Why Text every freakin' time to ask "Is practice still on for tonight?"

[dangevans]

LOL- I hate that too. I usually respond with sort of a rude, snarky comment.

 

[climber]

You cancel if only one person is missing ?

it's a 6 piece band. I don't cancel if the horns can't make it. I usually have good charts for most stuff, plus they are good enough to make up great parts on their own right on stage! FWIW we have very few rehearsals generally only for concerts when we have new music - it's often pretty complicated. I mainly need the guitar, keys and drums there for sure. be no point without all of them.

 

[climber]

It's not a bad thing to have a routine habit. My preference is an email morning of, or before noon so everyone can respond at their convenience with "I'm in". If someone is not responding and we're a couple hours from time, THEN texts or phone calls start happening.

I'm annoyed by unnecessary calls and texts in general though because they DEMAND attention RIGHT NOW. That seems rudely intrusive when the morning email would accomplish the same without me in real time dropping everything to check/respond/be lorded over by the infernal device jammed in my pocket.

I'm not around my computer all the time and don't get email on my phone. much easier to get a text and respond with a "thumbs up" emoji...

 

[basseux]

it's a 6 piece band. I don't cancel if the horns can't make it. I usually have good charts for most stuff, plus they are good enough to make up great parts on their own right on stage! FWIW we have very few rehearsals generally only for concerts when we have new music - it's often pretty complicated. I mainly need the guitar, keys and drums there for sure. be no point without all of them.

Ok, I see, it's a real rehearsal, not some sort of regular practice.

 

[primusfan1989]

I always confirm a practice on the day of the practice. People have lives, sometimes things change. Id rather find out practice was cancelled before loading my car. This seems like a weird thing to take an issue with (so much so that you created a thread to address it)

 

[swarfrat]

Don't most phones these days autosuggest canned responses?

 

[burgerdj]

I do it sometimes based on the communication patterns of the band. Unfortunately, I've driven 25 min to practice many times only to arrive to last minute cancellations. Don't get me wrong, I like to hang and work on parts, but not when carving out time for the drive and rehearsals takes me away from other things I need to get done in any given week. So yeah, I'm that guy who confirms things.

 

[themickster]

Just venting. Why, when practice is set for say, tonight, does ONE person, and always the SAME person, text TODAY to see if practice is still on? Anal? I guess, but is there another explanation?

Jeez...

It doesn't bother me at, when I get such a text. It would bother, if I were called 'anal' by a backbiting bandmate.

 

[Savage_Dreams]

Maybe because theres enough flaky people in the world that do change plans and dont pass on that information? Also depending on the age and situations of the band members, things like kids and other legitimate reasons can cause a sudden change that may not get communicated as fast as some would like. just for the record, I am the guy that says if im going to be somewhere at whatever time, even weeks in advance, im there. Is it really such a bad thing for someone wanting to confirm though?

If the person asking is the flaky person looking for a way out, thats a different issue.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

OP- didn't you start 3 separate threads on reasons for cancelling practice? And you wonder why someone would check?

 

[two fingers]

I always confirm a practice on the day of the practice. People have lives, sometimes things change. Id rather find out practice was cancelled before loading my car. This seems like a weird thing to take an issue with (so much so that you created a thread to address it)

This

 

[swagbotbilly]

I got tired of packing my stuff up and driving across town, or setting up at my place only to find out people weren't coming.

I always confirm before wasting my time now.

 

[dalkowski]

That's what adults do

(I was going to say this!)

 

[JRA]

Why, when practice is set for say, tonight, does ONE person, and always the SAME person, text TODAY to see if practice is still on? Anal? I guess, but is there another explanation?

whose "anality" are we talking about here?


see: "anal retentives" vs. "anal expulsives."

 

[Medicine Man]

In my experience, people who are going to bail on practice often wait until the last minute. A text of this nature can sometimes promt them to do it sooner?

 

[39-Bassist]

It seems that most of these answers are a combination of issues.
Bad communication, lack of readiness, others cancelling last minute.
So worst case is you ask them in person politely why they keep asking. You'll know your answer on how they reply.
Could be nothing or could be something more. Then apply as needed.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

Tell the band to assume there will be a practice every what ever frequency you have set together and only text if unable to everyone by the person who cannot this time around... Voilà

 

[gmarcus]

Sounds like good communications to me.....but then again...I'm that guy

 

[fishdude101101]

This

I'm wondering if the people who have an issue with people confirming practice on the day of the practice are the ones who flake out and cancel last minute and see no issue with doing it repeatedly?

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Probably past experience. Musicians tend to be flakes who cancel things last minute...

or they've been burned by bands that canceled practice frequently and without much notice.

This and this ^

Having run in many different circles, I have never (with the exception of Craigslist buyers) had a category of persons worse about this than musicians. I'll spare you all the absolutely ridiculous excuses I've heard for last-minute cancels..

Ok, maybe ONE....

"Ran out of [insert technical name for "Jazz Cabbage" here]"