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Band Rehearsal Frustration Rant....

#22
We've started to get in the habit of using a youtube link or a specific cut on a specific album to try to get structure sunc up. I'm finding our singers are the ones that are blowing us out of form. starting up on top of solos, leaving out bridges, chori? and verses. Outros from hell....

We recently cut a demo disc and were all thrilled when we did four songs where we actually started and ended together!

It's often the horn section guys that get us unwound. They cant stand that screwing around, God love 'em!
 
#23
AQUANOVA said:
When I suggest a song, I send a YouTube link of it to clarify which version.

Makes no difference.

Without fail someone learns the " extended live version" of a song
or a remake or some other obscure version and we spend the whole rehearsal
trying to nail down the structure to avoid a train wreck.
Click to expand...

Sounds to me like a good excuse for someone that didn't do their homework.
 
#24
When the song is decided, the first thign I ask is whether the singer needs any modulation up/down to suit her range. After which, I'll send an email out with the mp3, AND either the chords/tabs or a link to it. There's no mistake after. If you provide a link and people aren't following it...well someone ought to be shot.
 
#25
Had the same issue with a failed cover project last year. Guitard would learn one version. I would learn another. Often, in different keys from the same artist. I brought this up to him and he...well, it's just not worth talking about that clown any more. My repeated requests to make sure we were all working from the same version fell on deaf ears. I'm amazed at how common this is showing up here.
 
#27
Don't know? You are doing everything you need to. It is on them. I gues just reiterate the importance of WHAT version you want.

We just use an outline of the song and go from there. We never play anything like the original. If the groove is there, we'll groove longer, if the solo feel is there, someone will take another one....and most importantly if 'IT' is not there, we'll get out of the song quickly.
 
#30
I've had a harder time with people just not doing their homework, period, but i'm in all original projects atm so it's not an issue anymore.

I had an idea that I never initiated in my last band, which was for each of the members to have a little flash drive and one of us (the drummer or I) could load the new material for them at our rehearsal for the next week. That would be a smooth system!

Really, you guys just need some communication. Too much of this will ruin the vibe for your rehearsals.

Talk to em' and lay it down! Which version, which key, everybody on the same page with new material to learn before leaving the rehearsal.
 
#31
Bongofour said:
And another thing....

There are also alot of cheap a** m-Fu****s out there who have no means of aquiring the proper learning material.
Click to expand...

What would you say is the proper learning material? And how does being a cheap ass mf'er inhibit one from acquiring it?

This could all be circumvented quite easily. The bandleader should make a CD with the proper version on it. CDs can hold a decent amount of tracks. If you get a new player, someone can burn a copy for them.

Thats how my fiancee's band works. They always do the 'right' version.
 
#32
Had the same problem several times before. I took over the song selection/coordination e-mails and tell everyone the length of the song, the album it is on, the youtube link, and how we are tuning to play the song. If the song is recorded in Eb tuning and lots of open Eb's are in there - we group it together with our flat songs. If we need a low D - the D tuned songs. Still, we have issues with versions of songs especially if we are doing the modern version of an 80's song. Luckily, I always listen to both versions and know what exactly is going to happen with the bass line in both of them. A pain in the butt for sure, but I get more freedom this way on the bass line. It's a challenge to roll with a different version at practice, a rewarding one though.

We also do not change the key of the song - that makes it much easier on our end.
 
#33
In my classic rock cover band we have a 30 minute meeting once a month to review and update our set list, which includes adding new songs. This is the time when we decide exactly which version of the song to learn and then we collectively gather the new songs that we need together and distribute the songs on thumb drives or CD's.

The next practice is for working through new songs in order to put our personal touches on them and this often includes different arrangements, key or tempo changes, or anything else. This takes time, of course, but we expect it and it's part of what makes practice almost as much fun as doing gigs for us.

But if we're just adding a song that we don't intend to change we expect that everyone is going to have practiced the correct version at home and will be able to play it through at practice without making a bunch of mistakes.

If the version is an obscure one we expect the person who is sponsoring the song will bring in the MP3 when we add it to the list. Hypothetically, if the guitarist wants to add "Who'll Stop the Rain" by CCR but wants to do the version from a John Fogerty live concert in 2002 then we need to hear the song even before it gets the okay to go on the practice list.
 
#34
get a white board and map out the arrangement as a group

work with your drummer privately and then together as the rhythm section to enforce the structure of the song

dont be afraid to politely ask the offending members veering off track to hold the song as end goal, not their moment in the spotlight extended solo

if a bridge or chorus or verse isnt working, say something, a song and band is only as strong as its weakest part / member, constructively fix it

agree to no longer play that song,
as a cover band you have "plenty" of "other options" to play

set aside some freeform time to jam on new ideas,
before or after your main set, so they can express and explore

as weird as jazz sounds to rock musicians they all know the song, structure and chord progression they are collectively wanking around
 
#36
HeadyVan Halen said:
We just use an outline of the song and go from there. We never play anything like the original.
Click to expand...

Your band may be able to pull that off, but I've seen a few bands who change almost every single song to do it "their way". Usually, their way either sounds like they didn't learn the song, or it becomes tiresome real quick. The reality is that most songs are just fine as written and very few bands are good enough to make changes that improve the song...and changes for the sake of changes are a waste of time.

I have yet to see a band that has made changes to every song on a 40 song set list where any more than a half dozen of their "alternate arrangements" were worth listening to...
 
#37
We created a band "Drop Box" account. Dropbox - Online backup, file sync, and sharing made easy.
At the end of each rehearsal, as we are tearing down, we discuss what is on the agenda for next practice and who is going to down load the song to our Drop Box account.
The beauty of Drop Box, is that I can access it anywhere that has internet connection, it's free to 1 gig of storage and links in easily to your pc.
This system has helped us stay on the same page... but like any system, it is only as good as the users of it!
FIshheadjoe
 
#38
duff beer said:
Your band may be able to pull that off, but I've seen a few bands who change almost every single song to do it "their way". Usually, their way either sounds like they didn't learn the song, or it becomes tiresome real quick. The reality is that most songs are just fine as written and very few bands are good enough to make changes that improve the song...and changes for the sake of changes are a waste of time.

I have yet to see a band that has made changes to every song on a 40 song set list where any more than a half dozen of their "alternate arrangements" were worth listening to...
Click to expand...

+1

It frequently doesn't work with fellow musicians or the average music listener; both groups are more than likely to see it as disorienting and awkward.

My gut reaction is usually "Just play the damn song, don't try to re-write it," unless it's The Grateful Dead or Fish.
 
#39
electracoyote said:
+1

It frequently doesn't work with fellow musicians or the average music listener; both groups are more than likely to see it as disorienting and awkward.

My gut reaction is usually "Just play the damn song, don't try to re-write it," unless it's The Grateful Dead or Fish.
Click to expand...

But what if the original song has a different band makeup? The bass line on a song played by a trio might be more busy than the same song played by a five piece band and visa versa. As an N piece band are we restricted to songs played by N piece bands?

But by and large I agree. I know we have been guilty of "making a song our own" which usually means simplifying the song and removing what makes it special :(
 

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