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Snapping Strings and a need for Duct TapeDec 10 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line This is a good forum for gigging musicians. I have used this forum many times and learned plenty of great lessons from fellow musicians.
We were gigging at a local bar, famously known for the bikers and other cool people that enjoy Rock-n-Roll. Our band is locally well known for pulling off some great gigs. But this one is the exception! We arrived 3 hours before the show to set up. Everything seemed to be in order. We tuned, and played a song prior to showtime. Great. Our new original song will sound excellent. At least we hoped on that. In the middle of the first set, disaster struck: 1. Our singer/rhythm guitarist broke a G string. It took him an embarrassing 15 minutes to change it out. The band stared at me, the bass player, to come up with something bluesy and fast. The lead and drums kicked in, starting one of the longest riffs in history. 2. Immediately following that one, in the next song (our cover of "Loser" by 3 Doors Down, I was singing backup vocals. What happened? My mic stand started to (slowly) descend away from my face. I (slowly) lowered myself to maintain contact with the mic. People must've thought "what a loser" or maybe I was lucky in that they thought it was all part of the show. 3. In the last set, our drummer caves in his snare head. No duct tape. We had to stop and ask the owner for some duct tape to repair the head. In all, we did make some money, but the owner was rightfully peeved at us for not being prepared properly. Good thing this guy has a heart, we are a regular band here. Lessons Learned. 1. In the case of the guitarist, it is his responsibility to make sure the strings are in good condition. In our singer's case, we discovered burs in his saddle at the bridge - where the G string rests. After numerous times, an interesting trend developed in that it was always the same string, regardless of the brand name! Get your saddles checked out if you're having the same problem. This applies to bass players as well! 2. For the mic stand, I always make sure it is tightened down heavy and like to make sure it is seated right. The boom shouldn't be extended out too far, either. Add a heavy mic to the end and you're asking for slippage. 3. Drummers should ALWAYS carry duct tape with them for the disaster that happened here. Good idea to also bring along an extra drum head, but that takes up valuable time. Duct tape has been known to save many a show. This has to happen to the professionals, too. Mostly, have fun, and if mistakes are made, don't stare at the offender onstage. Laugh it off and the audience will laugh right along with you!  |
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