Over the summer, the Unsmokable Brokes seemed to spend more time writting and recording than playing live shows. Now, the goal seems to practice more regularly and perform regularly too, while continuing to write and record.
One important step was reached yesterday in achieving this goal. The Brokes have found what they can only hope will become a semi-permanent practice space. This means they will have a place to keep the majority of their equipment and a place to meet at regularly to work on playing together as a group.
In my mind, this is an absolute necessity for any band. There is a certain amount of organization that comes just by having everything in one place. It allows practices to be smoother and to commence without the hassle of transporting amps and an entire drum kit. Also, I think it will enforce a certain sense of routine, which is invaluable for musicians that must juggle their time with school, work or both.
My question would be whether or not other people feel this is a necessity for amateur bands or bands, in general, I suppose. What are the best ways for bands to conduct practices? Should they just run through a set list? Should they coordinate their movements on stage or just allow things to happen naturally at the show?
I would like to know simply because I'm curious of the ways good bands use their practices to become great bands. No one has written a manual on this kind of stuff (at least not that I know of). This is actually surprising to me because it is something that a lot of people take pretty seriously.
Anyway I would love to hear suggestions if anyone happens to stumble across this blog.
1 comment:
I know you don't play a musical instrument or have ever been in a band. Take it from a former member of a jazz combo: practice is everything. Even when you're trying to improv, it's important to build up that confidence in your improv skills by being thrown into it over and over again and embarrass yourself in front of the group only, not in front of an entire audience (which I have also done as well). The jazz combo of which I was a part was a high school class, so practice was every day. We got there, the instructor started the rhythm section on a progression based on a certain blues scale, and each of the musicians would then be forced to stand up and play a 12-bar blues progression, making up a melody using the only notes that logically fit that blues scale. It took months to even get close for me, an amateur, to feel confident enough to actually solo in concert by making up stuff on the spot.
Besides that, practice is where you work all the kinks out of stuff that you will play over and over again. If it's in one location that's even better, because of what you said- the hassles of moving equipment around. Time isn't wasted in setting up or finding electrical outlets because you know where they all are already.
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