Reasonable expectaitions for bandmates

bbottom · August 15, 2012, 02:58:53 PM

Is it a reasonable expectation that everyone in your band can get together at least twice a week for practice?

Ranbat · August 15, 2012, 03:04:45 PM

Depends on the age group. Are these all twenty somethings with no wives, kids or jobs? If so, then yes! it is a resonable request. Once you add any or all of the aforementioned things, twice a week can be unreasonable. Especially the wives and kids part.

I,Galactus · August 15, 2012, 03:05:33 PM

Depends on your bandmembers primary source of income.

It's hard to say "we jam every tuesday and thursday forever no matter what," when the shift manager at T.G.I.Fuckdays switches the schedule every week.

Hemisaurus · August 15, 2012, 03:59:08 PM

Quote from: I,Galactus on August 15, 2012, 03:05:33 PM
Depends on your bandmembers primary source of income.

It's hard to say "we jam every tuesday and thursday forever no matter what," when the shift manager at T.G.I.Fuckdays switches the schedule every week.

What he says, I've played with 9-5'ers and we did Thursday eve and Sunday afternoon every week, another one was every Wednesday aft/eve.

Then I've played with people with one or two jobs, stupid shifts, and we'd play twice a week one week, and then not play again for up to three weeks, it's frustrating when you are ready to play, but figure it's probably just as frustrating as them, I mean no-one actually wants to be behind the griller at Red Lobster or stacking boxes at Walgreens or whatever, and they have to pay the rent, maybe some student loan crap, or whatever.

moose23 · August 15, 2012, 04:54:33 PM

We do once a week but most of us would be in two bands and jobs too. If they can't do once a week regularly then you have a problem..

Hemisaurus · August 15, 2012, 05:35:13 PM

Quote from: moose23 on August 15, 2012, 04:54:33 PM
We do once a week but most of us would be in two bands and jobs too. If they can't do once a week regularly then you have a problem..

Ah, but you are in the Eurounion, where they spec max. hours worked per week and stuff, USA-ians are often expected to do ridiculous hours, either dangerous amounts of overtime for no extra salary, or extremely low base pay that you are expected to supplement with tips.

Really the only reason Mexicans sneak in here, is because it's closer than Europe

Mr. Foxen · August 15, 2012, 06:27:28 PM

Can get away with practicing less due to the joys of e-communication, if you can all send each other recordings and such, straight to PC riffs and things, so when you hit practice its about playing not learning.

chlorpromazine · August 15, 2012, 06:38:34 PM

Once per week is reasonable if you haven't all agreed ahead of time that you're going to practice more often.

If I were in just one project, and it was rolling along fine without any danger of burning the other folks out, I could feasibly do 4 practices per week. I have to keep in mind that not everyone is in my situation, and not everyone is at that same level of commitment. I also guess that's why I play in three bands.

One of the bands that I play with, and have been off and on for the last 10 years now, was trying to do 2 jams per week with the full band. The guitar, bass, and vocals were getting together sometimes a third time in the middle of the week while I was working to get together on riffs. The problem was that guitar dude wasn't really down for more than the bare minimum (once per week), but was too passive to say so. Instead, he would flake on one of the two full band practices at the last minute. I had to pull the other guys in and say, "what can we realistically expect?" because I was tired of sacrificing time that I could be jamming with someone that actually wants to play due to the last minute flakes.

You just have to set your expectations to the situation at hand, not the situation that you want.

chlorpromazine · August 15, 2012, 06:48:41 PM

Quote from: Mr. Foxen on August 15, 2012, 06:27:28 PM
Can get away with practicing less due to the joys of e-communication, if you can all send each other recordings and such, straight to PC riffs and things, so when you hit practice its about playing not learning.

Recording the jams at practice is the way to go. Sending riffs around is good, too. Most of the time someone will bring in a riff, either by sending it around, or just bringing it into practice. We jam on it and hammer it out a little, record all that, and usually stumble onto a measure or two of something cool that we expand on. Those brief flashes of brilliance among the hours of fucking off would be lost without the recordings.

dogfood · August 16, 2012, 12:11:11 AM

Quote from: Ranbat on August 15, 2012, 03:04:45 PM
Depends on the age group. Are these all twenty somethings with no wives, kids or jobs? If so, then yes! it is a resonable request. Once you add any or all of the aforementioned things, twice a week can be unreasonable. Especially the wives and kids part.

Here is my recommendation on how to turn the Wife & Kids problem into a band solution: sell the children and whore out the wife. This way you can get a nice upfront amount of cash for vintage Marshall amps and the wifey can pull in a long term money for payments on a killer band van with a tight equipment trailer!

Naxzul · August 16, 2012, 03:26:29 AM

FUCKING REPLY TO TEXT MESSAGES, PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS CUNTS.

chlorpromazine · August 16, 2012, 03:33:49 AM

SENDING A LAST-MINUTE MESSAGE ON FACEBOOK TO FLAKE ON BAND PRACTICE ISN'T THE SAME AS CALLING OR TEXTING MY PHONE, CUNTS.

clockwork green · August 16, 2012, 07:37:52 AM

Why are so many practices necessary? Many successful bands rarely practice except right before tours. When Meshuggah writes they're all over the place and they'll send recorded files to each other with what they're working on. They'll get together for recording the album or right before it to finish the songs but that's it. Since the guys in Neurosis have nearly all moved out of the bay area it's the same thing. They get together to write the album and then immediately record it. The only time they practice is before a tour which they don't do much of these days. Most bands have one or two people that really write the songs. As long as that's happening, I don't see an issue with the full group getting together once in awhile to run through things and polish them up. If a one off show is coming then maybe put in 2-3 practices for that. There are other bands out there that all write together and they'll show up like it's their 9-5'er and spends 8-10 hours a day writing 5-6 days a week. There are a lot of ways to reach the same goal.

liquidsmoke · August 16, 2012, 11:42:52 AM

The more each band member practices on their own after material is written the less the whole band needs to get together to practice.

We shoot for 2 hours once a week and almost always get in 3 times a month. I shoot for running through the set 3 to 4 times a week alone other than that.

grimniggzy · August 16, 2012, 11:44:17 AM

If they're real rockers they'll make it work. Otherwise give 'em shape & tell 'em to shape up or slag 'em.

I,Galactus · August 16, 2012, 12:11:02 PM

Quote from: grimniggzy on August 16, 2012, 11:44:17 AM
If they're real rockers they'll make it work. Otherwise give 'em shape & tell 'em to shape up or slag 'em.

GIVE THEM ALL OF THE SHAPE

grimniggzy · August 16, 2012, 12:41:21 PM

somehow that happened.
i meant give em shit.

EFF editing.

DustinAR · August 16, 2012, 07:05:24 PM

Quote from: Naxzul on August 16, 2012, 03:26:29 AM
FUCKING REPLY TO TEXT MESSAGES, PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS CUNTS.

Just reminded me I needed to respond to an email.

eyeprod · August 16, 2012, 07:36:33 PM

just reminded me that I need to listen to a demo.

I agree that the distance thing can work. I know people who have done it.

With some kinds of music it's very possible for one or two people to write the tunes and send demos to the other band mates. Everyone learns their parts on their own time and then you practice for a bit to get it down. In the past, this has worked for me, to a point.

Hemisaurus · August 16, 2012, 08:27:26 PM

Quote from: eyeprod on August 16, 2012, 07:36:33 PM
just reminded me that I need to listen to a demo.

I agree that the distance thing can work. I know people who have done it.

With some kinds of music it's very possible for one or two people to write the tunes and send demos to the other band mates. Everyone learns their parts on their own time and then you practice for a bit to get it down. In the past, this has worked for me, to a point.

What kind of distance?

eyeprod · August 16, 2012, 09:55:42 PM

Any distance. The point being, you can work on things in your own space and time. With today's technology, it's pretty easy to make up demos and send them off to other people in the interest of collaboration.

everdrone · August 16, 2012, 10:44:20 PM

those new quiet electronic drumsets are cool!

you can jam anywhere, anytime, by yourselves, or with the whole band: http://www.ejamming.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcMKRXHcO6k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1YWhigH5ZY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwqRbaDjDoE&feature=related

should work through the set once a week, and set aside time maybe an additional day for new songs

irritations: mass flakeage day of practice. closed minded people with uncompromising ideals.

bbottom · August 16, 2012, 11:48:45 PM

Having done both the long distance minimal practice thing and the 4-5 day full band practice schedule, I can say with certainty that their is no substitute for having practicing more often with a full band is the better way to go. And it's the only way you're going to get tighter as a band

liquidsmoke · August 17, 2012, 12:29:16 AM

Quote from: Naxzul on August 16, 2012, 03:26:29 AM
FUCKING REPLY TO TEXT MESSAGES, PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS CUNTS.

This. Pretty important. Also it's hard to remember to bring everything up at practice so talking about song stuff through email is kind of cool. I know some people are really just that busy though. But..

mortlock · August 17, 2012, 01:07:21 AM

Quote from: liquidsmoke on August 17, 2012, 12:29:16 AM
Quote from: Naxzul on August 16, 2012, 03:26:29 AM
FUCKING REPLY TO TEXT MESSAGES, PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS CUNTS.

This. Pretty important. Also it's hard to remember to bring everything up at practice so talking about song stuff through email is kind of cool. I know some people are really just that busy though. But..

communication is no excuse in todays day and age..