How To Run An Effective Band Practice Rehearsal
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If you want to make your band successful and be seen as a professional musician in the music industry...
One of the skills you’ll need is the ability to run an effective band practice rehearsal.
When you have this ability, you instantly raise your status in the music industry.
Yep.
Bands who run effective rehearsals have a far easier time getting gigs and attracting more of their fans to their live shows.
As a result?
They climb the ranks of the music industry way faster than most other bands.
And even if you’re still trying to put together a band...
You’d better believe that every band would LOVE to have more professional musicians who understand how to run an effective band practice rehearsal.
So, with this skill you become one of those rare-as-diamonds musicians that every serious band would love to hire.
And you begin to set yourself apart from everyone else who only dreams of making it in the music business but isn’t serious about becoming a professional musician.
EARN A LOT MORE MONEY
PLAYING LIVE
EMAIL TO GET ACCESS
By submitting your info, you agree to send it to Tom Hess Music Corporation who will process and use it according to their privacy policy.
So, how do you run a band practice rehearsal as a professional musician in the music industry?
Here are the key steps to follow:
Here are the most common mistakes to avoid when running (or planning) your band practice rehearsal (that make it very hard to make your band successful):
Band Practice Rehearsal Mistake #1: Allowing Band Members To Be Late To Band Practice Rehearsals.
(Persistent) lack of punctuality displays a lack of respect for the band, its music career goals and shows a lack of commitment (from that musician) to help make your band successful.
Aside from “being impolite”...
The waste of time that comes from band practice rehearsals not starting on time leaves less time do all the other things you need to do to grow your music career as a professional musician.
(Things like: reaching out to club owners, booking agents and promoters about gigs.
Learning about the music business and getting mentoring that would help make your band successful.
Writing songs.
Developing other non-musical skills that help you in the music industry. Building music career relationships and contacts with others in the music business.. and more.)
So, even little seemingly “little” things like not showing up on time to a band practice rehearsal can have a big impact on your career as a professional musician (especially when this is done by multiple people and over many band practice rehearsals).
Band Practice Rehearsal Mistake #2: Engaging In Random Small Talk – Wasting Valuable Rehearsal Time.
This music career mistake is especially damaging, when paired with the previous one about not arriving on time.
Here is something worth remembering as you pursue your music career as a professional musician:
Even when you’re paying anyone to have a band rehearsal, band practice rehearsals aren’t really ‘free’. The expense involved is in time (of all band members arriving at the same place at the same time)... and the opportunity cost that comes from not doing the other things that would push your music career forward.
That’s why this time wasting is dangerous when the goal is to make your band successful.
Band Practice Rehearsal Mistake #3: Not Being Ready To Start The Rehearsal.
Believe it or not, even after the small talk, some band members (who call themselves professional musicians) are STILL not ready to start the band practice rehearsal, because:
- Their instruments aren’t tuned
- They are not ready to play. (e.g. they don’t have their strap on their guitar).
- They aren’t warmed up yet
- They have to play around with their amp settings or effects.
There needs to be a discussion about what songs the band will play (because that wasn’t planned out ahead of time).
Pro tip: you need to work out any amp settings or effects you’ll need to use in the band practice rehearsal before you show up.
And if you know you’ll need extra time to get set up or warm up before you are ready to begin the rehearsal?
Simply show up earlier than the band practice rehearsal is due to start, so you have more time.
That’s how true professional musicians operate in the music business.
Band Practice Rehearsal Mistake #4: The Whole Band Cannot Make It All The Way Through The Song Correctly, Because One Or More Bandmates Haven’t Learned Their Parts.
This is possibly the single biggest time suck and the biggest signal of lack of professionalism in musicians who claim to be ‘professional musicians’.
It should be a given that all band members need to do their homework and arrive to the band practice rehearsal having learned their parts at home.
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Anyone who needs to be repeatedly reminded to do that simply doesn't have what it takes to make it as a professional musician in the music industry.
That said...
Avoiding these band practice rehearsal mistakes will go a long way towards helping you make your band successful and build a thriving career in the music industry.
Question: “Tom Hess, what’s the best way to prepare for a band practice rehearsal when practicing at home?”
Answer: Focus on these skills:
1. Playing your instrument with solid timing. You can practice this by playing along to the drum track (in the days/weeks leading up to your band practice rehearsal).
2. Musical consistency. Playing well live is a whole different animal compared to playing well in the studio when it comes to your music career. When you prepare to play well in the studio, you need to nail your parts absolutely flawlessly, but you can do multiple takes.
When you prepare for a band practice rehearsal (or for playing live on stage)?
You only need to play at 80-90% accuracy, but do it night after night. That should be the objective. This live performance article shows you how.
3. Practice playing ‘through’ mistakes without stopping and losing your place. For example: if you make a mistake in a fast scale run, come in on one of the longer notes (or at the end of the run), so you can carry on playing the rest of the song or solo.
Now that you understand how to run an effective band practice rehearsal, the next step towards becoming a professional musician is to learn how to get more gigs in the music industry.
I show you how in my free eGuide: How To Get More Gigs And Earn A Lot More Money Playing Live. Download it today and discover the music career secrets most musicians will never know.
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