In most articles you'll find countless teachers and professionals banging on
about how important it is too warm up before a show or even rehearsal.And
they're right,of course.
But as most of us know,in the real world at most venues
your lucky to get a drink before showtime let alone anything else, certainly in
my experience. I do carry a practice pad around with me but it rarely has a
chance to come out. So,what can you do? Well i have four tips that may help you
through a gig,assuming you dont have a proper chance to warm up.
The first thing
you can do is a no brainer really,stretch. We do it when we awake from dreaming
of playing the O2 Arena, or that might just be me. Concentrate on your arms,legs
and wrists. Try to simply loosen up so you can feel more relaxed before the
show. The second thing is,if you happen to be waiting to go on after the other
bands have played,and you have a seat, tap along to the songs just by tapping
on your knees and using the floor for your feet, again this is just to try and
loosen the joints. Even better if the band is good! The third thing you can do
is look at your setlist. I like to start big for maybe 2 or 3 songs just to let
everyone know i've arrived, then using the middle part of the set to bring it
down slightly pacing myself,and then towards the end with say, 2 or 3 songs to
go, giving it some beans for the final finale.
The fourth and final thing
is....DRINK PLENTY....preferably not alcohol,certainly not before. I always
drink water during a show or maybe a small energy drink for that helping hand.
So there you have it,a few tips to help you through a show if you dont get a
chance to warm up properly. This is what works for me, you may need to change it
slightly to suit own needs. Happy drumming | 