Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

(Tips, Tricks, & Techniques provides how-to information about folk music and other topics. The main Tips page contains a list of additional tips.) MOM WAS RIGHT: GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY! Ah, springtime in Chicago—that wonderful time of renewal when reassuring signs of life reappear all across the landscape: our state bird (the cardinal, not the finger), state tree (orange-striped construction barrel), hip-hop blasting through open moonroofs (okay, so not every sign is reassuring). And if ever you doubted that summer was approaching, the surest sign of all: "No Parking: Street Fair This Weekend." However, you don't have to be a professional festival performer to crack open your instrument case and give your vocal cords a workout in the great outdoors. Performance opportunities (for fun as well as profit) abound beginning this time of year: street fairs, folk festivals (on stage or in jams and song circles), picnics, beach parties, block parties, and just taking your music out of the living room and on to the porch. But regardless of the reason for making music in the style of the season, there are some common-sense tips for protecting your instrument, voice, and health as well as enhancing your performance. Above all, you must realize that you cannot control the climate outdoors—it controls you. You can't turn nature's thermostat up or down when you're on the lawn, and you must share your surroundings with not only area wildlife, but with area domesticated life as well: your neighbors. Never assume that everyone within earshot will appreciate your music; keep the volume down to a level where it stays within the area designated for it. You wouldn't go outside in shorts and sandals in a Midwest winter; so take the same degree of care adjusting to warm weather in the outdoors. There's that matter of local wildlife, both animal and vegetal. Do you have allergies? Sneezing, coughing, and wheezing are no fun in your everyday activities; but they can utterly wreck your performance experience. Know your sensitivities and make sure you're prepared: take any medications prescribed for your allergies and keep emergency supplies, such as inhalers, close at hand. Be aware of insects in the area and protect yourself against them. As for stinging insects, use common sense. Wear neutral colors, avoid perfumes; and for heaven's sake, don't swat at the little buzzers if they get too close. Sudden movements scare them, and any perceived threat can provoke an attack. If you must shoo them off, brush them away calmly and softly. Urban legends abound about performers having bees fly into their open mouths in mid-song (apparently that's how Gordon Sumner became known as "Sting"). That happens rarely enough to be just that: urban legend. More often, you may be pestered by gnats or no-see-ums. Keep singing—if they don't fly out, wait till a pause in the vocal and just spit them out. (Heck, you may not even choose to do that. According to many "Survivor" veterans, they're a good source of protein.) Keep well hydrated—with nonalcoholic, noncaffeinated beverages, and water in plentiful supply. For every beer or glass of iced coffee or tea, drink at least an equal amount of water. (Needless to say, take note of the location of toilets beforehand.) Warm weather and exercise both accelerate dehydration, and performing is very much a form of exercise. Don't gulp icy beverages while or just before singing, either: Very hot or very cold drinks can "shock" the vocal cords and lead to involuntary constrictions, which in turn keep you from comfortably singing your best. Sip, and sip often. Never take the stage without water close at hand (but away from electrical connections). Don't be paranoid, but maintain a healthy respect for Mother Nature's potential fits of pique. A little drizzle will do no worse than dampen your spirits, but a summer shower can turn into a thunderstorm. Where there's thunder, there's lightning; and lightning's danger is not to be dismissed. If you are lucky enough to be near lightning detectors and they (or storm sirens) go off, take cover indoors. Even plain old rain can be extremely hazardous if you are onstage with microphones and electric instruments. Water plus electricity produces the kind of buzz you don't want to experience. Treat tornado watches with caution, and tornado warnings as mandates to seek secure indoor shelter immediately. Even in sunny, clear weather, be careful around electricity. Are you using microphones or amplified instruments (especially magnetic pickups)? I can't stress too strongly the necessity for having all extension cords, power strips, etc. intact and grounded. Outdoor musicians tend to be lax about this, especially since the stage is often fairly distant from the power source. (I've seen extension-cord-and-power-strip rigs so convoluted and jury-rigged that Rube Goldberg would shake his head in disbelief). One way to tell if your power is grounded is to check the plugs and outlets all the way down the chain: Are they three-pronged all the way or are any two-pronged? If the latter, the power chain is ungrounded. If refusing to perform with ungrounded power is not an option, then proceed with extreme caution Do not under these circumstances allow any part of you to touch the microphone (especially the mouth area, which is moist). If you are also playing a plugged-in instrument (especially an electric guitar or bass with magnetic pickups), keep at least a couple of inches between the mike and your mouth at all times. (Don't touch the stand either). Remember the scene in Almost Famous in which Stillwater's lead singer accidentally lets his mouth brush the mike while playing and gets knocked off his feet? That is no urban legend—it happens oftener than you'd think. Twenty years later, yours truly still remembers her first—and she hopes her last—episode of Kentucky Fried Lip. It was no picnic (even though it was at a picnic). If you are playing in sunshine, make sure you can see comfortably. If ever there is a time to don those Joe Cool shades, this is it. It's hard to knock 'em dead if you're squinting and wiping tears and sweat from your eyes. If you are using effects pedals or anything with LEDs, LCDs, or lights, it's a good idea to make sure they're shaded enough for you to see if they're on or off. (You can't always trust your ears to tell you, when others are playing at full volume and you don't have crisply isolated monitors—which describes all but the most professional and sophisiticated outdoor PA setups.) You can easily improvise a shade with a folded sheet of paper. And it goes without saying that sunscreen is a must during daylight hours. Your instruments need a little extra TLC (no, not the R&B group), too. Make sure you have good sturdy stands—I still shudder over my vintage Martin guitar taking a dive off a flimsy little A-frame folding stand after a good gust of wind hit the stage last summer. Keep instruments (especially acoustic stringed ones) shaded whenever possible—whether they're on stands or inside their cases. Keep them out of the sun and direct heat; drape them with white or light cloths or towels when not in use. Everyone who's ever traveled with a guitar in winter has been conditioned to let their instruments warm up slowly inside closed cases when brought indoors, and to keep them in the warmest part of the car possible. In summer, the reverse is true: if your car is air conditioned, try not to travel with your guitar in the trunk; and in any case (no pun intended), remove it from the car as soon as you can. Wipe down the strings and neck immediately after each set—your hands sweat more in the heat, accelerating string wear and corrosion (which at best dulls the tone and at worst hastens breakage), as well as glopping up the fingerboard. Needless to say, keep your guitar away from sand, sunscreen, sea spray, beer, etc, If you are playing just for fun and not performing seriously, leave your best axe at home if you can. Perhaps you're tempted to "busk." Check local laws and ordinances, and try to comply as best you can. (Chicago requires a street performer license, which at ten dollars can pay for itself in just a couple of hours). Regardless of legal requirements, don't obstruct traffic, accost passerby (this is not the time to insist on audience participation), or play in such a manner as to annoy more people than you entertain. Don't usurp another musician's territory, or play along unless invited. Clear the money out of your case as often as you can to avoid being a target for petty thieves. If you are collecting a healthy sum, be gracious to street people—buy a copy of Streetwise, treat them to a coffee, etc. Respect police even if they are misinformed as to the law. If you just want to play for fun and not money, encourage passersby to redirect their coins to nearby homeless people or other musicians. And use a less-expensive (and sturdier) instrument if you have one. In short, stay safe and law-abiding, keep yourself and your instruments healthy and comfy, and above all—have fun! Now go outside and play! Main Page • List of Tips • Contact Sandy Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002, Sandy Andina, All Rights Reserved