Rehearsal Tips in the Hothouse Band Toolbox

Every day at the Hothouse rehearsal studios, bands are rehearsing for their upcoming shows or working on new material for their next recording. Frankly, there is a cost in time and money, invested into each of your rehearsals and at Hothouse Studios we want to help you get the most out of your valuable time and money. We want your band to make progress.

Quite often I find bands asking me similar questions. In a nutshell they were all asking “What they can do to have more effective and efficient rehearsals”. In this next series of articles in the Band Toolbox, I’ll be sharing information on rehearsal techniques, designed to impact your next showcase or recording.

Here’s an example of an article in the Band Toolbox. This is an overview article. In the band toolbox there are articles written specifically about each type of rehearsal mentioned in this overview article.

Types of Rehearsals

Another point to cover when preparing for rehearsals is to determine the appropriate type of rehearsal to have. The song is the main determinant. Depending on where a song is categorized on your list of readiness (song idea thru performance ready) will determine the appropriate type of rehearsal to use. One rehearsal session may incorporate the methods used in the various types of rehearsal. Again the song dictates the type of rehearsal. So what are these rehearsal types?

Jamming rehearsal – new song is introduced, learn chord changes, very loose approach, figuring out what the song should sound and feel like.

Song writing rehearsal – the band as a whole writes a song. Similar approach as a jamming rehearsal except you’ll be creating the chord changes on the fly.

Song Arrangement rehearsals – assign parts and focus on specific sections in the music. Work in small groups (bass and drums only, drums and vocals only).

Performance rehearsal – Your live set is fined tuned.

Pre-production (for recording) rehearsal – here you’re thinking about instrumentation, breaking the song down instrument by instrument, assigning instruments to your track map.

Technical rehearsal – work on moving smoothly thru your effects processors, instrument changes, and amp settings.

On camera rehearsal – video a dress rehearsal, practice movements.

Live radio show rehearsal – work on song introductions, edit song length if necessary, come up with “sound bites”.

Rehearsals for interviews – have a friend interview the band; get comfortable with answering questions on the fly.

You are a band, a group of musicians. The laws of nature say; “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. Don’t fight Mother Nature.

Substitute the word “song” for “whole” and you get “the song is greater than the sums of its parts”. When the song sounds great each member of the group will shine within it.
Believe, Decide, Take Action, Get Results

Hothouse Studios is more than a top notch rehearsal facility, we are a music career learning center and the Band Toolbox is closing in on 100 articles on various subjects relating to succeeding in your music career. Enter the Band Toolbox here.

While other studios are writing so called rehearsal tip articles, there is a major difference between theirs and the Hothouse Band Toolbox articles. The ones I’ve read from other studios are about telling you reasons not to cancel rehearsal on them. It’s all about them not you. The Band Toolbox is all about YOU and enhancing your chances of making a career in music.