Performance Tips (6)

[gypsy]

Here's another one..........at indoor venues, make certain you know where the dratted lights are. Played for a Beer Fest (no, don't even go there, was the scariest venue we have done yet) and not only could we not find the lights.........the hosts could not find the lights, even the cops couldn't find the lights. My trusty gig bag had a halogen for ME, himself came up with a ONE led light for the fiddler. The guitarist was just out of luck.

[Dick Glasgow]

Good tip Gypsy. I arrived at a Wedding reception recently, only to find that the exact place where we HAD to play had numbers of little spot lights in the ceiling just above our heads. This produced a number of shadows under my strings which meant I just couldn't see the strings for shadows.

I know, I know, I shouldn't be looking at the strings at all, but we all do when we're learning, ............... don't we?

Cheers
Dick

[gypsy]

Its OKAY to look at the strings, don't berate yourself. You will just someday get tired of the confusion of the strings, and find that looking at your bridges is sooooooooo much easier. It has only been in the past couple of years i can look away entirely and shmooze the audience. I inlaid extra land marks on my bridges......makes life much easier when i get lost.

[cooper]

Yes, blessed are those who can look away a lot while they play. After all, you are not touching the instrument with your hands like a harp or piano, so it is very difficult to look away.

That being said, the cymbolim player from "Harmonia" was not looking at his instrument half the time and did not miss a note. Amazing!

[dulcimike]

admin said:

Good tip Gypsy. I arrived at a Wedding reception recently, only to find that the exact place where we HAD to play had numbers of little spot lights in the ceiling just above our heads. This produced a number of shadows under my strings which meant I just couldn't see the strings for shadows.

I know, I know, I shouldn't be looking at the strings at all, but we all do when we're learning, ............... don't we?

Cheers
Dick

Yeah, we do look at the strings, but looking at the strings where they cross the bridge is the only way I know to combat the crossing of eyes when the lights are badly placed - or we are wrt the lights. A number of times I've been on stages with lights right over me that glare off the strings, and even off the black soundboard. In fact, my office/studio has an overhead light that glares on my dulcimer when I sit down, and sometimes when I'm standing.

As for playing when there are no lights, I found a black ball cap that has two LEDs in the brim and a battery and switch on the back. It's not perfect, but provides some basic light when you're in the dark. Can't remember where I found it.

But, another solution I've used, provided by a friend, is a battery-powered flourescent lamp. I had to find a place to put it so I could see the dulcimer but it wasn't in my eyes or in the audiences' eyes. This was outside, as it was getting dark, around a campfire that wasn't positioned so I had light on the dulcimer from it.

[gypsy]

i got a gooseneck LED in my gig bag.........clips to the front leg of the tristander, and the neck is long enough to look at my sound board, and all the bridges. Very handy toy. solutions.com. they call it a barbeque light