Preparing for a Live Concert Playing the Drums

 

Preparing for any kind of show or concert requires a lot of skill and knowledge, as well as plenty of practical preparation that goes into making a success of the big day. Now that you have taken advanced drum lessons, you might want to start playing in a concert. You can check out how to tell if you are ready to move forward and are good enough for concerts here: http://drumlessonssingapore.com/how-to-become-an-amazing-drummer/. Before actually going on stage, make sure to follow the tips below in order to give a great performance.

Know the songs well

Yes, this is an obvious thing to say, but you would be surprised at the number of drummers who only slightly know the pieces they are supposed to play online. If your timing is off, if you don’t synchronize with your band mates, if you forget or mix up in the middle of a piece, you can forget about a good performance. There are times when you can also get distracted, which can make you lose your rhythm. The trick to avoid all these problems is to ensure you know the songs you are playing so well that nothing can shake you during the performance.

Practice with the band

Irrespective of how well you know the pieces you plan to play, it can still go wrong while performing with a band if you don’t know how to function together as a team. You may have had great success in your private drum lessons, but more is needed in a band. Timing is essential to any musical piece, but it is quite possible that your band mates might not have the same timing as yours. In order to make sure that you are all on the same page and can synchronize and coordinate well, practicing together is important. This gives you an idea of how the others perform and how you can adapt yourself to the rest of the band to give the best output.

Sound checks

Making sure that the sounds are in proper order is the sound man or woman’s job. But your job is to make sure that you cooperate with them. There are a few things you can do to make sure that the job is done effectively and quickly. First, make sure that you bang on the drum as loud as possible during the check, unless asked otherwise. Have a conversation with the sound person to make sure that any problems you have with the sound are fixed.

Insurance

Theft can happen very easily in the jumble when you are performing live in front of many people. It is especially true if you are travelling for your performance. This is not to say that you must look upon your audience as prospective thieves. But with the confusion and crowd in these places, it is easy for someone to just pick up something and melt into the crowd. So you must take this problem seriously. Insuring your gear and other expensive items that you take with you on your gigs will save you a lot of heartache – and money!

If you are preparing for your first gig, you will be very nervous. By following the tips above and ensuring you are getting proper sleep and food, and enough practice, you can excel at your performance. For further ideas on navigating the world of drums, check out http://drumlessonssingapore.com/.