Dancing in the dark

[GrantB]

Well, try "playing in the dark". Did a gig last weekend at a nice place outside Tirau - deer farm. We played outside and had our stage lights on the side facing in, and some lighting "behind" us...now here's the trick. The shadows on the fret baords and the dim environment made it nearly impossible to accurately see what you were playing.

I thought I mostly played blind, without looking, but both the bassist and I were surprised at how many mistakes and un-confident lead breaks were happening due to not being able to glance at the neck properly.

I have promised myself to practise more without looking, including solos and complex stuff. It actually took the edge off of our whole night. The brides maids were nice though…

[Tsuken]

Had that - similarly at a farm gig. This was just a people-getting-drunk-and-falling-over party though, rather than a people-getting-drunk-and-falling-over-with-bridesmaids party We were outside the front of the house and as you experienced, all the light was therefore from behind us. I seem to recall it actually went ok, but there again, that was 16 years ago, so I might indeed be wrong.

I think the thing was that at that stage I was going through a patch of playing all my riffs, solos and fills in exactly the same way every time - not even the slightest deviation in phrasing or tone - and each part was generally in one fretboard position (none of this all over the neck stuff like now ), so basically as long as I looked closely enough before we started the song to make sure my fingers were on the right frets to begin, I didn't tend to play anything but what I always did.

I think now (being all over the neck, and playing much more improvised/spontaneously) I'd have a lot more trouble in that sort of situation - so I suppose I should get practising too.

[TMG 03]

I bring my own spot and smoke machine to our gigs. I need to see my mistakes.

You always needs lights in the front even if its just a few normal bulbs without the colours. It really helps find the drunk bass player who has fallen of the stage.

[Bluesbird]

It really helps find the drunk bass player who has fallen of the stage.

And he might not even slip at all if he can see the drummer's drool all over the stage

[Bg]

I often practice bass in the dark with my eyes closed - so I'm capable of smiling at bridesmaids etc.... Guitar, no chance, I need to see every note of the solo!