Gettin' Started help?

[Callum94]

Hi!
I've got together some mates to start a band ready for a small concert at college at xmas time!
We're gonna have some practices soon since we've never played together!
Has anyone got any tips about how we should reherse eg. how long, how often, should it be organised or just play and see what happens?
It might sound like a dumb question but i dont have a clue about it.
thanks for anyone who helps!

[maxx england]

You don't say what instruments you've got and what sort of level anybody's at, so I'll make the basic suggestion of looking up Jimmy Reed sort of stuff, chugs along with it's own internal rhythm if you don't have a drummer, which is useful. One of the things that is overlooked, but is essential to any music, is the presence of a good solid tempo that doesn't speed up or slow down, and it's harder to achieve than you might think.

Getting each band member to aim for a distinctive tone within the mix is a thing that is important, and allows each one to feel they're actually contributing. And it lets you pick out any details that you think might need changing.

Once or twice a week for rehearsals is OK, because each player will need time to practice the numbers before they bring them in to a session. Don't try bashing away all night at one number only, all it does is dishearten people if it isn't working. Run through a song for a few times and then move on, return later if there's time, that way you don't get stale, and you take advantage of the learning that happens subconsciously while you do the fresh material.

One thing to consider is to change the mix with different players for different songs, that lets you have a core of clever buggers for some, and the less gifted on things they can do as part of a bigger ensemble.

[jeffl]

One of the guys who ran a band I played for would compile cd's of the tunes we were gonna do so we could work on 'em during the week. I've played with bands where one guy would always run the rehearsals, and I've been in bands where it was more of a group thing. If you have a strong leader with good musical sense- who is accepted by all in the band- I think it is good for one guy to run the rehearsals. In general, I think it's a good idea to have a schedule of what you want to accomplish in each rehearsal, and be ready to hand out specific assignments to band members to work on...especially if you have somebody who won't push themself to get parts down.

[De Ferre]

Making CD's for every player with all the songs in it is a good idea.
Also a list of the songs together with their chord changes might be useful. They could be hard to find for some of the players.
Having a CD player available during the rehearsal can be useful too.

Have fun!!!

[bottleneck]

i would also suggest you go play open mics and blues jams before your first gig .

www.myspace.com/shakeylyman

[maxx england]

They're in Orkney, not a lot of places there to do it. It's a bunch of islands off the northeast coat of Scotland, known for wind, sheep, fishing. Major export is people.

[De Ferre]

i would also suggest you go play open mics and blues jams before your first gig .

http://www.myspace.com/shakeylyman

I'd stay away from those places. You might end up destroying your project before you get started.

[texas blues]

i would also suggest you go play open mics and blues jams before your first gig .

http://www.myspace.com/shakeylyman

I'd stay away from those places. You might end up destroying your project before you get started.

I don't agree. If that's all it takes to ruin a band then they didn't have it goin' on anyway. Rehearse all you want but there is nothing like playing in front of a live audience. Open mics and one off's are great ways to work out the kinks.

Salute', TB.