No Light - Yikes!

[rosanne]

My vision is bad to begin with, and now I find out that we have a gig at a place with very little light on the stage. "Very little light" means I probably won't be able to see the fretboard at all. I'm close to panic, since I usually look at the fretboard a lot.

I know that by now I should be able to play without looking, but.......I can't.

So I guess I'll spend the next week playing with my eyes shut or something, or in the dark.

Any suggestions?

[megadan]

If you practice enough, your fingers will know what to do without looking at the board. It's called muscle memory, and it's how you can learn, remember, and play so many songs (and be able to play them instantly with no lag with other musicians)

[varunkapahi]

it will work out dont worry, infact i try not to look at the fretboard but look at the audience and connect with them, the hot chicks in the audience that is

[rosanne]

I spoke with my bass instructor about it. He said to put glow-in-the-dark dots (stickers) on my bass, until I can play without looking. Unfortunately I haven't been able to locate any, so it's back to practicing with my eyes closed.......

[Crane]

you could always put a dab of glow in the dark paint on it, like this stuff:
http://unitednuclear.com/index.php?m...roducts_id=384

[Johnny Crab]

Try the crafts department at WalMart or find a Hobby Lobby. Plus get a cheap, very bright flashlight to "charge" them with before you play.

Much less expensive than these:
http://www.fretlord.com/glowdotz.htm
I have the Glowdotz on a Greco GOB(Alembic copy sort of) that has VERY SMALL dots facing the player on the side of the fretboard(in regular light you can barely see them). The Glowdotz/Fretlightz folks also have a UV "charger" that works quite well.
Also got cheap dots from the discount stores mentioned above for my other basses...in case.

[rosanne]

Originally Posted by Johnny Crab

Try the crafts department at WalMart or find a Hobby Lobby. Plus get a cheap, very bright flashlight to "charge" them with before you play.

Much less expensive than these:
http://www.fretlord.com/glowdotz.htm
I have the Glowdotz on a Greco GOB(Alembic copy sort of) that has VERY SMALL dots facing the player on the side of the fretboard(in regular light you can barely see them). The Glowdotz/Fretlightz folks also have a UV "charger" that works quite well.
Also got cheap dots from the discount stores mentioned above for my other basses...in case.

Thanks Johnny, those Glowdotz look like the perfect thing. I'll see if GC or the mom-and-pop music store has them - I don't think there's enough time to order on line.

Can you imagine a place where there is no Walmart? Well, that place is right here - Berkeley. And never heard of Hobby Lobby, but I'll try other craft stores.

Spent time today simplifying my lines - no reaching above the 12th fret in the dark!

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by rosanne

Spent time today simplifying my lines - no reaching above the 12th fret in the dark!

oh, don't be such a gir...er...




methinks you need to make a judgment AFTER you've done a gig there, not before. it's entirely possible you're overreacting and you'll be fine.

[atheos]

Sims Custom has just the thing for you – if you're willing to spend a few grands to fix the issue: http://www.simscustom.com/

The fluorescent dots sure are cheaper. Not as awesome, though... But you could also get fluorescent fret markers installed permanently by a luthier, probably way cheaper than LEDs by Sims and more permanent than stickers.

Or you could check out Fret Optix by Fretlord, it *kinda* works (only has a sticker, too). Quite tricky to install though, because it's rolled tightly in the box and you bet it stays that way. Might wanna get another pair of hands to help you out if you take that route.

[INTP]

There is no 'should'.

Can you bring a light? Maybe a colored (or gelled) low watt bulb just to keep you from hurting yourself? If it is truly pitch black as you describe, that sounds like an unsafe work environment, frankly.

[rosanne]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

oh, don't be such a gir...er...




methinks you need to make a judgment AFTER you've done a gig there, not before. it's entirely possible you're overreacting and you'll be fine.

I hope you are right, but our drummer has played there before (recently) and he's the one who says "very little light". He also showed me a video made while his other band was on the stage and it was pitch black.

Videos can be deceiving so I don't think it's totally dark, but.......

[rosanne]

Originally Posted by INTP

There is no 'should'.

Can you bring a light? Maybe a colored (or gelled) low watt bulb just to keep you from hurting yourself? If it is truly pitch black as you describe, that sounds like an unsafe work environment, frankly.

Unsafe for me certainly. The video was pitch black, but I was told it's "very little light" and that may as well be totally dark as far as my eyes are concerned.

I've considered clipping one of those book lights to my top and having it shine on the fretboard.

So I have a choice: look like a fool with that light clipped on me, or sound like a fool if I have to play in the dark.

[Billnc]

Originally Posted by rosanne

Unsafe for me certainly. The video was pitch black, but I was told it's "very little light" and that may as well be totally dark as far as my eyes are concerned.

I've considered clipping one of those book lights to my top and having it shine on the fretboard.

So I have a choice: look like a fool with that light clipped on me, or sound like a fool if I have to play in the dark.

Hey man, If Victor Wooten attached a light to his headstock, everyone would do it. Just tell everyone it's a 'bass cam' like Entwistle had.

[rosanne]

Originally Posted by Billnc

Hey man, If Victor Wooten attached a light to his headstock, everyone would do it. Just tell everyone it's a 'bass cam' like Entwistle had.

Bass cam - I like that!