What not to do after setting up

Eric Philippsen · Post by **Eric Philippsen** » 25 May 2014 8:05 pm

I'm hesitating to throw out this bit of unsolicited advice because 1) I'm truly not a good enough player to be advising anyone and 2) people only heed advice when their life depends on it or when they pay for it.

But I'm going to go against all that anyway ....just this once....and post this for what it's worth.

That is, after you set up for a job, stop and don't play anything until the first tune. Don't putter around, don't practice your favorite hot run, don't do the "AB pedals down" thing, or anything else. Just get up, walk away from your steel and go say hello to someone. Noodling around on your steel prior to starting a gig is at best annoying. At worst, it's "look at me" behavior.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 26 May 2014 3:28 am

always good to hear this again..and again... it never gets old

and don't tune live or practice new songs with other band mates..

Don't start songs that you have been practicing that you would like the band to play someday...

Don't practice your hot licks LIVE

Nothing wrong with warm up for a few minutes but not LIVE. If you can't do it in the cans or without an amp..don't do it... nothing wrong with setting tones and volumes before a show or gig but it shouldn't take 45 minutes! Setting levels is important..but practice at home...

lots of don'ts , only one DO.

DO NOT play your instrument before it's time in the first set .

We used to have a keyboard player, he played more before the gig than during..I used to look at him and say..are you tuning , he'd say no, Id'e say "I am"

Nothing worse than band mates playing music before it's time to play music.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 26 May 2014 3:33 am

That's a good advice, what you couldn't play right at home or in band practice, you will not be able to learn half an hour before you go on stage.
But I would check the tuning twice, when they have to turn the heat on.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 26 May 2014 5:15 am

If you need to run through something to practice a lick or some such, go ahead, but get off the stage at least 45 minutes before downbeat.

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 26 May 2014 6:29 am

That's a pertainant statement to make! I'm an abuser of that, sometimes. I don't do it always, but, I am a noodler. In fact, yesterday, as the rest of the band was setting up, doing whatever confusion that makes them happy, I was just playing a few tunes at a low volume to warm up a bit. After I stopped and walked away, I was approached by a couple, who, said what I had played was so wonderful and enjoyable. They really loved listening to the sound of the steel. I wasn't t doing it to make a spectacle of myself, just to warm up a bit. I know that it shouldn't be done and I never do it at a concert, but, when I think that nobody is listening I fall prey to doing it. I really must break myself away from this habit. I have to make a conscience effort about it. It's certainly a good topic to bring up.

Asa Brosius · Post by **Asa Brosius** » 26 May 2014 6:32 am

I agree to a point- if the pre show playing is loud or distracting to any techs working around you, or your band mates, of course. In touring situations, this has been some of the only time I can sit and run exercises-especially the trickier, busier parts. It's far more inconvenient for everybody to drag a heavy electric instrument off a pre-plotted stage and find some place to warm up-a cheap headphone amp is helpful. I think these hard and fast rules are unrealistic- whatever works for the band and crew will work. FWIW, REM wrote and released an entire album created from pre-show playing while on tour.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 26 May 2014 8:51 am

I also don't completely agree. After I tune up with a tuner, I do run through the pedal/knee lever changes to make sure. This also gives me a little warm-up. This will be at low volume and take maybe 2 minutes. If it is a show situation, I won't do anything after using the tuner. I played with a guitar player, and band leader, that even in clubs where they were giving dance lessons or having a DJ spinning discs for pre-band dancing, he would run through stuff, at full deafening volume for maybe 10 minutes, even while other things were happening. It used to bother the crap out of me, so I just imagine how much it bothered others, especially dance teachers and their "students".

If you have to do warm-ups or tuning things, make sure you keep it real short and low enough in volume that the sound doesn't ever make it to the audience.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 26 May 2014 9:13 am

Richard Sinkler wrote: I played with a guitar player, and band leader, that even in clubs where they were giving dance lessons or having a DJ spinning discs for pre-band dancing, he would run through stuff, at full deafening volume for maybe 10 minutes, even while other things were happening. It used to bother the crap out of me, so I just imagine how much it bothered others, especially dance teachers and their "students".

boy...i've seen that alot. it boggles the mind. 'what are they thinking?'.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 26 May 2014 9:15 am

They are not thinking. And this takes place even after a sound check.

Stuart Legg · Post by **Stuart Legg** » 26 May 2014 11:01 am

It's mostly country guitar pickers that want to show off their just learned from tab metal licks that they won't get to use at all during the gig.
They use the excuse that they are trying to get the amp effects set.
I personally would like to set their amp effects by just walking up and putting my foot through the speakers.

Bill Duncan · Post by **Bill Duncan** » 26 May 2014 12:18 pm

Stuart,
Don't pick on the country guitar pickers. Just because they're country doesn't mean they are uneducated, show off, red necks, without manners.

Only some of them.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 26 May 2014 1:20 pm

And this particular guitar player would do his "warm-up" just noodling or playing the songs that we did during the show. He was not showing off what he recently learned from tab. He's a real good picker and I doubt even looks at tab any more. He's just inconsiderate. He also adjusts his effect at the time.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 26 May 2014 1:46 pm

When I play at steel shows, after my dad sets my steel up, I go to the stage and get ready for my set, kinda practicing my pickin' with low volume, so it don't overpower the player playing before me, then I give the steel a little power just to see if the amp is set right, I also make sure the bar is in the right position on the steel to start the first song of my set after the emcee introduces me.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 26 May 2014 2:40 pm

I agree that noodling before a performance is annoying and unprofessional, especially if it's anywhere near loud. I did have one positive experience with this though. About 25 years ago while setting up for a wedding in upstate NY the fiddle player and I quietly played "Danny Boy", just steel and fiddle. The room was full, and people were eating and they didn't seem to notice us. When we stopped the entire room burst into applause and smiled at us! They really enjoyed our pre-performance. Either that or they were thanking us for stopping!

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 26 May 2014 2:41 pm

boy...i've seen that alot. it boggles the mind. 'what are they thinking?'.

They are thinking, ("as soon as I can pull my head out my butt, I'll be able to finish my warm-up routineâ€¦")

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 26 May 2014 3:03 pm

Barry Blackwood wrote:
boy...i've seen that alot. it boggles the mind. 'what are they thinking?'.
They are thinking, ("as soon as I can pull my head out my butt, I'll be able to finish my warm-up routineâ€¦")

And sometimes they finish their warm up routine and still have their head up their ass. It usually stays there through the whole show.

Damien Odell · Post by **Damien Odell** » 26 May 2014 7:13 pm

Preach it brother!!

I often work with a drummer who sits there and belts out all sorts of crap at top volume after setting up.
I cringe while this is going on.

Ken Campbell · Post by **Ken Campbell** » 26 May 2014 7:23 pm

Not that I can claim to know what I'm doing but my preamp has a headphone out. I can sit up on stage and hit the mute on the preamp and tune, noodle, practice to my hearts content. Cool feature.....I assume it keeps my bandmates from murdering me....

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 26 May 2014 8:39 pm

Damien Odell wrote:Preach it brother!!

I often work with a drummer who sits there and belts out all sorts of crap at top volume after setting up.
I cringe while this is going on.

Just quit a band where the drummer did that for like 10 to 15 minutes before start time. Drove me nuts. I wanted to get my bar and throw it upside his head. He was the major reason I quit the band.

Damien Odell · Post by **Damien Odell** » 26 May 2014 9:01 pm

Richard, I hear you. I have worked with guys who think they need to 'tune' their toms prior to every gig, by belting them hard....again and again and again etc.
It's just embarassing.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 26 May 2014 9:26 pm

Tomi Graso · Post by **Tomi Graso** » 26 May 2014 9:43 pm

Not just that , when they hit the snare while tuning it , it's like they fired the shot gun ... Damien i think few drummers come to mind , hahaha....Cheers brother, we should catch up soon !

Steve Hitsman · Post by **Steve Hitsman** » 27 May 2014 3:32 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfSH1ezevjM

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 27 May 2014 5:45 am

I have to disagree to a point. If it is before a show and you keep the volumn low or use earphones to check tuning, loosen your hand up or to set amp and stop about 15 minutes before time to start it ok. If you are at a dance the you have to also check balance but take a break before you start.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 27 May 2014 7:29 am

Damien Odell wrote:Richard, I hear you. I have worked with guys who think they need to 'tune' their toms prior to every gig, by belting them hard....again and again and again etc.
It's just embarassing.

Oh he wasn't tuning his drums. He was just irritating the crap out of everyone.