Band practice efficiency

[lethargytartare]

Question for those of you who "let the hard drive spin"

How do go about distributing the results?
I'm guessing only two channels?

I tried that one night (multi-channel for possible isolation) and ended up with a 7.something GIG Sonar bundle file?

Splitting it up was a nightmare

When we'd do open-air mic, catch-it-all recordings direct to the pc, I think we'd just do mono. Check your bitrate settings too. My feeling is that we know it won't be a high-quality mix, so we wouldn't record it to a highbitrate...IIRC we went direct to mp3, probably 192?

Splitting the file wasn't so bad. I just used Adobe Audition, and it had a feature where you could just mark cues (breaks) in the timeline as you listened, then once they were all marked, you could chop the file into separate tracks in one batch step.

If the file size is a problem, just get into the habit of starting a new "track" every time the band takes a break, or every hour or something.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I've become pretty hard headed in my band practice efficiency excpectations. I find myself in 3 types of situations and I have thoughts on all 3.

Cover bands: I will now only work with people who share the same ethic as me regarding this. Everyone does their homework. Period. Learn and know the songs as if the rehearsal is a gig. If someone is a lesser musician, than figure out whatever you have to in order to learn what you have to. Youtube it, find a friend to help you figure it out, just know it when you show up at the studio. If you can't then I don't want to play with you. I got into some pretty heavy crap with a band about a month ago because I spent about 10 hrs on my own learning material that they felt they were going to learn in the studio on my 3 hrs time (and money) there. I refuse to be involved in anything like that any more, and I learned to make it clear what I plan to do and what my expectations are, beforehand. Cover band rehearsals should be to do a runthrough, create song segways, and just see what cuts it and what doesn't.

Established original bands I'm jumping in on: If it's a quality band truth is nothing but what I said above is going to cut it. I treat these rehearsals pretty much the same, although not as cut and dry as sometimes there are other things that need to be worked out. And it's usually not as defined as the cover thing where you're just learning songs off a recording.

Original bands: I'm open on this, but usually like to work out songs in people's living rooms - then hit the studio with a drummer. In the studio I generally like to jam to warm up (it helps build the musical relationships), play a few songs for review, and then start working on new stuff. Gig rehearsals are set runthroughs as though it were a show.

All in all, IMO the best way for bands to have efficient rehearsals, regardless of the details, is for each member to be committed to doing their homework. One slacker in the band can, and often does, waste an entire 3 hours for everyone in the studio.

 

[Dreydier]

My band organizes things through google docs, where we have a list of all the songs that are in the pipeline or ready to gig. From there, during the week between practices, each of us will nominate, discuss and finalize what's gonna be refreshed, worked on and refined. Usually this is influenced by the set list we're making for the coming weekend and if we're introducing new songs.

 

[lethargytartare]

the best way for bands to have efficient rehearsals, regardless of the details, is for each member to be committed to doing their homework

That simple principle would "cure" so many bands in the world, serious and fun alike...

 

[Rattman]

#1 - It's called "rehearsal" if the whole band is involved. Practice is what you do by yourself. That may sound useless until you consider that if you don't practice, you're wasting other people's time in rehearsal. So call it what it is... rehearsal.

#2 - be organized and have an agenda for every rehearsal. Make sure everyone knows the agenda [x] days before so they can practice.

#3 - stick to the agenda

#4 - RECORD EVERYTHING and listen to it religiously. You cannot, I repeat, cannot know how you sounded just by remembering. Your mood, what you ate, your position in the room, the fact that you have to think about your part and cannot really listen to the band as a whole - all this prevents you from really knowing how you sound. Listening to the playback, however, doesn't lie. You'll here moments that you didn't realized sounded as good as they did. You'll hear moments you were convinced sounded great that didn't.

Recap: Rehearsal = band time; Practice = your time; Agenda; Clear, simple and consistent communication; RECORD EVERYTHING!

This should be posted up... laminated and on the wall in every band's rehearsal space. If a working band is ever gonna go anywhere, you have to be as efficient as possible. Excellent.

. . .

 

[jaywa]

Sounds to me like some of the songs on list 1 needs to be purged if they're not fun for you all to play anymore.

That's the real balancing act, especially for cover bands. Seems like a lot of times, just about the time you've got a song really nailed down and are playing it well, one or two people in the band decide they're bored with it... and off the list it goes. End result, a set list of songs that are in varying degrees of "almost" there, but no real "money" songs that are locked-down 100%. I tend to not have a lot of tolerance for situations like that and would rather err to the side of sticking with songs a bit too long and having them played really well rather than continually adding underrehearsed songs and playing every show "on the edge" because of it.

 

[Stumbo]

Seems like a lot of times, just about the time you've got a song really nailed down and are playing it well, one or two people in the band decide they're bored with it... and off the list it goes.

IME/IMO, "boredom" is not the best measure/method to determine your set list.

If a tune fills the dance floor, then keep it. You can test other songs and find ones that fill the dance floor, then add those tunes to your list.

Otherwise leave the set list alone.

 

[drpepper]

I understand that a large segment of people here have come to very firmly believe in this rehearsal/practice distinction, even to the point of making it a virtual act of heresy to contradict it.

But this is simply a case where a fallacy has been repeated enough times that a large number of people start treating it as fact and truth, and even further started berating and preaching at apparent non-conformists.

The very plain and absolute fact is that there is no such distinction in the English language that dictates that "practice" of music is an solitary activity and "rehearsal is a group activity. By definition, all rehearsal IS practice. You can practice by yourself or with a group or you can rehearse by yourself or with a group.

That's great if this artificial distinction does something for you, but it is not wrong to call group sessions either "practice" or "rehearsal." In my experience and perception, someone who's not inclined to prepare for group sessions isn't going to magically change because you change the name that you call that preparation. In this particular context, the words are 100% interchangeable. What's wrong is telling someone else that they are wrong to use one or the other because of your preference or habit, yet inevitably, in almost every thread where someone uses the word practice, someone else will come along and tell them they're wrong to call group practice "practice."

 

[lethargytartare]

...In my experience and perception, someone who's not inclined to prepare for group sessions isn't going to magically change because you change the name that you call that preparation. In this particular context, the words are 100% interchangeable....

You're absolutely right. To be fair, I think guys who make a big deal out of the practice/rehearsal lingo are really just trying to find a way to communicate the expectation with enough force and simplicity that any random lazy bandmate will get it. I think it's just as direct to say what others have said here in a variety of ways: Come prepared. Do your homework. etc.

I agree with you, though -- people who aren't already inclined to come prepared probably aren't going to get into gear because of a well-worded mandate...

 

[Marko 1]

Covers band, we communicate at some point what song or songs are next, and we each get ourselves familiar with the song before meeting for rehearsal.

Then we meet and put the song or songs together with whatever changes we make (seldom play it like the original), I record it and hand out CDs so we can all practice on our own before the gig.

We rarely practice songs we’ve already put together at rehearsals, and we don’t even meet anymore unless we’re putting together a new song.

 

[marmadaddy]

I'll be instituting some of the methods mentioned here.

I walked out of a rehearsal today because after we started one member flat out said "I don't know the songs" and couldn't understand why I didn't want to wait around while he listened to them and learned them.

The statements below didn't register:
"I spent a lot of my time learning these before I came here. It's not ok for you to then spend my time doing the same."

"I could be with my kids right now, I am not going to prioritize standing around while you learn a song you had a week to learn over them."

I have three requirements for a rehearsal:

1. Be sober
2. Be on time
3. Know the tunes

Really, it's just asking of a modicum of respect towards the other people involved.

 

[drpepper]

Here's a screenshot of a spreadsheet I've been trying to get to the point of being fully utilized. What seems attractive, if we can get there, are the sorting capabilities. Using various sort keys, songs with the highest priority need to be worked on can quickly be placed at the top of the list with a couple of clicks.

The primary sort key would be status, where we have "(date to) practice", a more general "needs work," "ready" and "suggestion."

A sort key that hasn't been put in to use yet is the date last played ("Last"). Using a combination of date last played and status should yield a rotation that keeps every song on the list in front of us. Keeping the last played dates accurate has been a challenge as a practical matter, so I've deleted them and will try to start fresh again.

There's also a "set" sort key to make it work as a set list generator.

 

[pedro]

I use excel for setlist but limit it to just song titles, keys and a column for remarks or notes to myself incase there is something about the tune I'm fearful of forgetting. Our guitarist/keys, uses the remark column to add notes about patches or settings, etc.

Here's a screenshot of a spreadsheet I've been trying to get to the point of being fully utilized. What seems attractive, if we can get there, are the sorting capabilities. Using various sort keys, songs with the highest priority need to be worked on can quickly be placed at the top of the list with a couple of clicks.

The primary sort key would be status, where we have "(date to) practice", a more general "needs work," "ready" and "suggestion."

A sort key that hasn't been put in to use yet is the date last played ("Last"). Using a combination of date last played and status should yield a rotation that keeps every song on the list in front of us. Keeping the last played dates accurate has been a challenge as a practical matter, so I've deleted them and will try to start fresh again.

There's also a "set" sort key to make it work as a set list generator.

 

[drpepper]

I use excel for setlist but limit it to just song titles, keys and a column for remarks or notes to myself incase there is something about the tune I'm fearful of forgetting. Our guitarist/keys, uses the remark column to add notes about patches or settings, etc.

Cool.

I always bring my laptop anyway. We just need to develop some habits surrounding the spreadsheet and I think it has strong potential for us. And I think it should be fairly low active maintenance, once it's filled out and only needs updating.

 

[Rockmusician]

10 songs you know well to warm up seems like too many. Bands that I have been in usually payed one or two songs that we knew as a warm up and then went on to songs that we were working on. All of us learned our parts on our own and were expected to show up ready to play them. In most cases we were able to add them to the setlist after a couple of rehearsals. We limited the addition of new songs to 2 or 3 at a time.

 

[pedro]

I just printout the spreadsheet and bring to the gig.

Cool.

I always bring my laptop anyway. We just need to develop some habits surrounding the spreadsheet and I think it has strong potential for us. And I think it should be fairly low active maintenance, once it's filled out and only needs updating.

 

[drpepper]

I just printout the spreadsheet and bring to the gig.

Ha! Sorry to confuse. I meant I always bring my laptop to practice. Of course we print out set lists for gigs.

With the sort key for set on that tab, I can generate set list the the second tab. We just have song titles on that - 20pt or so.

 

[steveksux]

I understand that a large segment of people here have come to very firmly believe in this rehearsal/practice distinction, even to the point of making it a virtual act of heresy to contradict it.

But this is simply a case where a fallacy has been repeated enough times that a large number of people start treating it as fact and truth, and even further started berating and preaching at apparent non-conformists.

The very plain and absolute fact is that there is no such distinction in the English language that dictates that "practice" of music is an solitary activity and "rehearsal is a group activity. By definition, all rehearsal IS practice. You can practice by yourself or with a group or you can rehearse by yourself or with a group.

That's great if this artificial distinction does something for you, but it is not wrong to call group sessions either "practice" or "rehearsal." In my experience and perception, someone who's not inclined to prepare for group sessions isn't going to magically change because you change the name that you call that preparation. In this particular context, the words are 100% interchangeable. What's wrong is telling someone else that they are wrong to use one or the other because of your preference or habit, yet inevitably, in almost every thread where someone uses the word practice, someone else will come along and tell them they're wrong to call group practice "practice."

Don't get hung up on the words and miss the point.

Call each whatever you want. As long as they understand they have to practice/rehearse alone prior to the practice/rehearsal of the band and need to know the tunes by the time you get together you'll get a setlist learned well in a reasonable amount of time. Otherwise you won't and are wasting time and going nowhere.

Randy

 

[drpepper]

Don't get hung up on the words and miss the point.

Call each whatever you want. As long as they understand they have to practice/rehearse alone prior to the practice/rehearsal of the band and need to know the tunes by the time you get together you'll get a setlist learned well in a reasonable amount of time. Otherwise you won't and are wasting time and going nowhere.

Randy

Um...we're like brothers from other mothers here, Randy. Nothing I wrote contradicts what you're saying