Touring Guitarist Handbook: 101 Secrets to Survive, Thrive, and Succeed as a Traveling Guitarist Who Plays Live Music on the Road

By HowExpert

This book highlights tips and tricks learned over two decades of real-world experience as a touring guitarist. For bands and musicians who are not signed, don’t have managers or agents, but are willing to do the hard work and pay their dues to take their show on the road. From advice on how to properly pack a trailer, to the various ways to place a microphone in front of an amplifier, this book includes a wide range of topics, and is sure to have something for musicians of all experience levels. Major topics addressed include, but are not limited to:

• Planning the tour – from how to choose which cities to visit, to how to pack your trailer or van.
• Promoting the tour – from how to write a press release, to how to maximize your social media use.
• Gear and supplies – from how to set up your guitar and which effects work best live, to where to place the mic in front of your amp.
• Life on the road – from the best gas stations and how to deal with boredom to winter driving tips.
• Putting on a great show – from how to fine tune your tone to a room to how to get along with your bandmates for optimum teamwork.
• Merchandise and revenue – from how to get creative when it comes to choosing your merch, to crowdfunding techniques, to tips on making sure you get paid by the venue.
• Connecting with fans – from using social media marketing creatively to general tips on in-person interactions with fans at the show.

HowExpert publishes quick 'how to' guides on unique topics by everyday experts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HowExpert
• Release date: Mar 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9781949531961

HowExpert

HowExpert publishes quick 'how to' guides on all topics from A to Z by everyday experts.

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Touring Guitarist Handbook

101 Secrets to Survive, Thrive, and Succeed as a Traveling Guitarist Who Plays Live Music on the Road

HowExpert with Brandon Humphreys

Copyright HowExpert™

http://www.HowExpert.com

For more tips related to this topic, visit www.HowExpert.com/travel.

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Table of Contents

Recommended Resources

Introduction

Chapter 1: Planning the Tour

Accommodations

Tip #1: Lodging Needs

Tip #2: Get Creative

Don’t Forget Your Sense of Adventure!

Booking

Tip #3: Agents and Unions

Dealing With Promoters and Club-Owners

Tip #4: Contracts - What To Look For

Riders

Scheduling The Tour

Tip #5: Give Yourself Enough Time

Schedule Changes

Tip #6: Types of Shows

Charity Benefits

Competitions and Talent Shows

Festival Shows

Opening Spots

Outdoor Shows

Wineries and Breweries

Tip #7: Tour Support

Managers

Roadies

Guitar Technicians

Tip #8: Dos and Don’ts

Dos

Don’ts

Chapter 2: Promoting Your Tour

Writing a Press Release

Tip #9: Why Write A Press Release

Tip #10: Formatting and Content

Tip #11: Where to Submit

Social Media Engagement

Tip #12: Facebook Events and Groups

Tip #13: Instagram, Periscope, and Tweets From The Road

Tip #14: E-mail and RSS Feeds

Tip #15: Reddit, Craigslist, and Other Potentially Local Forums

Tip #16: YouTube

Radio Promotion

Tip #17: Getting Air Time

Tip #18: Interviews

Tip #19: Local Periodicals

Photo Shoots

Posters and Flyers

Tip #20: Printing Tips

Tip #21: Street Teams

Chapter 3: Gear and Supplies

Acoustic Guitars

Tip #22: Amplification Options

A Note About Wood and Tone

Spruce vs. Cedar

Amplifiers

Tip #23: Tube vs. Solid State/Modeling

Tip #24: Combo vs. Head & Cabinet

Tip #25: Microphone Placement vs. Line Out

Tip #26: Common Settings

Tip #27: Troubleshooting and Maintenance

Tip #28: Cables

Distance and Impedance

Tip #29: Capos

Tip #30: Direct Boxes

Effects

Tip #31: Signal Chain

Tip #32: Compression, Wah, and Pitch Shift

Tip #33: Distortion, Fuzz, and Overdrive

Tip #34: Modulation Effects

Chorus

Phaser

Rotary

Uni-Vibe

Tremolo

Vibrato

Filters

Tip #35: Delay, Echo, and Reverb

Delay

Echo

Reverb

Tip #36: Effects Loops

Footswitches

Tip #37: Grounding

Tip #38: Guitar Care on the Road

Proper Cases

Temperature Control

Neck Issues (Guitars)

Tip #39: New Strings

Polish

Tip #40: Pots and Jacks

Tip #41: Strap Buttons and Strap Locks

Tip #42: Other Gear Care

Pedalboards

Tip #43: Designing a Pedalboard

Pedals vs. Processors

Tip #44: Pickups

Single-Coil Pickups

Humbucking Pickups

P-90s

Pickup Position

Buffers and Shielding

Power

Tip #45: How to Power Your Gear

Choosing the Right Power Supply

Power Conditioners

Tip #46: Stands, Straps, and Strings

Stands

Straps

Strings

Tip #47: Tuners

Chapter 4: Life on the Road

Safe Driving Tips

Tip #48: Inspect Your Vehicle

Tip #49: Make a Driving Schedule

Tip #50: Pack Well

Tip #51: Winter Driving

Tip #52: Things to Avoid

Tip #53: Gas Stations

Best Options

Truck Stops and Travel Plazas

Convenience Food

Credit Cards and Rewards Programs

Fun Times

Tip #54: Joking Around on the Road

Making the Most of the Miles

Tip #55: Neck Issues (People)

Tip #56: Tacos (After-Show Care)

Chapter 5: Putting On a Great Show

Acoustics

Tip #57: General Principles

Tune the Room

Tip #58: Basic Audio Principles

Levels

Microphone Placement

Tip #59: Mix

Tip #60: Monitors

Tip #61: Quiet! Avoiding Noise

RF Interference

Unplugging

Tip #62: The Audience

Who is your audience?

Dealing with Drunks and Hecklers

Tip #63: How to Connect with Your Audience

Performance

Tip #64: Nerves

Tip #65: Writing a Set List

Tip #66: Stage Plots and Blocking

Tip #67: Blocking

Tip #68: Basic Stagecraft

Tip #69: On-Stage Behavior

Tip #70: Beginnings and Endings

Tip #71: Opening the Show

Tip #72: A note on interacting with headliners:

Tip #73: The P Word

Tip #74: Maintain a Professional Attitude

Tip #75: Work Hard in order to Play Hard

Tip #76: Knowing Your Place/Checking Your Ego

Recording the Show

Tip #77: Board Recordings

Tip #78: Portable Recorders

Tip #79: Recording Video

Working as a Team

Tip #80: Maybe it’s You

Tip #81: Know Your Bandmates

Tip #82: Bass Players

Tip #83: Drummers

Tip #84: Keyboardists

Tip #85: Vocalists

Tip #86: Sound Technicians

Tip #87: Playing with Visiting Musicians

Chapter 6: Merchandise and Revenue

Merchandise

Tip #88: Common Types of Merch

Tip #89: Logistics

Tip #90: Sales and Marketing

Crowdfunding

Tip #91: Types of Crowdfunding Sites

Tip #92: Perks and Rewards

Payment

Tip #93: Getting Paid

Tip #94: Managing Band Finances

Chapter 7: Connecting with Fans and other Bands

Zombies!?! No, Wait. Those Are Your Fans.

Tip #95: How to Keep the Crowd Engaged

Tip #96: Connecting with Fans After the Show

Tip #97: Retaining Fans After the Show

Working with Other Bands on the Road

Tip #98: Show-Swapping

Tip #99: Cross-Promotion

Tip #100: Cost-Sharing

Tip #101: A Final Thought on Connecting

Epilogue

About the Expert

Recommended Resources

Introduction

We woke up, and the world had changed. Everything was white. There was snow all over the ground in Portland, OR, and the feeling of menace was palpable in the air. It was already 9:30 am, and we’d hoped to be on the road by 9:00. I gathered my clothes and tidied up my little area of our guest apartment before making my way down to the van to put my things back in their carefully arranged spot.

The van was a rented Kia Sedona, and we were pulling a U-Haul trailer full of a our gear plus a backline of amplifiers and other gear for the headliners. There were four of us riding in it, and not a square inch of space to spare. The back of the van was filled with guitars, overnight bags, and accessory bags, and the rest of the cabin was scattered with backpacks, jackets, and other belongings. When I’d positioned myself into the rear seat, we set off. The short tour was over, and it was time to head back home.

As soon as we’d pulled out of the place we were staying, it was apparent that this was not going to be a normal drive home. Portland is a coastal city, and though it’s a part of the Pacific Northwest, the city is much more accustomed to rain in the wintertime than snow. There was only about an inch and a half of accumulation, but it had brought the city to its knees.

We drove through the city streets at a snail’s pace. Cars were sliding all over the roadway, and we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. We knew it was going to be bad getting out of the city, but we had no idea what we were really in for. After about a half-hour and not much progress toward the highway, we decided to stop for some breakfast - maybe the weather would get a little better in an hour.

Of course, it didn’t. As I sat at the counter of a charming downtown Portland diner sipping coffee and eating biscuits and gravy with my bandmates, I thought to myself, "It’s