Anyone ever rehearse during a power outage?

riprorin · #1 09-07-2011, 07:08 PM

My son's high school is performing a musical in November. My son plays bass guitar in the pit band. He's already had several rehearsals including a 3 hr rehearsal last night. Anyway, he shows up at school and there's no electricity. The teacher gets out candles and flashlights and directs my son to an upright bass, which he has never played before. He said he could play it but he didn't really enjoy it

I was travelling, and I was pretty shocked when I found out about it today. The show must go, I guess.

lindseyp · #2 09-07-2011, 07:11 PM

I did during Irene. I could hear the strings, so what the hey. It was something to do in the dark.

darkstorm · #3 09-07-2011, 07:20 PM

What! The school needs a back up generator so proper electric bass, electtric guitar, and synths can still be used. Of course he didnt enjoy upright bass. Its not even close to electric bass. School should at least have acoustic bass backup if they gonna have em still play a bass with no electricity. Maybe they could buy some of them warwick or Takamine acoustic basses for such occassions. Lol.

Caca de Kick · #4 09-08-2011, 11:03 AM

Your son can open up a whole 'nother world for himself (especially for later in life) if he'd learn the upright now.

TolerancEJ · #5 09-08-2011, 11:09 AM

A person can't just pick up & play the double bass just like that. But, if the school offers lessons, I think you should encourage him to take some for DB. After some training, he may find that he likes it.

jasper383 · #6 09-08-2011, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

Your son can open up a whole 'nother world for himself (especially for later in life) if he'd learn the upright now.

+ eighty million

jaywa · #7 09-08-2011, 11:37 AM

They're having school activities with the power out and no backup generator?

That's wack. What happens when a candle sets a bunch of sheet music on fire?

Good grief, it's a high-school musical that isn't till November anyway. Seems like they could have given the kids a night off under the circumstances. Sounds to me like a band director that's taking things a bit too seriously.

dave64o · #8 09-08-2011, 11:45 AM

Not with a band, though I did have to play through repeated brownouts once.

I have practiced by myself though. I have two UPS's backing up my main PC and more than once when we had brief power outages I went to the basement and plugged an amp into a UPS and played just because I could.

But I've only done that for short outages. For Hurricane Irene, I actually shut down my PC's and brought the UPS's into our family room. I thought that if we had some long-term outages I could at least keep our cell phones charged longer and maybe provide some brief periods of lighting with them.

sloppy_phil · #9 09-08-2011, 11:46 AM

do you mean a band rehearsal? 'cause I think that would be pretty tough to do without power... unless the band keeps a gigantic power battery on hand for just such occasions

I practice with my bass unplugged often, and I find it helps because if it doesn't sound good/right unplugged, putting it in front of an amp isn't gonna make it better. The notes need to be good coming straight from the source!

jdepriest · #10 09-08-2011, 11:50 AM

In 1998 a tornado hit Nashville, Tn. It was opening night of Oklohoma and I was in the pit band, playing electric only due to limited space we had. We had no electricity for about 12 hours and only emergency lights in the hall. Since most of the cast was already there getting ready when the storm hit we did a singing run through with the grand piano, upright bass and accoustic guitars. Several people actually showed up at show time and listened to the whole thing in the dark with no air conditioning.

AfroCubanFunkMa · #11 09-08-2011, 12:00 PM

I've rehearsed in a living room without plugged-in guitars, just acoustics and drums played lightly many a time.. It's rehearsal and you don't need electric tone or volume..

Side note: a couple years back I caught Arturo Sandoval at Copley Sq in Boston.. Outdoor show with a smoking 8 piece band but the best part was when the power went out.. Arturo continued the show with just drums, percussion and his trumpet and it was some of the most amazing music I've ever heard.. Music shouldn't be limited by technology IMO..