Performance issues Part Deux

Chiefbigeasy

I discussed a number of performance issues in my previous post regarding playing while practicing alone, with the band, and on stage. I have since added a nice amplification system when needed, so that the sound and hearing issue is resolved. I want to focus now more on mechanics more narrowly. When we last discussed this, the thread morphed into our usual but also helpful improvisation discussion

What I’d like to talk about is strictly mechanical. Some of you said last time that you physically felt your hands and fingers hobbled or restricted when playing in public versus playing alone. Does anyone have a routine for warming up prior to performance that has helped them?

During performance, we have to deal with all kinds of things we don’t otherwise. Last night, at the coffee house performance, it was hot and humid as hell up there. Sweat was coming down my face and making my glasses slip. I was mopping up after every tune like Louis Armstrong. My bass player complained of getting sweaty hands and neck on his instrument. During all this, I had variations on the theme of tight hands and fingers, I got to loosen up after while here and there. My accompanying guitarist had his Peche pick up slip down position and rest on the low Estring. He muscled through his solo anyway and did a great job of adjusting it when the time came.

Techniques I’m thinking of are some sort of warm up before the show, for example. Exercises and what not. During playing, I like Stephan Wremble’s suggestion to play very simply while beginning solo and work into more complicated things. Also, I construct the set list with an on-stage warmup in mind. One more thing: I’m the band leader. I need to play the head and end just about all the tune.

I am interested to hear how you performers have made adjustments accordingly.

Scoredog

I have found warmups to be of little use.
The most important thing at least for me is jamming with players on a constant basis so that when you get on stage you have enough repetitions that playing in a zone is 2nd nature, the place where you naturally go. I’m there now most of the time and it’s the reps that have mostly helped. Still an odd situation or tempo I’m not used to on a song can throw me off.

richter4208

Not saying that I'm where scoredog is, but I completely agree that this is the way forward. I play everyday multiple hours and in the last two years I've seen big changes in my ability and confidence in the hot seat. I like how score used the term reps, sums it up

Buco

For me, and as simple as it sounds, the damnest hardest thing to do is to play live as light handed as I do at home. I think if I did that without worrying about whether I'm loud enough, I'd make a big step forward all around.

dennis

I think that when we pick up an instrument for the first time in a day or after not having played for many hours, we play at about 40-60% of our true technical ability. It takes 30 minutes to an hour to reach our top technical level.

So the key is to raise your 100% so that your 40% is presentable ;-)

I've seen guys like Angelo, Bireli, Stochelo, etc.. really warmed up in person when we were recording our just hanging out, and it's even more impressive than what they "usually" do!

Buco

Yes, I do notice a difference when I play for a while vs when I just pick up the guitar.

I got a lot of good advice here for fingers stretching:
http://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/13997/left-hand-finger-stretching/p1