent that you do!
I have seen about 20 of your videos. after I finish I have zero complains and I always learn something. the only complaint I have ever had is that the will it shred videos arnt completed yet. Since my only complaint is I want more videos in gonna subscribe.
Tip #4 - You can also use those red rubber things from Grolsch bottles as strap locks. Seriously, every time I find a bottle, I must buy one, drink it and nab those rubber things.
I strongly agree with your tips, another one that seems important to me is to bring extra strings or a additional guitar just in case if you brake a string or it goes way out of tune
Oh god Number 5 and Number 6. As an audience member I can confirm both of these. I'll never forget the time we walked out of a pub right as the show started because the dude brought a 100W Marshall stack and cranked it right from the get go. As for number 6 I always practice with choreography for that reason. I have seen way too many metal bands that think the "aloof" guitar player staring at his fingers or disinterestedly into the middle distance while his solo sweeps and legatos about is fun to look at. I was at a metal show with this one band who had two guitar players who would trade off solos, almost with a Mustaine / Friedman feel. The one dude would do his crazy technical sweep-tapping licks while standing stark still and pouty faced and the other played much less technical pentatonic stuff but utterly stole the show with his crazy antics, pointing his guitar at people and soloing at them like his instrument was a weapon. Have fun and the audience will too.
Awesome video! You bring up the extra cable issue (which you should label somehow so other band members don't walk off with them accidentally or on purpose), but that can go for other things too. For example, always have extra strings! If you are using one of those heavy metal guitars with a floyd rose, you almost need an extra guitar if a string breaks! Redundancy is always good, but then you also have to worry about guarding the stuff. If you are gigging regularly, you should always make sure that you have a backup rig (amp & guitar) just in case -- maybe not at the gig, but at least at home. You never know when something is going to need repair and you are out of luck!
Get a tuner!! Nobody wants to hear you tuning your guitar between songs. That just sounds terrible. I think a Polytune pedal is great. You can just turn the tuner on - it mutes the sound - and then strum all of your strings at the same time and see which of the strings are out of tune. It takes like two seconds to do it. Yes, I know you can tune by ear but that just doesn't work on stage. As I said, nobody wants to hear you tune your guitar so a tuner is pretty necessary. I think a backup guitar is also a good thing to have. If you break a string, you don't want to restring your guitar on stage. That takes too much time and just looks awkward. One thing to think about is the song transitions. I remember our first gig and it was terrible (when it comes to transitions between songs). We had to make sure everybody knew which song would be next and there was like 30 seconds between every song. It may help if the frontman says the name of the song before the band starts playing it. That way everybody can be sure that they are going to play the same song. After you have ended a song, you want to start the next song as fast as possible. Quiet moments can be awkward so I would say either start the next song almost immediately or then speak to the audience (if you have something to say - and I think the next song's name is a good thing to say because that way the band can be sure what the next song will be). Also, if you need to change amp/pedal settings between songs, I would suggest someone speaking to the audience. Or some instrument could start playing the intro riff, and once you are ready, you could join in. You can always play extended intros if necessary. And differentiating from the album version is sometimes good. I mean, who doesn't like an extended intro jam?
MaggaraMarine Yeah also: don't restring your guitar the day before or at the same day of the gig. They just won't stay in tune long enough to get from one song to the other. -> If you really want to, do it one week beforehand. And about the song transitions: Setlists! Every-fucking-one in the band should have a setlist so that they know the order of the songs! It is also always a good thing to agree before the gig on who makes what transition and what they're "basically" going to say. Yeah, you totally can improvise and nobody wants to sound like the transition's been "rehearsed" but it's better to have a "good, fluent, entertaining show" in your pocket than unexpected awkward silent moments or in general: to appear totally unprofessional on stage.
Dude your videos are so insightful for beginning/slightly or barely seasoned guitarists like me! Definitely going to get some gear upgrades and work on my technique!
How about this one...Don't try to play a song that is above your performance level. Nothing sounds worse (to me) than someone playing a song that is obviously too difficult for them.
One thing that has made a huge difference for me is getting my amp angled to project directly towards my ears. Every amp that was sitting on the floor always sounded muddy to me on stage, but throw it on a milk crate or gear case, all the articulation and clarity comes back. And you almost never need as much gain as you think. Otherwise this guy pretty much nails it; you should have your music second nature by the time you hit the stage, and then deliver a badass performance
Thanks a lot for these tips..., I do most of these myself n I realize the importance. You doing this video goes to prove to myself that I wasn't wrong in what I did.... Though that fan thing is something I thought about very little n will look into that as well.... Lol... Thanks again pal!
Good tips. I've used them many times. Especially the stage presence. One dude grabbed/played my guitar from the pit, and said, "I grabbed, and played your guitar man!"
"Respect is earned, not demanded" great life advice right there! Great point on professionalism. Take Steel Panther for example, they act like stereotypical misogynistic 80's rock stars that sleep with fans and other associated stereotypes and do interviews in character, but they are talented, professional musicians who are aware that it's just a stage persona for entertainment purposes only. If they acted like that off stage, they'd very probably get arrested for sexual harassment.
I do some of this even just for practicing, my friends said i overcompensate but my friend didnt complain after i had a spare live wire cable in my case and 2 extra sets of strings
Sparda Reborne Not necessarily... No normal person would kill anyone is what you're aiming at, at least not under those circumstances... He could've been his biggest fan, and that's the motivation he killed him.. Something similar to yandere...
You've gotten a lot better at mixing your vids. The intro went from being loud as hell to a quiet voice. Now your vids are much better. Keep up the tips and satire.
Dude... This is insane i watched this video before a gig and during it my guitar strap fell off hahaha... i had 10 secs to recover before a solo... goes to show to take advice seriously .
Love your videos - always informative and very helpful! Your video on "More Gain" not only cracks me up, but really helped me to dial back the gain, and cut through the mix so much better. Even helped my recordings as well. Thanks!
Ahhh, I'd forgotten how good the word Tosser sounds in a Scottish (Glaswegian?) accent! I love your videos, I only discovered you this week and I can't get enough!
I'd like to add a tiny thing to that rockstar thing you mentioned, yes act like a rocker on stage, but don't become a prick on stage either, don't start picking on people in a mean way, engage with them but don't be Jeremy Kyle about it Also laugh off mistakes, if you mess up a note or a phrase, etc. unless you're in a big arena or some talent show, laugh it off, make jokes about it, the more tense you are the more your audience is gonna sense that
Tcrumpen Agreed, but also don't "emphasize" mistakes or flaws. Nothing more embarrassing than the singer who goes "I'm sorry if I sing a bit out of key but I have a soar throat".
I have a few tips. 1. FUCKING SOUND CHECK!!!!!!!! And keep in mind that if you're too loud in an empty venue that might not be the case once the audience is there. Also be prepared to possibly change your tone or the volume on the spot in case the sound engineer ends up being an idiot who knows nothing about guitar sound. (it happened to me) 2. WARM UP!! Do some playing before the show. it really helps if you practice on an acoustic or a guitar with heavier strings. 3. Bring extension chords. You don't want to have your amp be 20 feet away from you or to possibly end up stuck behind some curtains or something. (This happened to me as well.) This will also give you a little bit more freedom to move about. 4. Bring extra strings and if you can afford to, change them before a gig. If you can, Bring a backup guitar. And if you're really worried, train yourself to safely, quickly and quietly swap guitars in the middle of a song. 5. If you use a pick, Have extra picks on you or near by for if you drop one because it will most likely end up being sucked into another dimension never to be seen again. 6. If like me, you go absolutely crazy on stage, make sure you have room to. Smacking your guitar on a wall, ceiling or someone's face, is a bad thing to do. 7. If you're fronting a band, Don't be shy. If you look scared up there then you will look bad. If you don't worry, you won't have to. (one thing I did at my last gig was headbanging like a motherfucker so I didn't have to actually look at the audience. Also my hair was short enough that it could cover my eyes and not make me look like a ginger Cousin It.) 8. If you're playing a long show, keep some cold bottled water nearby. Especially if you sing/scream. 9. Use the bathroom before you go on stage. You don't want to shit yourself and playing with a full bladder sucks. Also I have a question, What's a decent wireless that will allow me to go absolutely batshit on stage (Because I do) but not cost me much?
I had a Dunlop strap lock fail on a PRS single cut I used to have. It feel right on the jack fortunately, and just dented the jack plate and ruined the cable end. Still not sure what happened, but I just use the Schallers now, it's a trust thing.
Whether you use strap locks, rubber washers or nothing, make sure the screws are not loose I once had a strap knob screw come out of the guitar, just before we started playing No strap lock will make a difference if the screw holding it in place comes loose
So... great tips, But I have had 3 sets of strap locks strip out the holes on my guitar. Maybe i'm too rough on them but throwing a tiny rubber band behind the strap on the regular button has worked great for me. Something people can try if they don't want to go with the strap locks.
i think the limp bizkit guy hammers steel pikes into his guitar with a chain ring at the end of it, and has little metal clip on things on his strap to attach to the steel rings. the ultimate strap lock lmao
Totally agree about stage presence. Even if you are playing in a small venue with a stage that barely fits your gear you should try to be as active as possible. I've played venues where we had no choice but to stand there. In that situation it helps to at least move to the music and look like relaxed and you're enjoying yourself. Eye contact with the crowd is good too. I have to say though, promising the audience won't hurt you? You obviously have not played some of the places I have. Lol There's a reason why some stages have chicken wire across the front. I've also play a few places where there should have been chicken wire but there wasn't. Lol Now for a real helpful tip... If you have a tube amp, bring spare tubes just in case they chose to blow mid gig. If it can happen to Steve Vai, it can happen to you. Spare fuses also, for the same reason. ...and a spare amp doesn't hurt if you can afford it or can borrow one, just in case the problem is worse than just a blown fuse or tube.
D'addario's Planet Locks are better than strap locks tbh. I used Dunlop strap locks for two years before switching. They're cumbersome to install, and unless you oil them occasionally, they will eventually start popping out while you're playing. Plus backing out and replacing screws always increases the risk of stripping out the screw holes and having two fill in and redrill them. It's not the hardest thing to deal with, it's just a huge pain in the ass. Planet locks, however, are basically just regular guitar straps with hard plastic ends that lock like a handcuff around the guitar's original strap button. SOOOOO much nicer. Much faster and you don't need to use any tools or extra Hardware. Great video though. All really good advice that I have used many times.
Straplocks are easy nowadays - you don't even need to buy metall ones, you can buy what are essentially rubber washers on amazon (12/$5) and have enough for the whole band. You could probably even use regular metal washers too if you wanted.
This is supposed to be a given on some of these. Although, at least for my area. These are not the tips guitarist need. Better tips would be frequency mixing. (making sure the eq of both guitars do not clash and create noise.) so many bands do not understand frequencies enough to play live sets. Also your advice in the other videos such as tone knob control and metal tone sculpting would have been good to reference to.
What would your tips be for people playing at like a coffee house with a really small crowd that isn't paying to see you? I've got strap locks and I adjust my amp level, but the other stuff doesn't really help much.
I agree with everything except the Dunlop strap locks. I call those ones neck snappers. I think they work just fine if they properly click into the locked position, but are prone to human error, where the person THINKS they are locked, but they aren't. The Schaller horse shoe style ones are more idiot proof IMO.
Hey Colin, love all these vids you do. Shite Paul was excellent. However, I am now perplexed. As a busy gigging guitarist, I would love the hair blowing in the wind effect on stage. Unfortunately, my hair fell out ages ago. What do you suggest I do?
Playing music is my passion as a musician. I especially like to play with a band. I mean, it's great me playing music alone, but it's more fun when it's with someone else. But that's the thing, opportunities to play live on stage with a band only come once in a lifetime.
Amritpal Galsin Depends on the music scene where you live. I grew up in a small town and was in a band playing shows at various venues on almost a weekly basis for a good 3+ years until I moved. We played the Ernie Ball stage at warped tour in VA beach, 2010 or something like that.
i played live a few times. not much. the experience made me realize im not patient or people oriented enough to be a a show musician. im a bedroom appreciater of gear and music. its not as cool but its what i am. however, the floor fan and wireless thing is brilliant. i could imagine it does make you fiddle with your amp more cause of what they probably do to feedback but seriously, it would have been leagues more freeing and comfortable.
i agree on the strap lock part! it is very true and well i got so into my playing that i broke the strap lock even..... and i was lucky it was my "cheap" guitar xD
Ill be sure to take these tips when im able to actually play live. I've been watching your videos for a few weeks since i started trying to learn, any chance or possibility you could do a top ? for things a beginner should practice. Good video.
I think everybody has played with that bass player at least once. lol Wireless rules by far it's the best thing, this side of not sounding terrible, that you can do for audience relations. Good video.
Any tips for playing standing up? I know it's simple sounding but my playing is much better siting down that standing with a strap. I just can't put my finger on as to why. :/
Keep your strap to a sensible length, don't wear it down really low. It's more difficult to play if your guitar is at your knees. A lot of very technical players have their guitars very high up so that they can play their stuff easier. More than that, don't sit down to practice. Stand up, pose, make shapes. Get a full length mirror, stand in front of it and see how you look. spread your legs, learn the 'power stance', rock out and enjoy.
I personally like to match the height of my guitar to where it is when Im sitting down. If you practice a lot sitting down, having the guitar at the same position is going to feel a lot more comfortable and familiar.
Ndlanding It depends on your style of music, honestly. A lot of metal guys, especially the faster ones, play higher up, since its easier to play fast, technical and accurate. Where none of those really matter, can be more suited to lower playing. Im also not talking Tom Morello high, thats kind of retarded. I had a friend who plays like that. :P
I got close to the crowd, they unplugged my guitar.
the mad ginger get a wah pedal. next time that happens, grab the end so it feeds back and use the wah pedal to get space sounds. make it look like it was intentional.
+the mad ginger Buy a wireless guitar system.
+the mad ginger you must have sucked (ITS A FUCKING JOKE!!!!!) lol thats kinda funny tho
+the mad ginger It was probably for the best. :D
+RyanThompsonGuitarist the transmitter is plugged into the guitar
I've heard an advice that seems pretty obvious, but apparently it's not: give it everything you've got, no matter what audience is. It doesn't matter if you play in front of 20,000 people or 20 people, you step on the stage and act like you play at goddamn Wacken. Firstly, because in the audience of 20, there might be a promoter, a manager or a guy from a good record label, like Nuclear Blast (yes, it's too much, but it might happen) and you want them to be amazed by your band, right? Second of all, those 20 people had paid the price of the ticket and they deserve non less than if there was a huge crowd.
I think this was said by Glenn Fricker
As a great man once said, "You've got to approach every gig like it's the last one you'll ever get to play, like they're gonna outlaw music at midnight and you will NOT be taken alive when they come to shut you down!"
Steve Vai said that his fan is the most important piece of equipment he has, more important than all his pedals and amps.
I'd happily leave my bassist behind to make room of my fan in the van
CSGuitars I guess you could say it's your biggest fan! No? ok :(
CSGuitars I am a bassist and i find this offensive :)))
What kind of wireless system are u using?
Andrei Florea the kind where the bassist can play from home XD lol
Sparda Reborne You my friend deserve a special place in hell :) xD
As a guitarist, bassist, and sound guy, TIP 7 IS ESSENTIAL! Even if you don't realize it, the sound staff will be SHITTALKING YOU HARD IF YOU ARE A DICK! We won't care as much about how you sound, we won't work as hard to keep your levels perfect, etc. etc if you're rude to us.
It's not necessarily even a conscious thing, it's sort of a natural human reaction to being treated like shit for no reason when you have a difficult and important job.
exactly... "dont act like a tosser"....as colin says.
Can you please narrorate a book? Your accent is amazing
What advice would you give to guitarists playing live?
Here's my top 7 tips
Don't get drunk before playing especially when you are just starting out and are not very used to playing gigs. I did that on my first gig because I thought it would give me confidence and make me perform better, I was very wrong amongst a lot of major fuck ups that night I managed to step on my guitar lead just before a guitar solo and it took me ages to notice that the guitar was unplugged because I was so drunk so I missed out the entire solo.
felix knott if pantera didnt get drunk before a gig theyd get sacked, js;)
margin .annihilator
admitedly a lot of bands can get away with it but they are used to touring and playing gigs drunk, they have mastered the art. Most small time bands though that you see 9/10 if the guitarist is drunk they will suck.
felix knott sorry but you obviously have no idea. alcohol is just a thing, if you know how to properly use it to your advantage than do so. but just because you don't know how to, doesn't mean others don't. get a clue :D
Terence Mckenna wow do you not know how to take something light heartedly. Anyway I admit that many people are good at playing whilst drunk but naturally alcohol can make playing guitar harder, when you are drunk it is harder to focus on what you are doing and it is harder to hit the right notes because putting your finger on the right fret takes quite a bit of focus. I would say though that I play better if I have like 2 or 3 pints before going on to ease the nerves but anything more than that and it is just sloppy.
Finally someone that understands how it's supposed to work on and off the stage. Very well put and your tips that you have provided are practical and valuable. Good job!
Always mark EVERYTHING you bring.I wrap all my chords, stands,mics with orange electrical tape.No confusion over who cords,stands etc.
Yes sir. Mine is the blue tape!
8. take spare guitar strings with you
+keeelane Why not a spare guitar?
Even better, bring your spare band too
TheresNoWay
sure, but strings take up way less space and weighs less
+keeelane yes so you can tell the audiance wait let me change my strings... just bring a back up guitar...
BB King can change string while playing
xGOKOPx he didn't put that string through the bridge, so it didn't work at all. He can create the illusion of putting a new string on.
Great vids Colin, nice one. Subbed after watching the tone pot advice.
#7 is spot on.
I would add - *_PROTECT YOUR HEARING!_*. Once it's gone it's gone for good. Invest in earplugs with attenuation filters. You'll still be able to hear yourself, and afterwards... you'll still be able to hear!
Great advice. I've been playing live for 50 years now, and each of these tips ring true. I could have done a video on this, but I don't have the uber cool Scottish accent that you do!
tip #8
learn the songs before, not during the show!
greeksorcerer unless you're in a punk band
@@StoneColdET98 or kurt cobain
easy to say... i was asked 12 hours in advance to fill in for a friends band and didnt know any of their songs...
@@duckspy436 You can tell them no.
I have seen about 20 of your videos. after I finish I have zero complains and I always learn something. the only complaint I have ever had is that the will it shred videos arnt completed yet. Since my only complaint is I want more videos in gonna subscribe.
Tip #4 - You can also use those red rubber things from Grolsch bottles as strap locks. Seriously, every time I find a bottle, I must buy one, drink it and nab those rubber things.
Daryl Castillo Fender also makes strap blocks but they don't come with a tasty drink
I use a grommet to keep the strap on my mandolin. They come in all different sizes and are cheap and effective.
I strongly agree with your tips, another one that seems important to me is to bring extra strings or a additional guitar just in case if you brake a string or it goes way out of tune
Excellent advice Colin. You will always be successful in your endeavors.
Agree with all your tips. My addition would be choose your set openers and closers carefully. Both should be high energy crowd pleasers.
Wonderful advice man, especially the last piece.
Really starting to like this dude.
Great tips!
Thanks
Oh god Number 5 and Number 6. As an audience member I can confirm both of these. I'll never forget the time we walked out of a pub right as the show started because the dude brought a 100W Marshall stack and cranked it right from the get go. As for number 6 I always practice with choreography for that reason. I have seen way too many metal bands that think the "aloof" guitar player staring at his fingers or disinterestedly into the middle distance while his solo sweeps and legatos about is fun to look at. I was at a metal show with this one band who had two guitar players who would trade off solos, almost with a Mustaine / Friedman feel. The one dude would do his crazy technical sweep-tapping licks while standing stark still and pouty faced and the other played much less technical pentatonic stuff but utterly stole the show with his crazy antics, pointing his guitar at people and soloing at them like his instrument was a weapon. Have fun and the audience will too.
Great tips, especially No. 7. All your tutorials are terrific. You're an excellent teacher.
Love this. Strap locks, professionalism, and also giving the audience a reason to want to get close. I'm gonna check some more of your content out.
Awesome video! You bring up the extra cable issue (which you should label somehow so other band members don't walk off with them accidentally or on purpose), but that can go for other things too. For example, always have extra strings! If you are using one of those heavy metal guitars with a floyd rose, you almost need an extra guitar if a string breaks! Redundancy is always good, but then you also have to worry about guarding the stuff. If you are gigging regularly, you should always make sure that you have a backup rig (amp & guitar) just in case -- maybe not at the gig, but at least at home. You never know when something is going to need repair and you are out of luck!
thanks so much for the advice. i shall follow them. greeting from mexico.
as a bassist I'm going to take three cables with my for tonights gig.
+eldar c.s. You da real MVP
I play bass and i use a 18.5 foot cable but bring 2 10ft spare cables
When I play bass my pedalboard is bigger than most guitarists (It's my guitar pedalboard)
3:00 made me wonder if this is why we refer to unused space on a volume dial as headroom. Also, as a sound engineer I completely agree with this 4:44.
Get a tuner!!
Nobody wants to hear you tuning your guitar between songs. That just sounds terrible. I think a Polytune pedal is great. You can just turn the tuner on - it mutes the sound - and then strum all of your strings at the same time and see which of the strings are out of tune. It takes like two seconds to do it. Yes, I know you can tune by ear but that just doesn't work on stage. As I said, nobody wants to hear you tune your guitar so a tuner is pretty necessary.
I think a backup guitar is also a good thing to have. If you break a string, you don't want to restring your guitar on stage. That takes too much time and just looks awkward.
One thing to think about is the song transitions. I remember our first gig and it was terrible (when it comes to transitions between songs). We had to make sure everybody knew which song would be next and there was like 30 seconds between every song. It may help if the frontman says the name of the song before the band starts playing it. That way everybody can be sure that they are going to play the same song. After you have ended a song, you want to start the next song as fast as possible. Quiet moments can be awkward so I would say either start the next song almost immediately or then speak to the audience (if you have something to say - and I think the next song's name is a good thing to say because that way the band can be sure what the next song will be).
Also, if you need to change amp/pedal settings between songs, I would suggest someone speaking to the audience. Or some instrument could start playing the intro riff, and once you are ready, you could join in. You can always play extended intros if necessary. And differentiating from the album version is sometimes good. I mean, who doesn't like an extended intro jam?
As a long time user of the polytune I can say this: you're god damn right. It is a good tuner fantastic for live use.
Boss makes a great one, doesn't send the signal past it when engaged and has true bypass at a low price.
MaggaraMarine
Yeah also: don't restring your guitar the day before or at the same day of the gig. They just won't stay in tune long enough to get from one song to the other. -> If you really want to, do it one week beforehand.
And about the song transitions: Setlists! Every-fucking-one in the band should have a setlist so that they know the order of the songs! It is also always a good thing to agree before the gig on who makes what transition and what they're "basically" going to say. Yeah, you totally can improvise and nobody wants to sound like the transition's been "rehearsed" but it's better to have a "good, fluent, entertaining show" in your pocket than unexpected awkward silent moments or in general: to appear totally unprofessional on stage.
Or tune like everyone else and use the next string down. Not that hard to turn down the volume either...
+wtfdelicious really good points I totally agree man
our guitar in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done in the room as it is on stage. guitarist prayer.
Dude you deserve more views on your videos. You are absolutely brilliant with your content and just flat out interesting to watch. New sub for sure!
All metal musicians need metal fans xD
Dude your videos are so insightful for beginning/slightly or barely seasoned guitarists like me! Definitely going to get some gear upgrades and work on my technique!
Thank you for the tips. You should do more tip videos!
How about this one...Don't try to play a song that is above your performance level. Nothing sounds worse (to me) than someone playing a song that is obviously too difficult for them.
Why no likes for this? Truest comment here.
or PRACTICE before the actual performance
This video made me want to be in a band!
One thing that has made a huge difference for me is getting my amp angled to project directly towards my ears. Every amp that was sitting on the floor always sounded muddy to me on stage, but throw it on a milk crate or gear case, all the articulation and clarity comes back. And you almost never need as much gain as you think.
Otherwise this guy pretty much nails it; you should have your music second nature by the time you hit the stage, and then deliver a badass performance
+CSGuitars I find myself slowly watching your vids more and more just to watch you destroy trolls in the comment section lol. I love it
Thanks a lot for these tips..., I do most of these myself n I realize the importance. You doing this video goes to prove to myself that I wasn't wrong in what I did.... Though that fan thing is something I thought about very little n will look into that as well.... Lol... Thanks again pal!
Good tips. I've used them many times. Especially the stage presence. One dude grabbed/played my guitar from the pit, and said, "I grabbed, and played your guitar man!"
All very useful tips. Thanks
"Respect is earned, not demanded" great life advice right there!
Great point on professionalism. Take Steel Panther for example, they act like stereotypical misogynistic 80's rock stars that sleep with fans and other associated stereotypes and do interviews in character, but they are talented, professional musicians who are aware that it's just a stage persona for entertainment purposes only. If they acted like that off stage, they'd very probably get arrested for sexual harassment.
tip #8
be confident
Very good tips man. Great ideas.. I wish someone would have told me these things back when I was young..! Great advice.. T
great tips, especially number 7
I do some of this even just for practicing, my friends said i overcompensate but my friend didnt complain after i had a spare live wire cable in my case and 2 extra sets of strings
4:39; Tell that to Dime.
metalmusician6798 too soon
Still not over it.. :’(
That's so fucked up
metalmusician6798 No fan would hurt you dumbass. Who killed dime was defiantly not a fan, and actually came from backstage -_-
Sparda Reborne Not necessarily... No normal person would kill anyone is what you're aiming at, at least not under those circumstances... He could've been his biggest fan, and that's the motivation he killed him.. Something similar to yandere...
You've gotten a lot better at mixing your vids. The intro went from being loud as hell to a quiet voice. Now your vids are much better. Keep up the tips and satire.
Dude... This is insane i watched this video before a gig and during it my guitar strap fell off hahaha... i had 10 secs to recover before a solo... goes to show to take advice seriously .
amazing advice brother! I needed this for my first gig coming up. I'm subscribing all the way. Thanks and hope you can help me out more in the future.
Always have a chromatic tuner on your pedal board.
Love your videos - always informative and very helpful! Your video on "More Gain" not only cracks me up, but really helped me to dial back the gain, and cut through the mix so much better. Even helped my recordings as well. Thanks!
Ahhh, I'd forgotten how good the word Tosser sounds in a Scottish (Glaswegian?) accent! I love your videos, I only discovered you this week and I can't get enough!
This was excellent, thank you!
Dude you are so cool and I'm actually learning from your videos I shall subscribe! Thank you
Samson Wireless .... got one, almost 20-yrs old and still works great
Thank you for the tips, great vids.
I'd like to add a tiny thing to that rockstar thing you mentioned, yes act like a rocker on stage, but don't become a prick on stage either, don't start picking on people in a mean way, engage with them but don't be Jeremy Kyle about it
Also laugh off mistakes, if you mess up a note or a phrase, etc. unless you're in a big arena or some talent show, laugh it off, make jokes about it, the more tense you are the more your audience is gonna sense that
Tcrumpen Agreed, but also don't "emphasize" mistakes or flaws. Nothing more embarrassing than the singer who goes "I'm sorry if I sing a bit out of key but I have a soar throat".
Tcrumpen basically, don't be Dave Mustaine
Don't be a jerk on stage, unless your stage name happens to begin with "Marilyn" and end with "Manson"
if you go wireless, get a good digital wireless with several frequencies. Also, make sure it has a good compander.
Thanks for making this video. I think everything you mentioned applies just as much to bands just starting out as it does to more mature bands.
Love these videos... And your accent...!!! Keep sharing bro...
Well said my friend. .
Rules every musician should know. .
You are just amazing!
I have a few tips.
1. FUCKING SOUND CHECK!!!!!!!! And keep in mind that if you're too loud in an empty venue that might not be the case once the audience is there. Also be prepared to possibly change your tone or the volume on the spot in case the sound engineer ends up being an idiot who knows nothing about guitar sound. (it happened to me)
2. WARM UP!! Do some playing before the show. it really helps if you practice on an acoustic or a guitar with heavier strings.
3. Bring extension chords. You don't want to have your amp be 20 feet away from you or to possibly end up stuck behind some curtains or something. (This happened to me as well.) This will also give you a little bit more freedom to move about.
4. Bring extra strings and if you can afford to, change them before a gig. If you can, Bring a backup guitar. And if you're really worried, train yourself to safely, quickly and quietly swap guitars in the middle of a song.
5. If you use a pick, Have extra picks on you or near by for if you drop one because it will most likely end up being sucked into another dimension never to be seen again.
6. If like me, you go absolutely crazy on stage, make sure you have room to. Smacking your guitar on a wall, ceiling or someone's face, is a bad thing to do.
7. If you're fronting a band, Don't be shy. If you look scared up there then you will look bad. If you don't worry, you won't have to. (one thing I did at my last gig was headbanging like a motherfucker so I didn't have to actually look at the audience. Also my hair was short enough that it could cover my eyes and not make me look like a ginger Cousin It.)
8. If you're playing a long show, keep some cold bottled water nearby. Especially if you sing/scream.
9. Use the bathroom before you go on stage. You don't want to shit yourself and playing with a full bladder sucks.
Also I have a question, What's a decent wireless that will allow me to go absolutely batshit on stage (Because I do) but not cost me much?
Great advice, man. Cheers!
thanks colin! we r a new band and really will come in handy!
All good advice. I need a wireless but bills are hitting me. I fear I will have to do the big show on the 30th without it :(
I had a Dunlop strap lock fail on a PRS single cut I used to have. It feel right on the jack fortunately, and just dented the jack plate and ruined the cable end. Still not sure what happened, but I just use the Schallers now, it's a trust thing.
One of the best video ever.. Cheers man
Whether you use strap locks, rubber washers or nothing, make sure the screws are not loose
I once had a strap knob screw come out of the guitar, just before we started playing
No strap lock will make a difference if the screw holding it in place comes loose
So... great tips, But I have had 3 sets of strap locks strip out the holes on my guitar. Maybe i'm too rough on them but throwing a tiny rubber band behind the strap on the regular button has worked great for me. Something people can try if they don't want to go with the strap locks.
just gotta keep them screws tight man mine dose that too never let it fall out thankfully
i think the limp bizkit guy hammers steel pikes into his guitar with a chain ring at the end of it, and has little metal clip on things on his strap to attach to the steel rings. the ultimate strap lock lmao
Great advice
Hey Colin, could you recommend a brand and model of wireless packs? all of the ones I've seen on Amazon have very poor reviews
Totally agree about stage presence. Even if you are playing in a small venue with a stage that barely fits your gear you should try to be as active as possible. I've played venues where we had no choice but to stand there. In that situation it helps to at least move to the music and look like relaxed and you're enjoying yourself. Eye contact with the crowd is good too.
I have to say though, promising the audience won't hurt you? You obviously have not played some of the places I have. Lol
There's a reason why some stages have chicken wire across the front. I've also play a few places where there should have been chicken wire but there wasn't. Lol
Now for a real helpful tip... If you have a tube amp, bring spare tubes just in case they chose to blow mid gig. If it can happen to Steve Vai, it can happen to you. Spare fuses also, for the same reason. ...and a spare amp doesn't hurt if you can afford it or can borrow one, just in case the problem is worse than just a blown fuse or tube.
Hey Colin, now that it's been a few years, is there anything you want to add to this list now? Or anything that you'd want to change?
D'addario's Planet Locks are better than strap locks tbh. I used Dunlop strap locks for two years before switching. They're cumbersome to install, and unless you oil them occasionally, they will eventually start popping out while you're playing. Plus backing out and replacing screws always increases the risk of stripping out the screw holes and having two fill in and redrill them. It's not the hardest thing to deal with, it's just a huge pain in the ass. Planet locks, however, are basically just regular guitar straps with hard plastic ends that lock like a handcuff around the guitar's original strap button. SOOOOO much nicer. Much faster and you don't need to use any tools or extra Hardware. Great video though. All really good advice that I have used many times.
I prepared a fingerstyle cover of River Flows in You on Guitar and planning on playing it on talent show.
Straplocks are easy nowadays - you don't even need to buy metall ones, you can buy what are essentially rubber washers on amazon (12/$5) and have enough for the whole band. You could probably even use regular metal washers too if you wanted.
Great advice you should forward this to the kings of Leon 4 shoe gazers on stage is a buzz kill (the drummer was looking at someone else's shoes)
Thanks for doing this video it helps a lot. Keep it up with the good videos :)
how is the bugera infinium head? I looked at them but i was disuaded when i was told that they were unreliable/prone to ignition.
This is supposed to be a given on some of these. Although, at least for my area. These are not the tips guitarist need. Better tips would be frequency mixing. (making sure the eq of both guitars do not clash and create noise.) so many bands do not understand frequencies enough to play live sets. Also your advice in the other videos such as tone knob control and metal tone sculpting would have been good to reference to.
What would your tips be for people playing at like a coffee house with a really small crowd that isn't paying to see you? I've got strap locks and I adjust my amp level, but the other stuff doesn't really help much.
This is an awesome video man!
very good tips!
Your epicness got you a subscriber!!! Thanks
I agree with everything except the Dunlop strap locks. I call those ones neck snappers. I think they work just fine if they properly click into the locked position, but are prone to human error, where the person THINKS they are locked, but they aren't. The Schaller horse shoe style ones are more idiot proof IMO.
Hey Colin, love all these vids you do. Shite Paul was excellent. However, I am now perplexed. As a busy gigging guitarist, I would love the hair blowing in the wind effect on stage. Unfortunately, my hair fell out ages ago. What do you suggest I do?
Playing music is my passion as a musician. I especially like to play with a band.
I mean, it's great me playing music alone, but it's more fun when it's with someone else.
But that's the thing, opportunities to play live on stage with a band only come once in a lifetime.
Once in a lifetime? really? Not for everyone mate.
Yeah but that's the thing. I want to keep doing it over and over and over again.
Ndlanding Hohohoh
Amritpal Galsin Depends on the music scene where you live. I grew up in a small town and was in a band playing shows at various venues on almost a weekly basis for a good 3+ years until I moved. We played the Ernie Ball stage at warped tour in VA beach, 2010 or something like that.
Amritpal Galsin then get really good,play for a living
Hey man I was just wondering what wireless kit you use. Thanks
What is the brand of the wireless radio guitar jack? Please answer! :)
Good advice!
+CSGuitars 1:01 what wireless system is that ? is it good ?
Oh, Tape, never have enough tape man!
Black electrical and neon green duct tape are my personal go-to's.
Yes sir.. Thanks
i played live a few times. not much. the experience made me realize im not patient or people oriented enough to be a a show musician. im a bedroom appreciater of gear and music. its not as cool but its what i am. however, the floor fan and wireless thing is brilliant. i could imagine it does make you fiddle with your amp more cause of what they probably do to feedback but seriously, it would have been leagues more freeing and comfortable.
i agree on the strap lock part! it is very true and well i got so into my playing that i broke the strap lock even..... and i was lucky it was my "cheap" guitar xD
Ill be sure to take these tips when im able to actually play live. I've been watching your videos for a few weeks since i started trying to learn, any chance or possibility you could do a top ? for things a beginner should practice. Good video.
Scottish accent is the best :DD great video as well !!
I think everybody has played with that bass player at least once. lol Wireless rules by far it's the best thing, this side of not sounding terrible, that you can do for audience relations. Good video.
Any tips for playing standing up? I know it's simple sounding but my playing is much better siting down that standing with a strap. I just can't put my finger on as to why. :/
Keep your strap to a sensible length, don't wear it down really low. It's more difficult to play if your guitar is at your knees. A lot of very technical players have their guitars very high up so that they can play their stuff easier.
More than that, don't sit down to practice. Stand up, pose, make shapes.
Get a full length mirror, stand in front of it and see how you look. spread your legs, learn the 'power stance', rock out and enjoy.
I personally like to match the height of my guitar to where it is when Im sitting down. If you practice a lot sitting down, having the guitar at the same position is going to feel a lot more comfortable and familiar.
That is actually a grate idea, Cheers bro :)
Ndlanding
It depends on your style of music, honestly. A lot of metal guys, especially the faster ones, play higher up, since its easier to play fast, technical and accurate. Where none of those really matter, can be more suited to lower playing.
Im also not talking Tom Morello high, thats kind of retarded. I had a friend who plays like that. :P
adjusting the height of my guitar on the strap actually helped me a bunch. adjust it to the height that it is when you sit down
Tip #1 for making a "List" or "Top" whatever video.... list the list in the description. Bonus points for putting the timestamps with the list!!