my jazz band records both rehearsals and gigs = priceless! try it yourself and see if it doesn't stimulate conversations, goal setting, and individual 'responsibility' taking. good luck!
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my jazz band records both rehearsals and gigs = priceless! try it yourself and see if it doesn't stimulate conversations, goal setting, and individual 'responsibility' taking. good luck!
Something worth trying:
Record a section of a song at practice.
Now record that section again four times - with one band member sitting out each time and the others playing their usual parts. Don't change your parts to compensate for the missing player!
Now listen back to each recording as a group. Make assessments about what is better or worse about each recording. Now adjust everyone's parts to emphasise the aspects of each part that added value to the arrangement and eliminate the aspects that just added clutter.
Be honest. Be egoless.
Also, for the record, getting rid of the keyboardist will typically create space in the band, the arrangements and the van!
Record a section of a song at practice.
Now record that section again four times - with one band member sitting out each time and the others playing their usual parts. Don't change your parts to compensate for the missing player!
Now listen back to each recording as a group. Make assessments about what is better or worse about each recording. Now adjust everyone's parts to emphasise the aspects of each part that added value to the arrangement and eliminate the aspects that just added clutter.
Be honest. Be egoless.
Also, for the record, getting rid of the keyboardist will typically create space in the band, the arrangements and the van!
I agree with recording a practice or gig. Tho I haven't got around to it yet. Can't speak for my bandmates, but I try to find a decent volume where I can hear myself clearly, then move around the room a bit to where I can still hear myself OK but can hear the other instruments better. I try to practice my part at home so when get to 'rehearsal' I can pay a little more attention to what the other guys are playing. Sometimes it shapes what I'm playing, sometimes I just get to enjoy what they're playing.
It kinda bums me out when it's a song that takes all my concentration to nail my part, then I notice my buddy's been playing something really cool after the fact, from a recording.
It kinda bums me out when it's a song that takes all my concentration to nail my part, then I notice my buddy's been playing something really cool after the fact, from a recording.
1. play really quietly. like WAY TOO quiet for a few tunes. You will have to listen.
2.try playing your songs REALLY SLOW, like almost half tempo. again, you will have to listen to get it right.
2.try playing your songs REALLY SLOW, like almost half tempo. again, you will have to listen to get it right.
Reading this thread makes me wonder if there is a drummer's forum where they all talk about firing us.
I find if you hold your bass by the neck near the headstock and swing it vigorously around your head, you'll create lots of space. You might want to unplug it from the amp first.
Everyone should learn how NOT to play. I mean how to just. not. play. Watch Standing in the Shadows of Motown and listen to how 3 guitarists would divvy up the guitar parts, then listen to a Motown song and realize just how little any one of them must be playing if the whole tune sounds like it doesn't have much guitar! A lot can be said for clever, respectful arrangement - and it can solve many problems such as volume wars, egomania, cluttered walls of sound, etc.
i was thinking 'stage space ' ... in my next/future band , i'll be playing bass/keys/keybass/vocals ...
otherwise ... listen .. !! if you can't listen while you play ... then Record .. but listen to the different parts , .. as some sync together and others counter ..
maybe have folks pick out a different drum part to key in on .. ? bass drum , snare , hi-hat ...
otherwise ... listen .. !! if you can't listen while you play ... then Record .. but listen to the different parts , .. as some sync together and others counter ..
maybe have folks pick out a different drum part to key in on .. ? bass drum , snare , hi-hat ...
IME, rehearsal sound levels are determined by the drummer(as long as he's not fired yet). We solved this by using sound board to surround his kit. Made sure it was at least as tall as his cymbals. Worked like a magic volume control. All the other instruments were easier to hear and volume did not rise. Hanging sound board a few feet above the kit would do even more.
Otherthings we did:
1) get all the amps to ear level by building some wooden boxes
2) Turning around the guitar amps/speaker boxes
3) Covering walls with carpet; not so much for sound proofing but to eliminate room echo. This really dries up your sound but you get used to it pretty quick because everything is easier to hear.
Otherthings we did:
1) get all the amps to ear level by building some wooden boxes
2) Turning around the guitar amps/speaker boxes
3) Covering walls with carpet; not so much for sound proofing but to eliminate room echo. This really dries up your sound but you get used to it pretty quick because everything is easier to hear.
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I had a group of guys that wouldn't listen to my pleas as a BL. I brought in a well-respected musician who critiqued us. He was a university professor and well known around town. That helped. And then later, after we shed the weaker players, he joined the band!
We also do this round robin/360 thing in my jazz band (like on That 70's show, but without the drugs). Each one of us takes turns "leading" the band. We all play an agreed upon chord progression, and then one person starts improvising (except the drummer, but he can lead in the background, which is cool). We listen to their dynamics and get loud and soft as they do, support longer rhythmic passages with our own playing, and trying to create tension and release. When they are done, they nod their head, or point to the next person, passing leadership to the next person.
That seemed to help. Our drummer got the hang of it, after many many years of not really doing much in that department, apparently.
You can create tension with
a) volume
b) repititive rhythms
c) increased speed of notes
d) increasingly higher playing (in terms of sound frequency)
Get the band to listen for those things, and even signal when you are doing one of them during the 360 until they start recognize your leadership in the notes themselves...
We also do this round robin/360 thing in my jazz band (like on That 70's show, but without the drugs). Each one of us takes turns "leading" the band. We all play an agreed upon chord progression, and then one person starts improvising (except the drummer, but he can lead in the background, which is cool). We listen to their dynamics and get loud and soft as they do, support longer rhythmic passages with our own playing, and trying to create tension and release. When they are done, they nod their head, or point to the next person, passing leadership to the next person.
That seemed to help. Our drummer got the hang of it, after many many years of not really doing much in that department, apparently.
You can create tension with
a) volume
b) repititive rhythms
c) increased speed of notes
d) increasingly higher playing (in terms of sound frequency)
Get the band to listen for those things, and even signal when you are doing one of them during the 360 until they start recognize your leadership in the notes themselves...
Practicing dynamics really gets each member listening to each other. This is very obvious (lack of dynamics)at gigs when bands play all the songs at the the same volume.
Not really an answer to your question, but to avoid stepping on each others toes it could be a good idea to have the person in the band with the most skill/talent for arrangements look them over. Maybe you should move one guitar up an octave (this is for some reason almost always a good idea) for this part or maybe the the keyboard should play in unison for that part.
Also, an old band of mine had some problem getting the right feel for a longer rather static jam session and what we did was turning off the lights in the rehersal room. It actually worked and made us focus on listenening more.
edit: and just for good measure it's best if you fire the drummer.
edit: and just for good measure it's best if you fire the drummer.
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