Just when we're about to boot the singer...

[LaughingGroove]

Define "dead awful" at practice...

I was always under the impression practice was the perfect time to experiment, to screw up, see what works and what doesn't. Better there than on stage, right? And if he's nailing it on stage then that tells me (from what little I know) that he knows the show is not the time to go screwing off and playing around with things he shouldn't be playing with.

+1

Also, not sure how long he has been with your band or how often you have practiced. But IME, some guys take awhile to feel comfortable with a new group, might take him a little while to settle in and feel comfortable to let loose.

I'd say if he nailed the gig then give him more time, and see if he keeps doing well at gigs, if he does then there should be no problem.

 

[mkrtu9]

I think honesty goes a long way. Have you spoken with him about the thoughts the rest of you have been having? Do for others as you want them to do for you.

 

[baalroo]

I hear what you all are saying about dogging it at rehearsals, but to my mind, you want to play at a performance level during rehearsal for the good of the entire band.

A singer has to drive the band and give us something to play off of. If he or she dogs it at rehearsals, we don't get a chance to see what will happen at the performance.

I disagree, that's a perfect way to get burnt out and bored with the material prematurely. Practice is for working out kinks and trying things out, not playing "rock god" in a mirror.

p.s. I tend to go pretty hard at practice most of the time, one of our guitarists does not. Personally I think it helps iron out the performance aspects of playing the music, but the guitarist is like your singer and mostly just doesn't want to burn himself out for the shows. So, I understand both sides of the argument and am playing devil's advocate here.

 

[Tony In Philly]

Oh well, at least he's not the opposite -- great at rehearsals and awful at gigs. Now, that would really be a good reason to give him the boot.

 

[Passinwind]

Stop rehearsing and play more gigs?

 

[ForSix]

I disagree, that's a perfect way to get burnt out and bored with the material prematurely. Practice is for working out kinks and trying things out, not playing "rock god" in a mirror.

p.s. I tend to go pretty hard at practice most of the time, one of our guitarists does not. Personally I think it helps iron out the performance aspects of playing the music, but the guitarist is like your singer and mostly just doesn't want to burn himself out for the shows. So, I understand both sides of the argument and am playing devil's advocate here.

Judging from the way everyone seems to run rehearsals, it appears that I'm the one who is the devil's advocate.

We went from zero gigs in 2002 to 73 gigs in 2008 doing it my way.

 

[Skyblue977]

We enjoy rehearsal. Not as much as a gig but for a bunch of blokes who work for a living this is one of lifes pleasures. Thus we all want it to go well. We are going to raise this with him tomorrow night. I called him today and told him we had a booking for this weekend and his response was "Sorry, can't do it. I'm going on a cruise for 2 weeks starting Saturday." Oh well, I'll do what I can to cover. It does mean I have to simplify a bit of my playing and I'm also and ordinary singer but i guess it has to be done.

 

[mikethecannibal]

i like the idea of immolating him in a chair, that sounds pretty good right there

 

[Kingkananga]

We enjoy rehearsal. Not as much as a gig but for a bunch of blokes who work for a living this is one of lifes pleasures. Thus we all want it to go well. We are going to raise this with him tomorrow night. I called him today and told him we had a booking for this weekend and his response was "Sorry, can't do it. I'm going on a cruise for 2 weeks starting Saturday." Oh well, I'll do what I can to cover. It does mean I have to simplify a bit of my playing and I'm also and ordinary singer but i guess it has to be done.

Band management is often a real problem and a stress within the group. You need to know where a players commitment lies and also what they can and cant do.

Equally it sounds like he may have had this cruise booked for a while, so either he has not told you an didnt think it was a problem because no gigs booked, or you haven't asked before making bookings.

I completely understand how awkward it can be, drummer and guitarist seriously lazy, but their commitment is there and i just have to stay on top of what we can and can't do and double check before booking.

 

[IanStephenson]

I called him today and told him we had a booking for this weekend and his response was "Sorry, can't do it. I'm going on a cruise for 2 weeks starting Saturday."

Personally, if we get a booking at short notice, even if the diary says we're free the guys call around and check we can all make it. They assume that at less than a couple of weeks notice we probably have plans that we haven't told them about.

If the gig was in the diary and he booked the cruise then he's an idiot.
If the weeks were free, and he booked the cruise months ago but didn't tell you then he's an idiot.

If the next two weeks were free, and he got a decided to grab a couple of weeks away at the last minute, then that's fair game. If we have nothing booked for this weekend (as it happens we don't), then I'll asume I can make plans.

As for not performing at rehersals, it's unclear what you mean by "bad". If you're having to babysit him then that's a problem, but otherwise they're obviously working for him, cause they prepared him for the gig.

 

[Intune]

He nails it at a gig. Big time. Remebers the lyrycs, doesn't overplay, gets the crowd involved and leads us well. At rehearsal he is just dead awful. Any ideas on how to get him "up" at rehearsals?

Define how he is being "awful" pls. "...doesn't overplay..." Is he a git player and a singer?

Our rehearsals are pretty laid back. If I want to pull up a chair 'cause I feel a little tired the git player isn't gonna say, "hey this is the part where we put our backs together & rock, dood." Now if you do have choreographed parts you are going to have to work on them at some point, same with lighting plots, pyro (don't ask me how I know the importance of this one. Do they still sell flash-powder? New eyebrows? ) But that is a different kind of rehearsal.

I don't expect nor want the lead to be swingin' around Daltryesque during practice. That stuff hurts. Me AND my Sad... Just sing the dang song Jethro.

If I want to sing a song an octave down 'cause of my cold am I being "awful?" If the drummer ducks out for a quick smoke while we're figuring out a progression is he being "awful?" If he stays out there too damn long and gets on the phone while we're ready to try the part THEN he's being "awful!" You have to give us more info as to what's actually happening at your rehearsals.

 

[DudeistMonk]

Define "dead awful" at practice...

I was always under the impression practice was the perfect time to experiment, to screw up, see what works and what doesn't. Better there than on stage, right? And if he's nailing it on stage then that tells me (from what little I know) that he knows the show is not the time to go screwing off and playing around with things he shouldn't be playing with.

+1 This is what I was thinking as well...at practice I attempt fills I shouldn't that screw up transitions, try new lines, screw with my tone....ext. I wouldn't do those things on stage but I do them to improve what I'm going to do on stage and apparently the same is true for your vocalist.

 

[Kaneesel]

DRUGS AND ALCAHOL!

works for me......I've never had to deal with this problem. The band i'm in has no lead. Three-peice. I say sit him down and tell him whats up. If he doesnt change...at least he's good at gigs right?

 

[stflbn]

Practice is for going through material and and making sure parts are known, and for potentially trying different things that may not end well. It's 'practice'.

Gigging is for pulling it all together and performing and hopefully getting paid for your 'performance'. Unless you're paying him for his practice time I think you need to lighten up.


There's nothing I hate worse than people who think they must 'perform' at practices and expect any practice to be a performance walkthrough.



.

 

[denhou1974]

My 'gig' playing is a few notches up from my 'rehearsal' playing. I also tend to overplay in rehearsals just to try out different things. And ... I sit in a chair.

 

[bergerXL5]

A front man, especialy a singer, does a lot of damage to his chords at a gig, even if he has a vocal coach or teacher. Most don't want to do that kind of damage at practice.

It's also hard to have the gig 'rush' at practice. Practice is just that...practice. My fat ass doesn't move off of the top of the cabinet for the entire time when I'm at practice...

 

[Spinal Tapper]

I think it's a symptom of future problems to come...if he's iffy at practice, it will probably go downhill from there. Just kick him out now, and save the hassle

 

[Skyblue977]

Definition of "awful" as taken from the Australian Ockers Dictionary:
Ocker:male person whom sits around in his underwear drinking beer and watching sport on the tele, also known to fart in bed and laugh loudly when his wife complains. Constantly perving at sheilas when out with his wife whom can often be seen giving him a clip across the ear, also usually middle aged, has a moustache and a beer gut. (no not me- I have no moustache nor beer gut!)
Awfulerson whom when asked to not play his guitar in certain passages states"don't you want any rythym guitar? person whom cannot remember lyrics, person whom does not learn agreed material, does not know when changes are coming up, has very poor vocal timing.
His cruise is only a local thing for a couple of days which came up at the last min as a standy by deal so no hard feelings of probs there.
We are on for practice tonight so we shall see how it goes. I'm not too concerned as I have started a second project with one of the gun guitards in town. I do feel a bit intimidated by his skill but I'm sure I'll develop by playing with him.
Now, how many "Ockers" out there?

 

[theshadow2001]

Maybe, tell him how you feel...

Nah, hitting on him wouldn't do much good.

I certainly don't preform at practice. I just play the right notes and look out the window. At a gig I'm a bit more animated. Unless your planning on choreographing your shows I wouldn't worry too much about this.

 

[stuonbass]

rehearse only at gigs - or - hire a fluffer for rehearsal.