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- Aug 20, 2012
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Ever screw up at rehearsal?
- Thread starter dbase
- Start date
Rehearsal.. what's that? We determine which songs we want to do, we each learn our parts and then put it together at the gig. Works pretty well, most of the time. Train wrecks here and there, but we get it fixed the second or third time around. We live too far apart and in all different directions to hold rehearsals. If we have enough time after set-up (we have no roadies) we'll run over the new stuff. Nobody points out the others mistakes because there are plenty to go around. We are all having fun though. Good thing, 'cause ain't no money in it.
Playing a 5 string for the first time in rehearsal, I really dug in on the open E string, let it ring, a statement note. Unfortunately it was the B. Ouchy.
At rehearsal I thought I was playing an A, but it was an Ab. It's as though someone farted and it became a train wreck as everybody was looking at one another to determine who did it. I cant stop laughing at the screw up I did. I normally don't play like that. But it was a train wreck. They caught me. Lets hear your train wrecks. I know I'm not the only one.
View attachment 3456464
Well that is what rehearsals are for, to catch that stuff.
I think the biggest screw up i had in recent memory was some song the BL wanted to do. he emailed it, we never rehearsed it. He said to play it in D, I must have missed that...Recording I learned it from was in A.
So I started playing in A onstage and couldn't understand why I was getting dirty looks from the B/L and KB player.
While I myself have never made a mistake or hit a clam during a gig 
, on a few occasions one of guitarists will either forget to put on or take off his capo. This usually leads to several measures of frivolity. One time we stopped the song and started over again, much to the audience's amusement.
, on a few occasions one of guitarists will either forget to put on or take off his capo. This usually leads to several measures of frivolity. One time we stopped the song and started over again, much to the audience's amusement.
I know the look on everybody's face OP talks about and it's hilarious 
I got that happened at a bar gig. We all started a song, only the song I thought we're playing is different theirs, and in a different key.. Didn't realise it until the downbeat
I got that happened at a bar gig. We all started a song, only the song I thought we're playing is different theirs, and in a different key.. Didn't realise it until the downbeat 
All the time.
I tend to overplay at rehearsal to:
1- Try out improvisation ideas
2- Identify passages that I may mess up at shows, and give them special attention.
I tend to overplay at rehearsal to:
1- Try out improvisation ideas
2- Identify passages that I may mess up at shows, and give them special attention.
skyline_01
Endorsing artist: Nordstrand Audio, Tsunami Cables
Most recent was a sound check at an outdoor festival gig last weekend. We were running through one of our originals so the soundman could get a full band level. In the early part of the song I apparently skipped ahead to the bridge about 16 bars too early and didn't even know it until close to the end of the song. There were plenty of eyes on us at that point so it was more than a little bit embarrassing but I tried to laugh it off and move on and said to myself that next to no one in the audience knows the song or would care anyway. I chalked it up to the fact that I couldn't hear the guitar through the monitors (which was true) but also that I just had an extreme brain fart.
Still collected $200 at the end of the night and no one died so I think I can live with it.
Still collected $200 at the end of the night and no one died so I think I can live with it.
I played the whole intro to a song a full step flat. The tenor player was about to come in, noticed, and all-of-a-sudden the song was in A. The singer didn't really notice, but said later it sounded a little low for her.
Well at least a B still works with an E. If anyone asks, you could just say you did it on purpose to add some dissonance.
Doesn't matter who you are, or how long you've played, there's always the possibility of messing up
The
I like to reserve that stuff for church services. Coming in on the wrong count, staring off into space on breaks, tripping on power cables, etc. Good stuff
The best was when I had to sub in for a drummer during a Christmas thing. I was playing some electric kit thing, the stick flipped out of my hand and rolled over to the bass player. I got half up and reached for it. He picked it up and handed it to me. My right hand never lost count on the snare. Can you believe that? Then on my way back to sit down (snare still going) my foot hit the power cable to the brain of the kit. It went out, our drums went dead and I had no idea besides plugging it back in how to retrieve the “kit” I was on. Oh Holy Night it was...;/
Yes I live there. You were only a half step off, optimistically speaking.At rehearsal I thought I was playing an A, but it was an Ab. It's as though someone farted and it became a train wreck as everybody was looking at one another to determine who did it. I cant stop laughing at the screw up I did. I normally don't play like that. But it was a train wreck. They caught me. Lets hear your train wrecks. I know I'm not the only one.
View attachment 3456464
I like to reserve that stuff for church services. Coming in on the wrong count, staring off into space on breaks, tripping on power cables, etc. Good stuff
The best was when I had to sub in for a drummer during a Christmas thing. I was playing some electric kit thing, the stick flipped out of my hand and rolled over to the bass player. I got half up and reached for it. He picked it up and handed it to me. My right hand never lost count on the snare. Can you believe that? Then on my way back to sit down (snare still going) my foot hit the power cable to the brain of the kit. It went out, our drums went dead and I had no idea besides plugging it back in how to retrieve the “kit” I was on. Oh Holy Night it was...;/
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I dunno, but sometimes I'll show our guitarist the tab to a guitar part in rehearsal, and he'll say, "I can't read tab." I'm like, no, you can't read music. That's why they invented tab! <facepalm>
He tries to learn every part by ear, which is commendable and truly makes you a better musician. But sometimes you either gotta get close by ear and use tab to polish the apple, or just stop being a purist, quit dropping the needle on the 45 over and over again, Keef, and read the tab.
Plus, he's an old juke joint blues guy, so EVERYTHING he plays by ear sounds like the blues. It's kind of his super power.
He tries to learn every part by ear, which is commendable and truly makes you a better musician. But sometimes you either gotta get close by ear and use tab to polish the apple, or just stop being a purist, quit dropping the needle on the 45 over and over again, Keef, and read the tab.
Plus, he's an old juke joint blues guy, so EVERYTHING he plays by ear sounds like the blues. It's kind of his super power.
