So fed up!

[bassman7755]

2 hours ago, Nail Soup said:

True for many,but there are some bands who are tight by gigging so don't need rehearsals to get tight. (Note: I have never been part of such a band!).

 

I too have never experienced this phenomena of gigging acting as rehearsal, my experience is that faults in the way a band play a song tend to become worse over time not better, these are not "mistakes" as such but deviations of how the song is supposed to be played that creep in over time. Usually to do with things like exactly which chord changes should be syncopated (e.g. change a half beat ahead) vs not.

 

The only way I can imagine this happening are a) every member of the band is a top tier players with great attention to detail b) noone give a stinky poo if the songs are a bit ropey as long as roughly the right thing was played and vocal melody as more or less right. I actually do know of one or two bands in the former category but they are originals outfits and I generally don't "do" original bands.

Edited October 26, 2021 by bassman7755

[KevB]

In my experience it's usually the people who complain the band are 'rehearsing too much' and don't do any preparation at home that then go on to f*ck it up at the gig. They seem incapable of joining the dots.

[Saul Panzer]

3 hours ago, Nail Soup said:

True for many,but there are some bands who are tight by gigging so don't need rehearsals to get tight.

Guess it's all a time factor.
Gigging multiple times a week with the same band would be like the rehearsal for the next one rather than having set rehearsals multiple times a week for that 1 rare gig you play.
I don't know how they get there but some bands just have or make that magic, whether it lasts or not is another thing.

[Saul Panzer]

Sorry, double posted the above reply and can't see how to delete it 

Edited October 26, 2021 by Saul Panzer

[TimR]

Depends on whether it's a rehearsal or a practice.

 

A gig is worth 1000 rehearsals.

 

I'm not interested in being in a rehearsal band along with a bunch of people who want to be able to say they're in a band, but don't actually want to gig.

 

Practice is for working out new tune arrangements. Rehearsal is the last couple of practices before a gig. 

 

If you're gigging regularly you don't need rehearsals, just practices to learn new material. 

 

Assuming your band is made up of competent and experienced musicians. 

[Fishfacefour]

You also need to have an element of constructive reflection. What went well, what went wrong, what needs to change.

This holds for post gig reflection as much as rehearsals.

Need to consider the reactions from the audience too which you don't normally get in a rehearsal room.

[Boodang]

Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!!

 

Why is it so difficult to find a band that works for you (rhetorical!)? Well, just because someone else is a musician doesn't mean you're automatically going to get on with them and in the case of a band you need to find 3, 4, 5 or more to get on with.... and not just get on with as musicians with similiar musical tastes but also as people with all their annoying habits. And as they say; hell is other people!

Edited October 26, 2021 by Boodang

[TimR]

58 minutes ago, Fishfacefour said:

Need to consider the reactions from the audience too which you don't normally get in a rehearsal room.

 

Which is why endless rehearsals perfecting tunes that bomb can be soul destroying. 

[AndyTravis]

Tonight’s rehearsal reminded me of how important it is, originals wise anyhow.

 

We record everything with a zoom h4n - and I’m the lucky bugger who transfers it all to the WhatsApp group - I don’t mind this, I do it with a few beers and as I use GarageBand it’s all a matter of Bluetooth and review.

 

The laughs we have - Jesus, honestly. We have a great time, we learn our parts and play them, but then develop the tunes in the room.

 

But from my point of view, it’s a time away from being “just” dad and “Mr Travis” at work.

 

I adore my one night a week - a bit sad really, but it’s me being me.

 

And listening through it all - I have a sense of pride the band is developing.

 

Anyhow…rehearsal really works for our band, I know other settings/bands don’t work that way - but I’ve done the “here are the chord sheets, transpose it to B flat” gigs and I really don’t want to do them again.

 

I use it as a social thing.

 

4 hours - 3.5 of which is playing music.

 

 

 

[King Tut]

There's so many variables here. How many gigs you play, how good are the players, can you read, what's the material. To the OP, if you felt the need to rehearse lots and the others didn't, then you were in the wrong band and you did the right thing. I hope you find some like-minded people to hook up with a get a nice tight well rehearsed band together! 😁

[Newfoundfreedom]

8 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

Tonight’s rehearsal reminded me of how important it is, originals wise anyhow.

 

We record everything with a zoom h4n - and I’m the lucky bugger who transfers it all to the WhatsApp group - I don’t mind this, I do it with a few beers and as I use GarageBand it’s all a matter of Bluetooth and review.

 

The laughs we have - Jesus, honestly. We have a great time, we learn our parts and play them, but then develop the tunes in the room.

 

But from my point of view, it’s a time away from being “just” dad and “Mr Travis” at work.

 

I adore my one night a week - a bit sad really, but it’s me being me.

 

And listening through it all - I have a sense of pride the band is developing.

 

Anyhow…rehearsal really works for our band, I know other settings/bands don’t work that way - but I’ve done the “here are the chord sheets, transpose it to B flat” gigs and I really don’t want to do them again.

 

I use it as a social thing.

 

4 hours - 3.5 of which is playing music.

 

 

 

 

Yup. Exactly the same here. 3 hour rehearsal is usually followed by a couple of hours at a local restaurant with band membersfor a good meal and occasionally a few beers, and deconstruct what we've done that day and bounce around a few ideas. Again this is for original material, and something we never did in my previous covers band with all the members. 

 

I can't even imagine being in a band with someone who isn't first and foremost a friend. I wouldn't last two minutes. 

[ubit]

Many years ago we were playing so often that we hardly ever rehearsed but if we leaned new material then of course you have to learn your parts and then practise. Many times getting it wrong is what makes you get it right.

[Newfoundfreedom]

8 minutes ago, ubit said:

Many years ago we were playing so often that we hardly ever rehearsed but if we leaned new material then of course you have to learn your parts and then practise. Many times getting it wrong is what makes you get it right.

 

If that were true Jaco would be sh#t next to me. 

[Dan Dare]

2 hours ago, ubit said:

Many times getting it wrong is what makes you get it right.

 

Sorry, but this is tripe. Practicing/rehearsing something so you know it instinctively is what makes you get it right.

[AndyTravis]

I’ve also done a few years in a moderately successful band who used to spend rehearsals drinking and partaking in chemical recreation.

 

The drummer and myself did not.

 

so we sat around nursing a couple of beers while the rest of the band got blitzed and could barely stand.

 

one Sunday we met at 10am, they were still going from the night before - by 6pm we’d done 45 minutes of playing.

 

I eventually quit. The drummer stayed involved and did another 18 months - surprised at that as he was more sensible than me in most respects.

[Bassfinger]

Playing ones chosen instrument should be fun. Half an excuse and I'm clanging and banging on the bass.

 

Therefore practicing woth ones chums should be fun too, something to look forward to and enjoy in and of itself.

 

Players who don't practice with the band clearly find it a chore, and strive to avoid it. Therefore, I would question their commitment to being musicians, never mind to being bamd members.

 

I can understand you being frustrated at the time its cost you, but its taught you something you wont forget about human nature as it pertains to some musicians, so its not all wasted.

 

Onwards and upwards, what!

 

One nice thing for me about being in a band with 4 others who are all mature, one MD, 2 company directors, and one company proprietor, is that they aren't into faffing about and wasting time, or doing drugs, getting so pithed they waste a session it. No messing, no drama, no histrionics, we turn up and play.  

Edited October 27, 2021 by Bassfinger

[SteveXFR]

I've been in a band with a very heavy pot smoker. Each rehearsal I'd get a call from him today he'd be late because he lost his car keys then when he arrived he'd have a smoke before setting up and between each song we'd have to listen to his latest conspiracy theory about Bill Gates/5G/Aliens/vaccines then the inevitable "do you fancy a line?" before a rant about how you never know what they put in vaccines (he never saw the irony). We all quit in the end because we'd pay for five hours in a rehearsal room and play for less than an hour and we just got fed up with the unpredictable solos.

[TimR]

1 hour ago, Bassfinger said:

Therefore practicing woth ones chums should be fun too, something to look forward to and enjoy in and of itself.

 

Players who don't practice with the band clearly find it a chore, and strive to avoid it. Therefore, I would question their commitment to being musicians, never mind to being bamd members.

 

We also have 2 directors and one company owner in our band. One is a single mother of two children under 5.

 

Rehearsing and practicing just to hang out together is a luxury none of us can afford. 

 

Playing live with one's chums is much more rewarding than going over and over tunes we can already play backwards.

 

We haven't rehearsed for 2 months now as our last gig was the middle of September and we have nothing on the radar at the moment.

Edited October 27, 2021 by TimR

[gareth]

On 25/10/2021 at 13:57, Trueno said:

 

Here’s how it works for me…

Everyone practises their stuff at home until they absolutely nail it.

Then we get together rehearse until the band nails it.

Then we gig.

 

 

I agree with above 

 

Endless rehearsals are an absolute pain 

 

Unbelievably I have found that some musicians seem to prefer rehearsing to gigging 😂😂😂

[Muzz]

I've found in situations like that it's always a good idea (as long as you have an idea of how good each other are) to set a realistic but not-too-far-away gig date (book one if you can), so there's a target to work to, and some pressure to get it right in a reasonable time, otherwise the people who would be happy rehearsing till the end of time will always find an excuse for more rehearsals...plus, in my experience, they're the ones more likely not to have learned their parts properly, either, and view rehearsals as their own personal learning space...

 

I should add that's from the perspective of a band that wants gig (usually covers) - all bets are off with originals bands, as the writing process can completely different (from people turning up with pretty much finished songs to songs which emerge from jams), and the motivations of people in that scenario can range from the 'want-to-gig' to the 'happy to socialise* and never make much progress'...

 

* The appearance of booze/drugs at the rehearsal is the red flag for this one...

[Newfoundfreedom]

29 minutes ago, gareth said:

I agree with above 

 

Endless rehearsals are an absolute pain 

 

Unbelievably I have found that some musicians seem to prefer rehearsing to gigging 😂😂😂

 

Yup. As I said above. I'm one of them. 

I couldn't care less for the adoration of a crowd. I'm not so insecure. And I certainly couldn't give a flying fig as to whether or not anyone is dancing. I haven't danced to a live band in my life, but I've enjoyed listening many. 

 

I'm in a band purely because I like the creative side of it and hanging out with like minded friends doing something we all enjoy. Going out every weekend cranking out the same old tired covers to a bunch of drunken idiots is my idea of hell, and exactly the reason I quit the last band I was in. Absolutely nothing wrong with it if that's your thing, and even better if you can make money doing it. But personally, I'd rather not be in a band at all than do that. Horses for courses. 

 

[Bassfinger]

1 hour ago, TimR said:

 

We also have 2 directors and one company owner in our band. One is a single mother of two children under 5.

 

Rehearsing and practicing just to hang out together is a luxury none of us can afford. 

 

Playing live with one's chums is much more rewarding than going over and over tunes we can already play backwards.

 

We haven't rehearsed for 2 months now as our last gig was the middle of September and we have nothing on the radar at the moment.

We incorporate 6 or 8 new tunes each gig, so our set set list is ever evolving, so the same audiences at repeat venues get something more than a repetition of the last show.

 

Not practicing new material is something we cannot afford, and we value our audience (and fans, we do have one or two that slavishly come to every gig) too much to merely give them simple mediocrity when it is within our power to give them excellence instead. All it takes is will and effort.

 

Even when theres a good stretch between bookings we practice together at least twice a month, because if you don't you never regain that lost ground.  The people that come up with excuses always seem to have time to watch Eastenders or Line of Duty (or farmyard porn if thats their thing, whatever), but then come up with the lamest reasons for not haing a spare 2 or 3 hours with the team twice a month.

 

Merely adequate may be ok for your outfit, all power to you.  Nevertheless, we feel our audience deserve the very best we can give them, and there is no substitute, nowt, nothing, nada, for pratice when it comes to delivering excellence. 

[Newfoundfreedom]

2 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

We incorporate 6 or 8 new tunes each gig, so our set set list is ever evolving, so the same audiences at repeat venues get something more than a repetition of the last show.

 

Not practicing new material is something we cannot afford, and we value our audience (and fans, we do have one or two that slavishly come to every gig) too much to merely give them simple mediocrity when it is within our power to give them excellence instead. All it takes is will and effort.

 

Even when theres a good stretch between bookings we practice together at least twice a month, because if you don't you never regain that lost ground.  The people that come up with excuses always seem to have time to watch Eastenders or Line of Duty (or farmyard porn if thats their thing, whatever), but then come up with the lamest reasons for not haing a spare 2 or 3 hours with the team twice a month.

 

Merely adequate may be ok for your outfit, all power to you.  Nevertheless, we feel our audience deserve the very best we can give them, and there is no substitute, nowt, nothing, nada, for pratice when it comes to delivering excellence. 

 

Good bless you. We practice weekly and I'm still striving for mediocrity. 😆

[Guest aDx]

wow!

 

some great views here///  thank you

 

news! - the drummer and guitarist from a band a couple of years ago want to get together for a play on sunday! 

 

i just love playing really ...   doing some gigs would be nice, but its not everything i suppose

 

 

[TimR]

10 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

The people that come up with excuses always seem to have time to watch Eastenders or Line of Duty (or farmyard porn if thats their thing, whatever), but then come up with the lamest reasons for not haing a spare 2 or 3 hours with the team twice a month.

 

Merely adequate may be ok for your outfit, all power to you.  Nevertheless, we feel our audience deserve the very best we can give them, and there is no substitute, nowt, nothing, nada, for pratice when it comes to delivering excellence. 

 

Some wild assumptions made there.

 

If you're learning 6 new songs a week then sure you need to practice every week, if only to get the arrangements sorted. Although being the best you can be with an hour or so set aside to sort an arrangement and practice it to be whatever high quality you seem to aspire to, seems to be at odds with your assertion that you need to practice every other week to keep the songs you know up to speed.

 

The issue is, when you have 4 people who are company directors/owners it becomes increasingly difficult to find a day that all 4 are available. I have other hobbies besides playing bass guitar. I'm busy 2 days a week doing other things not sitting at home watching TV waiting to be called for a band rehearsal. And who practices on a Friday night?