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10-21-2008, 07:32 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tyneside, UK | | | Is 7 weeks realistic for a band to rehearse and get gigging?
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I'm in a bit of a sticky situation at the moment.
I've somehow managed to get the embryonic form of a band (me, guitard, drummer) together.
Unfortunately the guitarist has this burning wish to do some Christmas gigs, starting in 7-ish weeks time.
The only problem is rehearsal- we've not properly rehearsed, only jammed and messed around, and so there's not a great deal of time left.
So, is there realistically enough time in 7 weeks to rehearse and get gigging for Christmas?
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Mediocre Bassist Club #706 P&W Club #71 LGBT #26 Keyboardist #40 Quote:
Originally Posted by LowDown Hal  Bass Players - Do It Deep | |
10-21-2008, 07:35 PM
| | Member | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Norfolk, Massachusetts | | | well i mean you don't give us any information!
1. Can you read sheet music? 7 weeks would be MORE than enough time if you can all just pick 15 songs and read them and play. Actually, if you can read sheet music, and well, you wouldn't need much time at all.
2. How many times a week can you practice? If you can only practice once a week, maybe twice, then no I don't think its possible to come up with an hours worth of material and play IT WELL.
3. How many songs are you looking to play?
Is this possible? Sure. Is it probable? Probably not
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10-21-2008, 07:36 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tyneside, UK | | Quote:
Originally Posted by LuckyCondlins well i mean you don't give us any information!
1. Can you read sheet music? 7 weeks would be MORE than enough time if you can all just pick 15 songs and read them and play. Actually, if you can read sheet music, and well, you wouldn't need much time at all.
2. How many times a week can you practice? If you can only practice once a week, maybe twice, then no I don't think its possible to come up with an hours worth of material and play IT WELL.
3. How many songs are you looking to play?
Is this possible? Sure. Is it probable? Probably not |
Yes I can read sheet. But a lot of the songs we want to do won't come as sheet music.
I can practice as much as I need...it's not an issue with me. As for the band, probably 3 times a week max.
Also, we're looking to do a small gig- about 30-40 min
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Mediocre Bassist Club #706 P&W Club #71 LGBT #26 Keyboardist #40 Quote:
Originally Posted by LowDown Hal Bass Players - Do It Deep | |
10-21-2008, 07:40 PM
| | Member | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Norfolk, Massachusetts | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht Yes I can read sheet. But a lot of the songs we want to do won't come as sheet music.
I can practice as much as I need...it's not an issue with me. As for the band, probably 3 times a week max.
Also, we're looking to do a small gig- about 30-40 min |
than yes, I would think that would be very possible.
a 30 minute set? and you guys could all practice together 21 times?
than sure!
Plus its not like your trying to play some intricate stuff, christmas tunes are not really amazingly hard ya know?
If your going to go out there and cover dark side of the moon, than i dont think that could happen 
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10-21-2008, 07:42 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tyneside, UK | | Quote:
Originally Posted by LuckyCondlins than yes, I would think that would be very possible.
a 30 minute set? and you guys could all practice together 21 times?
than sure!
Plus its not like your trying to play some intricate stuff, christmas tunes are not really amazingly hard ya know?
If your going to go out there and cover dark side of the moon, than i dont think that could happen |
Luckily we're planning on doing Muse covers...nothing too hard
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Mediocre Bassist Club #706 P&W Club #71 LGBT #26 Keyboardist #40 Quote:
Originally Posted by LowDown Hal Bass Players - Do It Deep | |
10-21-2008, 07:43 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SF Bay Area North CA | | | There are so many factors: how good the musicians are, what kind of music, how complex the music is, where it will be performed, what are the expectations, how familiar the members are performing, how many hours clocked practicing together....
But yes, it's doable. You could even go up on stage with no practice and yell: "shuffle in A" and the band starts playing :-). |
10-21-2008, 07:49 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sunbury, Ohio | | I think it's possible. It's only a half hour set, they're Christmas tunes that everyone in the band's heard before I'm sure, and you still have almost 2 months to prepare. If you guys hit it hard in practice and do your homework then I really don't see a problem with it unless one or more of you guys are beginners at your instruments. If that's the case then no way. Other than that I'd do it if I were you. Get off your computer and start practicing. 
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Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya Personally, I'll never be satisfied until they make a computer that prints bacon. That's exactly what I want. | |
10-21-2008, 07:51 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: new jersey | | | 7 weeks is plenty of time to learn covers. PLENTY. |
10-21-2008, 07:57 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Parker, CO | | We gigged 3 weeks after we formed. 3 full sets. We weren't the best band to ever take the stage (still aren't) but we had 300 folks and crowd had fun.
I don't read sheet and had to learn the songs by ear. Fortunately, the stuff we play isn't rocket science.
If you think you can manage the expectation and the crowd will have a good time, go for it. |
10-21-2008, 07:58 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Parker, CO | | Quote:
Originally Posted by capnsandwich Get off your computer and start practicing. | Good advice for all of us Capn. |
10-21-2008, 08:07 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sunbury, Ohio | | Quote:
Originally Posted by awakefie Good advice for all of us Capn. | I know, I should listen to myself more often.
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Originally Posted by john turner | Quote:
Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya Personally, I'll never be satisfied until they make a computer that prints bacon. That's exactly what I want. | |
10-21-2008, 08:08 PM
|  | Registered User
Atypical, not a typical... | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Carlisle, PA | | | I started playing in a band after one meeting/jam and played a gig...
Turned out to be the most financially benefitting gig I ever had... |
10-21-2008, 11:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA | | | YES! 7 weeks is more than enough time. The players have to be able to play and possess a reasonable level of committment.
Otherwise, no, its not enough time. |
10-22-2008, 12:44 AM
|  | Relic'd by life™ | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Los Angeles CA SoCal | | | If you have 6 songs, stretch them out a play them for 5 minutes each. For a 30 minute set, consider playing a medley....just 30 minutes of playing non-stop. |
10-22-2008, 12:10 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: DFW, TX | | | More than possible--I have yet to join a band that *wasn't* doing an opening gig in like 2 weeks, where I got maybe 4 or 5 practices to learn 30-60 minutes of original material that wasn't recorded anywhere.
However, I apparently just have a knack for memorizing music quickly. I think that 7 weeks of practicing 3 times a week is more than enough to do a 30 minute set. Just make sure your rehearsals are focused--pick your setlist, then work one song until everybody can play it without mistakes a few times. Then go to the next song. Each rehearsal, go through the songs you've gotten nailed before at least once to keep them fresh in your mind. By the final week you should be playing the whole set through easily. |
10-22-2008, 12:13 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: OC California | | | Depends on the band...
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10-22-2008, 12:23 PM
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touring bassist | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: austin tx. | | | it's too much time
you don't need all that time. it's great for a new band to have a goal. i've done fill ins for 3 hours without ever meating the guys beforehand and only2 hours notice. ever all orignal 2 hours shows with as little as 18 hours to prepare.so even if your a beginer if you work hard thats plenty of time. good luck |
10-22-2008, 01:04 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cincinnati | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht Yes I can read sheet. But a lot of the songs we want to do won't come as sheet music. | Do you own a pencil?
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10-22-2008, 01:07 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Willy2911 Depends on the band... | +1!!! |
10-22-2008, 01:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Twin Cities, MN | |  heaven's yes
Good God man, beam the band up. That's more than enough time if you adhere some stucture to rehearsals.
Tape rehearsals.
Don't party during rehearsals.
Review and work with tapes of rehearsals.
A deadline is a good motivater to get it together.
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