Musicians that don't like to rehearse

[Adan]

Regarding the above argument, I thought it was very unlikely that Orangefunk was directing is "university lecturer" comment at Meisenhower personally, and so it shouldn't have been taken personally. But it was an unfortunate comment anyway, because people from all walks can have a tendency to take their part time music too seriously.

 

But taking music too seriously and being efficient about rehearsals don't necessarily align. They can just as easily work at cross purposes. Trying to perfect a cover song if it probably won't make any difference to the audience is not a good use of everyone's time.

 

For a lot of folks, their band is more than a musical endeavor, it's also an opportunity to get together with people who you like and are fun to be around. So maybe you set aside a half hour before playing to have a beer and tell tales. There's nothing wrong with that, provided it's what everyone wants.

[Meisenhower]

I don't understand how one can derive "taking their music too seriously" from not wanting to waste peoples time by not using rehearsal time effectively, if that is the understanding from all the involved parties.

 

What I am serious about is managing my time. Like many, I'm a busy person and I don't have lots of "free" time available. I like to spend my time wisely and if I'm going to recreate, I'd like to choose when and where to do it. I simply don't want to get together to "rehearse" and end up waiting around for people to show up and then noodle around, jamming over solos when we just need to lock down intros, form and endings.

 

It's true that everyone here has a different agenda about how they approach music. To some, it's a job and therefore time = money, however to others, its simply a recreational outlet. These are polar opposites of the same world and no right and wrong exists when "like minded" people are in the same group.

 

Most of the guys I play with make their living playing music. The others are also highly skilled pro level guys, who make their living doing something else, but still treat their music with the same level of professionalism and time v. money proposition, as they did when they were full time pros, once upon a time.

 

I have too much respect for my colleagues time not to get down to business. Now, on the other hand, after we've gotten finished with the business end of rehearsal, if everyone want to hang and jam and recreate, we've done that also, but its always after we're happy with the effort of the day.

 

[Adan]

I don't understand how one can derive "taking their music too seriously" from not wanting to waste peoples time by not using rehearsal time effectively, if that is the understanding from all the involved parties.

 

Well, I was just trying to pick up what I thought was the common thread in the dialogue . . . so that I could rebut it! But there is no necessary relationship between the two. They might coincide, or they might not.

[SpaceNorman]

Adan,

 

To be honest, I has pretty much missed the argument in the previous posts. I also agree with you on virutally all your other points as well - the taking music too serious stuff, the perfecting tunes that probably won't make a difference to the audience as well as a band being more than a musical endeavor for many (if not most!) of us - the whole nine yards.

 

However, that said I don't equate a desire to be efficient with time to mean taking music too seriously, being too much of a perfectionist or ignoring the social aspects of being part of a band.

 

For me (like many of us, I suspect) - rehearsal day pretty much means schlepping 100 lbs of gear to the van before heading to work for the normal 8-10 hour day gig, then drive straight to rehearsal (an apple does NOT constitute dinner) - get in 2-2 1/2 hours of rehearsal - schlepping 100 lbs of gear back to the van - driving 45 minutes home to another 100 lbs unload schlepp - and a cold dinner at 10:30 pm - all the while knowing there's a 5:00 am wake up coming in roughly 6 hours. It's a labor of love that I'm happy to invest my energy in as long as it's productive. Have me prepare, schlepp, forego other opportunities, etc - only to have bandmates showing up late, ill prepared for the material we planned to cover and more interested in a little time in the "man cave" drinking beers and shooting the shit - that gets real old, real fast!

 

An occasional unproductive rehearsal comes with the territory - but if it starts to become a pattern - it's a problem for me.

 

 

[Adan]

"taking music too seriously" wasn't my phrase, but it was a phrase someone else used that someone else found offensive. I guess I was trying to take the sting out of it. Why? I don't know. Maybe a trace of brotherly love I feel today.

 

Isn't the important thing just being on the same page with everybody? . . . which is just a corollary of being respectful of other people's time. I've been in bands that were as much social clubs as music projects, and it felt right at the time. And (much more commonly) I've done the opposite. I do think it helps to keep the two separate. Get your music business done, socialize before or after, but don't try doing both at once. I don't think many would disagree with that.

[MAJUSCULE]

The main point I'm getting from this thread is that you have to find like-minded people to play with. Most swung to one side or another, or could even switch depending on the context, monetary and time constraints, etc. It seems to me that being on the same page/communicating properly with your bandmates in regards to your expactations, desires and limitations is necessary to a healthy situation. Starting off on the right foot sets the tone and doesn't allow for confusion.

 

I am getting frustrated with my band too. I know I actually should quit, but between the friendship, the particular situation we have as an all-french, all-original high school band in Edmonton, not to mention the fact that I actually enjoy the music we play, I'm just waiting for the end of they year, when we'll all be going our seperate ways. For now, I'll just bite my tongue, work on other stuff at home and try to push to write/gig more. After that, I'll take the money and run.

[orangefunk]

Regarding the above argument, I thought it was very unlikely that Orangefunk was directing is "university lecturer" comment at Meisenhower personally, and so it shouldn't have been taken personally. But it was an unfortunate comment anyway, because people from all walks can have a tendency to take their part time music too seriously.

 

You ain't kidding... if that was what Mesienhower was thinking I was aiming at then he was wrong... I have no idea what people do for a living here (how could I?).... I was just recalling my experiences with endless rehearsals with those people.

 

 

But taking music too seriously and being efficient about rehearsals don't necessarily align. They can just as easily work at cross purposes. Trying to perfect a cover song if it probably won't make any difference to the audience is not a good use of everyone's time.

 

For a lot of folks, their band is more than a musical endeavor, it's also an opportunity to get together with people who you like and are fun to be around. So maybe you set aside a half hour before playing to have a beer and tell tales. There's nothing wrong with that, provided it's what everyone wants.

 

Yep, this is my experience I'm afraid.... that's why I'm loving playing with people who think of music as more of a way of life and a way to meet and greet.... I know in countries like Brazil its more like this...

 

Oh and Meisenhower, I'm sorry if you thought I was getting at you. I wasn't... I have no idea who you are and what you do for a living... it was a 1 in a million shot as far as I was concerned

My main point

[Meisenhower]

Thanks to all who have chimed in on both sides of this lively debate. It's true we all have our own end purpose for doing music, but at the end of it all, we're all still doing music.

 

One of the things that seems to be a recurring theme is it's important to play with people who have the same overall musical agenda as you do. It doesn't really matter if you're a weekend warrior, session pro or amateur jammer, as long as everyone has the same musical goals and it works for them. The main thing is we're all doing music!

 

Orangefunk, no worries! You likely caught me on one of my more curmudgeonly days too! I will say though, with your on the nose, 1 in a million shot, you should be playing some sort of lottery or sweepstakes! Talk about a long shot win!! I'd happily get in on some of that action!

 

[Steve Force]

I will say though, with your on the nose, 1 in a million shot, you should be playing some sort of lottery or sweepstakes! Talk about a long shot win!! I'd happily get in on some of that action!

 

 

Include me in that action as well.

[Joe Muscara]

You're always looking for a freebie, forceman.

[Steve Force]

You're always looking for a freebie, forceman.

 

that isn't a freebie--just a sure bet!

[Jason Stanfield]

Not only do I like rehearsing, but I like for there to be a "musical director" whose job it is to ensure that people are playing the right parts, not stepping on each other's toes, controlling dynamics, etc.

 

Of course, this is dependent on the material and the caliber of musicians, but I like what I play to be as close to the recording as possible. If rewriting or rearranging is necessary because the instrumentation doesn't match the record, the song needs to be reworked and tightened up. If new musicians come on board, the material has to be rehearsed so the new guy meshes with the rest of the band, and the other way around.

 

And you can't just learn 40 songs and think you can play just those songs forever. The band should have goals to learn new songs weekly, pull out old songs at upon request, and try to play songs they've never played before (together), but know from years of hearing them on the radio. It keeps ears open, chops sharp, and most of all makes the band much tighter.

 

But none of those things can be achieved unless there's someone - preferably with some formal musical training or is strong in theory/arranging, and isn't a jerk (and isn't the band's manager) - to take the lead and tighten the band up.

 

To me, that's what's needed to set good cover bands apart from 95% of the guys-who-get-together-to-jam-live bands.

[clpete]

Ive played in bands that just practice up front; practice every week; get together to jam as a social event and bands that never practice.

 

As most of my friends are musicians getting together and playing music at a practice is usually something I look forward to. When it comes to a serious gigging band I like to be in a band that practices to learn new songs on a regular basis to keep the music fresh.

 

My ultimate goal is to gig and to play well as a band at the gigs. Practice can be nothing but a benefit to the success of a band. Even if the practices are not as efficient as they should be playing songs together and working on parts builds confidence, camaraderie and showmanship.

 

The bands that I have played in that dont practice usually sound good but are typically missing good intros, endings and breaks. I hear a lot of bands where the same guy starts most of the songs and the rest of band stumbles in. These are bands that dont get together and practice. Dont get me wrong some of these bands are great!

 

Some music can be faked or played on the fly but other stuff requires practice. It doesnt have to be done together if everyone has the recordings or charts, but the band will be tighter if they rehearse together.