Band practice is essential if you want to progress in the music industry and perform to the best of your ability. You may be intrigued to know that there is an art to band practice and failure to master it can result in a lot of wasted time.
Today, we will be discussing five band rehearsal techniques that all musicians should be utilizing to help their band stand out amongst the crowd.
Choose A Leader
Without a leader to delegate roles, no one will take responsibility for the logistics of the band. It is crucial that your band appoint a respected leader. It is wise to choose someone who is well organized and willing to take control of specific tasks like scheduling band practice. Appointing a leader is hugely beneficial for any band. Not only do they help to oversee all operations and help things run smoothly, but they also will keep an eye on all band members and ensure that everyone is happy in their roles.
Check out these 10 essential qualities of a good leader to help you gain a better understanding of who will be the best fit for this role in your band. From professionalism and motivation, it is not a position that should be taken lightly and it will require a lot of hard work and dedication.
Video Your Rehearsals
If you want to improve your performances, there is no better way to critique them than recording your rehearsals to see where you can improve. Whilst you are on stage performing, it is difficult to picture what you both sound and look like. Video footage will put you in the shoes of the audience. It will allow you to discuss any changes that need to be made with your band mates and team. This can end up saving you a lot of precious time as you can work more quickly to resolve these problems.
When it comes to rehearsing together as a band there is plenty of advice and tips that you can follow from blogs online. However, the importance of videoing your rehearsal cannot be stressed enough. It is a sure-fire way to identify problems/issues with your set before you perform to a live audience. This can massively help you build up your credibility as a result.’
Know Your Stage Positions
It is advised that when rehearsing, each band member performs in their stage positions. Sure, when you are rehearsing in a studio you might find it easier to look at one another but getting used to this will not benefit you when it comes to performing live. It is beneficial to know your stage positions and always rehearse as if you were performing to a crowd. By following some of these stage presence rules you can help to capture your audience when it comes to live shows. Every member of an audience wants to feel acknowledged, so getting used to performing to an imaginary crowd in your rehearsals can help you interact even better when it comes to live performances.
Plan, Plan, Plan
It’s time to stop winging rehearsals. Without any organized planning you will never get the most out of your practice. Not only could you be wasting a lot of time, but you could also be hugely damaging your progress as a band. To make the most of your time, you should devise a clear plan of what you need to achieve from your practice and how long you have to achieve each step. This will help you to stay on track and have a productive rehearsal time after time. There is no denying that good planning is the key to success.
Keep a Journal
Life as a band member can get busy and often it can be easy to forget important conversations that have been had about previous rehearsals. It is always a good idea to always keep a band practice journal on you so that you can keep a record of what went well in each practice but also the areas that you need to improve upon. You can purchase a musical notebook, like this one, where you can even jot down song ideas when you are on the road too.
A journal is also a good thing for your band to look back on and can be a great source of motivation. You can see it as a record of your achievements and it is proof that you are working to improve to be the best band that you can possibly be.
Time How Long Set-Up Takes
You may think this point is slightly over the top. However, when it comes to rehearsals there is always a time limit and before you know it your rehearsal will be over. Time management is key during practice if you really want to make the most out of it and be productive. Of course, a big part of rehearsing is setting up your equipment and taking it down. Unfortunately, this does factor into your rehearsal time so the quicker you can get it done, the more time you will have to perform.
If your band is notoriously slow at setting up and packing away, this can also have a detrimental impact on your reputation with venue owners. Don’t be that band that keeps everyone waiting. Instead, work quickly and efficiently and this is sure to help you gain better relationships with other bands, promoters and managers. Check out these time management tips for busy musicians for some well-needed motivation.
Summary
There is no denying that the music industry is competitive. If you are in a band or you are a band manager then, with the help of these handy tips above, you will be able to make the most out of your rehearsals to help you put on a performance to remember. In order to have a successful rehearsal, each member needs to be motivated and willing to put in the hard work required to make it big in the thriving music scene.
