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Are we supposed to enjoy rehearsing?

#21
Rehearsals should be fun, it all depends on the band.
One band I was in rehearsed as if they were playing a gig .... set list order, transitions to the next song, etc .. The problem was that the mistakes were not ironed out, simply glossed over with the focus being on completing the set. In hindsight this was due to the inexperience of the singer and a couple of other band members. By the time we played gigs everything was rote and mechanical, and when a train wreck occurred the recovery was sometimes difficult.

Current band is completely different ... we bounce around a few new song ideas prior to rehearsal and get together to see if it works. Songs are only played in rehearsal if they are new or did not go well last time we played them at a gig. Everyone has experience and simply rolls with the moment in rehearsal or at gigs. It's a lot more fun.
 
#23
Rehearsals can definitely get boring but I will say that the bands I've been in where I got really bored with rehearsal were the ones in which I wasn't really interested in the style were were playing in the first place. I think even if you like the music, playing the same stuff over and over can get boring. The guys I play with tend to throw in freeform type jams throughout practice just to keep things interesting.
 
#24
I enjoy rehearsal, as long as my gear (specifically my strings) are at best shape, coz' i'm a tone bitch! my band songs are very good and dinamyc, yet bass lines are quite simple, so I focus in performance to not get bored :)

The only thing i really dislike of rehearsing is that at the drummer's place, where we rehearse there's nothing but the floor and my amp to sit and rest my poor feets :(
 
#25
bluewine said:
I enjoy rehearsals, when there is a purpose for it, like going over new songs.

Once a band has their set list nailed, I see no reason for weekly rehearsal.
Click to expand...

I agree no need for a weekly rehearsal's for sure if your gigging monthly. A band that know's their setlist and gigs only needs to practice when new material is added IMO.
 
#26
Depends on the rehearsal.

If we spend time doing important work hacking through a song until we finally get it right, that gives me a lot of satisfaction. It's work, but it makes me happy and I'd say I enjoy it in the end.

If we really click together playing something fun adn interesting, yes, I definitely enjoy it.

If we spend two hours running the same dozen songs we've been doing over and over again for weeks because the guitarist still doesn't know his part, or hasn't taken the time to learn his part on new material... no, I do not enjoy it.
 
#27
No brilliant insights from me. I enjoy rehearsals if I either enjoy the people I'm with or we're being productive. If neither is true it's no fun. If it's regularly no fun, it's time to start looking for something different.

I agree with the poster who wrote that if no one is coming to rehearsal prepared and working out their own parts at rehearsal, it's boring and it's a waste of my time. Again, start looking for something different.

KO
 
#28
In my opinion, no band can possibly rehearse (or practice) enough. Once a week doesn't even come close, especially if it's only for two hours.

Given that, yes you should enjoy it, at least a little bit. Sometimes it's easy to become bored in practice, sure. I've even dozed off while practicing with the band (never while rehearsing, though). I've been pretty bored while playing some song that I don't particularly like, especially while playing it for the umpteen-thousandth time, but I still enjoy it at least a little bit. If I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't be doing it (it sure isn't for the money).
 
#29
You're not obligate to enjoy rehearsals, but the important thing it's you have to enjoy the music you're playing... if you don't like what are you playing, there's a problem!!
I usually enjoy my rehearsal, but sometimes thing get bored: drummers and guitarist making -really loud- noise again and again, other guy doesn't studied his parts... of course, playing live it's always fun!!!
 
#30
It all depends. I'll be totally honest, lots of times, I don't enjoy rehearsal. But, I was always the kid who acted up because he wasn't sufficiently challenged by the material in class. Because I'm one of those guys who learn material quickly, I tend to get bored at rehearsals more often. I don't like going over songs that I already know well. I don't like when people show up unprepared. I don't like when we don't use the time productively. But, if it's work, and we get work done, I'm cool with it. If it's play, and we're just cutting loose, that's cool too. But when you're working and people play around, or when you're playing around and people want to instill work, it's not cool.

Personally, I've been a little spoiled since I've been working with bands that gig more than rehearse, and rehearsal seems to feel tedious more often.
 
#31
I enjoy rehearsals unless I'm just going over sections where some band member hasn't done their homework. This really annoys me as I always arrive with the correct amount of preparation done. Rehearsals aren't for teaching players how to play their parts. They are for polishing and refining the music.
 
#32
I love rehearsing in general but I usually go into it more like it's work than fun (writing process is my fun). Usually I am the slave driver/quality control guy (I can't help it if I hear all the wrong notes/sloppy parts and dont like settling for lesser quality... I mean the fine points are the difference between a really good band and dudes that obviously don't care that much).

My originals band used to practice 5-7 nights a week and it was convenient since we all lived under the same roof. With my current/present project it's more of a pain because I have so much going on and am working with beginners.
 
#34
FBS1996 said:
Are rehearsals supposed to be an enjoyable experience or do most musicians find them boring?
Click to expand...

I can't speak about other musicians, but I almost always enjoy rehearsals - because I enjoy virtually every aspect of the music-making process. In fact, that's how I know I'm in the right career path... :hmm:

I'd go so far as to say that if you don't enjoy rehearsals, something is wrong - either your point of view, or perhaps more likely, your band. It's work, yes. But it's supposed to be fun!

MM
 
#36
I have to wonder why the OP is bored. when I'm playing with others, I'm never bored.
I believe that boredom while playing is a symptom of poor focus: not paying enough attention, not listening and responding to the music, not examining closely enough how your part fits with everything else, not addressing how you might move onstage to project your feeling to the audience, and so on.

If you're playing music - not just executing a memorized part- there is always something worthy of your attention
 
#37
Buxtehude said:
I enjoy rehearsals unless I'm just going over sections where some band member hasn't done their homework. This really annoys me as I always arrive with the correct amount of preparation done. Rehearsals aren't for teaching players how to play their parts. They are for polishing and refining the music.
Click to expand...

Thank you!

And if I may just add one important semantic note...

Practice - Individual preparation, typically done alone and at home. Consists of learning and/or developing ones part(s) from scratch.

Rehearsal - Collective preparation, typically done in a group or part of a group. Consists of coordinating and refining performance of one's previously developed parts with other ensemble members.

Band Practice - 1) Application of the requirements of practice to a rehearsal, typically attempted by inexperienced, lazy and/or disorganized musicians; 2) a common misnomer for rehearsal.

MM
 
#38
Are they rehearsals or jams? I absolutely LOATHE jams thinly disguised as rehearsals. If a rehearsal is actually achieving something e.g. ironing out an arrangement, tightening up starts/endings, etc. then I love 'em.

When I'm doing a note-for-note rendition of a song I already know and learned 4 weeks ago yet again, just 'coz the Guitarist still can't remember to come in with the riff after the second chorus, I'd rather stick my head in the fryolator at MacDonald's...
 
#39
Rehearsals have their low points but, generally, they're fun.
Our rehearsals often include some experimental time where
we'll try new tunes, put a twist on old tunes, create medleys
or make up our own lyrics. Some of this stuff can't be beat.

It is not uncommon for all of us to come out of a session with
a grin from ear to ear. Then, we all head out to our favorite
watering hole for a bite to eat. We rehearse for about three
and a half hours; then we go out. We end up spending about
six hours together each rehearsal night.
 
#40
I personally love rehearsing. It is always fun to play bass period, and playing in my band, creating or perfecting our music is rewarding as heck. It helps that I love the people I play with, and we always have a good time. I do like gigs better though, there is more chicks there than in the basement jam space.
 

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