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Do you have any bass rituals?

#81
hmm...

I am definitely NOT a social butterfly, so before we play, I tend to find a dark corner of the place to hide and watch the other bands, or I work the merch area

After getting the pitcher of water for me and our singer, I usually will not leave the stage once I am on it at set up.
(Many times my band mates will say "lets go", and then 15 minutes later, they all get up there.)

I also have to play little snippets of a Rush song, then Maiden,Sabbath, Antrhax etc...sort of calms me down, and throws up "props" to the powers that be for a good show.

so afterwards, I get my stuff off the stage as quick as possible, and then usually either hide again, or load up the truck and ferret all of the drunks out to the van since I am DD always
 
#82
I'm not sure if you would call it a ritual but I always do pretty much the same pre - gig routine. I am the sound man as well as the bass player/singer so as soon as I arrive I start barking orders at my drummer and two guitarists, you know how hard it can be to keep those guys on target (also, I am the smallest guy in the band by 3-4 inches and about 70lbs...I make them carry the heavy stuff!) after everything is in place I send them to the bar and tell them to bring back some beers. When they go I get down to business: running cables, setting up mics, getting all the speakers plugged in and power up the sound board, I plug in my laptop and start pumping our pre-set play list for the people who start arriving early. The rest of the band returns and I take a few good pulls of my beer while they plug in and we start our sound check. I adjust levels and check my bass last. Time for another beer... Here's where the "ritual" begins... I like to have two beers before I go on. No more, no less. I don't eat anything pre-gig so I steer clear of any food my band mates may have ordered. I like to work the room for a few minutes, touch base with the owner/manager or agent who booked us, check in with any friends who might have shown up. A few minutes before we go on I head over to the mixing board (it's usually pretty dark there and it makes it look like I'm doing something) I do a couple slow knee bends to stretch out my legs and back and then go through a couple basic hand/arm/shoulder/back stretches then I head to the bar and grab a couple beers to bring on stage. Our band always does a quick huddle up just offstage where some words of positivity, encouragement, and a quick rally talk are given. Then as we head to the stage I always do two or three stationary jumps (just kind of hoping up and down a few times) to shake any pre-show jitters and to amp myself up a little. I walk on, the lights come up and the rock begins

JW
 
#85
Dude i make sure the bass is plugged in.

serious, using some effects one night i was getting no signal.

went nuts checking everything, power supply, cords etc etc
last minute oh duh, I did not plug in my bass:D
 
#86
I have a few ritually I do. Before I put the bass on, I make sure I am not wearing anything that will scratch the bass. Yes, I like my basses looking brand new for as long as possible. Next, I put the strap on and then put the bass on. While holding the bass, I give each strap at the button a good tug to make sure the straplocks are locked in securely. I then strap my wireless system to the same location on the strap every time and then plug it in and check to make sure the plug is in the jack securely. I then take a deep breath, and let the adrenaline rush begin. I am now in my zone!
 
#87
Along with the usual things like being OCD about my gear, making sure everything's plugged in and the pre-game leak, I have two:

1) At some point whenever I'm warming up for a gig, I play Herbie Hancock's Chameleon. With an envelope filter. :bassist:
2) this one is a recent addition... I wear the Monster cable wrap for my main cable around my right wrist (I wear a watch on my left).

I'm not superstitious at all, so these are out of the norm for me. But they work! :p If I don't get the warmup and/or forget the cable wrap, something always feels off.

5sg.
 

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