Rehearsal time-

[Deep Thought]

Curious as to how much practice you boys get, your wonders to perform? I used to think that a band needed to be practicing more than once a week to stand any chance of doing a decent job onstage, however my lot, all being ambulance staff and hence shift workers, are lucky to get three of us in the same place at the same time more than once a month. That's a whole day, or at least several hours, of intense practice in the rehearsal room, but if we get any more than that it's unusual. We rely on everybody doing their homework before we get together. We're gigging on Sunday, and we won't get together to practice before that, except maybe an hour in the van before we go on. Not ideal I grant you, but that's our only option. I don't think we do a bad job considering, but how often are you chaps rehearsing?

Edited August 7, 2008 by Deep Thought

[waynepunkdude]

We do about an hour a week but 1 of our guitarists lives miles away so we don't get to practice with him much.

But he is the talented one so it don't matter

[MythSte]

I DONT think a full day of practice is very beneficial. maybe 2 hours at a time seems to be the constructive limit of everyone i know. then repeat this as often as possible.

Obviously, this seems impossible with your shift work, would a couple of hour sessions a week be possible?

[Deep Thought]

[quote name='ste_m3' post='257587' date='Aug 7 2008, 09:00 PM']Obviously, this seems impossible with your shift work, would a couple of hour sessions a week be possible?[/quote]

No chance, I'm afraid. Shifts put the mockers on that. I'm not complaining, we manage ok, just wondered how we compared to everybody else.

[MythSte]

Well we do three, two hour sessions a week. and thats not including writing and recording. but i consider that very heavy, and we are opting out of the third for now as its tiring!

[Mikey D]

I normally "refuse" (in a nice way of course) to do more than 2 hours...it's not normally beneficial, unless its longer for a special reason (last minute gig with a new band where you need to practice a 2 hour set etc)

If there's more time people think its alright to have a lunch break, multiple fag breaks (lasting forever).

Go in, focus for two hours, and get away on time.

If they think its going to take more I ask for materials in advance to learn on my own, then when we get together if everyones put the graft in, it shouldn't be that problematic.

Regarding amount per week, its hard to say depending on the standard of all the guys in the band, some people retain what happend one week and can do it a fortnight later no problem, some have memories like sieves!

[Mickeyboro]

2 hrs a week with my main band. We try to do 'homework' beforehand tho'

[ahpook]

i currently do 3 hours a week each with my two bands.

i used to do 5 hour sessions with one of my old bands, but how much of that got used as practise and how much was used in getting food and sitting and chatting is open for debate.

[Oscar South]

At uni usually three 2 hour practices a week plus any time spent rehearsing in practical lectures and stuff and then probably another misc 2 hours or so, not including just jamming and hanging out playing music.

At home its hard to gauge as most of my free time I spend playing music with friends, but its more 'hanging out jamming and writing stuff' than rehearsing really.

[Finbar]

[quote name='ahpook' post='257609' date='Aug 7 2008, 09:31 PM']getting food and sitting and chatting.[/quote]
You say that like its a bad thing. I enjoy my practices, and I enjoy seeing people at them. Our practices are social times as much as LETS PLAY MUSIC THIS IS MY SRS FACE occasions.

That said, we do 3 hours a week at the moment, but I'd like to do more.

[stingrayfan]

3 hours grabbed as and when - but usually only to learn new stuff or iron out problems from gigs.

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='Finbar' post='257643' date='Aug 7 2008, 10:19 PM']You say that like its a bad thing. I enjoy my practices, and I enjoy seeing people at them. Our practices are social times as much as LETS PLAY MUSIC THIS IS MY SRS FACE occasions.

That said, we do 3 hours a week at the moment, but I'd like to do more.[/quote]


Agreed we usually hang out for an hour before practice then go out after its as much about being friends as playing.

[mike257]

We do a 4 hour sesh twice a week, although it's more like 3 once we've dragged the gear in and out of the locker!

My last band had our own room at the studio, used to do 3 nights, usually shorter ones, but if we were writing, o just particularly enjoying ourselves, we'd be there til the last bus home!

[Jase]

For the covers band there are no rehearsals at all, we all rely on eachother to do the homework, make sure we all learn the same versions of the covers we've decided on, if any one of us hasn't been able to for any reason....it's tough luck and try to keep up!

For original material, it varies but not long or often at all, I find rehearsals hard work and eventually boring.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Quite strangely, neither my rock trio or my jazz band have ever rehearsed. It's all completely spontaneous. I think we like it that way.

I'm setting up something new this summer (given the time!) And apart from me sorting the sheet music, there'll probably by one or two get togethers before we go out and play it live. I suppose, just from experience, that I've always found that the best place to "rehearse" is to develop a set live with an audience. Seems to gel a lot quicker that way for some reason!

[Delberthot]

In my wedding band I don't think we've practiced since 1999. If we have a song to learn for a first dance we decide on a key and learn it in the comfort of our own homes and just play it on the night. We've also managed to keep up with chart music as well sans practice.

[Happy Jack]

The blues band rehearses for four hours on a Sunday afternoon, but that's a bit too long. Session length is driven by the timeslots at the studio.

The functions band rehearses for two/three hours on a Wednesday evening. Length is about right, but we don't finish until after 11pm so by the time the gear is back home in the garage it's a pretty late night (for a mid-week evening with the alarm set for 6:30).

What makes for good or bad practice sessions isn't so much the time you have available, but the amount of preparation/homework you've all done. The functions band includes brass and they just can't busk it ... if they haven't worked their stuff out in advance then they might as well not turn up.

[Machines]

We do 3 hours a week, but about 45 mins of that are setup and putting away, since the drummer brings his whole kit..

[WILD FROG SHOT]

We have at least one four hour practise, but usually aim for two a week. Probably spend about 20 minutes setting up / 15 packing down and 20 minutes for a cuppa in the middle. So a solid three hours after deductions. As before, this doesn't account for any writing/recording.

[steviedee]

A six hour with the prog band cos the songs are long and the, everyone keeps forgetting their bits, age I reckon. Three hours with my new funny instrument, folk outfit with two hours trying to tune the guitarron

Edited August 8, 2008 by steviedee

[john_the_bass]

2 hours a week with each band - covers, we all learn our parts first and I think rehearsals are necessary just to make sure we're all doing the right thing at the right time, playing the right version and the right arrangement.

I would hate to turn up at somebody's wedding having not rehearsaed a song only for it to go badly and knacker the whole celebration.

Originals band, we use the time writing as we go and rehearsing what we do.

[Moody]

Interesting thread this!

We do a main rehearsal on a Saturday 11 - 1, this used to be at NCN in Nottingham as it is really cheap and fully kitted out. However, we've recently sacked the drummer (apparently thought that getting her lady garden trimmed was more important than band practise!), so we've moved into my kitchen till we find a full time replacement.

My guitarist and I often get together to just go through problem stuff, this can be for an hour or all day, I really enjoy this as we totally geek out! And because it is at my place, it is really nice and relaxed.

We also socialise quite a bit, a couple of beers on a Sunday for a laugh, going to see local cover bands (future competition we hope) and stuff, that side is very important to me and essential for getting that “bond”.

[Bilbo]

I usually get in a couple of hours every year, whether we need it or not

[peted]

My old covers band rehearsed for 3 hours a week for the first 3 months, then maybe an evening every couple of months when we were up to gigging speed. There was no reason to rehearse between gigs unless it was to pull together a new song.

My originals bands would do 3 hours a week in a rehearsal studio. Though it would be a very 'relaxed' 3 hours. Probably only really half of that would be intense music playing, and the rest was just socialising, drinking beer, and being stupid.

An originals band I used to be in sacked me because I wouldn't practice more than once a week. They now practice for 9 hours a week over 2 sessions and have a further pub meeting one evening a week to talk about the band. They feel that this is a minimum of effort necessary to get signed and that I wasn't willing to put in the time. They are very talented but my playing is a hobby and not a career choice.

[niceguyhomer]

We rarely rehearse, which suits me to be honest. When I joined the band, I had one 'run through the set' and a few days later did my first gig. When new songs are suggested, we all go away and learn them and then try them at soundcheck. If they work, they're in and if they don't they're not.