discreet Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1338293532' post='1672206'] I suppose it depends on whether you have a dictator or a leader. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1338293532' post='1672206'] It's tricky. You need someone to initially get things going. I would expect fairly early on there to be some sort of director. I've joined bands where nothing ever got done because there was no leader. [/quote] ymmv but i've been in plenty of bands where things get done cos everyone shares the responsibilities. it all depends on the people involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stefBclef Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 [quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1338293212' post='1672199'] Startup band i'm in. We met up first to get to know eachother (I only actually didn't know one of them) decided on a few songs, jammed out those few songs at a rehearsal. We used that rehearsal to see where the singer feels most comfortable musically and then spent the last hour coming up with song suggestions which i've compiled into a list (something like 40 songs). We're going to meet up again with the list, go through and pick 10 songs to do over the next few months, and then break them up into which songs to do at which rehearsal so we know what we need to work on and when for. This really helps because i obviously have my main band, work, and regularly dissapear for a weekend, plus all the other members are at college, so having a bit of structure makes things easier to work with. Liam [/quote] That sound like a good setup/strategy. Is there an official leader in this band? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 [quote name='stefBclef' timestamp='1338296098' post='1672263'] That sound like a good setup/strategy. Is there an official leader in this band? [/quote] It's working well so far. There isn't really an official leader, but it seems to be me and the 2nd guitarist Mike, who's a close friend of mine taking lead, but out of us 2 it's mostly myself as i'm the one who's got the experience of frequent gigging and band management. The vocalist has also done her fair share of gigging but she never really took part in all the background stuff so leaves it to me and Mike. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Much like JTUK, I'd like to find out whether it works first. Then sort out the other business. For me, if I were to meet up with a potential band and there was a list of this that and the other, I'd probably bugger off. Point in case, a drummer I know has been unsubtle about airing the idea of a covers band i.e would I be the bass player. I've jammed with him plenty of times and it's never really jelled for me. However, my biggest sticking point is his 'demand list' of - I want 25% say over the set list, no room for manoeuvre, to which I said that sort of black and white approach wouldn't work. Then there's a lot of - I won't play here, I don't won't to do x or y...come to think of it I wonder why he wants to be in a band . Anyway I'm tooooo busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 Well 25% say is going to be hard to measure. There's a fine line between having firm ideas of how you want a project to go and being dictatorial over your involvement. I can kind of see if you've had experiences in the past where no one has taken your song choices on board it can be frustrating. I was in a band where I ended up suggesting songs through another member of the band because the 'band leader' just ignored my suggestions out of hand (a control issue?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 I think you do need the ability to veto songs, but that should be very sparingly used. For instance, "Dakota" is pretty dull, but I don't see that as a reason to refuse to play it - it goes down well with the audience and the others like playing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 I'm not sure that I've ever vetoed a song. It's just a bunch of notes. I have suggested thatvwe don't play one or two because I didn't think musically we were up to them. Which I think if musicians are honest sometimes we can't do some songs justice. I had a drummer who couldn't play regae to save his life, I'm not great at it. He suggested some Bob Marley and some ub40. We tried them but couldn't get them off the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Which is exactly how it should be... Nobody bar the band will know that you can't do the song justice as you pulled the plug before anyone else could hear it and come to that conclusion. The bigger failing would be that the band didn't realise that they were making a pigs ear of the tracks. FWIW..I've vetoed songs ..but if someone is insistant we try it, we will take it to rehearsal and find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Agree, in my covers band, if we try a new song, we`ve either nailed it after two goes through, or by then we know we`ll never get it, so don`t persist. Unlike a band I used to be in, where it would take between 6 & 8 weeks of playing a song before I wasn`t wincing at how awful it was. Looking back, I seriously question why I wasted so much time in that band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1338468613' post='1675024'] Agree, in my covers band, if we try a new song, we`ve either nailed it after two goes through, or by then we know we`ll never get it, so don`t persist. [/quote] Very wise words. There is an expectation that everyone has learnt their part but if they have and it just don't work - move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 That's just an experience thing though. I think the more experience you get, the less time it takes you to learn your part, or you just skim learn it to get it to rehearsal level. So then you don't feel you have invested hours in a song and don't want to bin it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1338468613' post='1675024'] ...where it would take between 6 & 8 weeks of playing a song before I wasn`t wincing at how awful it was... [/quote] It's this glacial progress rate which made me leave my last band. I learnt their set (30 numbers) in two weeks, and they couldn't learn the simplest frigging song in less than two months. Not just because they were crap, but because they were too lazy to properly listen to the material and fully expected to learn it at rehearsal. FAIL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 (edited) [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1338554774' post='1676272'] That's just an experience thing though. I think the more experience you get, the less time it takes you to learn your part, or you just skim learn it to get it to rehearsal level. So then you don't feel you have invested hours in a song and don't want to bin it. [/quote] Actually, i am the opposite. I make a lot of effort to learn the original as accurately as i can before the rehearsal. Depending on the song this can take minutes or hours. Last thing i want to hear or be guilty of is running up and down the fretboard looking for the proper note during a rehearsal. Rehearsal time is to put all the component parts together - not to learn the tune. This obviously puts me at odds with most musos doing covers that i have met edit for spelling like a school teacher Edited June 1, 2012 by BottomE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 (edited) Well kind of, but after 25 years of playing I would hope I know my intervals and have played enough chord progressions for most songs to fall under my fingers pretty quickly. Couple that with PCs and MP3s and 20mins should be plenty. Although occasionally a song will take a lot longer. Compare that to 25 years ago when I was rewinding tapes and picking notes out 1 by 1, a simple pop tune could take all night to learn. Edited June 1, 2012 by TimR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 [quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1338558933' post='1676352'] ...Rehearsal time is to put all the component parts together - not to learn the tune. This obviously puts me at odds with most musos doing covers that I have met... [/quote] Hooray! You and me both, mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1338570507' post='1676650'] Hooray! You and me both, mate. [/quote] We should form a duo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1338569689' post='1676630'] Compare that to 25 years ago when I was rewinding tapes and picking notes out 1 by 1, a simple pop tune could take all night to learn. [/quote] Yeah remember those days well. It was a bugger alright. Sheet music was always really expensive too! Certainly more than a bag of Revels and definitely less tempting when it was just pocket money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 I'm not in the busk it at 'practice' camp either. Practice is what you do at home, rehearsal is what you do as a band. However, this is ok when you are covering a basic tune with the same instruments. Replacing keyboard/guitar with guitar/keyboard and rehearsals often become practices But everyone should at least have the progressions, licks and form down off pat, which makes arranging a lot quicker and simpler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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