Dark stages

[stratovani]

Last Saturday night our band played at a club in Worcester, MA called the Lucky Dog. Some of you might be familiar with it. Anyways. we didn't exactly crown ourselves with glory. After our first song our lead guitarist's amp decided to give up the ghost, so we had to suspend our performance so he could go and get himself another amp. About 45 minutes later he came back, the show went on, and this is where I started having problems. The stage we played on was fairly dark, with lights directly in front of the stage for illumination. Now where I was standing I had the singer and two backing girl singers blocking what little light I had, so I was playing blind. A clamfest soon ensued. Fortunately our set had to be cut short due to the amp problem. I kept moving around to get some light but the stage was pretty crowded, so that made it hard to do. Good thing I know the songs like the back of my hands.

Moral of the story is that I'm no longer going to play on a poorly lit stage. I'm going to make sure some lights are on so I can see what the hell I'm playing!

 

[Lukc]

Next time bring a miner's helmet, shine your own light!

 

[AltGrendel]

Fretlord Musical Instrument Lighting Systems Inc.

or equivalent.

 

[bassbully]

That's why I have one bass with rosewood board and one with maple. Maple for dark stages.

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Yes, look into some cheap lighting. It won't take much, either floor lights that shine up at you or something that clamps to your PA stands. We used this setup for a small trio gig last night.

Here's another example of "self-lighting" we used at an outdoor corporate event.

If you can find some used LED lights they would be cheap, cool, and energy efficient.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[JaamE]

I still use a cheat book so i have a little LED light that clips to it whether i have it on a stand, or on the floor.

 

[Ender_rpm]

Moral of the story is that I'm no longer going to play on a poorly lit stage. I'm going to make sure some lights are on so I can see what the hell I'm playing!

Respectfully: The moral of the story is to learn your instrument so you don't have to SEE in order to play. I have a funny quirk where (admittedly years of playing) I end up with my eyes CLOSED for 70% of the time I'm on stage.

But high contrast side dots, fret dots, and inlays help too. I can only control myself, not the environment to any great extent, sO i prefer to keep the accoutrements to a minimum.

 

[stratovani]

Respectfully: The moral of the story is to learn your instrument so you don't have to SEE in order to play. I have a funny quirk where (admittedly years of playing) I end up with my eyes CLOSED for 70% of the time I'm on stage.

But high contrast side dots, fret dots, and inlays help too. I can only control myself, not the environment to any great extent, sO i prefer to keep the accoutrements to a minimum.

I understand what you're saying, and you're right, maybe I do need to learn the fretboard enough so I don't even have to look at it in order to play. I still do think that the stage should have been adequately lit. I've played on well-lit stages before, and poorly-lit stages as well, but this situation was a first for me. Next time we play the Lucky Dog I'll make sure that there's adequate stage illumination.

 

[DirtDog]

Knowing the fretboard and being confident is one thing. Being able to glance down to orient yourself is another.

A couple summers ago, I was playing an outdoor gig/private party; our early evening set turned into a twilight/post-sunset set due to a number of logistical issues with bands before us. Anyhow, for several songs we ended up playing in complete darkness until the host rigged up some lighting for us. It was touch and go for a while....

I'm pretty comfortable about going long stretches without needing to look down, but I tell ya, when you CAN'T, that messes you up!

 

[nashvillebill]

Yep, it's great to know your fretboard, but even so, when you are starting a song off, and the bass leads off, it's rather important to know exactly which fret you are starting on....Especially when you have several different instruments, so they feel completely different.

 

[Pilgrim]

Fluorescent fingernail polish!

Leetle fingertips dancing on the strings....very "Tron" appearing.

 

[hdracer]

Luminlay is the best inexpensive way to have lighted markers.
Luminlays…my new favorite thing! | TalkBass.com

Items in Luminlay store on eBay!

 

[Ender_rpm]

Luminlay is the best inexpensive way to have lighted markers.
Luminlays…my new favorite thing! | TalkBass.com

Items in Luminlay store on eBay!

Ok, these are cool....

 

[LiquidMidnight]

The opposite scenario can be just as bad. I've experienced the stage lights completely washing out my fretboard. Certain shades of red par can gels seem to do that, especially on maple fretboards.

 

[Treadstone71]

There are a lot of great ideas in this thread, but personally when I'm playing somewhere I know will be dark, I keep two very thin strips of electrical tape on the neck parallel to the fifth and twelfth frets.

I don't need to see every fret, but it helps landmark me...similar to the little bumps on the F and J keys on a keyboard.

 

[LanEvo]

I bet a little LED reading light clipped to the headstock would do the trick:

 

[Ender_rpm]

I bet a little LED reading light clipped to the headstock would do the trick:

If by "doing the trick" you mean "make you look like a total dork" I agree

 

[LanEvo]

 

[lancimouspitt]

As a teen the cover band I was in sometimes practiced with the lights low or off. I dont think it ever made a difference but was neat to do sometimes

 

[Bredian]

Hearing myself is more important than seeing my fretboard; however, lighting the band is very important for a show or even a bar gig.