Wasting Time At Rehearsals

[bluewine]

Based on a discussion Stumbo and I had, we came up the following:


Are you frustrated with non-structured rehearsals that end up wasting everyone’s time.

Do you have a rehearsal schedule, if yes how far in advance are they scheduled
Do you have a pre planned agenda for each rehearsal.(new material, pre-show rehearsal, vocal rehearsals only, ect)
Do you use a white board at rehearsal, do you have a to list with follow up scheduled
Do you have one member in charge and leading the rehearsal.(For example who has the authority to stop songs)
Do you have specific expectations from band members at each rehearsal.


Or, are your rehearsals an unproductive free for all?

[AlembicPlayer]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Do you have a rehearsal schedule, if yes how far in advance are they scheduled
Do you have a pre planned agenda for each rehearsal.(new material, pre-show rehearsal, vocal rehearsals only, ect)
Do you use a white board at rehearsal, do you have a to list with follow up scheduled
Do you have one member in charge and leading the rehearsal.(For example who has the authority to stop songs)
Do you have specific expectations from band members at each rehearsal.

1. Yes. two to three months of rehearsals are booked at a time. Everyone brings their calender to every rehearsal for updates and changes.

2. Yes. our band leader communicates in email. She dictates what songs we'll be working on at each rehearsal.

3. No white board, but each player has a folder with charts, lyrics and itinerary with upcoming show dates, photo shoot etc.

4. Yes. we work for a singer/song writer. She books all rehearsals, shows etc. She also pays all players a small stipend for rehearsals...so there is never any goofing off or wasted time. It's pretty clear we are all in a professional situation and unwanted behavior could cost you your position.

5. Yes. Everyone is expected to be prepared on the material.

[MNAirHead]

Most of this is the result of not having a written set list/keys with advance listening material.

Song notes should be documented...

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by AlembicPlayer

1. Yes. two to three months of rehearsals are booked at a time. Everyone brings their calender to every rehearsal for updates and changes.

2. Yes. our band leader communicates in email. She dictates what songs we'll be working on at each rehearsal.

3. No white board, but each player has a folder with charts, lyrics and itinerary with upcoming show dates, photo shoot etc.

4. Yes. we work for a singer/song writer. She books all rehearsals, shows etc. She also pays all players a small stipend for rehearsals...so there is never any goofing off or wasted time. It's pretty clear we are all in a professional situation and unwanted behavior could cost you your position.

5. Yes. Everyone is expected to be prepared on the material.

Impressive!

[AlembicPlayer]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Impressive!

when you really think about it, it's just common sense and courtesy. If it's a professional endeavor, or even if it aspires to be pro, this just makes sense. It makes a clear line to me between a pro situation and a friends/family getting some tunes together for fun and casual gigs.

If your situation is casual, then a business like approach may be a turn off. If your intentions are to join the entertainment business, then a more disciplined approach may work better.

[Jefenator]

Out of all the rehearsals I've partaken in, the most productive by far have been the paid ones. It really does change everything.

[bassteban]

We're about 3/4 productive. Could be worse...

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Do you have a rehearsal schedule, if yes how far in advance are they scheduled?

Not a standing schedule, but we try to schedule them a couple weeks in advance. It's very difficult - especially with the 9 piece horn band - to find a day that works for everyone. We do our best.

Originally Posted by bluewine

Do you have a pre planned agenda for each rehearsal.(new material, pre-show rehearsal, vocal rehearsals only, ect)?

Yes. Learn these tunes, run the show for this gig, etc.

Originally Posted by bluewine

Do you use a white board at rehearsal, do you have a to list with follow up scheduled?

No.

Originally Posted by bluewine

Do you have one member in charge and leading the rehearsal.(For example who has the authority to stop songs)?

Yes. This is the only way you can get things done. Band leader runs rehearsal. Others can chime in and ask to run this part or whatever if they are having difficulty, but we come with a plan.

Originally Posted by bluewine

Do you have specific expectations from band members at each rehearsal.?

Know your part! With limited rehearsals and rehearsal time you HAVE to do your homework before. If you don't know your part you are wasting our time.

[AlembicPlayer]

Originally Posted by Jefenator

Out of all the rehearsals I've partaken in, the most productive by far have been the paid ones. It really does change everything.

funny how that works eh?

yeah, the players really take it on and step up to the plate I've noticed. I think when you've come to a point(maybe it's the 10K hours theory) where you are more then competent on your instrument, it's way more fun applying your skills where it's appreciated and paid for

[MNAirHead]

There's a quote also that says "the band that bowls the best grooves the heardest"

I'm probably the biggest time waster joking around about 15% of the time..

Timmy

[knumbskull]

my regular (non-professional) band rehearsals are only very loosely structured. generally we will start and finish with a run through of the complete set, and do any fine tuning and whiteboarding song ideas in the middle.

although we do not actually use a whiteboard.

there isn't really a band leader as it's only 3 of us and we're all pretty laid back. i think the only expectation is for everyone to remember any new material from the week before.

BUT... i am last-minute subbing for another band in a couple of weeks, as a favour to the drummer. rehearsal time is scarce, yet at the rehearsal, the singer was an hour late and then talked at me/them for a further 30 mins before we played a note.

in the end i almost had to force them to play the songs! i think if i'd kept quiet they would have just chit chatted the whole practice...

[scrunks11]

im onli 15 and my band can barely ever practise outside skool so we are left with half an hour in a rubbish room a week. Me and my drummer are the onli people who learn their parts

[depalm]

Sometimes idleness can be very productive.

[Jefenator]

Also: PENCIL.

Forgot you instrument? No biggie, just hum along and take notes.

Forgot your music? No biggie, just wing it, take notes and transfer them on to your parts when you get home.

Forgot to bring a pencil? Go get one NOW and we're fining you $5 / minute.


I've never actually done this, but IMHO it wouldn't be at all out of line for a serious BL to do. The pencil is that important.

[RobertPaulson]

Yeah, we do that on occasion. Every now and then a rehearsal turns into a bottle of jameson and sitting on the porch shooting the ****. I honestly wouldn't call it a waste of time though

[Jefenator]

I like the social/goofing aspect, especially when things are slow.

When I'm being asked to forsake my first & only camping opportunity of the entire season so I can hold some people's hands through material I already know, I take a dimmer view to that.

The best outfits somehow manage to combine hangage with productivity. I can live with one out of 2. The groups I really can't deal with are the ones that do neither (all stress, no progress).

[Kenny Allyn]

Scheduled as needed
Usually a week in advance
Usually to work on new material
It's closed affair, just the three of us
Darren keeps a master notebook, so no white board
Work from pre selected material, or create as needed on the fly
Darren usually has a good idea of what he needs from us and we from him
To not waste time it’s walk in and plug and play … I own all of the gear we need
Including drums, PA, mics, guitar amp, bass amp and it is set-up and ready to go.
The other thing it’s a low volume affair, we are there to work, not see who can make it
Go to 11.

And yes it is a pro venture not a hobby.

...

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by scrunks11

im onli 15 and my band can barely ever practise outside skool so we are left with half an hour in a rubbish room a week. Me and my drummer are the onli people who learn their parts

Punctuation, spelling and grammar are good things.

[bspot]

Originally Posted by SteveC

Punctuation, spelling and grammar are good things.

[jmattbassplaya]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Are you frustrated with non-structured rehearsals that end up wasting everyone’s time.

Do you have a rehearsal schedule, if yes how far in advance are they scheduled
Do you have a pre planned agenda for each rehearsal.(new material, pre-show rehearsal, vocal rehearsals only, ect)
Do you use a white board at rehearsal, do you have a to list with follow up scheduled
Do you have one member in charge and leading the rehearsal.(For example who has the authority to stop songs)
Do you have specific expectations from band members at each rehearsal.


Or, are your rehearsals an unproductive free for all?

1. Yes and no. Usually we plan for our next rehearsal during our current rehearsal, but it doesn`t always work out.
2. Yes and no. We have an idea of what we need to do, but not in fine detail.
3. No. If we don`t remember something, then it wasn`t important enough in the first place. Exception for song list.
4. Yes and no. Is one particular member in charge? No. But often I find myself stopping songs and forcing us to go over parts.
5. I do, but no one else seems

This is in regards to the band I recently quit with the lead guitarist. Things simply weren`t getting done in rehearsal because everyone just wanted to "jam" all the time. They didn`t seem to understand that jamming creates ideas - it doesn`t create songs. It also didn`t help that no one wanted to record practices so that we didn`t forget any of the good parts.