Cover bands: How much time do you spend rehearsing?

[StayLow]

met each other on craigslist, warming up/first time every together; private party at the caf building:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8INzN0yq_UU yes it works, but with standard covers with a noted style. agreed.

That proves my point. If your band, after however many years off or not playing regularly due to life getting in the way as you alluded to, can do that then rest assured you can nail Chaka, Prince, etc. without a group rehearsal if in those years there'd been gigs every weekend, plenty of practice at home, calls to sub, studio work, sitting in, touring, jamming, taking and giving lessons, etc. etc.

You might not collectively choose to go without rehearsal, and that's fine not inferior. Honestly I'd prefer some rehearsals at times, however often that's just not an option. Other times I've only accepted gigs on condition of there being no rehearsals for a variety of reasons. Some times I insist on rehearsals... depends on the band & situation. For pro-level covers, being done same as whatever recording is provided, there's no need or musical benefit. Want is another matter. Hanging with mates is another matter. Comforting the artist or BL is another matter. Endless unnecessary tweaking of arrangements, genre mash-ups or practicing dance moves... another matter.

You learn a lot doing it with no safety net, and some things you learn the hard way but those are the lessons you remember best.

The genre doesn't matter, presuming the players are comfortable and competent with the genre of course, and if not then they won't be vouched for or called. There's no guess work involved or maybes.

Take whatever path works for you, keep at it and have fun!

 

[hsp-sandiego]

"You learn a lot doing it with no safety net, and some things you learn the hard way but those are the lessons you remember best."

Word! rehearsals are great, but nothing like the real thing. StayLow... these are words to live by.

 

[FretNoMore]

And audience members get to pay for and watch while you learn lessons the hard way on stage ... I personally think that can be just a bit disrespectful to them actually, they came to see a finished product, not a live rehearsal.

 

[Scottkarch]

Practice once a week is my favorite night out. The whole band lives in the same subdivision. We see each other outside of the band. Our kids play together... Man I love getting together for the evening to practice/jam. Because of schedules we only gig once a month, but I thoroughly enjoy my weekly practice. I guess if I was gigging more often we wouldn't but that's not going to happen and I'm fine with the way it is.

 

[StayLow]

And audience members get to pay for and watch while you learn lessons the hard way on stage ... I personally think that can be just a bit disrespectful to them actually, they came to see a finished product, not a live rehearsal.

Mistakes can happen at any level. Some may have been avoided with a rehearsal, but more often than not rehearsals give false confidence or allow the procrastinators to slack off even longer because they'll just wait and see what happens at rehearsal. The proverbial sword has two edges.

Here's something I learned the hard *and* expensive way - not to waste time with people who can't do their homework or properly play their instruments. Free'd me up for better gigs, some of which included pros, who then recommended me to other pros, so I got more pro gigs until I came to realize there is a higher level and I was no longer willing to be a musical babysitter.

Again, I'm not dogging rehearsing or those who do it - even for covers. It can be a preference or conditional, as I said in my previous post. For straight covers however, it's definitely not necessary or helpful at the pro level - in fact many BL's or common situations won't even give you the option - and that won't change no matter how much the haters hate or distort.

 

[BazzTard]

just watched the Homer plays bass episode again hehe

THIS:

"People love coverbands. All the joy of live music without the fear of hearing something new" hehe SO true. Must by why they named that philosopher Homer too!

 

[interp]

We're talking covers, performed by paid professionals, so I can be *absolutely certain* that the others will play exactly what's on the reference recording, including some fairly complex material, with any changes as per the BL's emails. "We'll end it the way they did at Montreux in '78... here's a link" or "I'll repeat the melody line twice when my solo is done." No need to be staring intently at each other and, to address something someone else wrote, I'm perfectly happy if people ad-lib their fills as then I'm amused since I am listening to and enjoying what my bandmates are playing.

Why would appropriate fill, meaning one that's in time and in the style, throw anyone off? Heck, I sometimes gig unrehearsed with a jazz/prog wizard of a drummer who *deliberately* tries to trip me up and while sometimes he succeed it's a lesson well-learned that I should be counting for myself and that I'm lucky to share a stage with someone at his level. Great learning experience, and it's never the type of thing an audience will notice so no harm done.

I have done this more times than I can recall, often with nobody onstage ever having played together or even met before, including a drummer who doesn't even own a kit. When nights include music that had the token one rehearsal before 1st gig and songs that we didn't have time to rehearse or that were added last-minute, inevitably the ones that weren't rehearsed at least as good and often better than the ones that were.

If players you trust will vouch for other players, you don't need to meet, baby-sit, worry about, or rehearse with them as long as there are sheets or a reference recording and any necessary notes sent around. Originals or covers.

For those of you who can't believe this is possible, or common in the pro leagues, I can relate. I used to think it was all bluster too, until I started getting gigs with pros. There just isn't time at that level with most guys in multiple active bands, and the BL usually doesn't want to pay for people and a room to rehearse. Same with "originals" (everything's a cover if you didn't write it) even on national broadcasts.... meeting the drummer in the green room and discussing the audible cues that'll come up is probably more the norm than the exception.

Another common thing is for the name artists to hire most or all of the backing band in any given city, especially for festival tours where dates are scattered and distances are huge. No need to pay travel, hotel, per-diems, etc. for a whole band. They arrive in the city, and it's uncommon to have a rehearsal since they're doing press, etc. Maybe some or all of the band gets together with the local hires, say at the hotel or backstage to go over a few unusual bits or things that have changed since the album, what to do instead of the fade out, etc. That's about it.

Everything you say in this post is exactly consistent with my experience.

 

[FretNoMore]

Obviously many of us, nah, I'd think most of us, usually don't play with people that are that professional. I tend to know my stuff but some of my band mates could put in more work. But good for you if that level of professionalism is your reality.

 

[lbbc]

I've been playing in an acoustic/electric trio (bass, guitar and female vocalist) for the past year. Prior to that, we were in a very popular local rock band for 13 years. We play covers but 75% are vey different than what we used to play (classic/current rock, current pop and country tunes). We rehearse once a week for 2 hours and work more on "mash-ups" and 3-part harmonies than anything else. We could probably practice once a month, but enjoy each other's company, making music and trying out new stuff. Not bad for a bunch of 50+ year-old musicians who've been together for more than 14 years. I'm also a school band director and believe that rehearsal is necessary as preparation for performance....but, to each their own!

 

[Joe Nerve]

Everything you say in this post is exactly consistent with my experience.

I agree and meant to comment on that post yesterday, but work got me distracted. What's said in the first paragraph is exactly what was done with the band I mention in the OP. They emailed me links to live versions of songs for some endings, sent me a few short notes, and we had no problems whatsoever. We even did some altered versions of songs - Your Time is Gonna Come, with no keyboards. Some other Zep we did wasn't the typical cover fare either - Nobody's Fault but Mine, Wonton Song, 10 Years Gone... even did some Who that I never played before. Wasn't a Mustang Sally, Jessie's Girl kinda gig.

It is entirely possible, and I'll say for the 30th time in this thread, you do not need to rehearse in order to be tight. If a band is playing for years with one another often times (and not always) they'll have some neat stuff going on that could only be attained by knowing each others styles for years, but tight musicians play tightly. Going over a song 10 times before gigging it with the same guys/gals isn't going to make any difference, if the musicians all know what they're doing. Not sure why that's so difficult for some people to believe.

 

[eukatheude]

Too f'in much.

 

[FretNoMore]

I don't think it's difficult to believe it can be that way, I'm sure it can, I have no reason to not believe those in the thread that say they work this way. I'm just saying that I believe that this is not how it works for most of us, and I'll even opine some who do it that way maybe don't perform as well as they think they do. Some. I've played with a few who don't like rehearsing and as they don't put in the work at home either they tend to flub a lot of details of an arrangement even if they believe they know the song. That's just part opinion, part my experience, don't see why it's such a touchy thing to the point some think that's "hating".

 

[JaredBT]

Startups if it cant come together in 6 rehearsals, some ones doggin it. After that on new material if need be for the first 4 months then brand new songs should be able to come together at the show. However, I have yet to find a project where I can implement my statement... sheesh. It aint me either folks. I learn my crap and am ALWAYS ready! Why cant I find the right folks? (crying now). Why me... (still crying).... sob sob.... Anyway, its 4:01 am where I am and Im still up looking at all the cool basses on TB. No new Carvins though. Not that I have the bread anyway. Trying but haven't been able to get the cake to get the PB5 I want... (more crying). Check you cats later... gonna go plunk on a different PB5.

 

[Crazy_Jake]

Slight rant warning. I'm posting this to air out my own schtuff....

I had the experience of a lifetime last week. Something I've waited for a long time. Jumped in with a cover band to sub for a Saturday gig. We had a quick rehearsal (audition) the Thursday before, then played the gig and it went swimmingly. More than half of what we played on Saturday we didn't have a chance to go over beforehand, and we were playing some interesting stuff. Red Barchetta, A lot of Zep, some Deep Purple, Boys are Back in Town, China Grove (which I never played before and is pretty frikken fun and cool)... Anyhow, after the show they offered me the gig full time because they've been having tons of issues with their bass player. They only gig around once a month, so I said sure. They sent me a list of about 15 other songs to learn, and told me to do it at my own pace. Next gig is Feb. 21.

Last week I get a call from the BL, and he starts beating around the bush a bit saying something along the lines of, "Joe, I uhh... talked with the guys regarding rehearsals for the next gig on the 21st, and, while we'll leave this totally up to you.... if it's not cool, no big deal....", and as I'm waiting for the punch he says, "We feel we can just do the gig on the 21st and, well... skip the rehearsal. Only if you're ok with that though?"

OK WITH THAT? I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THAT FOR YEARS!!!! Which brings me to this post.

IMO, unless a cover band is made of musicians who are still new at the game of covers and gigging in general (average 1-5 years), there are very few legitimate reasons to have to rehearse weekly, or more than once or twice before gigging. I'll note what I consider exceptions to that in the end.

If people are mature, experienced, AND DO THEIR FRIKKEN HOMEWORK, there is no need to waste time and money in the studio. One rehearsal is more than enough to workout any faded recording endings or song transitions, and most people who've been at this for a while can figure endings out on the spot anyhow. Sure, you can work for hours on that perfect well written ending, but in the end (pun intended), it ain't worth the studio time put into it. People aren't coming back to your gigs because you had had the tightest most creative ending they ever heard to Freebird, they're coming back because you played the songs they liked, or because they had a good chance of getting laid at your gig.

The bands I've played in that need to rehearse for months, almost always have one player who NEEDS the rehearsal time. And that player usually NEEDS the time because he/she doesn't do their homework and would rather use my time and money in the studio for their "practice" time. Drummers I'll cut a little slack, but I'm actually at a point where I don't want to play with any drummers that still need practice time for covers, or don't have their own space.

I could go on for a long time about this, so I'll cut it now and chime in later. Exceptions to the rule are cover bands that are not typical, ie. the dread zeppelin type. Another exception is if people have all the time in the world to rehearse, and enjoy doing it. While I enjoy playing covers, I do it to make extra money. 4 paid for rehearsals per 1 gig doesn't fly with me anymore.

I'm very happy to fall in with these new guys. Not sure why there aren't more of them around.

How much do you rehearse? And why?

+1 to everything you said.
My current band got together for 4 hours one week before our first gig and that is the only rehearsal we've ever done. We still pull out new songs usually every gig keeps everyone on their toes. We've been playing 3-4 times a month. If everyone in the band is professional you don't need to rehearse. And one night on stage is much more beneficial then a week in the garage.
my two cents

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

I think of it as a catch-22. If we gig enough, rehearsal isn't critically necessary. On the other hand, we have to keep the chops up in the off-season somehow.

 

[Liam Wald]

Ah, you're all kids! I started seriously gigging in 1967 (with my junior-high rock band)!

My first gig was playing for my 8th grade graduation dance in 1966. The band had been together since 7th grade. I played my Vox bass through a Sears Silvertone 2x12 piggy-back guitar amp and I am sure that it sounded like crap. We knew about 15 songs and they all sounded exactly the same. We got paid $10 that we split 5 ways.

 

[Chef]

Both of the bands I run do mostly cover material.
We mostly rehearse every week.
We seldom do any cover exactly like the album: we may not have the same instrumentation, blahblah.
But, we also want to be "us." So, we tweak arrangements all the time.
We make sure beginnings, endings, and solo sections are all understood and choreographed.
And: sure, everyone may know the songs, but, playing together builds chemistry. It tightens things. And, it gives us time to develop ideas to change things, time to put medleys together...etc

And: we all like working together.

When the most recent band debuted; we had a lot of folks ask "geez, how long have you guys been together; you all were super tight."
I said "we've been rehearsing for 6 weeks."
"man, how many hours a day?"
"um, no...six rehearsals, once a week, two hours on those nights."

Because people did their homework away from rehearsal and came prepared.

 

[Chef]

I guess maybe I should also add:
Each of my two bands gigs once or twice a month. There just aren't a lot of venues willing to cut a check around here anymore.
We're not going to get sharp/stay sharp because we're working so much, dig?
A month between gigs? Yeah: ain't no one on top of their game like that; even reading charts.

And; we usually add 2-3 tunes a week. This adds up to new sets really quickly. People will never see us do the same show twice.

We don't want to "show up and do ok," or "show up and do well."
We want to hit the stage like a hurricane, slaughter the material, and leave folks all sweaty with their legs rubbery crawling off the dance floor; wondering what just happened. Or, if it's not a dance tune, the mechanics, sho0wmanship and solos better kill it.

If there's another band on the ticket, we want them wishing they weren't on the ticket with us; whether it's another local act, or, a national touring act.

We want to leave people saying "damn, what was that and when and where can we see them again."
We want error free shows that we can make a "live studio recording of" and hand to fans next time we play out.

So. Pretty high standards. We don't always hit those marks, but, by aiming high, even "an off show" for us turns out pretty darn well...

 

[DWBass]

I'm also a school band director and believe that rehearsal is necessary as preparation for performance....but, to each their own!

I agree......if rehearsal is productive and provides results. I have a problem if you're rehearsing the same ol' songs, week after week and get to the gig and folks screw up! You should not be in a band if you need that much rehearsing and still can't remember your parts! In my honest opinion, over-rehearsing is boring, counterproductive and a waste of time!

Young musicians have a different mindset than experienced adults. I've yet to come across a young person who could learn a piece of music and retain it enough to play it without the sheet music. It's not the norm.

 

[DWBass]

It is entirely possible, and I'll say for the 30th time in this thread, you do not need to rehearse in order to be tight. If a band is playing for years with one another often times (and not always) they'll have some neat stuff going on that could only be attained by knowing each others styles for years, but tight musicians play tightly. Going over a song 10 times before gigging it with the same guys/gals isn't going to make any difference, if the musicians all know what they're doing. Not sure why that's so difficult for some people to believe.

I fully agree with this.