'Normal' Rehearsal schedules - EDIT: Oh what an update! Enjoy!

[Musicman20]

Hi chaps

What do people class as a normal rehearsal schedule?

I pretty much nail songs quickly and I can always just play around live if I dont remember the EXACT line....

Just recently, Im finding the rehearsal schedule with one of my bands a little too busy. I personally think once a week is enough, considering the traveling and cost. I know my playing is good enough to practice once a week and be comfortable. I could even do once every two weeks as I do go through the ENTIRE set on my ipod/RH450 at least once a week at home.

At the moment its twice a week, two nights in a row. Thats basically 5-6 hours for two nights a week and im finding it a little over the top.

What does everyone else think?! Ive never had to practice this much with a band as I confident in my playing.

Cheers

Edited May 19, 2010 by Musicman20

[Protium]

My old band were good enough and got enough gigs that we rarely practiced, except when we wrote a few new tunes.

3-4 hour full band practice once a week with personal rehearsal inbetween is enough IMO.

[HMX]

We played once a week for about 3-4 hours and we were fine for the sole gig we had. Depends on the complexity and the amount of material you write/cover I guess.

[Rich]

We get together on the 3rd Weds of every month to work on new stuff. We also rehearse on the Wednesday before each gig, playing through the set to make sure it's all good and brushing up any iffy bits.

[Musicman20]

Yep, as I figured, we are going OTT, for me anyway! The practice slots are from 6-10, with 45 mins travel each way so Im out the house for 6 hours some nights. Doing that twice a week is overkill.

When I finally get into my law career, they are going to have to cool the rehearsals as my work will be priority.

Not only that, I practice once every two weeks with my originals band. Its much more relaxed and we dont need anymore than that. 2-3 hours is more than enough.

Edited May 16, 2010 by Musicman20

[Cat Burrito]

It does seem a lot - I assume you have a big tour or recording to do?

I was once in a band for 3.5yrs who only managed 7 rehearsals in the whole life of the band- the other extreme!

My current lot are struggling to find a weekly slot due to shift work, distance etc. I see a weekly rehearsal as somewhat of a luxury

[Musicman20]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='839321' date='May 16 2010, 10:01 PM']It does seem a lot - I assume you have a big tour or recording to do?

I was once in a band for 3.5yrs who only managed 7 rehearsals in the whole life of the band- the other extreme!

My current lot are struggling to find a weekly slot due to shift work, distance etc. I see a weekly rehearsal as somewhat of a luxury[/quote]

No tour, no recording (although it is scheduled for late summer).

If we do record, its purely covers for the promotional cd. Dont get me wrong, they like to be as professional as possible, and they have had some amazing gigs before I/the vocalist recently joined (which meant they had to stop gigging for a few months). Ive recorded lots of times before so play covers like we do is no issue.

We have no big tours, just a wedding planned for mid-July and one in June. In fact, I was hoping we would be gigging at least once every two weeks from June onwards but nope. I have been told they are opening the diary for bookings from now though...

Edited May 16, 2010 by Musicman20

[acidbass]

For a new band I joined recently, we had to practice three nights a week, four hours a night, for six weeks on the run up to the first gig. I feel your pain!

Needless to say though, it was worth every penny spent on fuel costs. The band was tight as ever and it felt like we'd been together for years by the time the first gig came along.

Nowadays, we rehearse once a week regularly on a Wednesday evening to keep things sharp. I regret none of it, I'm happy to say!

Danny

[Musicman20]

[quote name='acidbass' post='839328' date='May 16 2010, 10:11 PM']For a new band I joined recently, we had to practice three nights a week, four hours a night, for six weeks on the run up to the first gig. I feel your pain!

Needless to say though, it was worth every penny spent on fuel costs. The band was tight as ever and it felt like we'd been together for years by the time the first gig came along.

Nowadays, we rehearse once a week regularly on a Wednesday evening to keep things sharp. I regret none of it, I'm happy to say!

Danny[/quote]

I agree, at first, it needs doing to get the players upto speed. But this has been going on since February and its mid-May now hahah. Im ready, and I cant afford to keep spending on something that isnt paying out.

Edited May 16, 2010 by Musicman20

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='839330' date='May 16 2010, 10:14 PM']I agree, at first, it needs doing to get the players upto speed. But this has been going on since February and its mid-May now hahah. Im ready, and I cant afford to keep spending on something that isnt paying out.[/quote]


Sounds like you need to have a chat, the others should be up to speed by now too.

I have had both extremes, one band that never rehearsed once, I learned the songs from cassette tapes (ok a long time ago!) and then started gigging. Bluesy, expressive rock, easy to busk, dynamics on the night, worked well, played with them for years.

However, another, much more recent, has required 2-3 days solid on 5 sessions for live playing, and that's after learning the demos and going through the detail of recording the disc. This is because there in NO busking with this one, much more polished and 'professional'.

I suppose the point being, if its to be note-for-note perfection in the band from scratch there's going to be some intense rehearsal until the standard is reached. Yours doesn't sound like that.

[3V17C]

i'm in the same boat as the OP. Recently joined new band, been rehearsing once a week but now first gig is getting closer band leader has upped it to twice a week... we're only doing a 45 minute set so does seem overkill to me..theres only so many times you can go through the same handful of songs!!

Also most of the rehearsals are 45 minutes away and in the 9pm til midnight slot which twice a week is a bit much i reckon. Admittedly the band leader pays for all rehearsal costs and is aware that i'm more than up to speed with the songs (extra rehearsals seem to be for drummers benefit) and he's even offered to pay my petrol money (which i won't take as thats not an issue) but i dunno... i don't want to get bored with the songs before we've even gigged them!!


peace

c

[Musicman20]

[quote name='3V17C' post='839375' date='May 16 2010, 11:16 PM']i'm in the same boat as the OP. Recently joined new band, been rehearsing once a week but now first gig is getting closer band leader has upped it to twice a week... we're only doing a 45 minute set so does seem overkill to me..theres only so many times you can go through the same handful of songs!!

Also most of the rehearsals are 45 minutes away and in the 9pm til midnight slot which twice a week is a bit much i reckon. Admittedly the band leader pays for all rehearsal costs and is aware that i'm more than up to speed with the songs (extra rehearsals seem to be for drummers benefit) and he's even offered to pay my petrol money (which i won't take as thats not an issue) but i dunno... i don't want to get bored with the songs before we've even gigged them!!


peace

c[/quote]

I agree, and the fact im inbetween work isnt helping. Money isnt good at the moment, and I cant spend it all on rehearsals. Hmm, a chat is in order me thinks.

[xilddx]

I think that's OTT too mate.

All my bands rehearse very infrequently. We know the material so the rehearsal a few days before a gig is simply to sharpen up and work out any issues. I rehearse with Kit a bit more often because she writes a lot of new material, I record it on the H2, send it to all, and we learn it. Fairly simple process. That said, we rehearsed two new Krupa songs for the first time on Weds and played them yesterday, they sounded great.

I suppose it's all down to the amount and complexity of the material.

TBH, the only way a band is going to get truly as tight as a duck's backside is to gig often. No amount of rehearsal can come near the tightening effects of regular gigs IMO, there are so many other factors in a gig that you can't replicate in rehearsals.

[3V17C]

[quote name='silddx' post='839403' date='May 16 2010, 11:51 PM']TBH, the only way a band is going to get truly as tight as a duck's backside is to gig often. No amount of rehearsal can come near the tightening effects of regular gigs IMO, there are so many other factors in a gig that you can't replicate in rehearsals.[/quote]

agreed.

my covers band is ok because we gig regularly and just rehearse occasionally if we've had a lay off period or want to chuck a few new songs in.



c

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='839379' date='May 16 2010, 11:21 PM']I agree, and the fact im inbetween work isnt helping. Money isnt good at the moment, and I cant spend it all on rehearsals. Hmm, a chat is in order me thinks.[/quote]

thats the crux, I left the last band i was in for similar reasons.

[Musicman69]

[quote name='3V17C' post='839375' date='May 16 2010, 11:16 PM']i'm in the same boat as the OP. Recently joined new band, been rehearsing once a week but now first gig is getting closer band leader has upped it to twice a week... we're only doing a 45 minute set so does seem overkill to me..theres only so many times you can go through the same handful of songs!!

Also most of the rehearsals are 45 minutes away and in the 9pm til midnight slot which twice a week is a bit much i reckon. Admittedly the band leader pays for all rehearsal costs and is aware that i'm more than up to speed with the songs (extra rehearsals seem to be for drummers benefit) and he's even offered to pay my petrol money (which i won't take as thats not an issue) but i dunno... i don't want to get bored with the songs before we've even gigged them!!


peace

c[/quote]

Nothing worse than overplaying a set.. if the band is sick of the songs you can be sure the punters will pick up on it. Bad, bad move. Im a firm believer in nailing beginnings and endings, the middle bits should be ok.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I can't stand it when rehearsals are used to practice rather than rehearse. Waste of everyone's time & money. Too many people don't know the difference.

[4 candles]

A rehersal is generally an unpaid gig. (sometimes you have to pay to reherse!!!)

Its ok to reherse to get the band tight and to ensure you are confident when playing to an audience as long as it is structured/organised and not just hours of listening to the guitar player practicing his solo's!!

There is no point rehersing just for the sake of it, unless you are benefitting from it, put your foot down or ask for some cash for your time and troubles, Im sure they will then see the light!

[neepheid]

My own opinion is that once a week is plenty. Some weeks it doesn't work out for whatever reason, we don't worry about it. The only thing I basically insist upon is that we rehearse in full set list mode in the run up to a gig. With gigs a while away I've got no problem with using the practice time to jam/flesh out new songs; you've got to keep coming up with new stuff and the practice room is the only place we can get together to do that.

Sometimes I do some practice with our drummer, a bit of rhythm section extra homework if you will. It's about an hour's drive to his house, but it's better than nothing in the weeks where we can't practice as a band.

Edited May 17, 2010 by neepheid

[pantherairsoft]

I used to play in a band called Salt:Burn, we used to rehearse 3 nights a week, or 3 hours a time, and often slotted a gig in as well. it was a lot, but we were a tight as a ducks arse and as such got some pretty high profile gigs at the time.

These days, with Aphemia, I rehearse 1 night a week, on a Wednesday, for 3 hours, which is actually about 2 hours when you take out the amount of gear we have to set up and breakdown. Thats enough, and we are still tight as hell.

I'd say once a week is enough time, unless you feel as musicians you need extra work.

[Bilbo]

It depends on the purpose of the rehearsal. Like practising, there is a certain degree of focus that is required to make the best use of rehearsal time. In terms of preperation, are the rehearsals used not to get the band 'gig/studio ready' but to learn the material? If that is so, then some of this can be done before the rehearsal, be that with charts, recordings, get togethers by individual members w/o full rehearsal etc. Secondly, is the rehearsal disciplined or are two of the 5 hours spent smoking fags, talking nonsense and wasting time? Are people noodling between numbers (a thing that I am guilty of ), are people knobbing around with their gear or is everyone focussed on the job of getting the material as good as it can be.

There are two perspectives you can take on rehearsals that are 'not necessary' for you. The question is, as always, 'what is the purpose of the rehearsal'? If it is necessary to get one member of the band up to speed (some bands with horn sections only call them for rehearsals near to the event as they are often readers and just need to get used to the charts). Or is the drummer struggling with some bits of the set? If that is the case, you need to remember that you are there in a supportive role to help make it as good as it can be. Sometimes that means being there so others can get their s*** together. There is often a fine line between wasting your time making up for a lack of preparation by others and helping your bandmates get as prepared as they need to be. Its a judgement call. What I don't like is being a live Jamey Aebersold cd for a hornplayer to blow against (that's not rehearsing, that is playing and I'll leave that for the gig). Rehearsals are for topping and tailing, for nailing arrangements, for preparing things that require the attention of the collective. Learning songs can be done in someone's home without the need for a full band rehearsal.

Miles Davis never rehearsed. Jazzers generally don't very much, at least not the average Joe. Yet, when John McLaughlin first played with his trio with Jeff Berlin and Trilock Gurtu (a predecessor for the Trio that recorded Live at the Royal Festival Hall), the band practised for nine hours a day for two weeks straight for a two hour set. Magnum used to rehearse every day in the early days and, boy, it sounded like it - rock solid. It is all based on a decision on how good you want to be and how much rehearsal it will take to get that good. Noone ever got worse by over rehearsing (I guess its possible but I have never seen it happen!!). But, real world stuff, if you have a day job, family oblifation, travelling time and expense etc it can get intrusive. Its a judgement call and only you can make it.

Personally, I like the idea of intensive rehearsal prior to important gigs/recordings, rather than weekly rehearsals for gigs that may never appear.

PS Learn to read. It will make your rehearsal time more productive. My pet hate is waiting around for non-readers to 'learn' their parts when the readers can nail it off a chart in two run throughs.

[Raslee]

I guess it depends on what your rehearsing, originals or covers. I play in 3 bands and the covers band practices about once every 4-6 weeks, we just email the tunes to each other, nail it and then have a beer fuelled 4-5 hour practice a few days before a gig...with actually about 1.5 hours of playing Where as another band, essentially covers of learning the vocalists material, will practice about once every 3 weeks, without beer for this band and sounding good. On the other hand my party band that is writing original material practices every week, without beer, and seems to be going really slowly however the music is perhaps a bit more dififcult, kind of eastern ozrics gongy proggy dubby vibe thing - and we practice for about 2hrs weekly

[Conan]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='839291' date='May 16 2010, 09:34 PM']What do people class as a normal rehearsal schedule?[/quote]

I guess that "normal" is what the band need! Any more than that is overkill and can ruin the "fun" aspect and turn it into a job. Spontaneity will also tend to suffer and you may end up just going through the motions.

Of course, the problem comes in deciding what "the band" need! Is there a weak link? Is there someone who just likes rehearsing/practicing? I agree with earlier posters that the two are NOT the same thing. Rehearsal is all about preparation (for recording, gigs, etc) whereas practicing is more about just playing together - either to improve skills or simply for the enjoyment of it.

Sounds to me like you are no longer enjoying the experience.(I'm very perceptive like that!). Maybe you need to chat to the guys and ask why such a rehearsal schedule is felt necessary. You may have nailed the material, but maybe they are waiting for you to somehow "mutate" into their previous bass player?!

Could be many reasons. Maybe they've just always done it that way?

But if you don't address it, you could end up sick of the band before you even play a gig with them!

[Adrenochrome]

No, it's far too much for a covers band and you'll burn out eventually.
Loads of good comments above; if the rehearsal is being used for [i]anything[/i] other than rehearsing as a band then a lot of time is being wasted.
Rehearsals should not be used for learning material, moaning about the gf/bf/wife/husband, trying new kit that hasn't been set up properly, extended smoking breaks etc etc

[lazzer]

Good topic! As it's a question I often ask of myself as I have to schedule 2 day jobs, 3 bands, bass students, part time dad, missus etc etc. It tends to go something like this... well you have to be versatile to make a crust these days eh?!

Mornings, personal training clients

Afternoons, internet sales business

Tea times, personal training clients

Evenings, spread between 1 or 2 bass students, 1 or sometimes 2 three hour rehearsals & a couple of gigs............ oh yeah & life goes on in between, sometimes!

Cheers

Ben