Involuntary Substitution

[Skokiaan]

Isn't your band original's?? I ask/say this because cover band's shouldn't need to rehearse weekly(assuming OP's group is cover's only), IME it'd be *maybe* a few times a year(seriously!!)...

In original group's I have a different view of course

We play eight original songs, none of which are new or complicated and all are tight. The rest are blues or blues-rock. Most have three to five chords. There is only one singer, so no harmonies to work out.

Even with original bands, I've never been in one that rehearsed weekly. I played in a five piece core band that would expand to ten pieces with horns and backing singers for bigger gigs. We had just one rehearsal before the first gig. We also had just one rehearsal with the full ten pieces before playing a series of gigs, the first of which was filmed. It was tight.

I play with another original band about once a year. No rehearsal. We get a song list (often last minute) and I keep some charts nearby just in case. It always goes well. (Years ago we would have the occasional rehearsal).

Another original band called me on a Wednesday to play two gigs that same weekend, including a live radio broadcast on Sunday. We had a meeting (not even a real rehearsal) on Friday to touch on the setlist and arrangements and the band leader handed me her CDs. I listened to the songs on Friday, typed out charts as needed, and played Saturday and Sunday. The gigs went flawlessly. I finished out the summer with them.

As I've said elsewhere, I am always prepared.

I'm not saying I never need to rehearse. Weekly is just too much for what we're doing.

 

[40Hz]

My replacement ultimatum is not a bluff. I do not want to be in a band where I can be dropped from a gig at the whim of the bandleader. I am not a hired hand here, like I am in other bands. I'm a full member and I am always prepared.

The Mrs. is not involved in the discussion. I just keep her informed. Her reactions to things tend to be knee-jerk, while I am more measured. We balance each other well.

Hi!

Didn't say you were bluffing.

But my earlier comment that the only acceptable response to somebody who drops a line on me (if I'm the BL) like you dropped on yours is: Sorry you feel that way about it. Good luck!

Truth is, you kinda come across to me as feeling you're rather superior and above that particular band. So unless you enjoy slumming or something, I can't help but wonder why you're still with them at all. Maybe I'm reading you wrong, but that's the way it sounds to me.

Either way it's no skin off my hide.

Good luck going forward.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

That might apply to you, but it is completely untrue as written. Some of the tightest, greatest recordings of all time were recorded unrehearsed. Tightness has to do with experience and ability of the musicians. Not how often they rehearse as a band.

You are correct, Joe; however, you are talking about recording where you can do it until you get it right or the guy paying the studio tab strangles you. For live bands, tight comes from doing it. I submit live performances are better for getting tight than rehearsals are. At least, that has been my experience.

 

[Skokiaan]

It's not your call. Presumably you knew the practice schedule before you joined the band. If you didn't, that's on you.

Since I am neither contracted nor salaried then it is at least partially my call.

When I joined they said rehearsals were "Mondays." This means (to me) that when we rehearse it will be on a Monday, not every Monday. I never agreed to every Monday. They also said we gig "on weekends." Well we don't gig three out of four weekends every month.

My other band rehearses "Tuesdays." Our last rehearsal was January to work out arrangements with a fill-in drummer.

 

[Skokiaan]

Hi!

Didn't say you were bluffing.

But my earlier comment that the only acceptable response to somebody who drops a line on me (if I'm the BL) like you dropped on yours is: Sorry you feel that way about it. Good luck!

Truth is, you kinda come across to me as feeling you're rather superior and above that particular band. So unless you enjoy slumming or something, I can't help but wonder why you're still with them at all. Maybe I'm reading you wrong, but that's the way it sounds to me.

Either way it's no skin off my hide.

Good luck going forward.

The bandleader dropped the line on me by giving the gig to a sub over a band member. It's bad form. I've never heard of this happening.

I'm not superior or above this band. They are all great players and cool people. Being great players, they don't need to rehearse four times for every one gig. I'm certain the other two members would be happy to rehearse less. I just have a stronger opinion about it.

 

[smogg]

Hmmm let's see here,
Blues-rock based cover band plays out once a month but needs to "rehearse" once a week? Why? I can see rehearsing once a month to bring in a new tune or two and/or to fix any glitches from the last show. Other wise why bother. Polish your parts on your own time not mine. That's why God invented CD & mp3 players.

 

[Skokiaan]

I meant that the BL is going to find a bassist that will love his project as much as he does. And you're right, seasoned professionals do not have to practice that often... Key words: seasoned professionals.

I am the seventh or eighth bassist for this band since 2007. Drummer said the previous guys were each kinda nuts. I trust his opinions, so there may be some truth to it.

 

[DirtDog]

Champing at the bit vs. chomping at the bit - Grammarist an interesting little read on this idiom

My read is that it's "champing" when you're at an equestrian event and "chomping" when you're working farm animals.

And OP - I feel your pain. Best you can do is discuss how your priorities line up (or don't) with the BL's expectations. If they don't match, time to move on. No need for anyone to get upset.

 

[Joe Nerve]

You are correct, Joe; however, you are talking about recording where you can do it until you get it right or the guy paying the studio tab strangles you. For live bands, tight comes from doing it. I submit live performances are better for getting tight than rehearsals are. At least, that has been my experience.

Nope. I'm talking about the bands that did it in 1 or 2 takes back in the 60s and 70s before protools.

 

[gln1955]

When I joined they said rehearsals were "Mondays." This means (to me) that when we rehearse it will be on a Monday, not every Monday. I never agreed to every Monday. They also said we gig "on weekends." Well we don't gig three out of four weekends every month.

That's a lot of assumprtions to make. It's usually better to communicate and make sure everyone is on the same page before joining a band. The failure to do so accounts for probably 90% of the band management threads on TB.

 

[T Bassman]

Seems like the BL wants a glee club rather than a chill working wknd band to me.

I've encountered these types before too. Like an extra 3 rehearsals a month are gonna make his special rendition of Mustang Sally life changing for anybody.

It's totally fair to not allow someone else to leverage/maipulate you into committing time to something that just won't pay the same dividend back, and especially in that slimey way he's pushing you, using the 'sub in the wings' routine. I don't blame you dude for being turned off of that silliness.

It's silly to expect that many rehearsals for a casual bar band made up of solid players who don't need the babysitting. Sounds to me like you've outgrown these clowns.

 

[Robroy]

I think you and the BL (and the band) need a sitdown to determine frequency of rehearsals. Different bands do it differently. I have one band that never rehearses, unless it is to put together a new tune. Others like regular rehearsals. If he is set on that, you have a choice to make - sounds like you are busy anyway.

Yep.
I joined a band about four months ago. They said the rehearsed every tuesday. After our first gig, my attitude is, "good, 'cause we need it". However, two members seem to be satisfied with "hey, at least there were no train wrecks" and are constantly finding reasons to skip rehearsal (and if one skips, rehearsal is cancelled).

It's a five piece, and the other three members are me, one of the guitar players (the better one) and the drummer. We are also the most committed to being GOOD and want to play. So I pulled a fast one. Since everyone in the band sings lead on a few songs, I asked the "pseudo" band leader (drummer) how he felt about a "subset" band made of the three of us. We'll play most of the same songs except for the stuff that really requires keys, add a few others that really work with a three piece, and then we can seek out "other" gigs. At least we can still rehearse and the three of us can get really good as a team. I also told him I'd be happy to inform the others what we are doing.

The drummer's response was, "send me a set list".

 

[wintremute]

Sounds like the whole band needs to sit down and have a discussion. If no one is a "hired gun" and everyone is an equal member, then a discussion about when rehearsal is really needed should occur. I suggest Monday, the next time you rehearse.

 

[Duder]

Sounds like the whole band needs to sit down and have a discussion. If no one is a "hired gun" and everyone is an equal member, then a discussion about when rehearsal is really needed should occur. I suggest Monday, the next time you rehearse.

If everyone is an equal member, then how is there a band leader? This is more posed to the OP, but you were the last to mention it.

 

[buldog5151bass]

And some people just like to play. I am in a jazz combo that rarely gigs (try finding places that pay you decent money to play jazz around here). The other players are amazing (and then there is me ). We rehearse once a week because we enjoy it.

 

[wintremute]

We're all equal...except for the guy in charge. He's a little more equal.

 

[Skokiaan]

If everyone is an equal member, then how is there a band leader? This is more posed to the OP, but you were the last to mention it.

I was told everyone is equal, but there is clearly a de facto leader. He books the (few) gigs, calls the rehearsals, chooses 90% of the tunes, sings every song. We rehearse at his house (where he offers dinner and drinks).

 

[BluesWalker]

I've had that happen to me. The BL wanted to rehearse every weekend whether or not there were gigs booked...I didn't. In all honesty, if the band "needs" to rehearse that much, it probably isn't a very good band.

View attachment 833972

I love rehearsals because I like to play in a group setting as much as possible. I was once in three bands, each of them rehearsed once a week and I got about 4 gigs a month out the three of them. It was a blast.

 

[BluesWalker]

When I lived in Chicago many years ago, I once got to watch Lonnie Brooks rehearse his band on a Saturday afternoon. They were the headliners that night at Kingston Mines. Keep in mind, this was a tight band, they had been touring for years. In spite of that, Lonnie rehearsed the hell out of them to tighten up some parts on a couple of songs. That experience reinforced the the value I have for rehearsals.

 

[Skokiaan]

I love rehearsals because I like to play in a group setting as much as possible. I was once in three bands, each of them rehearsed once a week and I got about 4 gigs a month out the three of them. It was a blast.

That sounds like my nightmare. I have had as many as three rehearsals with three different bands in a week. That's hell for me, and is an additional reason NOT to rehearse every week. I have a life outside of music and need time for that, too, including a new house with a lawn to mow.

The novelty of playing with people just to play wore off many years ago. I'm sure plenty of people have played much more than I have, but I have played a lot of gigs (I actually keep track). Playing in front of an audience is immeasurably more enjoyable to rehearsing or worse, jamming. The energy is way better. I just can't stay excited for the third run through of a song in somebody's basement studio after having worked all day, especially when it's a song we play every gig without issue. (If a song needs work, fine, but few songs we do need that much work).

As I mentioned earlier, my wife is a singer. We play together in my other band and are also starting up a little acoustic band for afternoon or happy hour gigs. The acoustic band needs rehearsal (there's one tonight) as we are altering arrangements, changing keys and working out harmonies. Plus, while the guitarist/singer is a talented guy he has not gigged in many years and is clearly nervous. To his credit, he has been doing a ton of woodshedding at home and comes to rehearsal prepared. No gigs scheduled yet.

A more typical gig for my wife goes like this: A bandleader calls her to see if she is available to fill in at a big club, a small restaurant, a corporate party or for a wedding. If she is, she gets a song list (covers, of course) with the key for each. She woodsheds at home for a few days and goes straight to the gig. No rehearsal. Often she doesn't even meet some of the people she's performing with until the gig. She's a pro.