Band practice tips.

rockinr0ll · 07-07-2009, 10:30 AM

I have practice with my band tomorrow. We have been playing for around 3 years and play heavier/complex type of music. I was wondering if anyone had any tips for practicing and getting things finished. We usually get stuff done but recently kinda got in a rut. Most of our songs that we decided to play still are actually the ones that we have been playing since around when we first started. The newer songs we always ditch because they are just not good enough. So that leaves us to practicing just the old ones. I am not sure if we sound tight enough, and I really want to have that live professional sound. How can we get those songs that we already have to sound even better? We DO have pretty decent gear IMO and our songs have good melody's its just when we play it I don't think it clicks as much as I would want. Any tips on how to write songs and communicate together would be welcome as well.

I have read multiple threads about this topic online but I wanted to get a more direct response for my own question.

***Adwex*** · 07-07-2009, 11:55 AM

I've found that we always play/sound better if there are visitors in the room...as long as they're not a distraction. Treat them as an audience.

poeman33 · 07-07-2009, 12:15 PM

I agree with Adwex. When you have the songs down pretty good, practice in front of a crowd of some kind. Any kind of crowd...hell, you can even do it on webcams...as long as you know people are watching. It's puts a different spin to it.

As for writing songs, different bands do it differently. Some like to write together from scratch, and others have the members bring in a finished song, and have the other members add to it, or change it. I like the latter myself. It would depend on how you guys work together.

Lucifuge · 07-07-2009, 01:06 PM

What also seems to work for us is to record a practice session (be it with a camera or a hard disk). It's always an eye opener. Things that you [I]think[I] sound tight, sometimes don't (and vice versa).

***Adwex*** · 07-07-2009, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucifuge

What also seems to work for us is to record a practice session (be it with a camera or a hard disk). It's always an eye opener. Things that you [I]think[I] sound tight, sometimes don't (and vice versa).

Oh definitely, recording your rehearsals is a very important tool.

rockinr0ll · 07-07-2009, 01:53 PM

Yeah, we have done countless recordings of our practices and that really has been helpful. We have people there a lot and usually we don't get anything done that way though.

MartyStrat54 · 07-07-2009, 03:29 PM

Sometimes when the same songs are played over and over, a problem with dynamics comes into play. I can't stand a band that does not have dynamics. Everything is one volume level from the start of the song to the finish. You get tight when you have control over dynamics.

Back in my glory days, the band grew to a five piece. We actually just added a true lead singer who played harp and acoustic guitar. There were three of us who were good songwriters and we used a voting system to determine what songs were good enough to practice. Every band is different. Some are like Page and Plant, where you have the guitarist laying down music to the lyrics. Some bands have only one song writer and they produce the basic music for the song and the rest of the band polishes this to an end product. However it is done, it still relies on the entire band's input to see a song from start to finish.

I also agree with rehearsing in front of some people, but not a large crowd, because someone will become a distraction and it can ruin the entire rehearsal.

Also, too much booze and party favors can kill a rehearsal.

Marty

***Adwex*** · 07-07-2009, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockinr0ll

Yeah, we have done countless recordings of our practices and that really has been helpful. We have people there a lot and usually we don't get anything done that way though.

If you're working on stuff, then you probably don't want visitors, but if you're just running through the set, I like having people there.

***Adwex*** · 07-07-2009, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartyStrat54

<snip>...Also, too much booze and party favors can kill a rehearsal.

Marty

I sometimes have a beer, but I prefer to save the harder partying for after...unless you're just there to have fun and jam. If you have your own rehearsal space, and you're there for 4-5 hours on a Friday night like we did, it turns into a "night out", which is ok, but if you're renting an hourly studio for 2 hours, then get to work.

MartyStrat54 · 07-07-2009, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adwex

I sometimes have a beer, but I prefer to save the harder partying for after...unless you're just there to have fun and jam. If you have your own rehearsal space, and you're there for 4-5 hours on a Friday night like we did, it turns into a "night out", which is ok, but if you're renting an hourly studio for 2 hours, then get to work.

I agree with you 100 per cent. I didn't mean to seem sterile. I'll put a few beers down and have fun doing it. It's just that we both know you can't party and practice seriously at the same time.

BTW: I really miss those "night out" days. Lots of fun and memories.

Marty

***Adwex*** · 07-07-2009, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartyStrat54

I agree with you 100 per cent. I didn't mean to seem sterile. I'll put a few beers down and have fun doing it. It's just that we both know you can't party and practice seriously at the same time.

BTW: I really miss those "night out" days. Lots of fun and memories.

Marty

Agreed. If you've got "work to do", then no distractions 'til after. We had a cool monthly rehearsal studio for 2 1/2 years, so there was plenty of serious time, and party jam time. With our own room with 24/7 access, we'd be there all night. After we practiced, some guys from the neighboring rooms would come in and hang. I spent almost every Friday night in the studio for over 2 years. Lots of fun and memories here too.

rockinr0ll · 07-08-2009, 05:21 AM

When you guys practice how do you guys set up your gear? We always end up setting up where we have room, should it be more of a setting like how a show would be done?

nofearfactor · 07-08-2009, 06:33 AM

I'm in 3 different projects.

One of my projects is a new project just getting off the ground where all of the members are professionals with experience and I believe things will be creative and cohesive. We have yet to rehearse though with all of the members present. We have only been working in small groups- me and the singer,me and the bass player,me and the bass player and drummer,etc.

Another project is nothing but totally professional. When we have full band rehearsals we come in and go to work and we get things done in the exact way we would do a gig,then we go home. We work on our setlist,once we're done we go over any changes anyone wants to make to a song. Me and the rythym guitarist write the majority of the material together/rehearse any covers we like on the side just the two of us. I will then teach everything to the bass player in rehearsals between just me and him. We then bring the drummer in when we have things ready for a full band rehearsal and to build a setlist. We will either video record or record to demo gear the full rehearsal and everyone gets a copy and is expected to work on stuff.

The other,where to start with all of my complaints- I'm past tired of their girlfriends,wives and friends hanging out; too much weed smoking and beer drinking during trying to work; we dont follow a rehearsal setlist-its a free for all most times;some times we're rehearsing newer stuff that someone brings to the table that makes no sense;its almost just a party or a reason to get out of the house for some of them; rehearsals are at a rehearsal space at my house and my wife is complaining about some of the guys peeing in the backyard,cigarette butts in the driveway,etcetc. Not a good situation. I have let things get out of control and I am calling a meeting this weekend and if things dont change I'm quitting them. Theyre a talented group of guys and it could be a really good band but their rehearsal routine sucks. When we do gigs though they are tight and polished. Go figure.

rockinr0ll · 07-08-2009, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nofearfactor

I'm in 3 different projects.

One of my projects is a new project just getting off the ground where all of the members are professionals with experience and I believe things will be creative and cohesive. We have yet to rehearse though with all of the members present. We have only been working in small groups- me and the singer,me and the bass player,me and the bass player and drummer,etc.

Another project is nothing but totally professional. When we have full band rehearsals we come in and go to work and we get things done in the exact way we would do a gig,then we go home. We work on our setlist,once we're done we go over any changes anyone wants to make to a song. Me and the rythym guitarist write the majority of the material together/rehearse any covers we like on the side just the two of us. I will then teach everything to the bass player in rehearsals between just me and him. We then bring the drummer in when we have things ready for a full band rehearsal and to build a setlist. We will either video record or record to demo gear the full rehearsal and everyone gets a copy and is expected to work on stuff.

The other,where to start with all of my complaints- I'm past tired of their girlfriends,wives and friends hanging out; too much weed smoking and beer drinking during trying to work; we dont follow a rehearsal setlist-its a free for all most times;some times we're rehearsing newer stuff that someone brings to the table that makes no sense;its almost just a party or a reason to get out of the house for some of them; rehearsals are at a rehearsal space at my house and my wife is complaining about some of the guys peeing in the backyard,cigarette butts in the driveway,etcetc. Not a good situation. I have let things get out of control and I am calling a meeting this weekend and if things dont change I'm quitting them. Theyre a talented group of guys and it could be a really good band but their rehearsal routine sucks. When we do gigs though they are tight and polished. Go figure.

That is a lot similar to our routine but I wish I could get more one on one.

Yeah man, having people goofing around really makes practice suck. Our practices have been going pretty damn good though tbh.

Lucifuge · 07-08-2009, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartyStrat54

Sometimes when the same songs are played over and over, a problem with dynamics comes into play. I can't stand a band that does not have dynamics. Everything is one volume level from the start of the song to the finish. You get tight when you have control over dynamics.

Marty

I know what you mean. We usually practice the song until everyone is on the same level (playing the song naturally and not really watching stuff like dynamics). Then once we've reached that level, that's when we go and refine everything.

As for setting stuff up, we've got a steady practice room, so we almost don't have to set our stuff up (except for amp heads, too expensive and doesn't get covered by my insurance). But we always practice in the same setup as playing live.

rockinr0ll · 07-08-2009, 09:03 AM

Good idea about dynamics, today I'm going to bring a different set up and see if using different volume can help. Thanks.

***Adwex*** · 07-08-2009, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockinr0ll

When you guys practice how do you guys set up your gear? We always end up setting up where we have room, should it be more of a setting like how a show would be done?

We've done it a few different ways, depending on the room. For practicing and jamming, I like to face each other for better communication.

American Viking · 07-08-2009, 04:53 PM

i've found the best approach is first off have people that can give and are willing to take direction.
sometimes someone has to step in and be a leader. like when a kick drum sounds a little funny or the two guitar players are picking slightly different, you gotta stop and dissect the music and make sure everyone is on the same page. scrutinizing the smallest changes in a musical passage is what really makes a band tight and together. this makes the larger parts easier to work into and carry on.
the thing that i've seen hold a lot of bands back is the failure to work together and take criticism. i've played in other people's bands where some members are lagging behind and not really taking time to learn the parts properly and the band leader would keep his mouth shut and not make any attempt to make everyone get it together.

when we write we have a giant dry erase board that we compose different arrangements since metal passages are more complex than rock and roll*. we just have little nicknames for the parts or just say "riff a riff b", stuff like that. this really helps to stay organized. especially when you've just completed a song and there's a part that needs more work than the others you can just point and say, "we have to fix this, right here!"
other instances we deal with are when someone comes to the table with a song or part of a song, at first there's always a little noodling around and experimenting with different ways to play it. sometimes differences sound good, and other times the author just steps in and says "hey dude, this one's not open to interpretation". if someone has a good vision and a solid idea on how the outcome of the song should be, you should give a little trust that they know what they are doing, but at the same time don't be afraid to say "no way, that sucks". it's a lot of give and take and i'm sure we all know that by now.
i'm a large advocate of no women at band practice and no outsiders. i've done it before, and yeah it's fun to have buddies out and to get some slore to suck you off out behind the spot but it hinders your progress. girls are a large reason that dudes quit bands, i see it every day. clint eastwood said in front of his wife that he's so in love with the arts that he could never give himself completely to anyone else. that's the same thing i told my wife, i'll take the music over her any day and for her to never come between me and rehearsal, tour, or my bandmates. i love my old lady of course but you've gotta make them understand the way things are or they won't realize how important this is to you.
we drink booze at rehearsal but no one's getting hammered. nobody's toking up either, i don't have a problem with getting high but those dudes doing bong rips at practice every night are more than likely going to have the ride of a lifetime pass them by. i'm not saying i won't take a hit on the road but not when it comes down to business. (also never book shows or talk business with any promoters/bands/venues if i'm intoxicated)

i know i've written way too much that won't be read but i thought i'd throw it out there. when every one is on the same page and takes it seriously it gets a lot more fun. i'm rehearsing with 2 groups 5 nights a week and away from home a lot in between so we're pretty serious! all the other guys are working their asses off so we have to get in there and keep up with the pace if we want to make it too.

good luck to you all!

*(on the R n R i try to focus on more of the subtleties of a passage like how an AC/DC song can have the same riff three times in a song but never played the same way, but the whole band will still be tighter than f-ck. )

***Adwex*** · 07-08-2009, 05:27 PM

Wise words Viking.

I especially agree with what you said toward the end...it's MUCH more fun if it's taken seriously first, and you're actually good. A tight band is way more fun than a partying band.

American Viking · 07-08-2009, 05:51 PM

thanks man
yeah, and I forgot to mention it's also really about every different bands goal of how far they want to go. some guys really love music but are fine with just jamming out and never play shows and other guys want to travel the world with it. i guess the most important part is to find out where everyone's at and jam with people that have the same goals as a band. being content is what helps the best music come out of a person.

Kendall124 · 07-08-2009, 09:07 PM

Viking is right. Someone has to step up and be the ass when something doesnt sound right. Stop the song, figure it out and try it again. Do it over and over and over and....
I had a band with my name on it. I was the leader, I was in charge. God, I had a lot of players who hated me some nights because we would work on intro's, endings and bridges and that's ALL. I would stop songs and have individual members play/sing their parts solo. It sure weeded out who was hitting the wrong notes. F**k people hated me. But guess what...

When it was time to play/perform we were tight. I mean really tight. To the point of where you're just playing naturally.

So someone has got to step up. I have learned to always finish with a positive. Figure out who's hitting the wrong note, help them to correct it and then...

Slap 'em on the ass and tell them "good job, you rock." Works everytime.

rockinr0ll · 07-09-2009, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucifuge

I know what you mean. We usually practice the song until everyone is on the same level (playing the song naturally and not really watching stuff like dynamics). Then once we've reached that level, that's when we go and refine everything.

As for setting stuff up, we've got a steady practice room, so we almost don't have to set our stuff up (except for amp heads, too expensive and doesn't get covered by my insurance). But we always practice in the same setup as playing live.

That dynamic thing really helped wonders at practice. Usually when practicing I play at show level. I learned that if I just turn down and play at a reasonable volume the communication is better and shit gets done.

Lucifuge · 07-09-2009, 08:12 AM

Glad to hear it worked out! Keep rocking and good luck in the future.

ToneZone100 · 07-11-2009, 01:42 AM

From my experience my single tip would be "Don't play too loud". I know it may go against the grain but if everyone is cranked everything deteriorates into mush and you can't really hear what's going on. It also does irrepairable damage to your hearing!

Lucifuge · 07-13-2009, 02:19 AM

The louder the better

But seriously, you're right.. Only problem I've found with that, is that your always dependant on how hard the drummer plays... Most drummers can't seem to play quietly (at least not the ones I've played with).
And if you do have to play loud(er), think about custom ear plugs (the ones with filters). That way you won't start to go deaf (happens faster than you would believe) and still hear the right frequencies.

MonstersOfTheMidway · 07-15-2009, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockinr0ll

I have practice with my band tomorrow. We have been playing for around 3 years and play heavier/complex type of music. I was wondering if anyone had any tips for practicing and getting things finished. We usually get stuff done but recently kinda got in a rut. Most of our songs that we decided to play still are actually the ones that we have been playing since around when we first started. The newer songs we always ditch because they are just not good enough. So that leaves us to practicing just the old ones. I am not sure if we sound tight enough, and I really want to have that live professional sound. How can we get those songs that we already have to sound even better? We DO have pretty decent gear IMO and our songs have good melody's its just when we play it I don't think it clicks as much as I would want. Any tips on how to write songs and communicate together would be welcome as well.

I have read multiple threads about this topic online but I wanted to get a more direct response for my own question.

The nature of what you are involved in (being in a band) is essentially group work. Any environment where many people are working towards a common goal can get out of control and that is what I think your band is experiencing: it's slowly going out of control. In group work, everyone has a job to do and if one person doesn't do his/her part, then it slows or even stops the progress of the group.

I am an English teacher and something we do as a department (a total of 25 English teachers) is establish a set of norms at the beginning of the year that will be printed on all agendas and be followed throughout the year at all meetings. You can call it norms, a creed, a code, etc., but it essentially is the same thing. So, having norms that everyone agrees to is important.

The other important thing is to have goals set up that everyone feels is important. After practice, you will know what needs fixing and what is fine. Whatever needs to be fixed can be set up as a goal for the next practice, or whatever time frame you think is best by which to meet a goal.

Communicating is important. Try to set up time away from practice where you all can hang out and talk about things other than your band. The subject of the band will inevitably come up, but it should be the focus of your night out as a together. If you are all comfortable communicating with each other outside of practice, then it will help communication during practice. Remember, you are dealing with personalities, and that may need some time to mesh.

If you are in a rut, then one other thing you can do is buy/borrow a little 4 or 8 track recorder and start making some music on your own. Sometimes it's hard to describe to others what you want to hear in a new song, so a recorder might give you the freedom to work those parts out and then present it to the band to see what they think. Just an idea.

Hope some of this helps. Good luck with your band.

rhys_wtb · 12-28-2009, 07:39 AM

im currently in my first band at the moment, and its giving me nightmares D:

little pop punk band, and at the moment, i have no idea what is going on with it. everything is done by me and the drummer, i write all the guitar and bass (our bassist has no clue what the notes are on his bass, and is the worst bassist in the band :|) and the drummer writes the lyrics

when it comes to practises, things can go bad to worse. our singer who is a very good singer, never bothers showing up, always too busy with his girlfriend, which annoys me, but our drummer doesnt mind cause we cant find no other singer

i have learned though, and the guys who mentioned it above are right, never bring people to practise while your working, cause you will get nothing done and it really is a wind up

slowhand · 12-28-2009, 12:36 PM

Get a gig on the calendar. Nothing puts heat on a band like a gig coming up.

And someone mentioned dynamics.. true true true. But a lot of that comes with time and talent. Not everyone knows how to do it or even knows what that means.

You guys might find this crazy, but I learned the art of dynamics by playing in a contemporary church growing up. You basically were playing around the moment which meant dynamics were key. Now some 20 years later everyone I play with understands what that means. Or they are humble enough musicians to listen and try something different. Hard trait to find btw.

Cardiac Tom · 12-28-2009, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhys_wtb

im currently in my first band at the moment, and its giving me nightmares D:

little pop punk band, and at the moment, i have no idea what is going on with it. everything is done by me and the drummer, i write all the guitar and bass (our bassist has no clue what the notes are on his bass, and is the worst bassist in the band :|) and the drummer writes the lyrics

when it comes to practises, things can go bad to worse. our singer who is a very good singer, never bothers showing up, always too busy with his girlfriend, which annoys me, but our drummer doesnt mind cause we cant find no other singer

i have learned though, and the guys who mentioned it above are right, never bring people to practise while your working, cause you will get nothing done and it really is a wind up

Can I ask what the average age of the band members are?

With what you said, I would assume you guys are young...And there is nothing wrong with that. However, you have to find people with the same goals. Maybe sit down with everyone and voice your concerns.

I don't get along with my band 100% of the time, but all 4 of us have the same goals. We'll hit some rough patches here and there, but every band does that...

If that doesn't work, it may be time to just stick with the drummer and find some new members...

musicman · 12-28-2009, 01:00 PM

slowhand is 100% right.
Get a gig to work towards and you'll be amazed how much this will concentrate your minds.
The gig won't be perfect, they never are, but only you will know.
99% of the punters won't notice mistakes.
Final thought - don't over analyse, just enjoy what you're doing.

07-07-2009, 10:30 AM	#1 (permalink)
rockinr0ll Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,602	Band practice tips. I have practice with my band tomorrow. We have been playing for around 3 years and play heavier/complex type of music. I was wondering if anyone had any tips for practicing and getting things finished. We usually get stuff done but recently kinda got in a rut. Most of our songs that we decided to play still are actually the ones that we have been playing since around when we first started. The newer songs we always ditch because they are just not good enough. So that leaves us to practicing just the old ones. I am not sure if we sound tight enough, and I really want to have that live professional sound. How can we get those songs that we already have to sound even better? We DO have pretty decent gear IMO and our songs have good melody's its just when we play it I don't think it clicks as much as I would want. Any tips on how to write songs and communicate together would be welcome as well. I have read multiple threads about this topic online but I wanted to get a more direct response for my own question.

07-07-2009, 11:55 AM	#2 (permalink)
*Adwex* Super Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 2,205	Re: Band practice tips. I've found that we always play/sound better if there are visitors in the room...as long as they're not a distraction. Treat them as an audience. __________________ http://www.youtube.com/MarshallLesPaul

07-07-2009, 12:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
poeman33 Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 473	Re: Band practice tips. I agree with Adwex. When you have the songs down pretty good, practice in front of a crowd of some kind. Any kind of crowd...hell, you can even do it on webcams...as long as you know people are watching. It's puts a different spin to it. As for writing songs, different bands do it differently. Some like to write together from scratch, and others have the members bring in a finished song, and have the other members add to it, or change it. I like the latter myself. It would depend on how you guys work together. __________________ --------------- Marshall JCM2000 DSL50 Avatar Vintage 4x12 cab Fender American Deluxe HSS Strat Ash body

07-07-2009, 01:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
Lucifuge Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The LOW country Posts: 120	Re: Band practice tips. What also seems to work for us is to record a practice session (be it with a camera or a hard disk). It's always an eye opener. Things that you [I]think[I] sound tight, sometimes don't (and vice versa).

07-07-2009, 01:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
rockinr0ll Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,602	Re: Band practice tips. Yeah, we have done countless recordings of our practices and that really has been helpful. We have people there a lot and usually we don't get anything done that way though.

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07-08-2009, 05:21 AM	#12 (permalink)
rockinr0ll Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,602	Re: Band practice tips. When you guys practice how do you guys set up your gear? We always end up setting up where we have room, should it be more of a setting like how a show would be done?

07-08-2009, 06:33 AM	#13 (permalink)
nofearfactor Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: cold,dark... Posts: 227	Re: Band practice tips. I'm in 3 different projects. One of my projects is a new project just getting off the ground where all of the members are professionals with experience and I believe things will be creative and cohesive. We have yet to rehearse though with all of the members present. We have only been working in small groups- me and the singer,me and the bass player,me and the bass player and drummer,etc. Another project is nothing but totally professional. When we have full band rehearsals we come in and go to work and we get things done in the exact way we would do a gig,then we go home. We work on our setlist,once we're done we go over any changes anyone wants to make to a song. Me and the rythym guitarist write the majority of the material together/rehearse any covers we like on the side just the two of us. I will then teach everything to the bass player in rehearsals between just me and him. We then bring the drummer in when we have things ready for a full band rehearsal and to build a setlist. We will either video record or record to demo gear the full rehearsal and everyone gets a copy and is expected to work on stuff. The other,where to start with all of my complaints- I'm past tired of their girlfriends,wives and friends hanging out; too much weed smoking and beer drinking during trying to work; we dont follow a rehearsal setlist-its a free for all most times;some times we're rehearsing newer stuff that someone brings to the table that makes no sense;its almost just a party or a reason to get out of the house for some of them; rehearsals are at a rehearsal space at my house and my wife is complaining about some of the guys peeing in the backyard,cigarette butts in the driveway,etcetc. Not a good situation. I have let things get out of control and I am calling a meeting this weekend and if things dont change I'm quitting them. Theyre a talented group of guys and it could be a really good band but their rehearsal routine sucks. When we do gigs though they are tight and polished. Go figure. __________________ myspace- http://www.myspace.com/nofearfactor some gear pics- http://community.webshots.com/album/...ecurity=QbSaeN

07-08-2009, 09:03 AM	#16 (permalink)
rockinr0ll Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,602	Re: Band practice tips. Good idea about dynamics, today I'm going to bring a different set up and see if using different volume can help. Thanks.

07-08-2009, 04:53 PM	#18 (permalink)
American Viking Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: RICHMOND, VIRGINIA Posts: 2,031	Re: Band practice tips. i've found the best approach is first off have people that can give and are willing to take direction. sometimes someone has to step in and be a leader. like when a kick drum sounds a little funny or the two guitar players are picking slightly different, you gotta stop and dissect the music and make sure everyone is on the same page. scrutinizing the smallest changes in a musical passage is what really makes a band tight and together. this makes the larger parts easier to work into and carry on. the thing that i've seen hold a lot of bands back is the failure to work together and take criticism. i've played in other people's bands where some members are lagging behind and not really taking time to learn the parts properly and the band leader would keep his mouth shut and not make any attempt to make everyone get it together. when we write we have a giant dry erase board that we compose different arrangements since metal passages are more complex than rock and roll. we just have little nicknames for the parts or just say "riff a riff b", stuff like that. this really helps to stay organized. especially when you've just completed a song and there's a part that needs more work than the others you can just point and say, "we have to fix this, right here!" other instances we deal with are when someone comes to the table with a song or part of a song, at first there's always a little noodling around and experimenting with different ways to play it. sometimes differences sound good, and other times the author just steps in and says "hey dude, this one's not open to interpretation". if someone has a good vision and a solid idea on how the outcome of the song should be, you should give a little trust that they know what they are doing, but at the same time don't be afraid to say "no way, that sucks". it's a lot of give and take and i'm sure we all know that by now. i'm a large advocate of no women at band practice and no outsiders. i've done it before, and yeah it's fun to have buddies out and to get some slore to suck you off out behind the spot but it hinders your progress. girls are a large reason that dudes quit bands, i see it every day. clint eastwood said in front of his wife that he's so in love with the arts that he could never give himself completely to anyone else. that's the same thing i told my wife, i'll take the music over her any day and for her to never come between me and rehearsal, tour, or my bandmates. i love my old lady of course but you've gotta make them understand the way things are or they won't realize how important this is to you. we drink booze at rehearsal but no one's getting hammered. nobody's toking up either, i don't have a problem with getting high but those dudes doing bong rips at practice every night are more than likely going to have the ride of a lifetime pass them by. i'm not saying i won't take a hit on the road but not when it comes down to business. (also never book shows or talk business with any promoters/bands/venues if i'm intoxicated) i know i've written way too much that won't be read but i thought i'd throw it out there. when every one is on the same page and takes it seriously it gets a lot more fun. i'm rehearsing with 2 groups 5 nights a week and away from home a lot in between so we're pretty serious! all the other guys are working their asses off so we have to get in there and keep up with the pace if we want to make it too. good luck to you all! (on the R n R i try to focus on more of the subtleties of a passage like how an AC/DC song can have the same riff three times in a song but never played the same way, but the whole band will still be tighter than f-ck. ) __________________ Transformers inside amplifiers were not originally designed to be in there, and the tube was not created for the guitar amp. ANY recommended idle current is a guideline and in no way a necessary requirement. There is no skeleton key for any tube amp.

07-08-2009, 05:27 PM	#19 (permalink)
*Adwex* Super Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 2,205	Re: Band practice tips. Wise words Viking. I especially agree with what you said toward the end...it's MUCH more fun if it's taken seriously first, and you're actually good. A tight band is way more fun than a partying band. __________________ http://www.youtube.com/MarshallLesPaul

07-08-2009, 05:51 PM	#20 (permalink)
American Viking Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: RICHMOND, VIRGINIA Posts: 2,031	Re: Band practice tips. thanks man yeah, and I forgot to mention it's also really about every different bands goal of how far they want to go. some guys really love music but are fine with just jamming out and never play shows and other guys want to travel the world with it. i guess the most important part is to find out where everyone's at and jam with people that have the same goals as a band. being content is what helps the best music come out of a person. __________________ Transformers inside amplifiers were not originally designed to be in there, and the tube was not created for the guitar amp. ANY recommended idle current is a guideline and in no way a necessary requirement. There is no skeleton key for any tube amp.

07-08-2009, 09:07 PM	#21 (permalink)
Kendall124 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 241	Re: Band practice tips. Viking is right. Someone has to step up and be the ass when something doesnt sound right. Stop the song, figure it out and try it again. Do it over and over and over and.... I had a band with my name on it. I was the leader, I was in charge. God, I had a lot of players who hated me some nights because we would work on intro's, endings and bridges and that's ALL. I would stop songs and have individual members play/sing their parts solo. It sure weeded out who was hitting the wrong notes. F**k people hated me. But guess what... When it was time to play/perform we were tight. I mean really tight. To the point of where you're just playing naturally. So someone has got to step up. I have learned to always finish with a positive. Figure out who's hitting the wrong note, help them to correct it and then... Slap 'em on the ass and tell them "good job, you rock." Works everytime. __________________ Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

07-09-2009, 08:12 AM	#23 (permalink)
Lucifuge Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The LOW country Posts: 120	Re: Band practice tips. Glad to hear it worked out! Keep rocking and good luck in the future.

07-11-2009, 01:42 AM	#24 (permalink)
ToneZone100 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 94	Re: Band practice tips. From my experience my single tip would be "Don't play too loud". I know it may go against the grain but if everyone is cranked everything deteriorates into mush and you can't really hear what's going on. It also does irrepairable damage to your hearing! __________________ Marshall DSL100 & 1960a 4x12 PRS SE 24 Paul Allender-Charvel model2-Charvel model3-Ibanez Iceman

07-13-2009, 02:19 AM	#25 (permalink)
Lucifuge Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The LOW country Posts: 120	Re: Band practice tips. The louder the better But seriously, you're right.. Only problem I've found with that, is that your always dependant on how hard the drummer plays... Most drummers can't seem to play quietly (at least not the ones I've played with). And if you do have to play loud(er), think about custom ear plugs (the ones with filters). That way you won't start to go deaf (happens faster than you would believe) and still hear the right frequencies.

12-28-2009, 07:39 AM	#27 (permalink)
rhys_wtb Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: birmingham england Posts: 129	Re: Band practice tips. im currently in my first band at the moment, and its giving me nightmares D: little pop punk band, and at the moment, i have no idea what is going on with it. everything is done by me and the drummer, i write all the guitar and bass (our bassist has no clue what the notes are on his bass, and is the worst bassist in the band :\|) and the drummer writes the lyrics when it comes to practises, things can go bad to worse. our singer who is a very good singer, never bothers showing up, always too busy with his girlfriend, which annoys me, but our drummer doesnt mind cause we cant find no other singer i have learned though, and the guys who mentioned it above are right, never bring people to practise while your working, cause you will get nothing done and it really is a wind up

12-28-2009, 12:36 PM	#28 (permalink)
slowhand Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NY Posts: 180	Re: Band practice tips. Get a gig on the calendar. Nothing puts heat on a band like a gig coming up. And someone mentioned dynamics.. true true true. But a lot of that comes with time and talent. Not everyone knows how to do it or even knows what that means. You guys might find this crazy, but I learned the art of dynamics by playing in a contemporary church growing up. You basically were playing around the moment which meant dynamics were key. Now some 20 years later everyone I play with understands what that means. Or they are humble enough musicians to listen and try something different. Hard trait to find btw.

12-28-2009, 01:00 PM	#30 (permalink)
musicman Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 47	Re: Band practice tips. slowhand is 100% right. Get a gig to work towards and you'll be amazed how much this will concentrate your minds. The gig won't be perfect, they never are, but only you will know. 99% of the punters won't notice mistakes. Final thought - don't over analyse, just enjoy what you're doing.

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