Tips for Being Organized and Prepared for Gigs

[Beej]

I'm sure this has been covered like a million times, but I'm covering it again.

I like to think I'm fairly organized when it comes to gig preparedness, but at our last gig, I noticed some different approaches to organization and setup amongst the bands performing (and even in my own band ).

Today I sat in on an incredibly boring talk on "supply chain management" at work and the speaker defined logistics as "the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation". (I learned later he'd lifted that directly from Wikipedia, but that's not the point.)

I like to get all of my stuff organized in advance, keep my cables coiled, labeled, etc all the way down to having spare gig bags and printing off extra set lists.

What do you do to ensure all of your logistical needs are met in preparation for a show?

 

[Admiral Akbar]

Have a backup of everything possible. And be rehearsed as possible so the music just plays itself.

I also carry extra drum key, guitar strings, strap, in addition to the usual extra bass, cables, bass strings, etc. I always have a DI box (Noble) and where possible, an extra amp head.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I got a bag what I call "the bass survival bag" that has anything I might need at a gig. One side has pics, foam and string mute, an ebow, a small headphone amp w/ aux input, a sharpie, a small clip-on light, earplugs and condoms. The other side has a string winder/clipper, truss rod adjustment tools that cover every single bass I have, little allen wrenches for string height/intonation adjustment, a small screw driver. There might be a few other things I don't remember. I always have extra strings and cables. Depending on the gig I might have a backup bass.

 

[dax21]

Things that haven't been mentioned: duct tape (fixes 99% of problems), insulation tape, cheap small soldering iron, basic tools (pliers, wire strippers, different screwdrivers etc), extra long zipties. While more of a band than a bass player item per se, it's handy to keep a 50 feet extension cord reel in the van, especially if you are in a kind of band who plays odd outdoor places and shoddy venues.

 

[Oddly]

The Bass Player, folks.
The music industry's McGyver.

 

[bwildt]

I play in multiple bands (rock, big swing band, church). Each band uses a different amp and has different equipment needs. I have a separate accessory bag for each band that I can just pick up and go and have the right stuff in it. I usually carry my bass in a gig bag. I have multiple instruments and bags. Each bag has an instrument cable, a cheap tuner and an IEC power cable so I can throw a bass into any bag and it will always have the minimum equipment to plug in and play.

 

[Scottgun]

Several security measures as bars and festivals are a thieves' paradise:

Put your name on everything: Cables, stands, anything that can have a label should have a label. If it has a serial number, put it on a master list.

Avoid putting brand name stickers on your cars. Fender, Mesa/Boogie might look sweet on your ride, but it tells criminals which cars might have valuable gear in it.

One pair of eyes on onstage gear at all times. Especially if you are not the only band with gear up there. It's too easy for another band during their teardown to "accidentally" pick up your gear by mistake.

On teardown, check cases and bags to make sure what's supposed to be in there is in there. I once had a lovely Shure SM57 in its mic bag and days after a gig I opened it up to find that someone pulled a switcheroo leaving me with some no-name pos mic.

All of this is helped by having a designated sober guy to stay alert.

 

[garp]

As a pilot, I'm accustomed to using checklists to improve the odds of a successful outcome to every flight. It seemed only logical to extend this philosophy to gig preparation, so I now use a printed reminder sheet. Similarly, my cockpit is equipped with sufficient redundancy to counter the unlikely event of component failure, so I show up at every gig with a backup plan. The show must go on, but if for some reason it doesn't, it sure as heck ain't gonna be the bass player's fault.

 

[Spidey2112]

... and condoms.

 

[RustyAxe]

I keep two “ready kits”. One is for just my needs when on bass, the other has the PA stuff. They only get used at the gig, I don’t pilfer from them at home. Both contain spare cables, mics, etc. If I notice something isn’t working I note it and replace it promptly. Both kits have a checklist (yes, I’m also a pilot).

I pack my car the same way every time, and take a count of the pieces. I always walk the stage with a flashlight before heading home.

 

[oldrocker]

After my car is packed and before I leave for the show I go through a mental set up while ensuring I've packed everything.

Bass stand and strap, power strip Bass -> cable -> tuner pedal -> hpf pedal (pedal power) -> other cable -> amp head -> speaker cable -> speaker

My gig bag has extra strings and straps flash lights, set list and charts and I also bring a milk crate with other stuff I may need. DI preamp, XLR cables, extra power strip, extra tuner ...

That said I once went to rehearsal without my bass. I was distracted, luckily I noticed when I stopped at a 7-11 and realized my mistake.

 

[Groove Doctor]

Find a system that works for you. If that system ain’t working for you anymore, find a new system.

Other people have their own systems that might seem illogical/cumbersome/etc but that’s their choice and what’s working for them.

 

[Paulabass]

I have a tickle trunk of not just stuff for me, but, drums keys, tools, electric guitar strings, fuses of all sizes and descriptions, Gender reverse XLR's (to turn a snake channel send into another return), Tampons (I'm 61, but these young girls at shows don't seem terribly well prepared), cables, batteries, flashlight, knife, tape- Three colors (Yellow/black- no step, red- caution, black- hold stuff down or up)....

 

[Bodeanly]

I always try to have extra ball bearings, as well as some 3-in-1 oil and gauze pads. Plus, I like to carry about ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no... make that Quaker State.

 

[GBBSbassist]

I make a check list.

 

[Paulabass]

I always try to have extra ball bearings, as well as some 3-in-1 oil and gauze pads. Plus, I like to carry about ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no... make that Quaker State.

Note to self taken, will add these items to my gear.

 

[JoeWPgh]

Ampeg pf-500 as a backup head, outlet strip, multiples of instrument and speaker cables, batteries, set of strings, allen keys and phillips screwdrivers #2 and #3. I usually have a 50' 16/3 extension cord in my truck.

 

[Nephilymbass]

Have a backup of everything possible. And be rehearsed as possible so the music just plays itself.

I also carry extra drum key, guitar strings, strap, in addition to the usual extra bass, cables, bass strings, etc. I always have a DI box (Noble) and where possible, an extra amp head.

Pretty much this. I bring backups for almost everything. Two basses, additional strings, wireless system and cables, i bring a sans amp or darkglass pedal pre as a backup for the amp.

One tip that’s been great for me is to use extra thick speaker cables with speakon connectors that are only as long as needed. Once you go to a certain thickness you don’t gain anything sonically but what’s great about short fat speaker cables is they never become a tangled up mess. Another is since I started using them I’ve never had a speaker cable go bad. Speakon connectors because my first 810 cab (peavey) back in the day only had a 1/4” jack and I was onstage at a gig and anytime I slapped the low B string the cable would get pushed out of the jack on the cab because the jack had gotten worn out and the air pressure was pushing the cable out. I got through the gig by taping the cable to cab, had a speakon jack installed on that cab that week and never went back to 1/4” for speaker cables.

 

[Paulabass]

A bigger and better arguement for speakon cables- Class D amps do not like to be shorted. 1/4 inch cables can short just plugging them in.

 

[FirewalZ]

Like others, I have a gig bag with everything I need, cables and DI, battery or two, straps. I tend to get higher quality vs quantity, so instead of a mess of cables, half of which don’t work(we all have that guy in the group), I have 2 very high quality that work 100% of the time. I make sure I google map and street view the venue ahead of time, so I know where it is, what it looks like, etc. I also try and get the group on a common shared google calendar, and an ongoing group chat. As bass players we have to uphold the tradition of being the ones who are organized, on time, in tune, on key, prepared and on point.
I showed up a bit early to a high profile gig once, was unloaded and ready....and the sound company was setting up....they said “you must be the bass player”