General Music Chat

I know your frustration but if you're getting any rehearsal at all, you're doing better than me. I can't even get the guys to discuss via email what needs rehearsing or to agree on songs to learn in order to be prepared for rehearsal. Then they whine about reheasals taking too long but they won't do their homework.
I am the oldest guy in the band and by about 10 years and I'm wondering if that's why. I am also the drummer, so have lots of experience lugging gear around for rehearsals. So, it doesn't seem like a big deal for me.

I forgot to add that in my main bnd we record a lot of rehearsals. We actually practice in a studio and run thru the headphones, so you really hear what your doing, plus we can listen back and critique ourselves.

I think hearing my playing in haedphones advanced my playing a major step forward. If you are in the typical band rehearsal where everyone is cranked to loud you dont hear the nuances of what you are doing.

Kramer made a great point, band rehearsal shouldnt be the time for a member to practice and learn a song. I dont care how intricate your music is, if you dont have it when you walk in the door you are wasting your bandmates time.

Use your practice time wisely.

Good Luck on your cd project!

I can't even get the guys to discuss via email what needs rehearsing or to agree on songs to learn in order to be prepared for rehearsal. Then they whine about reheasals taking too long but they won't do their homework.
I am the oldest guy in the band and by about 10 years and I'm wondering if that's why.

It has nothing to do with your age and everything to do with other people's lack of commitment / laziness.

I learned last year a very hard lesson about those kind of people. They stick together, for one thing. I pushed a guy who wasn't doing his homework, and desperately needed to, but it was in a band where I was the only one who really did any real level of homework and improvement. I was thrown out of that band lol.

But what I'm trying to say is that behavior like that doesn't change, and if you have a different work ethic (better), then you are doomed to be unhappy if you stay. Move on, I say.

We rehearse 1-2x week.

I would prefer 3-4x a week.

It's the difference between really wanting something and just going along for the ride.

Is it plausible to rehearse 3-4x a week? Sure, but everyone has to want it.

1 lamer or meatball is enough to derail it. I think this is why people play with multiple bands, thus when one goes PLUNK, one moves on to the next, better situation.

Yes, too much

It depends on what the likelyhood of a return for their time is. On the other hand you say it's for a cd and the time scale is only over a couple of months so here's my suggestion. Work on the cd and rehearsing simultaneously. Rehearse twice a week but only work on two songs. As soon as you've nailed those two then record them and then move onto the next two. If they are getting bored during rehearsal then break it up with a 20 minute jam session. Once they've heard the first two recorded and in the bag then it will normally inject some enthusiasm into the group. I've also found that bands tend to play songs that they have already recorded much better. It's probably because the recording creates a benchmark for that particular song. Once you've done the first two then move onto the next two but go round the ones you've recorded once at the beggining of the rehearsal and again at the end.
The most important thing is to keep the energy within the group alive and if 3-4 rehearsals a week is killing their energy then just try and get the best out of the two you have. If you could rehearse twice a week and gig once a week then you'll really come together as a band. In my opinion though a group is only as good as it's drummer. If your drummer is the dogs bollocks then twice a week should be fine. If not then look for a more accomplished one. Good luck with the band and the cd though mate, And remember, it's only rock 'n' roll!

For the sake of the argument, I'd like to make a distinction-

Practice - What you do, individually, at home, to prepare for band rehearsals.

Rehearsal - When the band as a unit gets together and rehearses what they practiced.

I agree with Kramer's philosophy. When I was playing in bands, I would suggest to my bandmates to practice often, but rehearse only 1-2 times per week. This worked well for us, as we worked hard individually and tightened it up at rehearsal. I had a multitrack recorder to record rehearsals, and made everyone a copy of the recording to take home for practice and improvement. This was back in the day of dino's and cassette tape 4-tracks, but it was effective nonetheless.

As long as we're playing with semantics.
Sometimes we practice as a band, creating new work, working out kinks in the older stuff.
Some times we rehearse a gig set for a specific show.
I consider working on particular songs as an individual entity as a "practice".
Working on sets as a show for a particular venue would be a rehearsal.