Perhaps the biggest impact on your live performance is how you approach practices and rehearsals. Many artists use the two terms interchangeably even though there are some differences.
Practice is usually what is done individually, it is the work that is prepares someone for a rehearsal. It’s used to improve your technique, musicianship skills, and ability to perform certain pieces of music. Practicing is generally better done as an individual because parts can be isolated and carefully examined without being drowned out by the band. In a plan, practice would often be considered a tactical activity.
On the other hand, a rehearsal is usually what occurs in a group setting – for the band to improve tonal balance, timing with each other, and learn the material in an ensemble setting. Rehearsals are usually strategic in nature because of the wider effects. In other words, it is not the place for a band member to get their individual practicing done.
To make band rehearsals more effective, each band member should be practicing for the rehearsal. That way, more time is spent focusing on improving the overall live experience rather than learning individual parts that should already be known.
Bands often ask how often they should rehearse. The answer will vary depending on the group, especially since most people have varying schedules and responsibilities. Most bands aim to rehearse 1-2 times per week for 3-4 hours at a time. No matter what though, band members should practice at least five days per week on their own.
My band rehearses 5-6 times per year for about 3 hours at a time. While we’d like to increase that, we’re busy with 100+ live appearances throughout the year as well as our individual pursuits (not to mention the fact that we live across three cities and two states). But we do just fine because of how we approach practicing and rehearsing.
As you schedule or plan your next band rehearsal, be sure to to do the following:
In almost every professional arts organization, the rehearsal leading up to a performance is known as the dress rehearsal. It’s a full-scale production that is supposed to replicate the live performance. It is a full run through, with as much of the set design as possible, to identify and address potential problems, to help reduce nerves, and to test the material.
For a band getting ready to tour or perform, a dress rehearsal would include:
Remember, your show isn’t just the playing of a few songs. It’s the entire thing, including everything from the moment that you begin setting up on stage for a line check to the moment you leave the stage. As such, you want to be professional and entertaining while under the spotlight to give fans and the staff a good experience.
A few years ago, I met with a marketing executive who used to work with bands who’d perform for audiences of 10,000+. They should set those bands up in a room with footage of a fake audience, then teach them how to talk to an audiences. While you don’t need to plan out every word that is said on stage, it’s definitely helpful to rehearse those moments as well.
Expectations for rehearsal should be outlined in some form – whether it’s in your interband agreement, posted in your rehearsal space, or shared within the group. You might set up some basic rules to make rehearsals go much more smoothly.
Here are some recommendations for band rehearsal rules:
You might have other rules more appropriate to your situation, band members, or equipment. Whatever you decide to do, be sure that it is in writing and something that each person in the group can understand and follow.
Remember: don’t just practice, rehearse.
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Simon Tam is the President and Founder of Last Stop Booking, author of How to Get Sponsorships and Endorsements and Music Business Hacks. Simon’s writing on the music industry can be found at www.laststopbooking.com. He is on Twitter @SimonTheTam