How to make someone... Come to practice...

[kuys]

[ot]

I suggest you and your band mates do the vocals the best you can. Even if you have to read the lyrics off of a music stand. You'll get better and at least you can get through rehearsal on your own.

Maybe one of you even has a decent voice. Good practice for doing backup harmonies. Move on w/o the vocalist until you find another one, if necessary.

I also suggest you practice vocals between rehearsals. Maybe even have a vocal practice with acoustic guitars. Don't worry that it doesn't come out perfectly. Think how much you'll improve over the next 5 years if you start today. No time to waste! Have fun with it. You'll do better than you think.

[/ot]

I'm staring to think about it. I've been looking for a good vocal coach. I've been told that when I get drunk (only time people other than my wife hear me sing), I can nail Tom Waits during the island years. After four or five songs my throat is completely destroyed but hey who would of thought smoking 30 cigarettes a day would be a boon?

 

[longfinger]

I agree with a lot of what was written before. I'll add some thoughts, and another point of view.

Like what's already been written, it's about motivation. If a band rehearsal is productive, happy, fun, exciting, people clear their schedules and make the commitment to show up. If the band rehearsal is unproductive, depressing, frustrating, a hassle, people naturally will ditch the rehearsal to do something else they deem to be better.

You all need to get together and talk.

You can replace him and continue. But also consider this. A quality singer-guitarist, is a one-person band in a sense and and can show up to a place and play all by himself. He can show up by himself and deliver, or he can show up with 3 other people supporting him, bass, drums, lead guitar and deliver.

-If with the 3 other people, the band is worse and less musically effective that it is without the 3 other people, then the singer/guitarist has no motivation to include them in his pursuits.
-If with the 3 other people, the band is better and more musically effective that it is without the 3 other people, the singer/guitarist has motivation to include them in his pursuits.

The better the band, -> the better the rewards of being with said band -> the greater motivation there is to be with said band.


So in your case, is your absentee guy better with you 3, or is he better without you 3?
Do you bring enough to the table to make it worthwhile for him to show up?
If no, then you need to work on bringing more to the table. If yes, then explain that to him. If he still doesn't come by, then ditch him and find some else who can bring more to your table.

It's just another point of view to consider.

 

[IbanezBass69]

^^^ Awesome ideas, I guess I never really thought about that. Perhaps I will have to make sure the other members and I are bringing enough to this table for it to be worth it.

I am really hoping the answer is yes, and I didn't just find out simply playing the most important instrument (someone has to say it) isn't enough...

 

[Jazzdogg]

In my last band, we'd rehearse with whoever showed up. Some of the rehearsals that made us the tightest were the ones attended by only the rhythm section, and the ones without a drummer.

If you get your band tight without him, he may enjoy playing with you enough to show up more often.

Ultimately, this isn't about him at all. It's about the kinds of choices you're willing to make, both individually and collectively.

Never try to teach a pig to sing: it wastes your time and annoys the pig.

 

[invader3k]

I think it was Woody Allen who said something along the lines of, "95% of life is just showing up."

 

[WalterBush]

Sounds to me like the best way to get this guy to show up for practice would be fire him.

He'll learn his lesson and show up to someone else's practice as planned, or he won't. Either way, he's not your problem anymore.

It doesn't matter how good he is, or how good you guys are, if he isn't showing, nothing's happening, so what's the point? Form a band of your own with the people who show and stop worrying about wayward band members. New songs can be written, new contacts can be made; you guys bring stuff to the table, too, or you can learn to without this schmuck.

I don't think there's anything you can do to change his behavior, though. You can lead a horse to water, but you can only hold his head under so long before he drowns.