I Hate Gigging!

[Newfoundfreedom]

20 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

Nah, rekindling a love of gigging (whilst continuing to use your Bugera Veyron amp) and developing a taste for Fender (style) basses is not the worst thing you could be doing by a long way, haha!

 

Hmmm, what might "worse" really look like? Let's maybe start with deciding that you actually prefer playing a triangle, solo, on street corners, and have given up being in a band to do so...

 

Nothing wrong with the Veyron. They're absolutely stonking amps. 

 

And the triangle is a perfectly respectable instrument. 

 

TING!

[Newfoundfreedom]

19 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

on the road to the Dark Side you are. 

Dave

 

Don't get me wrong. I'd never buy an actual Fender. But Harley Benton are producing some absolute stonkers of late. 

[TimR]

3 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Pretty sure pro bands all learn their parts before they turn up for that week or month of rehearsals before a tour. If its your job you need to be on your game and show up prepared.

Unfortunately for most bands its a hobby or part time and they dont have the option of concentrated rehearsals before gigging so i get the rehearsal thing. 

I personally dont see a rehearsal as a social event but more a work event. I do enjoy the rehearsals tho and we do 6hr rehearsals when we can to cut down on travel times but we'll have 2-3 coffee breaks during it and that's when we have a blether and a chat about band type things.

Our band are a bit scattered across Scotland from Wanlockhead, Lanark, Bathgate, Boness and Perth which would make for difficult socialising.

 

No matter how you view rehearsals, if you enjoy what you do then its working for you and each to their own. Everyone's happy.

 

Dave  

 

Definitely. 

 

If you have an MD with charts, you practice, and maybe rehearse, but otherwise you turn up to the gig and play the charts and follow his directions. If you're at that level of musicianship you know what you're doing. 

 

If you're in a dodgy hobby band you can spend months just practicing and getting an arrangement started, that's before you're in a position to rehearse them.

 

Sure you need to put on a good performance, but you need to be realistic as to what level your band need to rehearse depending on the skills and experience of the members of that band and where you're playing. 

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by TimR

[dmccombe7]

16 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

 

Don't get me wrong. I'd never buy an actual Fender. But Harley Benton are producing some absolute stonkers of late. 

That's just the start of your Fender GAS creeping up slowly on you as you get older 

Dave

[dmccombe7]

9 minutes ago, TimR said:

 

Sure you need to put on a good performance, but you need to be realistic as to what level your band need to rehearse depending on the skills and experience of the members of that band and where you're playing. 

 

Think this says it all really.

 

I'm guessing for most of us on BC its part time or a hobby. 

 

  

[Al Krow]

26 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

 

Don't get me wrong. I'd never buy an actual Fender. But Harley Benton are producing some absolute stonkers of late. 

How does a stinker differ from a stonker? Is it anything to do with the i/o? Just asking for a friend. 

[Newfoundfreedom]

8 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

How does a stinker differ from a stonker? Is it anything to do with the i/o? Just asking for a friend. 

I believe it's something to do with the colour of your finger. 

[Bluewine]

7 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

 

Nothing wrong with the Veyron. They're absolutely stonking amps. 

 

And the triangle is a perfectly respectable instrument. 

 

TING!

 

Stonking ?

 

Blue

[Bluewine]

13 hours ago, TimR said:

 

Definitely. 

 

If you have an MD with charts, you practice, and maybe rehearse, but otherwise you turn up to the gig and play the charts and follow his directions. If you're at that level of musicianship you know what you're doing. 

 

If you're in a dodgy hobby band you can spend months just practicing and getting an arrangement started, that's before you're in a position to rehearse them.

 

Sure you need to put on a good performance, but you need to be realistic as to what level your band need to rehearse depending on the skills and experience of the members of that band and where you're playing. 

 

 

 

*We don't rehearse. But for those that do isn't it a good idea to have an agenda and know what you can realistically accomplish in a couple of hours ? I've been to these rehearsals in the past where there was no plan or structure in place.

 

Blue  

 

* We don't rehearse, however I practice a few hours a day at home.

Edited November 27, 2022 by Bluewine

[Bluewine]

On 25/11/2022 at 11:52, leroydiamond said:

Agreed. I often think of the top class acts that I have seen over the years. The vast majority of those gigs were note perfect from start to finish. Zero mistakes and that for me is what separates the great from the good. This can only be achieved by proper focused rehearsals, where any cracks are ironed out and dealt with, rather than covered over when performing.

 

Agreed and you make a good point.

 

Here's my thought. Pro Signed touring bands know how to rehearse when to rehearse and what to rehearse. Amateurs don't.

 

My band would be considered amateur.

 

Blue

Edited November 27, 2022 by Bluewine

[Dad3353]

1 hour ago, Bluewine said:

 

Stonking ?

 

Blue

 

See here ...

[Bluewine]

4 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

 

See here ...

 

Got it. Thanks

 

Blue

[dmccombe7]

We always have a rehearsal plan. It might be just a set run thru or it might be specific songs we have some issues or concerns. Recently we had a rehearsal to go over the 3 Xmas songs we've selected. 

I dont consider our band professional or competent enough to learn the songs on the night kind of thing. As it turns out we turned up at rehearsal, ran thru the 3 songs and hey ho first time was spot on. We ran thru them again and all good. Having booked the studio we just ran thru some songs that anyone had concerns about. We have a new guitarist that learned the set (35-40 songs) in 3 weeks before gigging but he's perfecting the guitar parts now that he's settling in nicely.

I've been in bands that had no idea what they were doing, no plan, no suggested songs with the hope a jam session might produce something good. I didn't stay long with those kind of bands and wont audition for bands that dont have a basic plan on what they want to do. 

If its a start up band i want an agreed set list started before the first rehearsal.

Dave

[Paul S]

I love learning new stuff at home, rehearsing, gigging - all aspects of the process of making music.  We are lucky in that our drummer, Joe, is a farmer and there is the most amazing 11th century thatched barn on his farm that we use for rehearsals.  The family used to hire it out for weddings etc but decided it was too much hassle, so it is pretty much ours to do what we like with.  The acoustics are great   We rehearse sometimes just for the fun of it as we all love making the music but generally there is a plan - a new song or a different arrangement.  Here last week, you can see half the barn, we were running through a new song for us - Jesus Just Left Chicago - take 1.  Alan had polished the vocal a bit by the time we played on Friday.

 

https://www.facebook.com/Octaneblues/videos/1092408504761471

 

Test driving our new lights, too.

[Kitsto]

"I took the opportunity to give them the chance to find a new bass player"

 

So beautifully put, TimR!

[Stub Mandrel]

12 hours ago, Bluewine said:

 

 

*We don't rehearse. But for those that do isn't it a good idea to have an agenda and know what you can realistically accomplish in a couple of hours ? I've been to these rehearsals in the past where there was no plan or structure in place.

 

Blue  

 

* We don't rehearse, however I practice a few hours a day at home.

 

All the bands I've been in since resuming playing plan rehearsals ahead, so we meet with an objective - to try new material, address specific song issues, work on our sound.

 

Back in early 90s it was more chaotic.

[Bluewine]

7 hours ago, Paul S said:

I love learning new stuff at home, rehearsing, gigging - all aspects of the process of making music.  We are lucky in that our drummer, Joe, is a farmer and there is the most amazing 11th century thatched barn on his farm that we use for rehearsals.  The family used to hire it out for weddings etc but decided it was too much hassle, so it is pretty much ours to do what we like with.  The acoustics are great   We rehearse sometimes just for the fun of it as we all love making the music but generally there is a plan - a new song or a different arrangement.  Here last week, you can see half the barn, we were running through a new song for us - Jesus Just Left Chicago - take 1.  Alan had polished the vocal a bit by the time we played on Friday.

 

https://www.facebook.com/Octaneblues/videos/1092408504761471

 

Test driving our new lights, too.

 

Great looking space, sounds great too.

 

Blue

[Bluewine]

8 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

We always have a rehearsal plan. It might be just a set run thru or it might be specific songs we have some issues or concerns. Recently we had a rehearsal to go over the 3 Xmas songs we've selected. 

I dont consider our band professional or competent enough to learn the songs on the night kind of thing. As it turns out we turned up at rehearsal, ran thru the 3 songs and hey ho first time was spot on. We ran thru them again and all good. Having booked the studio we just ran thru some songs that anyone had concerns about. We have a new guitarist that learned the set (35-40 songs) in 3 weeks before gigging but he's perfecting the guitar parts now that he's settling in nicely.

I've been in bands that had no idea what they were doing, no plan, no suggested songs with the hope a jam session might produce something good. I didn't stay long with those kind of bands and wont audition for bands that dont have a basic plan on what they want to do. 

If its a start up band i want an agreed set list started before the first rehearsal.

Dave

 

I was in a band once where the guitarist thought rehearsal was merely an opportunity to get away from his wife for a few hours and get drunk.

 

I quit after the 2nd rehearsal.

 

Blue

[Bluewine]

7 hours ago, Paul S said:

I love learning new stuff at home, rehearsing, gigging - all aspects of the process of making music.  We are lucky in that our drummer, Joe, is a farmer and there is the most amazing 11th century thatched barn on his farm that we use for rehearsals.  The family used to hire it out for weddings etc but decided it was too much hassle, so it is pretty much ours to do what we like with.  The acoustics are great   We rehearse sometimes just for the fun of it as we all love making the music but generally there is a plan - a new song or a different arrangement.  Here last week, you can see half the barn, we were running through a new song for us - Jesus Just Left Chicago - take 1.  Alan had polished the vocal a bit by the time we played on Friday.

 

https://www.facebook.com/Octaneblues/videos/1092408504761471

 

Test driving our new lights, too.

 

How do I share a Facebook page to bass chat ? I have some video from Thanksgiving Eve.

 

Blue

[Paul S]

15 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

 

How do I share a Facebook page to bass chat ? I have some video from Thanksgiving Eve.

 

Blue

 

I don't thnk they will embed like a YouTube (but stand to be corrected if that is wrong!) so it is a case of clicking on the video in facebook so it maximises that window then copying and pasting the URL.

[frannie01]

On 14/07/2019 at 08:27, Newfoundfreedom said:

I can't be the only one, can I?

Don't get me wrong, I love being in a band, hanging around with my mates making music, that's where the pleasure comes from for me. I know public performance is the pinnacle of being in a band for most people, but I'm just not feeling it. The way I feel at the minute, I honestly wouldn't care if I never played in public again

Lugging gear around, trying to fit it all in the car. Spending the best part of an hour at the other end unloading it and setting everything up. Standing round like a spare part waiting to go on, then performing to a load of annoying, well lubricated people, who, in many cases aren't even interested. Only to have to break everything back down while the audience who haven't shown a bit of interest all night, start demanding "more". Then lug everything around back into the car, drive home, lug it around again into the house and finally get to relax about 3 hours after the people you've been "entertaining" have gone to bed. 

The only part I actually enjoy is if we get time for a couple of cheeky pints after the gig.

Why do I do it? 

 

Yes couldn’t have put it better myself although Ive been in situations where guns were pulled out so I totally get where your coming from  👍🏽

[MacDaddy]

On 14/07/2019 at 08:27, Newfoundfreedom said:

I can't be the only one, can I?

Don't get me wrong, I love being in a band, hanging around with my mates making music, that's where the pleasure comes from for me. I know public performance is the pinnacle of being in a band for most people, but I'm just not feeling it. The way I feel at the minute, I honestly wouldn't care if I never played in public again

Lugging gear around, trying to fit it all in the car. Spending the best part of an hour at the other end unloading it and setting everything up. Standing round like a spare part waiting to go on, then performing to a load of annoying, well lubricated people, who, in many cases aren't even interested. Only to have to break everything back down while the audience who haven't shown a bit of interest all night, start demanding "more". Then lug everything around back into the car, drive home, lug it around again into the house and finally get to relax about 3 hours after the people you've been "entertaining" have gone to bed. 

The only part I actually enjoy is if we get time for a couple of cheeky pints after the gig.

Why do I do it? 

 

 

From the internet:

 

Musician

 

A person who puts £2000 of gear, into a £500 car, to play a £50 gig. 

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, frannie01 said:

Yes couldn’t have put it better myself although Ive been in situations where guns were pulled out so I totally get where your coming from  👍🏽

Think @Newfoundfreedom has changed his views a bit since he started this thread in 2019.

Could be wrong but i'm sure he'll dive in soon with an update.

Dave

[songofthewind]

6 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

Musician

 

A person who puts £2000 of gear, into a £500 car, to play a £50 gig. 

£50? There's posh!

[lownote]

All the videos on how to succeed as a session muso (bass/ sax/ anything) include advice variations on 'don't be a richard'. Be prompt. Be helfpul. Smile. Offer encouragement. Help people pack up. Do they know how diificult that is when everyone else in the band is a richard?