Starting a Band Part 2 - Rehearsals

After you have members, you need two things - rehearsals and songs. Songs will be covered in the next post, because without rehearsal time, the songs don't matter. I realize the opposite can be said as well, but it is very easy to find songs to play, even if it comes down to rehearsing covers of songs you don't intend to perform. Just rehearsing these songs gives you and the other members of your band experience in how you work together, as well as a chance to experiment with your sound. But if you don't have rehearsals, you don't have a band.

The place you choose to rehearse in should have enough room to comfortably fit the entire band, its instruments, plus instrument cases, music stands, amps if you have electric instruments, and anything else you might need. For those bands with electric instruments, keep in mind that wherever you rehearse should have enough outlets. The area should be quiet enough that you can focus on playing, and it should also be at a time and/or in a place where you won't disturb other people nearby with your rehearsal. You also need to make sure the rehearsal spot is relatively convenient for all members to get to. Don't pick a spot that's more than an hour away from anyone, preferably no more than a half hour away. If it's hard to get to rehearsals, your band members will stop showing up.

Do your best to avoid changing rehearsal times around. Having rehearsal on different days and at different times each week is not only confusing, but practically guarantees rehearsals will never happen, as you will spend weeks trying to pin all of your band members down and get them to agree to a time. Start by deciding you will rehearse once a week, and pick a time that you can reasonably expect everyone to be able to make regularly. If your band decides later that it wants more rehearsals per week, and you can fit it in, go ahead, but I wouldn't recommend meeting less than once a week. Sometimes a band member won't be able to make rehearsal. Do not cancel rehearsal if at least two people can make it. In other words, if you and one other person are going to be there, you can still practice. Take advantage of rehearsals like these by taking more time on parts that the members there have been having trouble with, or just want a bit more practice on.

There is no point in trying to keep your band alive if you never rehearse. If this happens, you are not a band, you are a procrastination club whose members all happen to be musicians.