It is always cold somewhere. Well, unless it’s spring or fall, but it can still be cold. As they say, the show must go on. But how are we supposed to rock (or pretend to) if we are freezing our butts off? If you are a performing player (or soon hope to be), you will most likely play several outside shows. Some of those outside shows will be when it is really cold outside. This presents a unique set of challenges to the guitarists and bassists out there, and this article will help us better prepare for the fun time that’s ahead of us when asked to play under less-than-ideal conditions.

Concerns for the Guitarist

I can start this section by telling a little story about myself. The topic of playing in the cold is always something I am aware of, even if where I live has an ideal outside temperature most of the year. I have pretty low blood pressure, which means circulation is slow, and I am generally cold when most other people are fine. When I have to warm up, I literally have to warm up. I do this by playing and running through tunes and scale patterns when I can, but sometimes you just have to keep the gloves on until it is time to play. I always keep those gel hand warmers in my gig bag, and throw a few in my pockets as well as in my gloves to keep the blood flowing.
I also dress in several thinner layers that I can remove quickly, in case I get too warm- although with me, that rarely happens. The layers have to be smart enough not to restrict mobility either. If you are playing with a band, don’t wear anything that doesn’t allow you to turn quickly to see the band members, or look down to see your pedals. Also, don’t wear anything that doesn’t look like you belong on stage. It is bad enough it is freezing outside- we don’t want the audience to feel bad we are freezing, and we want to still make good music while giving them a good show.

While we think Pete was posing for the camera, he was actually trying to keep his hands warm.

We practice usually in ideal conditions: inside where the temperature is controlled. This is not the case for many live shows, which presents a problem when the fingers are exposed to the cold. Blood doesn’t move as fast to the extremities, and (especially for me) the brain knows what the fingers should do, but they don’t obey. Or they obey about a half-a-beat behind the rest of the band. After you take off your gloves and before you start, do a few Townshend-inspired windmills with your arms. This will force blood to the fingers, and might even work up a sweat. The hands will tolerate the cold better, and you can even do it in between songs. In between songs, you can also quickly put your hands in your pockets with the hand warmers.
Your hands aren’t the only things to suffer the cold: your head and ears will too, especially if it is windy. Get a hat that covers the ears, keeps heat from escaping the top of your head, and matches what you are wearing. Black works, and matches that leather jacket they give you when you graduate rock ‘n roll school. It is never fun to play when you are freezing, as muscles tense up and shivering distracts you from your tight chords. Prepare what you are going to wear and check the weather often leading up to the gig. Some gigs actually include big industrial heaters onstage, so ask if they are available.

Concerns for the Gear

Guitars and gear are generally tested and used in more or less ideal temperatures. This can present a problem when loading up gear in the car, turning the heater on, then getting to the gig and unloading. While I have never had problems with pedals, electronics (rack stuff) or cables in the cold, remember that if something goes wrong cable- or pedal-wise, you have to track down the problem. In the cold. If you have a complex setup, you might consider slightly less stuff, and it decreases setup and tear down time, and minimizes exposure to the elements. Ever get your hand wedged between the side of a van and a 4×12 cabinet in the freezing cold? Ouch! Have a more mobile setup, with less that can go wrong so you can concentrate on staying warm.
I have heard from guitarists with tube amps that never have problems, but I have also heard that once a tube amp is plugged in, on standby, the heat on the cold tube can cause them to shatter. Condensation can also occur in the tube sockets causing the tube to short. In either case, the show stops. I don’t know if I would say to never use a tube amp in the cold (I am sure I have when I had no choice), but I don’t think I would chance it without a backup. If it is a multi-band gig, see if someone else will provide the backline amps. Solid-state amps fare better, as they don’t have components that get so hot. Those might not work for your music, so be extra careful and have a plan if something goes wrong.
Of course, going direct is an option too, using some sort of modeler into the PA. Maybe not ideal, but your expensive amp is safe, and hey, it is only one gig.

Finish checking isn’t so cool when you don’t expect it.

Guitars have a more pressing concern, especially if they are finished with lacquer. While wood can contract and expand, the lacquer can’t, resulting in finish checking. While some think this looks cool, it isn’t if you don’t expect it. Modern poly finishes coat the wood in a cocoon of plastic, and are better at dealing with temperature changes. But you still have to be very careful.
These instruments must slowly get used to the ambient temperature. You can do this by leaving them in the case after you take them out, and let them sit in an unopened case for a half-hour or so before you slowly open the case and the cold air rushes in. I wouldn’t use a valuable instrument in the extreme cold, but some musicians don’t care. Decide what kind of musician you are and run with it. Check out this article about temperature and humidity for more information.
Acoustic instruments with thinner finishes can suffer even worse fates, as extreme changes in temperature (from a warm car to the cold stage) can cause cracks not just in the finish but the soundboard, which isn’t a fun repair. Be very careful about which acoustic instrument you are using on a cold gig -some can take it better than others. If you routinely have outdoor performances in the cold, you might even consider a carbon fiber instrument, as it will hold tuning, and is impervious to extreme cold or heat.

Yes, this is me. I find googly eyes make any fingerless gloves work much better.

Have you ever had any temperature-related gear failures? Have you ever played outside in extreme cold?