Large stages - no chemistry

[KsPiNeSh]

IMO and IME, a good thing to do is to get used to playing the songs with only the drummer - practice tuning out the other members. The more stripped-down the version of your music thay you're used to, the less affected you'll be by situations like these.

It's a huge plus when you can hear the whole band, but sometimes it's just not going to happen. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

 

[jaywa]

It's a huge plus when you can hear the whole band, but sometimes it's just not going to happen.

Agreed. You MUST hear the kick drum, under any circumstances. Stand up next to the damn thing if you have to in order to hear it. Also the lead vocals if he/she switches things up a lot, otherwise you should be familiar enough with the song that you know it even without vocal cues. And your vox, if you're singing backup. Everything else you can get by without if you have to, and if there's a backline you'll hear as much guitar as you need (probably more), even without a monitor.

 

[TobyBrodel]

I would always choose to play a smaller room nearly full, than a huge venue mostly empty.

You don't want to wind up like these guys:

wow.

that singer has terrible pitching issues.

gah! i feel dirty.

 

[jaywa]

I know, Toby, LOL that is a new level of "brutal". I was tempted to offer any TB'er a dollar if they could make it through the whole thing.

 

[TobyBrodel]

I made it through about three lines of the first verse before I had to go scrub my hands.

 

[Chris K]

Except that you can't. You can't hear what's going on FOH while you're on stage - never can, never will.

Unless the soundguys would be able to create a realistic image of the sound in front on the stage itself... How hard can that be?

All you really can do is your job, as well as you can, & trust others to do their jobs as well as they can.

Pretty much the bottom line I'm afraid. No room for dynamics or any other subtleties, like some sense of togetherness in the process of shaping your music... Just do your individual thing and hope it both mixes and comes across...

I would say that a great many important aspects of making good music get lost in these situations.

 

[JackANSI]

If you don't have a good wireless, get one, and visit the other memebers up on stage as well as the crowd if you can (some situations/music types would prohibit crowd visitation, of course).

I can't stand to play a large stage without the freedom of a wireless.. It feels too much like I'm nailed to the floor.

 

[Drop-the-One]

LOVE bigger stages. Like the big bang.... we explode and expand... then retract and explode again

 

[TimmyP]

No law says you have to spread out just because the stage is big.

Side-wash your amps so that little beam of treble goes across to the other guy instead of out into the crowd.

Ask for what you can't hear to be put in your monitor.