Studio 1 | The Auditorium

Let’s go all the way back to the academic definition of music rehearsal first: “Rehearsing a musical composition often involves repeating some passages over and over again until everyone in the ensemble (band or group of musicians) masters them.” Well that’s the core of rehearsing, its main foundation… the one that no matter what, you should always comply to.    

But music has changed much since these academic days, now rehearsing exceeds these acts, and combines more tasks in itself.   

First you should agree that a focused band is the main requisite for a decent rehearsal.  
Secondly, be aware that a group rehearsal (or ensemble rehearsal, as stated in the opening definition) is not your practice room or music instrument class!  Don’t go into the rehearsing studio to develop your individual skills or train your finger position and so on… that’s homework mate! Musicians should be prepared for rehearsing as a group and reviewing the tracks over and over is practically the only way to achieve the sound that you want.   

Ø      Discussion and Analysis 

But rehearsing isn’t all about playing the part or song silently from start to stop. The meaning of rehearsing hides another concept vital in today’s bands: Discussion and Analysis.  

When you train a track or a part of it, let’s say from the bridge to the chorus, over and over you are perfecting it, and most of the times “perfection” is about getting it right and playing it smoothly… but there are cases in which, during rehearsal, minor changes to the tracks can happen. A slight change on a note’s duration or its pitch can occur when musician calmly discuss and present their point of view on that segment of music being analyzed.    

So it’s all about maturing your own product, and that comes in many shapes and flavors. As stated above you can perfect the way all of your band members play their part of the songs, you can perfect the way vocals and back vocals line up and double themselves on the chorus, and many more slight corrections like these, but another thing you can mature is the way the band performs. That’s where the stage-like rehearsal comes into play.   

Ø      Show Rehearsing

A common practice for bands (and a really important one for bands) is Show Rehearsing. This is, playing your entire concert song list, from start to end and even the “encore” if you’re feeling lucky. This will point out mistakes and problems in your band that you don’t want to experience live and also helps you to test the concert song list.

Which problems are these you say? Just play the entire song list and you’ll see.

The drummer is tired because track 3 is up tempo and is followed by another really fast tempo song. The bass player needs to switch to percussion in track 6 which leads to enormous waiting time (crowd’s hate that), and it gets worst, where you find out that playing all the tracks sequentially can be hard work. So by using these practices in rehearsing you’ll definitely get near to perfection, which is the purpose of it.

But remember a crucial aspect: mastery of technical skills DOES NOT replace feeling when playing. 

In the other hand, besides Show Rehearsing you have several styles and types of rehearsing and some common practices.  

Ø      Common Practices 

For drum players you should always use a metronome while rehearsing difficult songs (particularly if at the start you’re not feeling the tempo, or if the signature is a composite, i.e.: 7/4, 5/4, 3/4, and so on).  

Bass players and drummers should build up a strong concept of rhythm section. If need be they could take some time on their own and practice the bass lines and rhythms. And then accordingly to you own band formation, there’s several ways to enhance your performance.  

Lets’ divide these practices into a small list, with sub-topics: 

Ø      Rhythm section 

As stated, both bass and percussion elements (drummers, conga players, etc…) should work considerably close. That makes a band consistent and the groove becomes solid. 

Work with metronome if any of the musicians is not feeling the tempo, but be sure to disconnect it when everyone is groovin’.

To synth players or organ players, keep an eye on the tempo and the rhythm section and learn their breaks and tempo changes.

If you’re working with vocals and background vocals be sure to reserve some rehearsing time to this.  Many times the chorus needs to change because of background vocal integration.  

Also, a new trend is to use effects on the voice, so if that’s your case, choose some nice gear (foot pedal) and some powerful harmonizer effect machine, and rehearse that part over and over. (You don’t want to mess up effects in real time).

 Ø      Wind instruments 

Wind sections should always work together (reeds and brass), and if you have/can, work with the piano score (transposed to your instrument, of course) and keep it well rehearsed. If needed take some time to rehearse this section alone.

Just a final note for those that play solo or play solos in their band. Solos take a huge time rehearsing and should be done in your own individual studio time or at home. When rehearsing with the band be sure to have your solos worked out. 

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

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

California Jamming Band

On Camera Rehearsal

If you are familiar with the Movie School of Rock, you can imagine how an on camera rehearsal could benefit a band.  This type of rehearsal is pre-planned, with someone bringing in the video camera.  If possible, a TV should be brought in as well to watch the video right afterwards.  What are the benefits of doing an on camera rehearsal?

Ø  It’s an official dress rehearsal which includes being dressed. 

Most bands don’t do “dress rehearsals” that include being dressed for the part but if you are videotaping, even if just to review everything, the clothes should be included.  You never know when you will need filler for a music video later! 

Ø  The moves you think are cool may not be/you think you are moving and your feet are glued to the floor.

Another big reason for the on camera rehearsal is to make sure everyone looks good jamming out.  Many times, a band is into their music and it looks great but occasionally you will have that one band with that one guy that is over the top and insane compared to the rest of the band, like Jack Black’s character in School of Rock, for example.

Ø  To Avoid Clichés

There are so many “rock” clichés that avoiding them all is impossible.  With that said, trying to avoid some of the egregious ones is an important part of your presence.
By videotaping, you can tell whether you or your band mates are doing anything too weird and zany.  Often times, you will do things and not even realize it while on stage. 

Read the entire “On Carmera Rehearsal” article here in the Band Toolbox.

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 in it 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

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

Quite often I find bands asking me similar questions.  In a nutshell they were all asking “What they can do to have more effective and efficient rehearsals”.   In this next series of articles in the Band Toolbox, I’ll be sharing information on rehearsal techniques, designed to impact your next showcase or recording.

Here’s an example of an article in the Band Toolbox.  This is an overview article.  In the band toolbox there are articles written specifically about each type of rehearsal mentioned in this overview article.

Types of Rehearsals

 Another point to cover when preparing for rehearsals is to determine the appropriate type of rehearsal to have.  The song is the main determinant. Depending on where a song is categorized on your list of readiness (song idea thru performance ready) will determine the appropriate type of rehearsal to use.  One rehearsal session may incorporate the methods used in the various types of rehearsal. Again the song dictates the type of rehearsal.  So what are these rehearsal types? 

• Jamming rehearsal – new song is introduced, learn chord changes, very loose approach, figuring out what the song should sound and feel like.
• Song writing rehearsal – the band as a whole writes a song.  Similar approach as a jamming rehearsal except you’ll be creating the chord changes on the fly.
• Song Arrangement rehearsals – assign parts and focus on specific sections in the music.  Work in small groups (bass and drums only, drums and vocals only).
• Performance rehearsal – Your live set is fined tuned.
• Pre-production (for recording) rehearsal – here you’re thinking about instrumentation, breaking the song down instrument by instrument, assigning instruments to your track map.
• Technical rehearsal – work on moving smoothly thru your effects processors, instrument changes, and amp settings.
• On camera rehearsal – video a dress rehearsal, practice movements.
• Live radio show rehearsal – work on song introductions, edit song length if necessary, come up with “sound bites”.
• Rehearsals for interviews – have a friend interview the band; get comfortable with answering questions on the fly.

 You are a band, a group of musicians.  The laws of nature say; “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.  Don’t fight Mother Nature. 

Substitute the word “song” for “whole” and you get “the song is greater than the sums of its parts”. When the song sounds great each member of the group will shine within it.

Believe, Decide, Take Action, Get Results

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

While other studios are writing so called rehearsal tip articles, there is a major difference between theirs and the Hothouse Band Toolbox articles. The ones I’ve read from other studios are about telling you reasons not to cancel rehearsal on them.  It’s all about them not you.  The Band Toolbox is all about YOU and enhancing your chances of making a career in music.

As you might expect we get a lot of questions about how to rehearse, how to record, how to get gigs and so on.  Those questions were the reason why we built the band toolbox for you guys. 

In this world of DIY we continue writing articles about the questions and inquiries you have of us, about moving your musical careers forward.  Here’s a preview of the new article in the band toolbox.

Rehearsals are very important in the lifetime of a band and it’s the main boiling point for creativity.  You should always get back to it and don’t ever get the idea that rehearsing is just for beginners or bands at an early age.

However, getting your band to be responsible, objective and focused about rehearsals is sometimes difficult.

Here are some tips that you may find useful to keep rehearsals at a regular and steady pace:  Read more here.

Want to promote your next show? Come on in and use our Live Web Broadcast feed and tell the world! 

Some of the benefits of using the Hothouse Rehearsal facility are not just confined to our first-class studios.  Don’t overlook our website hothousestudios.com and the Blog.  

Having trouble finding a studio? We have added a directory of rehearsal and recording studios in the