Alex has been part of the community of musicians and artist that rehearse here at Hothouse studios since we opened back in October of 2003 and it is an honor that year after year Alex uses studio 1 (the auditorium) to shoot his “drum lesson” for Modern Drummer Magazine.  Thank You Alex!!! 

Alex has been in rehearsing so look for a new video soon.

Hi you’re at HotHothouse Studio TV…I’m your host Richard Morales and welcome to New Music Monday.  We caught up with the emerging rock band As Is while they were being interviewed on the national syndicated internet radio show “Live with Billy Moses. 

This is an interview Billy will never forget and is definitely in the top ten. Billy has a national internet radio show that he let us in on.  Thanks to Billy, Robin and the band members of As Is: Daniel – vocals, Kirk – bass/vocals, Gravey – guitar/vocals and Richard – drums.

Rehearsal studios are happening places especially at Hothouse Studios. There is always something unsual going on here at the rehearsal studio. As Is rehearses at Hothouse Studios and we are honored to call them our friends. Learn more about As Is here.

Don Bell and Liquid Soul

Performance Rehearsal

Your band has lined up a gig, thankfully with plenty of notice and time to promote.  You realize you have plenty of songs to choose from; more songs than you are going to be allotted time for.  What do you do? 

You should plan on making most of the rehearsals before your show “performance rehearsals”.  Think of them like the rehearsals a cast of a play or musical put on.  As you close in on your gig date, you should be getting closer and closer to playing like it’s the real deal. 

For our example, let’s assume that band ABC has 4 weeks’ notice and typically practices twice a week. 

• 4 weeks before the show:

Believe it or not, this is going to be the toughest week of the four leading up to your gig.  Band ABC was writing music thinking they were going to have to play an hour for their show but landed a local music showcase gig that only requires a 30 minute set.  Unfortunately, that means they won’t be able to play all of their songs.  The tough part of this week is choosing which songs they are going to play. 

The first rehearsal should be devoted to getting song durations down.  A stopwatch is incredibly handy, as is a white board.  Band ABC has their song names already written down on the white board so it’s just a matter of playing them and having someone write down how long each song is.  They know that their normal set, start to finish, is almost an hour; now they know how long each song is so they can add up times to hit 30 minutes.

 Band ABC is not using any type of click track or metronome for their drummer so they make a point to take the time and write a second time beside it that is roughly 10 percent shorter to account for gig adrenalin and nerves causing everyone to want to push the tempo.  (They even lament the fact that they aren’t using a click track for this very reason.) 

All the band members then make their own list of songs that makes 30 minutes of music.  The fun part begins with the negotiation that it is going to take to pick the right songs that will knock the socks off the crowd as well as keep the musicians happy.  This process may extend through to the next rehearsal but by the end of week 4 a set list needs to be figured out. 

• 3 weeks before the show:

During the first rehearsal of week 3, the band runs the new 30 minute set then discusses where breaks need to be placed.  The lead guitarist expresses a need to switch guitars so that break is added (and noted on the white board).  The set also has a couple songs that seem to feed right into each other so that is also noted.  They rehearse the breaks and the transitions from one song to the next. 

The second rehearsal, before they start they make sure everyone remembers how they are doing the new transitions and make a point to rehearse them before running the set a couple times.  The band members begin walking away feeling confident. 

• 2 weeks before the show:

The second week should be devoted to working on stage presence.  The “front man” of the group, typically the singer, needs to pretend there is a crowd and practice getting the crowd pumped up between songs, getting the crowd jamming during songs and making it seem like this is not the band’s first show.  The guitarists and bass player need to make sure they are moving around and not standing in one spot playing their lines flawlessly but with little flair or facial expression. 

The goal of week 2 is to make sure everyone can play their lines while truly “rocking out” like they intend to on stage.  Many a band has sounded horrible during their live show due to extra moving around, whether it’s playing or tripping over cables.  

Band ABC practices in a very nice rehearsal facility with great lighting that dims, (like hothouse studios), so during the 2^nd practice of the week they dim the lights, more like a night club would have, to make sure everything runs smoothly in a low light situation.  If your practice studio doesn’t have dimmers on their lighting, bring in a couple of lamps from your homes, turn off the studio lights and work the set in low light that way.

• The week of the show:

Band ABC has practiced religiously for the past three weeks.  They are confident and secure in their playing.  They decide to only practice once this week.  They run the set one last time with a couple of trusted friends there for a crowd and also to get feedback.  They work out the one little quibble that their friends mention…the guitarist took longer than everyone thought switching instruments, they adjust and run the set again, except with better filler to mask the guitar change.  They are happy and incredibly secure in their playing. 

They make a point to pack up their gear that night so all they have to do the day of the show is show up at the gig.  This lets them have one less thing to do the day of the show and keeps them fresh and ready to blow the crowd away with their set. 

Your live set is fined tuned.

Hothouse Studios is more than a top notch rehearsal facility, we are a music career learning center and the Band Toolbox has over a 100 articles on various subjects relating to succeeding in your music career.  Enter the Band Toolbox here.

For an First Rate
Audio | Video | Rehearsal Experience
Go to Hothouse Studios
“Where Music Grows”

Hothouse Rehearsal Studios, 11823 Slauson Ave., Unit 41, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, USA  562.945.1300

Kelle Rhoads (Randy Rhoads brother) and Kelly Garni (bassist for Quiet Riot) along with our good friend Ronny North have been rehearsing for their upcoming tour of Japan. They have been rehearsing the songs they’ll be performing for the tribute to the songs of Randy Rhoads.

In this video Kelle Rhoads and Kelly Garni are talking about their experiences here at hothouse rehearsal studios.

This day I shot the video segments of the guys that Japanese TV show Metal Gathering requested for the TV promos of the Tour.  There is a big TV show over in Japan called the Metal Gathering and they need video assets for the commercials they are running for the songs of Randy Rhoads tribute shows.  We shot openings and closings to the show and 12 segments of  interview type material.  Very educational.

For an First Rate
Audio | Video | Rehearsal Experience
Go to Hothouse Studios
“Where Music Grows”

Hothouse Rehearsal Studios, 11823 Slauson Ave., Unit 41, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, USA  562.945.1300

It’s a story about some rogue ice cream bunnies scouring the streets and back alleys of the city searching for ice cream lovers to victimize, while Ronny’s new single “Tomorrow is Burning” is churning up the street. Enjoy.

Hothouse Studio Rehearsal TV can produce your next music video.
Give us a call we can help.
562.945.1300.

For an First Rate
Audio | Video | Rehearsal Experience
Go to Hothouse Studios
“Where Music Grows”

Now world famous video director Robert Schober pka (professionally known as) Roboshobo who is known for his work on videos for Metallica, Mastodon, the B52′s, Green Day and No Doubt will be at the helm of “The New Los Angeles” MTV video for It’s Casual.

We were honored that It’s Casual and Robert Schober chose the Auditorium here at Hothouse Rehearsal Studios to film all the performance footage for “The New Los Angeles” MTV video.  If pro video directors are using the Auditorium there must be a reason.  Hothouse Rehearsal Studios the affordable pro studio.  We’ll be posting behind the scenes video footage of “The New Los Angeles” MTV video shoot soon.  So stay tuned.

But that’s not all. 

Win 2 Free Tickets to this Fridays’ It’s Casual Concert by Emailing us at studio@hothousestudios.com  with the words Its Casual in the subject line. 
Be the 49^th email and you are a WINNER!!!  Please give us your contact information (Name, phone number, email address, so we can contact you and make arrangements to get you your 2 free tickets. 

Show Details
It’s Casual Friday May 22 at the Relax Bar in Hollywood.  It’s Casual will be headlining the show, but the support bands are headliners too.  Influential skateboarder Tony Alva and D.F.L. vocalist Tom Davis have formed a new band called G.F.P. and they’ll be blowing up the Relax Bar along with Bad Samaratins, Chapstick and the MeatMen.

Doors open at 8pm and the show begins at 9pm sharp.  There is a $10 dollar admission, please 21+.  Relax Bar is located at 5511 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, Ca 90027.  Relax Bar is on the Northwest corner of Hollywood and Western.

Email us now at studio@hothousestudio.com and be the 49^th email to Win 2 Free Tickets to this Fridays’ It’s Casual Concert.

Learn More About It’s Casual at our Artist Listing here

We’ve had the pleasure of hosting the rehearsals for singer entertainer Jennifer Day’s upcoming concert May 7^th, 2009.   The rehearsals have been astounding and the live show is going to be HOT!

Jennifer hosts a Live Call-In TV Show called JENNIFER DAY TV at her very own theater in Sherman Oaks, California . She sings and dances to her own original music, and she takes live phone calls. It airs 3 times a week on Time Warner Cable in Los Angeles and New York. You can also see Jennifer’s show on her FREE 24 hour webcast, no login, just go to www.JenniferDay.tv

Learn more about Jennifer Day at her exclusive artist profile page at HotHouseStudis.com.  Take a look.

Come Meet, Greet and Experience a Drum Clinic with

Aaron Rossi

Of

Ministry

Aaron Rossi of Ministry | Guitar Center | Drum Clinic | Hothouse Studios

Aaron Rossi has shared the stage and the studio with the likes of MINISTRY, JOHN 5, PRONG, WEAPON X and many others.  His double bass speed and precision have scored him endorsement deals with DDrum, Pro-Mark Sticks, Sabian Cymbals and more!  Come learn the tricks and techniques of this pro and Hothouse Studio friend.

This event is FREE and open to the public

Limited seating is available; please contact a sales person for info.

At

Guitar Center

Fountain Valley

18361 Euclid St. Fountain Valley, Ca 92708

714.241.9140

Filmed in the Auditorium at Hothouse Studios

for our good friends Aaron Rossi and Guitar Center.

Pacific CX series maple drum kit by DW, Sabian Cymbals, Yamaha Hardware, Evans EC2 heads.

Submissions are free, and the new show is causing a sensation because it is the first talent show to offer artists and bands everywhere an equal chance to win the fame of national TV exposure, a potential record contract, and a $10,000 grand prize. 

Make A Star TV is the first web-to-TV talent show of its kind. It launched as a syndicated program on Fuse TV in December 2008. The 30-minute show is broadcast on Saturdays at 10.30am (EST and PST). The 13 part series concludes in March, when the grand prize winner will be announced.

All the artists and bands using Hothouse Studios are encouraged to enter.  Just shoot a video of yourselves (or have a friend do it), and upload it from any computer.  If you don’t have a computer, you can ask for help at your public library, school or Hothouse Studios. Hothouse Rehearsal Studios is entering into the swing of things, because we want to help local talent make it onto a national stage.

>>> IMPORTANT INFORMATION <<<

Even those without a video camera can participate, because MakeAStar.com also offers the opportunity to sing from a webcam directly into site-based software.

The Original Music Contest’s Audition Phase, allows artists and bands anywhere in the US to get their work exposed on MakeAStar.com, and potentially on TV. The Audition Phase winners will advance to a 4 week face-off (the Hollywood Phase) from which the final winner of the Original Music Contest will emerge on March 14.

“The unique equal chance opportunity of MakeAStar.com and the Make A Star TV show is that an artist or band can upload a video at the beginning of a week at no cost, and at the end of the week find that same video featured on a national TV show because their work impressed the judges and the public” said Dr. Iman Foroutan, inventor of the Make A Star contest platform.

Make A Star’s online contest system is a patented process whereby thousands of videos can be pitted against each other in a bracketed tournament system. All music genres are featured.  In each round, videos getting the most votes each week advance to the next bracket round until the most popular videos emerge to be included in the TV show. The system prevents multiple votes for a single contestant by the same user and provides flexible vote weighting for both fans and industry judges, so contestants get the fairest possible consideration.

Good Luck from Hothouse Rehearsal Studios and www.hothousestudios.com