Gigs & Backups

One thing I’ve learned through experience playing shows is that at some point, something is going to break on you while you’re on stage. Therefore it is crucial that you make sure you have backups for anything that you can carry reasonably. Here are some of the essentials:

Strings – I can’t tell you how many times myself or one of the other guitarists has busted a string while playing. Have at least one full replacement set with you for every show. This doesn’t happen nearly as often on the bass, but the bass player should have extras as well (unless the strings are brand new, in which case you can probably take a gamble)

Guitars – Sometimes something goes wrong with the guitar. The strap might break or perhaps someone spilled some form of beverage on it and the input jack gets messed up. Trust me, stranger things have happened. I’ve seen guitars literally break in someone’s hand on stage before. If you can swing it, try and have an extra guitar ready to go in case you should need it.

Amps – My band only has one guitar player, but we bring two amps to every show. Without an amp, you’re in serious trouble. Tube amps especially are known for random problems while on stage, so you’ve got to have a spare. The bass is a bit of an exception; it is possible (assuming the bass player doesn’t play with a lot of pedals on stage) to plug the bass directly into the mixing board and run it through the speakers. Usually this won’t sound as good, but it will definitely do in a pinch. Amps, especially bass amps, are heavy, so don’t break your back hauling a ton of them around, but make sure you’re prepared if you can.

Picks and cables – These always disappear mysteriously and are unfortunately important. Make sure you’ve got plenty of each; nothing sounds unprofessional like scratchy cables and loud buzz when you’re trying to rock.

Tuner – not one of those things you really need a backup for, but trust me when I say that you need one. Untuned guitars are the worst. Period.

Michael Shapinko is a guitar instructor offering music lessons at Elite Music Academy, a private school in Toronto. He is also a music instructor at the Toronto Music Camp. For more information contact the main desk at 416 406 5355 ext 1