What's your pre-gig warmup?

[tomd03]

Hey everyone, I'm bored so I made this topic, What's your pre-gig warmup?

For me it's puttin on headphones and playing ''La villa strangiato" with the geddy lee style aggresive playing, then 2-3 octave scales and ''get up and jump'' to get me in the slappin mood.

[Folmeister]

I lug very heavy gear from my garage into the back of my truck. Then, I move said gear from my truck to the venue. After setting up my gear, I help with the PA and anyone else that needs gear moved. By that time, my hands are usually hurting and borderline completely useless. If I massage them and wrap them around chilled glasses of Diet Coke, I can usually play for the next four hours. If you have down-time before a gig, you are not playing in any of my bands.

[csholtmeier]

I usually have between one and three hours of downtime before our set. We show up, backline the amps and wait.

[Whafrodamus]

I run around, chant, and play really fast annoying heavy metal shreddy things... I play in jazz groups, but it gets the juices flowing :-p.

[csholtmeier]

That's funny that you say that Whafrodamus, because I run around playing really fast annoying jazzy things... I'm in a metal band

[Nick man]

The most important thing with me is the mental warmup. If I get nervous I sweat a lot which makes me lose pics and my forarms and hands cramp up really bad. Most of the physical stuff I do it really just a mental thing. Just so I know I did what I could and dont worry more.

Here is my painfully long sequence.

I show up early and try to load in as soon as possible.

I spend the next few hours making sure that my hands stay warm by rubbing them together, cracking my knuckles, and keeping them in my pocket.

30-45 minutes before we need to gget on stage I start masaging my hands and forearms and I do a forearm stretch my cousin who is an occupational therapist recommended. I spend this time working on my nerves too. I remind myself that Ive done it many times and that I cramp up if I worry. I remind myself that I play hard rock 'n' roll and that a missed not and bad start is part of the live show. I remind myself that its what I live for and I cant have a bad night. I then start thinking about other things like what Im doing the next day, booking another show, or that girl I need to call.

Just about this time I need to start moving my gear into position and slug it all in. As I do this I make mental notes about different things I want to try or changes Ive messed up in the past. I think about the different moves I might try on stage and stop thinking about the music too much.

I do some more arm massages, wrap my bandana around my hand/wrist/forearm, and then make sur eI have my picks where I want them and the backups where I can get to them easily.

I then start playing reaches, tricky rythms, and messing with my knobs as I do this to make sure I like the sound.

I check to make sure my setlist is in place and then yell at the guitarist and drummer that we need to get started.

Then we play.

[tplyons]

I get there, I set up, and I chill until 20 minutes before showtime, crack every joint in my body, stretch, and medidate.

A few pushups doesn't hurt to get the blood flowing.

[Rapscallion2112]

well....last few gigs i've played we're at friends partys because the whole band thing for me lately has been dismal....but what i'll do is sit on the guys coutch after i've gotten all my stuff set up and to my liking......and play stanley clarke's silly puddy (mainly the thumping stuff) untill i feel that im ready to move onto jaco's opus pocus then it's about time to just start jammin with people....no set lists just get up infront of the people there and jam for hours....my favorite

[Ryan L.]

Moved to Misc.

[superbassman2000]

yeah, i usually setup my gear, and make sure my bass is tuned...drink a pepsi while the guitar player tunes his guitar for a while, talk to people who are sitting by themselves, like the drummer...then we play!

[Kelly Lee]

I like to get there early as possible and load in and setup if going on first. Then I will check to make sure my bass is in tune. I due a little 15 minute warmup of scales, licks, and streching exercises. Recheck my tune and put my bass away. Then I like to go get a soft drink and meet some of the other bands. About a half hour before show time I do one more warmup on my bass. If going on first I will do my warmup on stage and turn my rig on and check that everything is working and adjust my tone if needed. During this same time, I check out the stage for obvious danger areas like snakes, electrical outlets, and other protruding objects I can either trip over or be impaled upon. Then show time!

[driver800]

I usually wash my hands with warm water, drink a beer or two and find somewhere quiet and dark to sit and relax. i've been playing a long time and still get nervous immediately before a gig.

[narud]

a rum and coke

[outofthedeep]

Originally Posted by Kelly Lee

Ithis same time, I check out the stage for obvious danger areas like snakes, electrical outlets, and other protruding objects I can either trip over or be impaled upon. Then show time!

There are SNAKES and objetcs that can IMPALE you?
Where are you playing? A tourture chamber? j/k


My routine is generally the same everytime....
Show up, set up, tell the sound guy to adjust my monitor, pray, hang out for a few and make stupid jokes, play.

[Munjibunga]

I noodle.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by driver800

I usually wash my hands with warm water, drink a beer or two and find somewhere quiet and dark to sit and relax. i've been playing a long time and still get nervous immediately before a gig.

Interesting. I never get nervous, even before an important gig. The first time I was ever on stage performing was in 7th grade band, and I wasn't even nervous then. I too wash my hands, but I don't drink.

Well, maybe I lied a little bit. I don't get nervous about playing, but I run the PA from on stage, and if I've got a glitch in the PA setup, and it's still not up 10 minutes before downbeat, I get nervous enough to be pretty danged grumpy. Don't talk to me, and plug in your own damned mic, OK?

[Tym2cu_bass]

Slap like mad... and stuff... just do a little of everything. play cant stop...

[driver800]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Interesting. I never get nervous, even before an important gig. The first time I was ever on stage performing was in 7th grade band, and I wasn't even nervous then. I too wash my hands, but I don't drink.

Well, maybe I lied a little bit. I don't get nervous about playing, but I run the PA from on stage, and if I've got a glitch in the PA setup, and it's still not up 10 minutes before downbeat, I get nervous enough to be pretty danged grumpy. Don't talk to me, and plug in your own damned mic, OK?

I've been playing for 20+ yrs and I've always been nervous immediately prior to playing. Usually, by the 2nd verse of the first song, I'm fine. And most of the people I play with don't even realize it unless I mention it, then they notice it in me. I'm not a nervous person at all - and it might be better characterized as anxious. I think I'm just SOOO excited to play, the anticipation just builds and builds.

[Ryan L.]

My pre gig routine involves helping load in and set up the PA. Get my rig set up, set up my mic and stuff. Once the PA is up and running, I get out my basses and tune them. Stick them in their stands until it's time to play. I don't do any warm ups on them except for noodling around when I tune them.

I then go talk to people and have a couple of drinks. When it is close to time to hit the stage, I go and wash my hands, change clothes (I never wear the clothes that I gig in for load in and set up), grab a pitcher of water and a couple of glasses, and by then it should be about time to play.

[cowsgomoo]

after lugging and setting up the gear then doing a soundcheck, I grab a beer and go find some women to talk to

don't need a physical warm-up... we structure it so the 1st number eases everyone into it, band & audience