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"We really don't need to practice unless we have a gig coming up."
- Thread starter Stinsok
- Start date
I play in two bands, one cover band and one all original band. The cover band rehearses once or twice a month to add new material and to keep fresh on older stuff. (as we feel is needed) We gig at least 4 to 6 times a month but we have 8+ sets, so we don't always play the same music every week.
I know it's fun to get together with your band mates to "jam" but if the reason you are rehearsing is just because the other cats aint doin their part at home, then find another band with some pros that know the meaning of work ethic. Rehearsals should be for tightening up arangements and working on harmonies and intros/endings. Practice is for learning music and working on your chops. If they are waiting for rehearsals to "practice" then I say you should find another band.
Now if this is an all original project, then that's another story. I get together with my original band once a week to write and record new music. It's not so much a "rehearsal" as it is a writing/recording session. We write lyrics, hooks, etc on our own then get together once a week to write together.
JMO.
Good luck and always remember, if you are any sort of a decent bassist, you are in high demand. I don't care were you live.
I know it's fun to get together with your band mates to "jam" but if the reason you are rehearsing is just because the other cats aint doin their part at home, then find another band with some pros that know the meaning of work ethic. Rehearsals should be for tightening up arangements and working on harmonies and intros/endings. Practice is for learning music and working on your chops. If they are waiting for rehearsals to "practice" then I say you should find another band.
Now if this is an all original project, then that's another story. I get together with my original band once a week to write and record new music. It's not so much a "rehearsal" as it is a writing/recording session. We write lyrics, hooks, etc on our own then get together once a week to write together.
JMO.
Good luck and always remember, if you are any sort of a decent bassist, you are in high demand. I don't care were you live.
A practice can be more than a practice. Toss around ideas, jam on some stuff. If they are happy, it's cool. I talked to the other guy and told him "two words.....Side Project!" He said " you know, I've been thinking about that!"
It is my experience that a cover band that practices often gets so bored "practicing" the same set list that they (or individuals) actually get worse at the tunes. And the anal guy in the band calling all the practices will think " my god we need to practice even more"!
So i'm in the boat that once the band has learned the song and performed it there is zero reason to practice it weekly, but maybe just go over them once when you actually have a gig.
I think the best way is for the band to get a recording of the tune PLAYED BY THEM and stick with it. If you keep rehearsing it at practice the same anal guy who keeps wanting to practice will keep "tweaking" the song which to me is changing it.
So i'm in the boat that once the band has learned the song and performed it there is zero reason to practice it weekly, but maybe just go over them once when you actually have a gig.
I think the best way is for the band to get a recording of the tune PLAYED BY THEM and stick with it. If you keep rehearsing it at practice the same anal guy who keeps wanting to practice will keep "tweaking" the song which to me is changing it.
Hell, ifyou can't play it all the way through on your own, you are not ready for rehearsal... let alone stage...
Randy
It's true about the "rehearse more, gig less" thing in my own expereince, too. The band I get the most gigs with at the moment has never had a rehearsal.
One of the most frustrating bands I've ever been in (going way back) was one where we rehearsed pretty much every week for three years, and never did more than a handful of gigs. Eventually our singer got sick of this and left to join another band - Black Sabbath. Can't say I blame him.
One of the most frustrating bands I've ever been in (going way back) was one where we rehearsed pretty much every week for three years, and never did more than a handful of gigs. Eventually our singer got sick of this and left to join another band - Black Sabbath. Can't say I blame him.
