Anyone have really bad practices? Nothing inherently terrible about it, just seems really bad.... I just had one... honestly, if I had to base my future with this band off one practice, I'd be on the first train outta town... I guess it's just one of those days...
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Ever have a practice that just really pissed you off?
- Thread starter SMILEYSIXX
- Start date
I haven't had a bad practice in 2+ years...that was the last time I had to fire someone who wasn't on the same page as the rest of the band...
to be honist with my band its kinda the oposit. our drummer is at collage, guitar player and our synth player is at uni so its trying to find time to practace. plus studios are expencive and were all broke
Yeah, any practice where someone chooses to learn thier parts then rather than at home and practices where people will not stop noodling, especially when trying to iron out vocal harmonies or when we're trying to have a discussion.
What do you mean by bad? I've had practices where me and the singer would get into fights, I'd pack my stuff up and leave while he would sulk in a corner... then we'd make up. Kinda cute actually.
Sometimes there can just be a bad vibe going on that isn't any one persons fault. Kinda like everyone's got the blues; but not in a good musical way. It's best to try and identify what the cause of that is and just avoid it. For me it was normally fatigue.
ex: Band just drove 9+ hours all night long, no sleep and straight to work for everyone. Work all day and then get off work and head to band practice because we're trying to be good and not blow off a practice. Everyone is so tired from the last 48 hours that it's almost impossible to have a worthwhile practice. Lesson learned, no practices the night after a situation like that. Just recoup and back to practice the next night.
ex: Band just drove 9+ hours all night long, no sleep and straight to work for everyone. Work all day and then get off work and head to band practice because we're trying to be good and not blow off a practice. Everyone is so tired from the last 48 hours that it's almost impossible to have a worthwhile practice. Lesson learned, no practices the night after a situation like that. Just recoup and back to practice the next night.
We are all in the same spot in life, give or take a couple of years. We all respect each others time, and share the same goal as what we expect out of the band. We respect each others time and opinions. Forward momentum without drama. That being said, if we get started in practice and we just aren't feeling it, we usually finish our beers, pack up, and head to Chipotle a little early. It's supposed to be fun, and we make sure we keep it that way.
Not sure what kind of music you play, but there are times it doesn't work, times where one person has a specific thing in mind and can't articulate, and times where people just aren't in the mood.
That said, to me, a bad practice is when people let ego get in the way, or when people aren't prepared for practice. Those 2 situations will piss you off.
That said, to me, a bad practice is when people let ego get in the way, or when people aren't prepared for practice. Those 2 situations will piss you off.
Practices are only bad when they are no longer fun. It's suppose to be fun to see just good how everyone can sound together. Also you should be enjoying the company of your band mates. If playing music and hanging around your band mates is no longer fun then probably time to do something else with your time.
Lots of that today... we've been writing this song for a while now, and everyone knew their parts, but the drummer decided not to practice until today.
The vocalist couldn't write anything to match us because he's been so dead set on a different style recently.
The guitarist can't grasp 3/4 time and was noodling constantly.
The drummer would get off topic on something else then tell everyone else to get on track.
The one thing that really got under my skin is that I had a song written and everyone in the band is wanting to change everything about it, going from heavy metal (my intention) to some screamo crap...
Yeah, I used to be in a start-up band like this.
Key word: USED to be.
An old drummer friend contacted me about a new band... think I might take that offer...
had some singer problems last week
although i do appreciate her enthusiasm and ability to sing on key every song...
please learn the words, please sing in time with the music, please turn the vocals down and don't point the vocal monitor towards me so i can't hear the drums or myself, don't download the lyrics off of the internet and think they're right, just because somebody posted them
although i do appreciate her enthusiasm and ability to sing on key every song...
please learn the words, please sing in time with the music, please turn the vocals down and don't point the vocal monitor towards me so i can't hear the drums or myself, don't download the lyrics off of the internet and think they're right, just because somebody posted them
There's your problem. You should all be rehearsing as a unit rather than practicing. Practicing is what you do on your own time at home. When you come together as a unit you rehearse what you've practiced.
Band practices almost always piss me off because usually very little if anything gets accomplished.
I have been there and understand. Am very lucky to have been in one now celebrating our 10th year together, best of friends, and yet we still want to strangle each other at times. 
Just releasing our 6th cd together allthough new name.
Just releasing our 6th cd together allthough new name.
When we work on new material, sometimes after the first session (or even second) I may have trouble with riff construction or timing, even after taking it home and practicing. Usually after running through it with the band once or twice my muscle memory takes over and I will have it down again. It never takes me more than 3 sessions to learn a song, but I can't speak for other musicians I have worked with...
Admittedly, I have had some sessions where things just haven't worked for us, no matter how hard we have all tried. I remember an old band of mine re-united to do a few gigs for fun and at our second rehearsal session, we just couldn't gel. We decided to call it quits and come back to it the next day where things almost magically improved and we were blowing the roof off the rehearsal room.
But constant noodling/practicing and not even remembering parts of a song? That is unexcusable.
Admittedly, I have had some sessions where things just haven't worked for us, no matter how hard we have all tried. I remember an old band of mine re-united to do a few gigs for fun and at our second rehearsal session, we just couldn't gel. We decided to call it quits and come back to it the next day where things almost magically improved and we were blowing the roof off the rehearsal room.
But constant noodling/practicing and not even remembering parts of a song? That is unexcusable.
