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Do your bandmates practice material?

How would you handle it?

  • Comment about it openly at rehearsal?

    Votes: 28 56.0%

  • Backchannel the concern?

    Votes: 6 12.0%

  • @ 50 years old, some folks ain't gonna change.

    Votes: 16 32.0%
  • Total voters
    50
#21
@ 50 years old, some folks ain't gonna change.


That's what I voted, but seriously if I were in your situation I would comment about it openly in rehearsals. Communication is the key to evolution for every member of the band. If you don't say what you dislike, how are they gonna know you dislike it? If you keep it for yourself, of course 50-year-old guy is not gonna change anything. So talk about it with your bandmates, see how they react. A band IMO is supposed to be pro-level, and that guy doesn't sound like a pro if he can't even learn songs by himself and you always need to make up for him being a step behind. If the band doesn't agree with you, it's because their goals and values are not the same as yours. Tough pill to swallow, but if you're not on the same page, it can't work. Quit.

On a side note (that might sound harsh to the OP, but I'm making a generallization here), I often thought : "Man, guitarists talk way too much..." or "Man, is it just me or every drummer I meet speaks only empty words?" or "God, my whole band is a bunch of guys who think they know everything about music when they don't even understand what an EQ is!"
Now I have also realized that we, bassists, often keep too much important information for ourselves in the fear of hurting others' feelings/strong beliefs (that are sometimes based on myths).
We have the chance to have TB which is a wonderful community of more experienced or technically advanced bassists/individuals who can give us some insight on how things really work based on technical knowledge and/or experience. The problem is we over-use it. You have a problem with your guitard? Talk to him... Don't complain about him over the internet, it won't change a thing.

I repeat, communication is the key.
 
#23
Cringing while reading this. One of my bands is a cover band that I've played in for years with friends. We play a good selection of tunes that are not just standard bar band stuff - ex Steely Dan - and require a lot more work on parts, changes etc. My problem is with keyboard player. He just doesn't put any time into learning tunes. I've tried many different methods including being clear about which tunes to practice for next rehearsal, sending links to charts and mp3s, and even making specific comments from our weekly recordings on where we should focus next time. Occasionally some progress but mostly he looks at the notes from last time that he left at the rehearsal space (hello?) and plods along. Worst is that he doesn't take feedback on how the song should be played even if he hasn't done his homework and gets very defensive about it. Very frustrating and he's a long time pal so makes it even more difficult.

Here's what I ended up doing. I started playing with other people and other bands and going to jams. I'm now in 2 other bands and jam with other people all the time. Best thing I've ever done. I still care about this band but it doesn't bother me as much since I know play with other people. My advice - you can't make people want to put the time in. If they don't prepare, they're never going to prepare. If have a discussion about it doesn't resolve anything, move on. If you're serious enough about your music to care that it sounds good find other people who are on the same page. You'll be much happier and end up playing with better musicians!
 
#25
P. Aaron said:
I plan on talking to the singer about it. I am the noob in the band and I am not entirely sure I should make public waves...yet. If things don't change, progress and trust onstage will not happen. I will bail. Time is too damn valuable.
Click to expand...

Good idea. My point was only, don't do nothing about it. You must take action. I understand your situation, being the new member, not wanting to take too big a risk of being regarded as the trouble maker. But talking about it with the singer seems like a good idea.
 
#26
Usually with covers we work as follow: everyone learns his riffs and the scales that can be used in the song, and also the most of the structure. At rehearsal we end polishing the structure (we never play a song exactly as the original band, there is nothing more boring than that!). With that done, we start playing until the song is completely "baked". This work most of the time, the song is always what it should be, but with our own signature. If our changes likes to the public; that is, at least for me, as good as having a good own song.
 
#27
I'm in a cover/original band. Learned about 45 covers and 2 originals in 3 months time (the band is a hobby for me - I have a full time job, wife, and kids). 2weeks ago we decided to learn 3 new covers and for me to pick up another original. Last week I came to practice with all my bass parts prepared. I even had gone through the trouble of writing the bass lines out on paper.

During practice, the guitarist walks over to the computer and pulls up 2 of the covers' videos on youtube and proceeds to watch them in order to figure out what his parts are.

The kicker? At the end of practice, he tells me if I just put in a little more effort to learn the rest of the originals (3 songs), then I'll be caught up with the rest of the band. Me, put in a little more effort? Frustrating.
 
#28
For my band it honestly it depends, We have two new members who we don't see very often so sometimes we have tot each them songs at practise, But for the most part my lead guitarist will record a scratch track and make a tab and send it to are rhythm guitarist so he gets the structure and the song outline down, and generally are vocalist doesn't right lyrics that job comes down to me so I tell him where to come in (like what riff and how many times in) and he gets it straight up. But this is only for originals if your doing covers not learning it is not acceptable either fire that guy or bail if this is for covers there suppose to be easy and fun and ment to be done with minimal tries, so you don't spend to much time on them.
 
#29
P. Aaron said:
If there is any one thing that sticks in my craw it's learning the songs at rehearsal. Most of the band shows up having learned the material we agreed to learn...except one person who says; "...just show me." Once in a while, fine. But it gets old when it's every week, and stuff we're supposed to have down I hear him adjusting: slidin' into a change, rather than knowing what comes next.

Needles to say, it hinders progress. To the point I'm shouting "major, minor" changes...walking on the singer. 1-4-5 tunes no less.:rollno:

Since I am the newbie there, I am going to have to back-channel my concern. Heck, I've learned 40 songs I never played before since April, & a senior member can't lock it in?

If it can't be resolved, I may have to bail. I don't wanna tell adults how or what to practice.
Click to expand...


This is my situation to a tee. Our rhythm guitarist/vocalist does not practice the tunes on his own, which impedes progress. This is very frustrating, and has resulted in other members leaving our band this last year. Instead of trying to change his lethargic ways, the rest of us move on and let him learn them at his pace on his time. This is tolerated because he happens to also be an excellent vocalist, one who is willing to sing most tunes, and can credibly sing Zep, Aerosmith and like. But we do not spend time during rehearsals trying to teach him what he should be doing on his own time.
 
#32
We rehearsed some songs last night without the singer there. We do have 'guy' tunes to give her a break and stay diverse.

Not only was the other guitarist still catching up, but I noticed that the bassist ( I play rhythm-lead guitar in this band) was cluttering up simple R & B tunes. His sound is J-bass with excessive burp-string-slap that never seems to find a low end. It is difficult to be heard over and in this context, it isn't groove friendly. Just more noise in the way of the music.

This is looking more & more like I am staring out the window looking for a greener pasture.
 
#33
Britbonic said:
Here's what I ended up doing. I started playing with other people and other bands and going to jams. I'm now in 2 other bands and jam with other people all the time. Best thing I've ever done.
Click to expand...
Good advice. I have gravitated toward this very thing. I did a pick-up gig (one rehearsal) with an originals-cover band. The drummer was solid and the guitarist was good...as was the young lady singing her own music. We also did some Jazz type stuff and everyone had lots of fun. There was space in the music since no one over played and it was easy to hear the music as it evolved.
 
#34
pmorlen said:
I'm in a cover/original band. Learned about 45 covers and 2 originals in 3 months time (the band is a hobby for me - I have a full time job, wife, and kids). 2weeks ago we decided to learn 3 new covers and for me to pick up another original. Last week I came to practice with all my bass parts prepared. I even had gone through the trouble of writing the bass lines out on paper.

During practice, the guitarist walks over to the computer and pulls up 2 of the covers' videos on youtube and proceeds to watch them in order to figure out what his parts are.

The kicker? At the end of practice, he tells me if I just put in a little more effort to learn the rest of the originals (3 songs), then I'll be caught up with the rest of the band. Me, put in a little more effort? Frustrating.
Click to expand...

You playing with a band in Kingston with a redhead lead singer / rhythm guitarist? If so, be prepared to be booted because you 'don't have the dedication'. Try to contain your desire to put a flaming bag of dog s#*! on her doorstep.
 
#37
Being the last member to join an already established original band, I made it a point to schedule time with our bandleader on non-practice days to get up to speed on the material. At practice we'd go over the stuff I had learned. Before the next practice the bandleader and I worked on more material. Ive gotten mostly caught up, with the exception of a few tunes in the back catalog we put on hold, mostly so we can roll out some other tunes that are new to the band as a whole.

We have a gig coming up where we were asked to include some covers into the set. We had a non practice band meeting the other day to write a set list of covers that everyone is supposed to learn by tomorrow. Im guessing no one will no the songs in their entirety, aside from me. But, I could be wrong.
 
#38
zachoff said:
I have very little time for music outside of the normal Tuesday night band practice & neither do the other guys in the band... So no, we don't generally practice outside of that night.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with that if it works for everyone in the band. If everyone is happy with that and you're having fun, excellent.

IME, this approach makes it tougher to learn new material quickly or put together a strong enough set and level of musicianship to play regular gigs. If people spend the time learning their parts outside of rehearsal then rehearsal can focus on working on beginnings, endings, breaks and getting the tune to sound good as a band.

Important thing is that everyone in band is more or less on the same page in terms of commitment and time spent. Frustrating when everyone does their homework except one person and everyone else has to wait while that person comes up to speed. Not fair to others in band.
 
#39
steveksux said:
There's no right answer, if you're in a band that noodles around learning stuff at rehearsal, and don't mind it, no problem. If you are trying to learn songs and everyone else shows up prepared, you better too.

Its all about communicating and having similar goals.

Personally, call a song at the last rehearsal, know it at this rehearsal is my preferred method.

No point wasting everyone elses time if they know it and you don't. No point getting on their case if nobody knows it but you, they aren't going to change.

Just get with the right guys with similar goals, and its all good.

Randy
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Great reply!

I wasted a LOT of time on a garage band like that (close to 2 years :rollno: ) before finding a new group two months ago.

In this group everyone works out their parts at home like professionals. AND we all have the same goals and enjoy playing the same kinds of music.

I could not possibly be more thrilled. I say bail immediately, before you waste a lot of time too!
 
#40
We put up a big sign:

"This is rehearsal - practice is what you do at home."

Darn guitar player told us to f* off. He's not in the band any more, but then neither am I.

He used to ask me all the time to go through changes he should know. How can you miss the change up on Takin' Care of Business after playing it for a year?

I would show it to him, he would say I was wrong, drummer would roll his eyes, singer would sigh.

BTW, I voted the third option. To me it's like a woman tryin to fix what's wrong with a man. When it works it's a great story, but when it doesn't... it's a mini-series.
 

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