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Author Topic: A drummers first gig-advice  (Read 818 times)
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Philididdle
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« on: May 08, 2007, 04:17 AM »

Hey everybody, got my first gig coming up and any advice would be much appreciated! Its a fairly large hall and I have no idea what its acoustics are like. The drums most likely wont be miked up but we may possibly mike the bass and use an overhead. At the moment we have only one 450watt speaker for fallback for the whole band and it may only be vocal fallback! (We arent organising amps and PA so the details are quite vague).We are the first band playing (out of 3) and only have 1 1/2 hours to set-up and do a sound check.
So any advice at all would be great.

Churr
Phil
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George
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« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2007, 05:30 AM »


Sorry that I'm not giving real advice, I myself would need advice, too.
There is another first gig topic here, where I read quite a few good things.

I had my "first" gig last Saturday (I had lots of gigs in the late seventies, but then I stopped and had a 25 years' break), and I was really stressed and ill before it; I tried my best to prepare for it, and I had quite similar questions to yours, but when I went there and everything got set up in the last few minutes before the show, I found nothing arranged the way that I would have liked it. I couldn't even position my cymbals right, as there were cables and mikes all around, etc. etc. The show still went off amazingly well.
So as I see, don't prepare and expect too much: it's always on the spot and in the last minute that you have to solve your problems - anyway, anyhow.
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« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2007, 06:02 AM »

 :)The number one thing I can tell you is relax and have fun with it. Cool
With a PA that small, Don't worry about an over head mic.  Just a little miking on the kick drum will help.  Worry more about the volume level on the vocals. The band as a whole needs to work on over all balance.  The guitars shouldn't be much louder than your kick drum.
Good Luck!!! Grin
                                             Nutty
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« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2007, 10:27 AM »

+1 on what the nut said.   

And add to that, relish the hour and a half setup/check time.  That's luxury time right there. 
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New York Frank
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« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2007, 11:22 AM »

1. Enjoy it
2. Pack spares
3. Enjoy it
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Mark W
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« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2007, 12:15 PM »

Check out this thread that I started last week. There's some great advice in replies there.

Basically, be as prepared as you can. As Drum4JC said in that thread, make sure sound from amps and stuff (if they're not through the PA) passes you so you can hear it clearly. Take advantage of the 1 1/2 hours you have to sound check (last week we had the same amount of time to soundcheck 9 bands - suffice to say we didn't get any sort of sound check at all).

If you haven't got a few backup parts, especially a snare, make friends with one of the other two drummers before the show and ask if you can use their spare in the offchance that one of your heads break or something like that. And of course say you will return the favour for them if they need to use anything of your equipment.

But most, importantly, of all, ENJOY IT! The first gig is great - the feeling on stage is fantastic...as you'll see.

Remember, if you happen to screw up, chances are no one in the audience is going to notice. Don't become pre-occupied with any mistakes you may have made, just forget them and carry on giving it your all!

Good luck.
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New York Frank
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« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2007, 02:25 PM »

Wow - you guys get soundchecks?    Smiley    All my gigs are in bars or restaurants, and they don't want any sounds but the real thing.   The soundcheck for us is:  the first song of the first set.   Smiley
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Stevo
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« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2007, 10:39 AM »

I used to be a guitarist/vocalist in a death metal band so I expected my first gig as a drummer to be boring as sitting at the back on my own without being able to thrash out didn't appeal to me. However, I sat behind that kit and thought '@$%# it'. So I blasted my way through the set and just went for it. Charisma is so important. Really.

I split my finger on my snare drum, got blood everywhere but carried on and the audience went crazy to see me really @$%# it up. I then finished a song by headbutting my crash cymbal and now, everyone is still bringing it up in conversation. Just do what you do, be yourself and really put everything you've got into it.
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Philididdle
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« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2007, 04:19 AM »

Hey thanks for all the advice everyone. I talked to some people and read that thread you mentioned Mark W, and it seems the best option is to set the amps up just behind me to either side and keep everything as close together as we can without getting too much feedback etc.

The main thing I was worried about was that the soundcheck would be okay but as soon as the hall filled up with 300+ people I wouldnt be able to hear anything, thus resulting in 1/2 an hour of not knowing where the hell I am. But I guess thats just me overreacting.

So I plan (like most of you said) to go out there and just ride with it and show some what I have to offer  Wink and overall just enjoy the experience which im sure is going to be awesome. The gig is in one week so until then i'll just practice and hope for the best!
I'll let you all know how it goes!

Cheeers

Phil Kiss



 
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Philididdle
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« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2007, 03:49 AM »

Hey everyone,
The gig was last night and came off better than i imagined it would! Sound wasnt that bad and i ended up having my own monitor so all was good in that department.
I got heaps of positive comments about my playing from the other drummers and people in the crowd. One guy even gave me a cuban cigar haha. And i managed to pull off the drum solo without any noticeable mistakes which was great!
The whole thing was perfect and the atmosphere was so cool!  Grin
Cant wait for the next one, which im sure wont be far away because we recieved a few offers to open with some other bands in the near future.

Cheers
Phil
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Mark W
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« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2007, 08:45 AM »

Hey everyone,
The gig was last night and came off better than i imagined it would! Sound wasnt that bad and i ended up having my own monitor so all was good in that department.
I got heaps of positive comments about my playing from the other drummers and people in the crowd. One guy even gave me a cuban cigar haha. And i managed to pull off the drum solo without any noticeable mistakes which was great!
The whole thing was perfect and the atmosphere was so cool!  Grin
Cant wait for the next one, which im sure wont be far away because we recieved a few offers to open with some other bands in the near future.

Cheers
Phil
Well done! Great to hear.
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Louis
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« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2007, 09:57 AM »

I got heaps of positive comments about my playing from the other drummers and people in the crowd.

Congratulations!  It only gets better.  Playing out is cooler than the center seed in a cucumber. 
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