Ever have one of "those" practices?

[oldrocker]

While I really do enjoy playing in my current band, our BL caught me a bit by surprise at our last practice. The band did a benefit gig for an annual party in my community (this is something I've put together bands for over the last 10 years) and in appreciation my wife made T-shirts for the band. When she was working on the design I suggested adding "Classic Rock and R&B" under the band logo, and I think they came out pretty nice. The band was very appreciative, as we were for everyone taking the time to support the event. Back to practice... one of our guitarists had to miss that event due another commitment and I brought his shirt to practice. Joking with the BL, I asked "should we give Jack his shirt since he missed the gig?" He said, might as well they are incorrect anyway... they should say "Classic and Prog Rock". Wasn't said with any malice, just matter of fact... Since I've joined the band, we've added a number of tunes from my old sets, beach band standards... never really thought that much about it, other than keeping the audience engaged. When practice started we focused on an ELP classic that we really hadn't learned yet for about an hour until I suggested we woodshed it a bit and hit it next practice. It had only been discussed the previous week and we had just downloaded the music. It's funny because we've been talking about doing a few more gigs, and in my former BL mind, long prog rock songs are not the first thing that comes to mind... for club gigs. Be it as it may, but the "Mustang Sally", "Gimmie some lovin'", and "Margaritaville" tunes seem to hold the audience verses the long artistic pieces... Don't get me wrong, there's room for both... after a year with this band, you would have thought I would have figured it out I was in "Prog rock" band...
Anyway, after the first hour dragged out, the rest of the night kept on the same track... the few songs from our regular set never hit the groove and were mediocre at best. I thought it was just me, but going through the practice recording last night verified it. I really look forward to practice, but I guess they can't all be stellar.
Cheers

OK, I might have missed something but this post seems nothing about a practice session. It seem more about you driving this band to be in your image and not necessarily what it was when you joined. Whenever anyone says something like "I think they came out pretty nice. The band was very appreciative ..." it seems to me they are projecting how they wanted things to go down, and not maybe how they actually did or actually represent how everyone else feels.

Again. have a bit of ADHD so may not have understood everything in the OP but I am acutely aware of manipulation.

 

[tothemax]

OldRocker,
Clarification as this post has rambled a bit. When I was invited to play with this band to cover for a gig when their bass player quit, the set was mostly classic and blues rock, Allman Bros, Santana, Doors, etc., with a couple of older Steely Dan songs... Now, a year later with the addition of this Emerson, Lake, and Palmer tune I was caught by surprise when the BL remarked about the T-shirts, and that they should say "Prog Rock" instead or R&B. Which I associate more with Yes, Pink Floyd, ELP, and King Crimson (guess that's just me...). At the end of the day, even though "Prog Rock" is not my sweet spot, and a very small part of the set list, learning some of these complex songs is helping me develop as a bass player (which is pretty cool for an old fart like me...).

 

[Azari]

Rehearsing is essential. That’s what makes your sound tight. The ability to actually VIBE with your bandmates… Not just play the right notes… The difference between sterile and transcendental…

 

[51PRI]

I think not advertising that you play (any) prog rock is probably a good idea. "Classic Rock and R&B" sounds good.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I think sometimes the worst rehearsal/practices can be the best ones. We really see where there are things we thought we had down that we need to focus on and make better. I can't remember which song it was, but we had one that we tried it at rehearsal and just had all kinds of issues with it. Worked on it a week and still had some issues trying it out during a soundcheck. The next gig we had really been working on it, but were worried about trying it out live. We decided to go for it and we all nailed it. Kind of did surprised looks at each other after the song.

I know some folks don't like doing rehearsal/practices, but I wish we could do more. The gigs are busy and we have to set up and then we are just playing for hours. At the rehearsals and practices we can really take our time working on things and we have a good time as well. We usually end up getting a lot accomplished and we have had more than a few songs come together in rehearsal/practice that we did not even know we were going to do, just a simple noodle here or riff there sets off something. And yes, we have also had those practices where we leave thinking what in the heck did we do for the last four hours.

Oh, I’m big on rehearsals too. I’.m also big on productive rehearsals, which means the work prior to rehearsal includes an agenda, and everybody should be prepared to play through the work load. In other words, rehearsals are for making sure there are no musical conflicts, not standing around while somebody is finally getting around to learning the song. Anyway our rehearsal are brief and professional.

It’s pretty rare when we take a song live unless it’s squared away. Of course there are mistakes that happen even on songs that were polished, but there is a difference between mistakes and problems. And generally, we don’t take things on stage that maybe a problem.

That said, it sounds like you have a good thing going there, so congrats!

 

[tothemax]

Just wanted to close this out on positive note. Apparently our BL had been going through some personal issues outside of the band and was having a poor night as well, rather than rant about it, he just kind of meandered through the evening. He mentioned that he had a lot going on and apologized for being out of sorts the last couple of practices. Things have returned to status quo and we are once again aimed at charting new territory, while keeping the main set material tight. As a kind of follow up after our last practice I mentioned that it might be helpful to have "homework" updates so that we could woodshed any new material rather than coming in cold. Mid week we received an email with a target practice list, and it really made for a productive session.

Cheers...

 

[pepj]

Its is not a good thing if you dont have focused rehearsals. Too many songs to cover that aren't in the next gigs set is a waste of time. And compounded by a BL who a) has been playing them for ages, and b) likes to not work off sets.
That means a 25 song set list becomes potential a 40 song set list to prepare for.

 

[Michedelic]

I guess that this band could be considered "Prog Rock" as we cover some Traffic, Herbie Hancock/John Mayer, Procol Harum, and Steely Dan songs... and now ELP. While I tend to be more of a rock standards, or one off's ** playlist guy. I real find that playing in this band is fun and challenging, plus we play quite a it of good blues and classic rock tunes. And as most have said, not all practices are good due to many assorted reasons. I guess my main issue was spending "band" time on a song most of us had not practiced. But like most jobs, worker bee's are not always privy to management and I truly appreciate not having BL responsibilities. It's all good...

Cheers

** I really like "B" tunes from great records, recognizable but buried by the hit, think Joe Walsh's "Happy Ways" from the Smoker you drink album, it barely got any airplay verses "Rocky Mountain Way".

​

How is Traffic, Hancock, or Steely Dan progressive rock? Which Procol Harum? One ELP tune, which I’m going to guess is “Lucky Man” or “Near The Beginning”, does not make you a “progressive” band anymore than doing a single Hancock song makes you a jazz band. Those are mainstream radio hits, under the umbrella of classic rock. When you do all of “Supper’s Ready”, “Larks Tongue In Aspic”, or tracks by Gentle Giant, Henry Cow or Gong, and hold a crowd’s interest, then you might be prog.

 

[tothemax]

How is Traffic, Hancock, or Steely Dan progressive rock? Which Procol Harum? One ELP tune, which I’m going to guess is “Lucky Man” or “Near The Beginning”, does not make you a “progressive” band anymore than doing a single Hancock song makes you a jazz band. Those are mainstream radio hits, under the umbrella of classic rock. When you do all of “Supper’s Ready”, “Larks Tongue In Aspic”, or tracks by Gentle Giant, Henry Cow or Gong, and hold a crowd’s interest, then you might be prog.

I guess it's just wishful thinking, hence the reason I suggested "Classic Rock" for the Tee's... and the venues we target are rarely going to bring in a prog rock crowd. As my last post said, our BL was in a funk at the time and basically out of sorts. Practices are back on track... things are good!

No worries here...

 

[51PRI]

...I mentioned that it might be helpful to have "homework" updates so that we could woodshed any new material rather than coming in cold. Mid week we received an email with a target practice list, and it really made for a productive session.

Cheers...

Practice is fir individually learning the songs. Rehearsal is when the whole band gets together to play the songs they've already learned. IMO