Equipment Checklist, Setup
Here's a checklist of all the things you should take to a gig, as well as some things you should do before the gig, and how to setup your gear at the gig itself.
Before the Day of the Gig
- Make a setlist (songs you will play, in order, including set breaks and solos)
- Restring your guitars (if strings older than 2 weeks)
- While restringing, clean your fretboard and space between pickups
- Stretch new strings
- Tune all your guitars
- Make any guitar setup adjustments, but not any major, experimental ones
- Setup and test your complete rig
- Finalize and Level all your patches at gig volume
- If your main tone comes from a processor, and it doesn't have a global EQ, make alternate bright/dark versions of your patches
- Organize all patches if unorganized
- If possible, make it so that you progress through them in the same order as your setlist
- Check and install new batteries on any gear that requires them, especially active pickups
Equipment Checklist
- Extra Strings
- At least 2 extra strings for each string you commonly break, (for each guitar if different gauges)
- At least 1 extra full set of strings, (for each guitar if different gauges)
- All Cables you need for your rig
- Instrument cable (make sure it's long enough for a stage setting)
- Pedalboard patch cables
- Pedalboard to amp/rack cable (make sure it's long enough for a stage setting)
- Effects Loop send/receive cables (make sure they're long enough)
- Pre-Amp to Power Amp cable (if separate units)
- Power amp to cab cables (speaker cable) (at least one for each cab)
- At least 2 long backup cables
- At least 2 backup patch cables
- At least 1 backup speaker cable
- Power cables/adapters for all gear
- Extra batteries
- Guitars
- Lots of Picks
- Guitar cases/gig bags
- Guitar Stand(s) (optional)
- Slide, if you play slide
- Capo, if needed
- Whammy Bar, if needed
- Wireless Transmitter and Receiver (and backups)
- Power Conditioner or Power strip(s) w/ surge protection
- Tuner
- Noise Gate
- Overdrive
- Dirt/Distortion
- Delay
- Reverb
- Additional effects
- Amp
- Backup Amp
- Cabinet(s), if not running direct to PA
- Microphones, and stands/mounts
- Microphone cables
- Allen wrenches (for Floyd style locking nut and trem)
- Wire Cutters (optional) - for excess of new strings
- Outlet adapters - if touring overseas
- Duct Tape - lots of uses, including taping setlists to stage
I've put everything that is an absolute necessity in bold. If you don't have this stuff, you can't even play. Everything else is somewhat optional, but highly recommended.
Basically, you have to assume that any piece of gear you have will break or have down-time during a gig. That doesn't necessarily mean you need a backup, unless its a vital piece of gear. Just have a contingency plan in case any piece of gear goes out. Your backup amp might be a cheap piece of crap compared to your main amp, but if it's enough to get you through the gig, that's all that matters.
Many venues will provide monitors for you. You may prefer your own, and its possible to run them straight from your gear outside the house PA. Maybe you like in-ear monitors; I assure you those will not be provided. In some cases, the venue might not provide a PA or mixer. You'll need to bring your own. Often they'll provide stage mics and stands, but not necessarily cabinet mics/stands - or they won't be the ones you like to use.
At some venues you can get away with using your guitar amp/cab to transmit sound to the audience. This is not ideal, due to the directionality of guitar speakers - it will be impossible to get a consistent sound across the floor. In fact, it's best to have your cab backstage or aimed offstage, mic'ed and run through the PA. Usually those full stacks you see onstage aren't even outputting any sound, but they look badass. In any case, it's best to bring your own mics and cables just in case.
At the Venue before the Gig
- Map out your stage space with the rest of the band
- Setup and Test your Rig
- Get your pedalboard in place
- Lay cables and tape them down
- Test each pedal
- Get any backup gear in place and set it up as much as possible without disassembling your main rig
- Adjust Guitar Straps
- Thoroughly Tune all your Guitars
- Double-check guitar setup and adjust if necessary
- Sound Check
- Warm-Up