What are acceptable reasons for missing band practice? Is "my dog got killed" an acceptable reason? I guess it is. Just wanting your thoughts.
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Reasons for cancelling Band Practice.
- Thread starter 51PRI
- Start date
Yes to the dog thing. I have a dog. I'm not all that emotional about it. It's not "my fur baby" or anything. If my dog died, I would be at band rehearsal and never shed a tear.
That said, I'm not the whole universe. I try to be understanding of those who are very attached to their pets, emotionally. So, yes, I would absolutely understand if a band member couldn't make it to rehearsal after losing a pet.
Our band is very casual. We don't rehearse all that much to begin with. When we do, it's as much of a social event as it is "work". So I personally wouldn't care if someone canceled because their favorite team made the playoffs and they want to watch.
I also understand many of you are very rigid when it comes to rehearsal. "WE MUST REHEARSE EVERY WEEK. PERIOD. EVEN IF WE ONLY GIG ONCE A MONTH THOU SHALT NOT MISS WEEKLY REHEARSAL!" That's a foreign concept to me. But, like pet owners, I try to emphasize.
Short version: If someone called out on rehearsal over losing a pet, it obviously was pretty devastating to them. Let it slide. Be supportive even if you're faking it. Relax. There will be plenty of other rehearsals. If you miss the bridge in Mustang Sally at Stinky's Bar n Grill Friday night it'll be OK. Your band mate/friend is still more important.
That said, I'm not the whole universe. I try to be understanding of those who are very attached to their pets, emotionally. So, yes, I would absolutely understand if a band member couldn't make it to rehearsal after losing a pet.
Our band is very casual. We don't rehearse all that much to begin with. When we do, it's as much of a social event as it is "work". So I personally wouldn't care if someone canceled because their favorite team made the playoffs and they want to watch.
I also understand many of you are very rigid when it comes to rehearsal. "WE MUST REHEARSE EVERY WEEK. PERIOD. EVEN IF WE ONLY GIG ONCE A MONTH THOU SHALT NOT MISS WEEKLY REHEARSAL!" That's a foreign concept to me. But, like pet owners, I try to emphasize.
Short version: If someone called out on rehearsal over losing a pet, it obviously was pretty devastating to them. Let it slide. Be supportive even if you're faking it. Relax. There will be plenty of other rehearsals. If you miss the bridge in Mustang Sally at Stinky's Bar n Grill Friday night it'll be OK. Your band mate/friend is still more important.
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Yes, the death of a pet is an acceptable reason... within reason
If it happened a day or two before rehearsal, yes. Have a little compassion.If it happened a week earlier, I'd say no.
If you don't believe they are telling the truth, then you have a much more serious issue than missing one rehearsal.
It also depends on what you're rehearsing for. Is it a routine rehearsal when you're trying to score gigs at the local bars? Yes. If you preparing to play Carnegie Hall for a career-defining performance, then you should make it to rehearsal.
Are you kidding? His dog died? That's one of the two reasons men can cry - well, three: when the National Anthem is played; when one of the kids dies; when the dog dies. (I treat the ending of Old Yeller as a subset of "the dog died").
That's partly tongue-in-cheek, but only partly.
That's partly tongue-in-cheek, but only partly.
I truly believe it depends solely on which instrument the dog played.
Apparently anything the singer/songwriter says:
-I didn't take my meds
-I took too many meds
-My car has a flat / is out of gas / was abducted by D.B. Cooper
-Was that today?
-My amp is in hock
-That reminds me, can I borrow $300 to get my amp out of hock?
-Do you have a guitar I can borrow?
-Do you have some pedals I can borrow?
-My sister needs the car
-My sister left the baby seat in the car, so I have to drive all the way back home, sorry.
-It's OK if I come 3 hours late to rehearsal, right?
-My stomach is acting up
-My tendinitis is acting up
-My ADHD is an all-consuming monolith that will eventually destroy everything in its path, including this band.
(which it eventually did. I am no longer in this project.)
-I didn't take my meds
-I took too many meds
-My car has a flat / is out of gas / was abducted by D.B. Cooper
-Was that today?
-My amp is in hock
-That reminds me, can I borrow $300 to get my amp out of hock?
-Do you have a guitar I can borrow?
-Do you have some pedals I can borrow?
-My sister needs the car
-My sister left the baby seat in the car, so I have to drive all the way back home, sorry.
-It's OK if I come 3 hours late to rehearsal, right?
-My stomach is acting up
-My tendinitis is acting up
-My ADHD is an all-consuming monolith that will eventually destroy everything in its path, including this band.
(which it eventually did. I am no longer in this project.)
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Rehearsals and studies are part of the qualification and training of musicians/bands. It's very important for professional musicians who need to perform at their best. As with any work appointment - and as with any other "normal" job - you should only be absent for very important reasons. This does not apply to For Fun musicians, of course.
"my dog got killed" sounds pretty traumatic. Around here it would mean got hit by a car or eaten by coyotes. Even if it was more like "died after a prolonged illness" that can have a profound impact on some pet owners. I don't know why you wouldn't cut the band member some slack this time. For the great majority of us, this isn't our job. It's not that important.
Young parents are a thing to look out for. They can, and will, use their kids (usually infants) as an excuse for anything and everything, if convenient.
Yes, but here on Talkbass there's a contingent of people who want to believe that their $100 a night bar band that plays out once a month rises to the same level as the Rolling Stones prepping for a 50 date world tour.
It always disappoints me when I get the "can't go tonight" message. I have very few things that interfere with my ability to prep/be available so it's very rarely me that has to cancel (I think the only time I've "cancelled" is a week or more in advance: "Can't do this next week") But...
People have lives. Most are very busy with work and family. Stuff happens. Stuff comes up. Anytime any band member needs a day off, it doesn't matter the reason. Don't beat on your bandmates for needing to deal with life.
If it becomes perpetual, then you have something to worry about.
People have lives. Most are very busy with work and family. Stuff happens. Stuff comes up. Anytime any band member needs a day off, it doesn't matter the reason. Don't beat on your bandmates for needing to deal with life.
If it becomes perpetual, then you have something to worry about.
Have you heard the Stones, lately?
I remember a lead guitarist cancelling rehearsal due to car trouble. BL didn't hesitate to offer to pick him up... easily an hour, round trip (times two, at the end of the night).
Drummer and I jammed, working out parts of songs we were having difficulty with. Once the two arrived, you could tell the guitarist was pissed, because a solution had been found, which he had no excuse to back out of.
Lo and behold, it wasn't much longer after that incident, he quit.
Our problem solved.
Drummer and I jammed, working out parts of songs we were having difficulty with. Once the two arrived, you could tell the guitarist was pissed, because a solution had been found, which he had no excuse to back out of.
Lo and behold, it wasn't much longer after that incident, he quit.
Our problem solved.
Well, parenting a small kid is incredibly time consuming. (Unless you have a spouse that takes it all on--and usually even then.)
This isn't grade school, and nobody's required to bring in a doctor's note to miss rehearsal, all they need to say is "I can't make it, sorry." If it's a pattern, that may mean that their life or priorities aren't consistent with being a member of your band. But you deal with that by finding another musician or another band, not by getting in arguments with them about their own priorities--that's a losing game.
You have everything you need in that post to write an original song... well, except the music.
Start with a 'G'.
“I opened the freezer and a frozen chicken fell out and broke my toe”
We heard that one. And yes, he was nicknamed chicken foot, of course.
We heard that one. And yes, he was nicknamed chicken foot, of course.
If it's all the same with you, I'd greatly prefer to not suck. This month and next my stinky little bar band has 14 gigs. Do you know why? Because we freakin' work at it.
Yes, the death of a pet or child would be valid reasons to miss practice (regardless of which instruments they play, lol). But B knocked it out of the park:
That said, if I was told I had to come to rehearsal the same week my catto died, they better be ready to set up my gear, remind me several times a song what part we're at, understand when I randomly stop playing and break down crying during every other song.... It'd be better to rehearse without me.
That said, if I was told I had to come to rehearsal the same week my catto died, they better be ready to set up my gear, remind me several times a song what part we're at, understand when I randomly stop playing and break down crying during every other song.... It'd be better to rehearse without me.
