As a musician you don’t want anything to hinder your performance. Being prepared with the following items can make the night far less stressful. As every musician knows setting up can sometimes take almost as long as your first set, so it's a good idea to explore ways you can cut the time down as well as prevent disasters by having helpful tools on hand during your performance. We highly recommend that all gigging bands include the following ten items to their equipment list.
1. Looking to cut down the number of trips back and forth from your vehicle to the stage? You should definitely take a look at the Rockenroller R6 Equipment Cart. This product has to be the fastest, easiest and cheapest way we have came across to move equipment. This product will save your back and avoid injury. It has been used by major TV networks, news crews, pro sports teams, Fortune 500 companies and thousands more.
2. Are you blowing out your ears? This is something that every musician should worry about. Being a musician or working alongside a musician can be seen as a glamorous job, but it has its downsides as well. Working with instruments for long periods of time and on a regular basis can have an effect on your hearing as you can be exposed to high audio levels and peaks. Protect your hearing with Aculife Noise Reducers Ear Plugs
3. Are you a guitarist that is having trouble hearing yourself? The Hamilton Unistand Guitar Amp Stand is a great product that allows you to tilt your amp towards your ear regardless of where you are or what’s around you. Unlike traditional amp stands this product is extremely portable, which makes it excellent for gigging. This is a must have for all guitarists.
4. Music Stands on Stage – Yes or No? Many musicians find it necessary to use a music stand on stage. If you are changing up the set list often and need the music or lyrics in front of you then a music stand is needed. Unfortunately stands can often be heavy and bulky which creates an obstruction on stage. The best way to deal with this is by using a Portable Wire Music Stand that is easy to transport will not take up valuable space on stage.
5. How often have you arrived at a gig and came to the discovery that the room was much darker than you anticipated? This scenario makes it very difficult to see the set list or music while on stage. A great product out there that can combat this issue is the Mighty Bright Music Stand Light. Because the Mighty Bright uses LEDs instead of traditional incandescent bulbs, you never need to change the light bulb, just the batteries. These lights are small, lightweight, and portable, and they're inexpensive enough that you can outfit your entire band with ease.
6. Are your loose wires on stage a disaster? Prevent injuries from people tripping over your cords & cords being pulled out of amps by taping down your wires. The best product for this purpose is MBT Gaffer Tape. Gaffer tape is not to be confused with duct tape. Gaffer tape is real stage tape made with a fine cloth weave that leaves little to no adhesive residue behind once it's removed. Duct tape, on the other hand, leaves that sticky, gummy, residue. MBT now offers musicians and stage hands real gaffer tape. This tape does not leave a film on your cords and best of all it is black so it does not stand out.
7. Backup equipment necessary? Ask this to most Guitar or Bass players and the answer is absolutely yes! As a professional musician you know that loosing an instrument in the middle of a show could be disastrous. If you break a string it is much easier to throw on that second guitar rather than have to replace the string in a middle of your performance. Having a second guitar on stage also looks cool, so rather than having the guitar packed away in a case why not have it set up on a portable guitar stand? The A-Frame Guitar Stand by Supernova music is a perfect solution.
8. Desperately looking for a way to contain all of those unruly cables? Hosa Cable Wraps provide an easy, neat way to secure your guitar, mic and power cords. Keep your individual cables at bay with these velcro fabric Cable Wraps! These wraps are 8" long and have a handy slot which allows you to feed the cable through and cinch it down so it stays permanently attached!
9. Is your stage lighting out out of date? Prevent tripped circuits by using a LED unit such as the MBT LEDGIGPRO Lighting System. This product is the perfect portable lighting package for bands, solos, duos, DJ’s and more! Complete system includes four slim-line LED wash lights: red, yellow, green and blue. Lights are pre-wired and mounted onto the T-bar which houses the built in chaser for quick set-up and tear-down. Includes a four-pedal foot controller for selecting preset color combinations, audio-active chase, freeze and blackout modes. This product is also extremely portable. The unit comes in a padded, form-fitted carry case for protection and easy portability! The case is 50” x 15” x 5”…about the same size as an electric bass guitar case! How’s that for easy loading and carrying!
10. Last but not least is your bands image! Get known!! As musicians we all want people to remember our name after they leave the show. Make your band stand out and impress your fans with an awesome banner on the stage, merch booth, or even outside the venue. L&B Printing is a great source for custom designed Band Banners for your gigs. For more info call Kristy Ball at L&B Printing (908)232-7770 x213 or email kristy@lbprintinginc.com
