There are tricks of the trade that many drummers do to get loose and warm. Sometimes the simple things can make all the difference when
playing the drums.
Stretch your hands and wrists. I will admit that I didn’t do stretching exercises for the first 10 years of performing. I would sometimes warm up on a practice pad, but never actually stretch each finger, thumb, and my wrists. Here is
a great stretching exercise for drummers. The key is to
stretch slowly. Yes, that means that you will have to find the time to do that. Yes, that may mean that you can’t chat up the ladies right before you play.
For winter gigs, splurge on a few
hand warmer packets, and crack them open during sound check. Keep them handy as the night goes on. I used to live 30 minutes from our rehearsal spot. Sometimes I would get there just in time to start practice, and my hands would be freezing. I slide the warming packets into my gloves as I drive across town. Warm hands work better.
Speaking of gloves, if your hardware has been in a cold vehicle or garage for days, you can bet that it will take hours to warm up. That means your hands will get cold as you set up your drum kit for sound check. Even worse, you have to take your gear from the car right to the stage to play your set. Wear work gloves while you set up your kit. I know, it’s not rock and roll to wear gloves in a club, but you will thank yourself later when you are warm, and your hands are not filthy from setting up your drums.
Wash your hands before you play. If the venue has hot water in the men’s room, use it. Run your hands and wrists under warm water for a few minutes just before going on stage. It’s amazing what a couple minutes of warm water will do for your flexibility. Basically, stay warm when you play a show, and you will perform better.
Put the cold drink on the bar; don’t hold it in your hand. I’ll bet that you don’t even think about that cold beer or rocks glass in your hand. Trust me, it’s a gig killer. If you grip that drink, you are basically freezing up your thumb and finger joints. Yes, holding on to your drink is very important when you are in a seedy club. If you absolutely have to hold your drink, don’t grip it. Ask for two cups if they serve drinks in plastic. The outer cup will keep your hand from icing up.
Warm Up on the Drums Like the Pros
Part of the reason that pro musicians sound so great live is that they are pampered right up until the moment that they walk on to the stage. If you find a copy of a performance rider online, you are likely to see that the biggest stars require a practice room set up somewhere in the venue. They might run through three songs in that room just before walking on stage. Who wouldn’t love to make their fourth song of the evening their first song in front of the audience? Most of us are lucky to find a spot to bang away on a
practice pad.
The trouble is that most of us are not superstars. We spend the night in the same room that were we are about to play in. We are lucky to have a dressing room, or even a storage closet where we can get away, and warm up.
Turn your car into the dressing room. Yes, it sucks to think that you have to go out to your car in order to get ready for a show, but sometimes that’s your only option. Turn on the engine, crank the heater, stretch the joints, close your eyes for just a minute, and
visualize yourself on stage, playing a great show. Just keep the booze in the bar when you use the car as your warm up spot. That warm and quiet place can set a positive mood just before you walk back into a crowded and noisy club.