Prioritizing and rehearsal time

[dbsfgyd1]

Yep, we can also get quite annoyed with each other, but for part-timers that gig maybe every 6 weeks if we're on a roll, we till our row pretty well!

Well put.

 

[IamGroot]

This doesn't help when it's all being pushed at you at once for shows that are weeks out but rehearsals are days away. I have plenty of time to learn the material. The problem, once again, is not me, nor my skill at time management. The problem is too many rehearsals that I don't need which get in the way of my ability to effectively manage my time. I see zero point to going into a rehearsal without being properly prepared, but this insistence on too many advance rehearsals is driving me to spend time doing non-priority work while priority work piles up.

May I gently suggest you tell them you looked at your calendar and you are overbooked and when can we reschedule. Dont be a victim.

 

[LBS-bass]

My anxiety over next weekend's show is greatly reduced after today. I spent a good bit of time in personal practice this morning, then spent a couple of hours going over starts/stops and tempo stuff with drummer/husband, and then the others came by to rehearse. As expected, those guys did their homework and there's been a lightyear's worth of improvement since last time.

I am really proud of my husband for the work he's doing here. It's not easy material and the guy he replaced is a monster player. Two years ago if you'd told me he would be playing like this I would have laughed at you.

I am coaching him to a degree, but he's working very hard on his own and at this point all I have to add in terms of coaching is a little finesse and polish. We sounded amazing tonight.

Assuming everyone continues to do their personal work over the next week, I have no worries. Our voices are strong and our harmonies are super tight. All my personal practice time is free to refine my own stuff and work with my husband to make sure he has the confidence he needs. I am much less stressed than I was yesterday.

 

[pepj]

As a general rule, friends and bands don't mix, imv.
Bands which make new friends is ok...but I'm looking at chemistry and dynamic first.
Of course, they can't be idiots either.

I know loads of drummers friends and gtr friends etc...but that number diminishes a lot as to whether we play together.

 

[mrcbass]

My anxiety over next weekend's show is greatly reduced after today. I spent a good bit of time in personal practice this morning, then spent a couple of hours going over starts/stops and tempo stuff with drummer/husband, and then the others came by to rehearse. As expected, those guys did their homework and there's been a lightyear's worth of improvement since last time.

I am really proud of my husband for the work he's doing here. It's not easy material and the guy he replaced is a monster player. Two years ago if you'd told me he would be playing like this I would have laughed at you.

I am coaching him to a degree, but he's working very hard on his own and at this point all I have to add in terms of coaching is a little finesse and polish. We sounded amazing tonight.

Assuming everyone continues to do their personal work over the next week, I have no worries. Our voices are strong and our harmonies are super tight. All my personal practice time is free to refine my own stuff and work with my husband to make sure he has the confidence he needs. I am much less stressed than I was yesterday.

It seems like it's almost required to have a bubble of stress when preparing new material for a show (or two). Glad your mates were ready for the rehearsal. Breathe....

 

[LBS-bass]

It seems like it's almost required to have a bubble of stress when preparing new material for a show (or two). Glad your mates were ready for the rehearsal. Breathe....

A ton of my stress, in retrospect, had to do with not finding time to sit down with my husband and coach him on the things I knew he'd need help with. Now that I was able to do that and get a really good rehearsal out of it, I'm feeling more confident. We just need a few more sessions together to drill in some of those things.

Unfortunately, he has learned to play primarily from online materials and recorded teachers. The stuff I'm working with him on is basic stuff that a good teacher would have addressed from day one, but he never had anyone to really drill him on things like deep listening, memorizing song forms to get away from the paper, relaxing into the rhythm, tempo consistency, fully internalizing tempos from a count-off, etc. The drummer he's replacing was a human metronome and the guys (and me) are used to that level of consistency, so he and I are now working on it.

What he used to think are acceptable tempo variations he's learning aren't acceptable at the higher levels. The nice thing about all of this is that, after years of not wanting to hear anything I had to say, he's now at the point where he wants to be coached, and the stuff I'm offering him will put the finishing touches on. When I get through with him he should be able to name his price, and he'll be a much better drummer than I am a bassist at that point.

 

[El Güero]

The drummer he's replacing was a human metronome

Glad things are smoothing out for you.

I like the drums on this, and it seems to slowly accelerate throughout.

 

[LBS-bass]

Glad things are smoothing out for you.

I like the drums on this, and it seems to slowly accelerate throughout.

A lot of early recordings are like that. Drives me crazy when I'm learning some of those songs. Not as noticeable to the casual listener, especially if it happens slowly over five minutes or so.

But a singer who's trying to measure breath and phrasing or a soloist who's trying to play a fast or tricky part is going to notice that stuff and not be too pleased if accelerating tempos make it hard for them to do their job well.

 

[JRA]

I am much less stressed than I was yesterday.

i'm glad things are working out, @LBS-bass!

 

[buldog5151bass]

Rehearsal is what the band does after each band member knows all their individual parts

 

[gtmalone]

Rehearsal is what the band does after each band member knows all their individual parts

^ Yeah, that.

 

[vvvmmm]

I've only ever really been in original garage and bar bands (vs. pro or cover bands), but players always learned/hadda be taught parts during "practice".

"Rehearsal" was for immediately before gigs.

Sometimes we'd free-for-all and call it a "jam".

 

[LBS-bass]

I've only ever really been in original garage and bar bands (vs. pro or cover bands), but players always learned/hadda be taught parts during "practice".

"Rehearsal" was for immediately before gigs.

Sometimes we'd free-for-all and call it a "jam".

Different terminology .

Rehearsal to me is playing through the songs one by one with the full band, or mostly full band. You might stop to go over tricky parts or clarify stops and starts, but everyone should have a good idea how the music goes in rehearsal.

Practice is mainly what we do at home with the intention of learning something. You prepare for rehearsal by practicing and learning the music. You don't have to prepare for practice, practice is when you prepare. You might agree to get together with others and learn together, but if you're just working out your parts, that is practice.

Dress rehearsal is the last rehearsal before a show where you do a solid run-through with no stopping to discuss.

 

[vvvmmm]

I will add that often the best part was the "post-mortem". Even if it was a garbage show, there were laughs and booze and a cuppla friends/fans.

I do miss that stuff ...

Still tryna get it back.

 

[QweziRider]

Did you ever feel like you want to just wipe the slate clean and start over with different people?

I have, indeed. I'm like you, I'd rather do my own work in my space, then have rehearsal (if it's necessary) much closer to the show date. One thing I despise is being at a rehearsal for the benefit of everyone else when they haven't put in time on their own with the songs.

 

[LBS-bass]

I will add that often the best part was the "post-mortem". Even if it was a garbage show, there were laughs and booze and a cuppla friends/fans.

I do miss that stuff ...

Still tryna get it back.

This particular band has a great hang. We work really hard when we have a show coming up. When the pressure is off, we spend a lot of time jamming on stuff we've never played together before. Everyone has a lot of music stored in the memory banks; someone will say something that reminds someone else of a song, a riff gets played, and off we go

Hope you can get it back. There's not much that's more fun when all the elements are there.

 

[Renaissance]

Here's a transcription I did of Witchy Woman a few years ago. It's pretty accurate I think although there are some sections I would have written differently now. Hope it helps.

 

[LBS-bass]

Here's a transcription I did of Witchy Woman a few years ago. It's pretty accurate I think although there are some sections I would have written differently now. Hope it helps.

Thanks! I'll check it out in a bit. Heading to a different rehearsal but wanted to let you know I appreciate this.