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Are you expected to attend rehearsals as a hired sub-in?


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... the band leader wants to rehearse with me with the rest of the band twice before the show because it's a big event --

 

This was the line in the original post that stuck out to me the most. I've been involved in many low key situations - both as sub and in bands using a sub - where no rehearsals would be the norm. But if the gig was important, I would expect at least a brush through of the material at some point - as did the leader apparently. The sub obviously didn't.

 

Two full rehearsals? Wow that should have definitely been mentioned in the initial conversation. But honestly I'm rather surprised that neither side brought the subject up.

 

But I've been out of the live performance in bands game for 10 years now. I'll defer to those who are actively doing it. Maybe the game has changed.

 

Sub stories? Sure I got 'em! :D This was a NYE gig where the guitarist couldn't make it. Tough to find anyone who can play on NYE. The leader found a guy through a 3rd party who seemed to have the right credentials, and said he knew the material. So we went into the gig cold.

 

Turns out he knew very little of it, and ended up playing leads and fills over everything - through a Twin Reverb that was louder than anything else on the stage.

 

It was actually a good thing that it was NYE - which can be quite forgiving because everyone is there to party no matter what. As for me, I couldn't wait for the night to end.

 

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In my scene (Honolulu), many bands go up without rehearsing... and it shows. My band is one of the few weekly-gigging cover bands that regularly rehearses together, and that's why we're the highest-paid and most sought-out band in the land. New subs ALWAYS get one rehearsal, no ifs ands or buts. Our material may be common and not that complicated, but we have a lot of our own endings, and our own schtick that has developed over time, and not even the most seasoned pro is going to be able to mindread their way through that. I've seen this attitude that "rehearsing is for amateurs", offense intended: you're just wrong. If you're serious about your long-term growth in your local market, then you've gotta do better than the other guy. To make your show memorable, to make it stick in their mind and seek out out, you gotta put in the hours TOGETHER, off stage (not talking about individual practice, that's a given). We're not the best musicians on the island. We may not even practice privately as much as the next guy, but we spend a good deal of time making our team work.

 

Maybe the band leader should have been more upfront with you from the beginning: different cities have different expectations. But IMO, I would politely not hire you to sub if you couldn't make one rehearsal. I get that people have conflicts, and this isn't you're fault, but I would find someone who could. TWO rehearsals is pushing it, though. However, many times bands will schedule two rehearsals with the expectation that one will not happen.

 

Eric are you playing in most of the Islands or just Oahu?

"Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello"

 

 

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I LIKE rehearsing, but not endless, frequent, meaningless rehearsals. Rehearse once before the gig. Rehearse twice if working out new material. For special shows, expect subs for 1 rehearsal. For club gigs, use subs you know form previous experience who can cut the gig without rehearsal. For unknown subs, probably 1 rehearsal is advised just to be sure.
These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise.
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I mean, there's no one right answer except that these and any other terms/details of the sub gig should be negotiated / agreed on when first discussing it. It sounds like the bandleader or the band failed to communicate their expectation when hiring you so in that sense (if my interpretation of what happened is right), the mess-up is his fault. If he had made it clear that he wanted a rehearsal, you would have said that you are not available for that and he would have found someone else (or, alternately, you may have asked for more money to compensate you for your extra time).

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I've often found when it's a bar band type gig the rehearsal they're asking for is more for themselves.

 

I'm also amazed at bandleaders who decide to do the most convoluted intricate arrangements when they have sub players filling in.

 

That said, your time is worth something and I say BL failed. Rehearsals should be stated up front, and paid for- or at least known that's what the pay entails. You should have the option to say no given those parameters. If this was someone you'd want to try get more work in the future, the possible win-win salvage here may have been letting the BL know that and simply asking for rehearsal pay.

 

I have a little big band that rotates players (mostly the horns and guitar players). I have a book for everyone., and do mostly low hanging fruit and simple arrangements that most guys already know, or can read cold.

If I we need to rehearse a special song, (e.g. wedding couple special dance etc.) I rehearse the core band with vocalist- ideally we'll just do an earlier meet up soundcheck and run the essentials. if not I pay for rehearsals, and include that in my budget.

 

 

 

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I guess doing a lot of wedding gigs in the 80's and 90's I got used to playing songs that were not rehearsed with the band and expected to come out near perfect. If everyone does their homework, which almost of all the folks I worked with did, it would come together beautifully and when the song ended someone would often joke "just as we rehearsed it."

 

If someone was unprepared they would likely be getting less future work. Because I became used to musicians who were completely prepared I have no patience for those who are not. I think sometimes people feel rehearsals are needed for themselves because they haven't learned their part well enough.

 

I'm probably coming off as anti-rehearsal but I'm actually not. I just don't like unnecessary rehearsals. Rehearsals are definitely needed at times and I'll gladly do them when they make sense.

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I mean, there's no one right answer except that these and any other terms/details of the sub gig should be negotiated / agreed on when first discussing it. It sounds like the bandleader or the band failed to communicate their expectation when hiring you so in that sense (if my interpretation of what happened is right), the mess-up is his fault.

Bingo.

 

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Eric are you playing in most of the Islands or just Oahu?

 

Since the ferry shut down, it's not typically worth it to play the other islands. We'll do weddings on big island or Maui, but not for less than $3000, and usually we're booked on Oahu anyway. So not usually, but we do it on occasion.

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Eric are you playing in most of the Islands or just Oahu?

 

Since the ferry shut down, it's not typically worth it to play the other islands. We'll do weddings on big island or Maui, but not for less than $3000, and usually we're booked on Oahu anyway. So not usually, but we do it on occasion.

'

 

Ok that's interesting. My friends are in a band out of Las Vegas and usually back the artist Fiji in LA or out there in the islands.

"Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello"

 

 

noblevibes.com

 

 

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Just adding another vote for "band leader needs to make the commitment clear before they hire you."

 

I do a lot of work in the theater, and am often arranging schedules for 10-25 musicians.

 

I make sure I know all the rehearsal dates, times, and expectations when I bring people on board so there are no surprises.

 

I've had many experiences when directors have decided that they actually want the band to come in for a date they weren't called (oh, we actually want the band at tech). I usually won't even allow the question to make it to the musicians if they've already committed to a set rehearsal schedule.

 

There is no better way to make someone feel shittier, or make a relationship go sour, then to change scheduling requirements on someone you've hired (and who has made commitments and accommodations for the gig), and then expect them to take responsibility for making it work.

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I wouldn"t rehearse twice as a sub either, i would do one if i could fit it in. Seems like a miss in communication all the way around - not sure i can pin it on any one person. Who knows, maybe guitar-friend was the one who forgot to share details?

 

 

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I'd say you're at fault too for not asking are there any rehearsals involved and telling them if so I don't have the time. Both sides would of been able to make informed decision right from the start.

 

Absolutely %100 with this - especially when you're a pro or semi-pro - a gig without at least one practice is unheard of - there's too many variables in assuming that what you play is what the band is playing - 'note for note' is not a prerequisite that is the norm these days.

 

This is just not the case in California. There are incredible high quality bands where a sub doesn't need to rehearse.

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I'd say you're at fault too for not asking are there any rehearsals involved and telling them if so I don't have the time. Both sides would of been able to make informed decision right from the start.

 

Absolutely %100 with this - especially when you're a pro or semi-pro - a gig without at least one practice is unheard of - there's too many variables in assuming that what you play is what the band is playing - 'note for note' is not a prerequisite that is the norm these days.

 

This is just not the case in California. There are incredible high quality bands where a sub doesn't need to rehearse.

 

Same here in Toronto.

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