Long rant/post alert!!!!
Wow. We have had a TON of threads lately about rehearsals. It seems this is an area where virtually every local bar band could use some improvement.
First, let's talk about what a rehearsal is for.... and the difference between rehearsal and practice.
You practice at home. You rehearse with the band. Practice is what you do when you run scale drills and learn your parts to songs. Rehearsal is where you hammer out any little details that will allow your band to perform the song live without any hitches. Things like arrangements, instrumentation, vocal parts, and whatnot should be attempted BEFORE everyone practices at home. That way everyone knows what to practice. Key changes should also be discussed. But, ultimately, until you get in a room together, some of those details can't be dealt with.
An example of things we hammer out in rehearsal is instrumentation. We have one guitar, keys, and bass to work with melodically speaking. Often we choose cover songs that have two guitar parts, or possibly another instrument not covered by our current personnel. Keys guy will show up with one version of covering the second guitar part. Guitar guy will show up with another version of filling in the gaps. And we will assist them in choosing a method that both sounds good and is physically possible in this dimension.
Also, vocal harmonies might need a tad bit of tweaking at rehearsal. We do mostly songs with complex harmonies in the vocals. As such, the bass player tends to hear things in a way that has him singing on top of other vocalists in the band. (Yes, I'm talking about myself.
) So that dipstick has to be briefly coached into staying in his lane, vocally speaking.
(As a side note, about once every other month, we get together and have a vocal rehearsal because 1- we like each other and 2- the rest of the band doesn't have to sit around twiddling their thumbs while we hammer out vocal harmonies.)
The ORDER of the song, the CHORD structure of the song, and the LYRICS to the song should be nailed down when everyone arrives. Period. Or, at the very least, have your own chord chart and/or lyric sheet ready to go so we don't have to stop to figure out the order and/or words.
Now, let's discuss how rehearsals should be run. If there is a BL, this is quite simple. He/she is in charge of both choosing the songs and running the operations of a rehearsal. So, for the purposes of this discussion, let's assume, like my band, this is a democracy.
Songs should be chosen in advance. We have two methods.
1) A discussion at THE END of a rehearsal to determine if there are any songs that need to be added/dropped. We all happen to enjoy learning new music, so we are constantly refreshing the list. If songs are chosen, keys and possible arrangements/instrumentation are discussed.
2) Group text - We are all goofballs who happen to like each other. So we are constantly goofing off via group text. But it also turns to music on occasion. We float ideas by each other. If a song is chosen, keys and possible arrangement/instrumentation are discussed.
EVERY BAND NEEDS A MUSICAL DIRECTOR TO RUN REHEARSALS. Rehearsals should be run by SOMEBODY. This person doesn't "outrank" the rest of the band. But it's just easier to handle stops when someone chosen before hand can get the train back on the tracks. So, if we're playing along and I perfectly execute the transition to the bridge (as always
) and the guitar player goes to a chorus, we stop. The issue is discussed (at which point everyone comes to realize I am, once again, correct).
Then it is our keys guy who says "OK, let's take it from the second verse and go into it again". If we need to run a part a few times to make sure everyone has it down, he is the one who starts/stops the band. It's just easier. Allow someone to do that. It will make your rehearsals so much more productive. I generally default to the guy/gal who has the most knowledge of music theory and/or the best ear. But that's just my way of looking at it.
Above all, communication OUTSIDE of rehearsal will save you copious amounts of time DURING rehearsal. Just last week we learned a new song. We dropped the key a little. Turns out our keys player, guitar player and I had three completely different ideas as to how far we were dropping it. (The album version was tuned down a half step so there was some confusion as to the difference between the key one would read or the key it "sounds like".) Anyway, the guitar player had a hunch there would be this kind of issue and sent out a text to the group asking what key we were learning it in. We got it all hammered out via text and there was no train wreck in rehearsal. Moving forward, we have decided to have the female singer send out lists via email of the songs to be played at next rehearsal WITH KEYS so there's no confusion.
Alcohol, weed, and friends. You have to decide what kind of band you are. Whatever you decide is your choice to make, and it's "OK" either way. You are a "hang out" band, or you are a semi-pro/pro band. But you can't be both.
SOs (significant others.... boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses, etc.) sitting around during rehearsal is not only a distraction, but a recipe for disaster. Ultimately, a band member will ask an SO what he/she thinks. Honestly, nobody but you cares what your SO thinks. So don't ask. He/she is not a band member. As such, he/she doesn't get a "vote". If you don't like that, start a band with him/her. It's as simple as that. I adore all of the spouses of my fellow band members. I have them all over to my house for cookouts and pool parties all the time. However, I don't want to hear what they think about band business at all. None. Zero. I'm sure they don't care what my wife thinks either. I will ask my wife about stuff privately. Her opinion may factor into how I choose to handle band business. But that's between us. All the band cares about is how I handle my business, not how I arrived at that conclusion.
We all have a few beers at rehearsal....literally a few....like three. But being drunk/high at rehearsal instantly makes you a hang out band, not a semi-pro/pro band. Period. Now, if that's what you're going for, fine. But you can not have it both ways. Period.
Speaking of hang out bands...… Here's where I ruffle some feathers. Brace yourself.
IF YOU CAN PLAY YOUR INSTRUMENT, AND YOUR FELLOW BAND MEMBERS CAN PLAY/SING, YOU DON'T NEED TO REHEARSE ALL THE DANG TIME!!!!!! If you need a dozen rehearsals to get ready for ANY bar band gig, either you can't play, or you are surrounded by people who can't play. Period. If it takes you that many rehearsals to "get tight", most or all of you aren't doing the things mentioned above BEFORE rehearsal to make your rehearsals more productive.....or you simply aren't collectively at the level of skill that leads to playing in public at all. You are a "hang out" band (which, again, is fine..... as long as you KNOW you're a hang out band). Thinking you are a semi-pro/pro band and needing a dozen rehearsals to get a bar band set together don't go together.
Many of the threads here express frustration at being unable to get people together often enough. In most cases, you are wanting to get together TOO OFTEN....and for way longer (calendar wise) than it should take to be bar ready. Here's how you start a band. You get together to jam just to see if you fit together musically and personally. You then discuss the set. Once a set is picked, you divide the list into three parts. You get together to rehearse each third of the set ONCE. Then, if you need to, get together one more time to run the harder stuff to make sure everything "stuck". Then you start booking shows! Rehearsing for months on end to "get tight enough" to play out means that we got off the rails somewhere a few months ago. If you did everything discussed earlier in this rant, you're golden after four rehearsals..... maybe five if you canned/replaced a few songs along the way.
You want to end the frustration? Go play some GIGS! To do that, have a FEW PRODUCTIVE rehearsals and then GET OUT THERE! If you can't do that, you might not be playing-in-public material.
Short version. Sure, have fun at rehearsals. But you don't need dozens of them (if you can play). And they need to have quantifiable objectives and a "flow" to them. OR, just decide you are a hang out band and be done with it. That way nobody gets frustrated by how long it takes to get things together.
BUT YOU CAN NOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS!!!!! If you are having upwards of ten rehearsals and haven't made it past the first set, either resign yourselves to being a hang out band, or grab another gear!!!
(Now, where did I put that fire extinguisher?)
