Motivating band members to practice ?

Blacksheep

Gigs are the key. Rehearsing with no gig in sight can get old very quickly.

Conversely, having a date four weeks away and only three songs in a fit state to be played tends to focus the mind.

The biggest "band killer" in my experience is not that no-one wants to play or rehearse.

It's that no-one wants to take on the mind-blowingly awful job of hassling for gigs . . .especially when you're trying to wheedle dates out of pub landlords who have never heard of you and have already fielded calls from a dozen other hopefuls that morning.

 

 

 

Deijavoo

I've only read the first post here.

This whole thing boils my piss immeasurably. Why people bother being in a band when they can't be arsed to throw even a tiny bit of effort is just inexplicable to me.

I feel like I've had years of my life taken up with begging people to practise, learn material and just give some sort of flying fuck.

Handsome_Chris

In fairness to the rest of @Emp_Fab's band, we haven't heard their side of the story.  As a veteran of the Emp's threads, I wouldn't be surprised if at the end of a rehearsal he said "I want this and that", but next week he wanted the other.

As I say, to myself, after every rehearsal, "At least you've got your sense of humour."

RedRabbit

As everyone else has said, you've very little chance of changing their attitudes.  If they aren't learning the material now then they probably never will.

The bitching about you wanting to everything to be perfect is very telling.  A former band mate of mine winged about this endlessly.  Apparently we were trying to stifle his creativity but it soon became apparent that he just wasn't capable/willing to learn the proper parts.  You can spoon feed such people to a certain extent but, for me at least, it was like trying to learn each song twice and the second time was always much harder than the first.  In the end I gave up.  We did one gig with him and then he left.

I've also done similar to you in that I've "officially" stepped back from the leadership role.  It was getting me down as it just felt like I was nagging everyone all the time and if I pointed out mistakes at rehearsal certain band members would take it like a personal insult.  Even if I just glanced at them if they missed their cue I'd be accused of giving black looks.  The problem was, once I'd stepped back, nothing moved forward and I just felt like I was turning up each week, playing my parts and leaving.  No real involvement and hugely unsatisfying.  I lasted like this for about a month before snapped and took control again.

Current line up is more reliable but with no permanent drummer and no gigs lined up things are starting to slip and even I'm getting demotivated.

Handsome_Chris

RedRabbit said:

I've also done similar to you in that I've "officially" stepped back from the leadership role.  It was getting me down as it just felt like I was nagging everyone all the time and if I pointed out mistakes at rehearsal certain band members would take it like a personal insult.  Even if I just glanced at them if they missed their cue I'd be accused of giving black looks.  The problem was, once I'd stepped back, nothing moved forward and I just felt like I was turning up each week, playing my parts and leaving.  No real involvement and hugely unsatisfying.  I lasted like this for about a month before snapped and took control again.

This is where I was at.  I walked from a band due to inherit the leadership position, and not wanting to to do it.  I do not join someone elses band to run it - I join to play guitar (in a fashion).  I am going to sound cold , but I can't be bothered to hang around with time wasters.

On the other hand, I've joined a band who've been together for months before I turned up, so I am now the weakest link.  I do make up for it with a 'can do attitude', a smile, and chocolate biscuits.  I also get there first set up and get the brews on.

Emp_Fab

Handsome_Chris said:

As a veteran of the Emp's threads, I wouldn't be surprised if at the end of a rehearsal he said "I want this and that", but next week he wanted the other.

As I say, to myself, after every rehearsal, "At least you've got your sense of humour."

Oh shut up you arse.  I don't demand anything of anyone.  I suggest it might be a good idea to learn, say, the ending of songs x and y by next practise.  They don't.

fastboy

I feel your pain as I've experienced polar opposites of the scale from my old black sabbath tribute who when we said we would learn a song could walk in to rehearsal and nail pretty much anything on the first run through as everyone learnt it inside out prior to rehearsal through to lazy feckers who might have listened to it 2 or 3 times and tried to wing it.

With the latter type of band mates I find the easiest thing to do is to take your iPod, play it through the PA and break the song down when they struggle and basically take charge. It's frustrating but sometimes it's the only approach if you want to progress.

I think if you're diplomatic in the way you take charge and say which parts they did well (being enthusiastic about it and telling them it will sound awesome when done) and then saying you're not sure it's 100% right so lets revert to the record I've generally had positive results

Handsome_Chris

Emp_Fab said:

Handsome_Chris said:

As a veteran of the Emp's threads, I wouldn't be surprised if at the end of a rehearsal he said "I want this and that", but next week he wanted the other.

As I say, to myself, after every rehearsal, "At least you've got your sense of humour."

Oh shut up you arse.  I don't demand anything of anyone.  I suggest it might be a good idea to learn, say, the ending of songs x and y by next practise.  They don't.

Calm down, dear.

You may need to be explicit then. Do you tell them what is going to be played at the next set? It kinda helps to focus their minds.

A positive thinking mate of mine in the a previous band actually wrote stuff out for the other bandies which helped them learn.  This would be useful for someone like me as I have a very visual style of learning.  You may have an auditory style of learning, which may lead to communication difficulties.

I've had issues before where I've been told we're learning a song, only to find out we're playing it in a different key, which has tucked me up with the odd song.

Maybe they are lazy fkrs, but have you tried other means of addressing their 'learning difficulties'?  I know how frustrating it is to have people turn up underprepared; however, I've always tried different methods to assist people in nailing the set.  I'm not one for throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

BTW some people just do not get it and need to be banned binned.

Grunfeld

Bail.  Those guys are not musicians.  Imagine any other tradesman turning up to do a job but couldn't remember how to do it!  You wouldn't even bother with "see you next week, let's see if you can remember how to wire a plug."

DesVegas

Get the hell out of there. They sound like rank amateurs. Audition for another band yourself and then there will be at least one other person who wants to sound good.

Maynehead

I my experience nothing motivates band members more than an impending gig. Getting them to put in effort so far ahead of a gig is like getting school kids to revise 3 months before an exam. It's never going to happen. Get to the week before the exam and everyone will be revising like their lives depended on it.

Use this to your advantage. Book double the number of rehearsals a couple of weeks before the gig and with any luck everything will come together at the end. Even if it doesn't, the embarrassment of screwing up on a live stage will kick their asses into gear for the next gig.

monquixote

Maynehead said:

I my experience nothing motivates band members more than an impending gig. Getting them to put in effort so far ahead of a gig is like getting school kids to revise 3 months before an exam. It's never going to happen. Get to the week before the exam and everyone will be revising like their lives depended on it.

Use this to your advantage. Book double the number of rehearsals a couple of weeks before the gig and with any luck everything will come together at the end. Even if it doesn't, the embarrassment of screwing up on a live stage will kick their asses into gear for the next gig.

Yep, agree with that. 

My band are panicking about a gig on the 20th we aren't prepared for, but it's making us work far harder than we otherwise would.

Get something in the books as the fear of looking like a bunch of twats is a great motivator.

Emp_Fab

We've already got gigs booked starting in May.  That means we have to get two songs per week completed to gig standard in order to fill a set by then.  I have no faith that this will last beyond the end of next month to be honest.  I just don't see us ever achieving that rate of progress.

digitalscream

Try being in an originals band, where you also have the added challend of cajoling a singer into actually writing some lyrics...

Maynehead

Emp_Fab said:

We've already got gigs booked starting in May.  That means we have to get two songs per week completed to gig standard in order to fill a set by then.  I have no faith that this will last beyond the end of next month to be honest.  I just don't see us ever achieving that rate of progress.

Songs can be learnt quite quickly when you put your mind to it, I don't think time is an issue for you yet. I had to learn 25 songs in 4 weeks when I first joined my band, so it can be done.

I feel running a band is not like running a business where you set out a business plan, and execute it. You are all doing it for fun, not because you're obliged to do it, so you have to keep it relaxed and let people deal with it in their own way (within reason). If it turns out you can only play half the set properly then that's all you can do, and think of other ways to pad out the rest of the gig. Pushing and pressuring your band members will just create a bad atmosphere and destroy any motivation they had to put in some real effort. At the end of the day, true motivation has to stem from each individual, not dished out by an authoritive figure, or else we'd all be straight A students at school and finish our homework on time.

If you really want to get everyone on board you have to inspire them to motivate themselves. Maybe ask each person to nominate a couple of songs of their choice, take out songs that nobody really likes or even start the set list from scratch. There must be a reason why people can't be bothered learning the songs... if they really loved the songs they'd probably know them before they even joined the band.

Grunfeld

Maynehead said:

I feel running a band is not like running a business where you set out a business plan, and execute it. You are all doing it for fun, not because you're obliged to do it, so you have to keep it relaxed and let people deal with it in their own way (within reason)....  motivation has to stem from each individual, not dished out by an authoritive figure, or else we'd all be straight A students at school and finish our homework on time.

If you really want to get everyone on board you have to inspire them to motivate themselves.... There must be a reason why people can't be bothered learning the songs... if they really loved the songs they'd probably know them before they even joined the band.

I hear what you're saying... but that would totally do my head in!  I could not be in a band like that.

I don't expect a band to be like going to work in a suit with a business plan* but the most fun is had when all the members of the band have a workman-like attitude do doing the work.  You do the work first and then you get to the really fun part which is playing live and earning cash for what amounts to basically performing on stage with your favourite toys and having fun.

And it really does not have to be about loving or even liking the songs.  I would never want to listen to most of the stuff I play live.  In a rolling repertoire of about 70-90 songs (which we could play really well at any time) there are about two songs that I like.  The rest of the songs are just not what I like or listen to.  But... in order to get to the fun part (on stage; earning cash) I have to learn the songs.  That's just how it works. 

What Emp's guys don't get, IMO, is that you get out of it what you put into it.  Treat it half-arsed and surprise surprise, it will be half-arsed.  When people treat it like craftsmanship that's got to be done properly then everyone gets so much more out of it.  It's basic pride in your work I reckon.  I.e.  there's nothing wrong with being a straight-A student and finishing your homework on time!  It frees up more time for fun and you've got a great grade too!


*I've only got dim and unhappy memories of what that's like anyway.

p90fool

Maynehead said:

I feel running a band is not like running a business where you set out a business plan, and execute it. You are all doing it for fun.

You might be, I and plenty of others are not. Even the ones who are still expect to be paid sometimes.

The crappy band I mentioned earlier once told me during our break at a wedding party that I was too "stressy" over getting the songs right and that it was "just a bit of fun".

I pointed to a lady over by the buffet and said "that woman over there has just given you three hundred quid, it might be a laugh to you but it's not to her."

I asked them how they'd feel if they'd paid a painter and decorator £300 to come and "just have a bit of fun" in their living room, but they couldn't make the connection.

lloyd

It's been said before but from my experience of bands, both originals and covers, people never change. If they aren't putting the time to practice, get gigs, 'work' in a rehearsal, turn up on time etc chances are that they won't ever do those things to any degree.

It's up to you if you can put up with it, not being prepared week in week out for me is a game stopper. I can deal with the odd hiccup but constantly not being prepared? No chance, it's taking the piss out of the people who have done the homework.

The other stuff I'm not too bothered about, we are musicians after all! It depends on what type of band you want to be, if you want to go out and make a few quid/gig lots of songs or whatever as a covers band I'd suggest getting some new guys in who can be arsed. 

siremoon

Despite being a relative noob when it comes to the whys and wherefores inside bands I'll throw in my tuppence ha'penny for what's it worth

The first band I was in had me and one other who were driven and motivated to try and be the best we could be and three who didn't give a stuff and just wanted to turn up (if we were lucky) and wing it.  We made several fruitless attempts to get the errant ones to put more effort in offline but we eventually learned that we either had to put up with it or walk.  We walked.  I suspect you may find the same.

The two of us who gave a damn have formed a duo, we're making great progress, loving every minute of it and have our first gig in May.  The attitude of band members is a much under rated factor imo but it doesn't half make a difference if it's good.

hotpickups

If it's any consolation I've had similar with my band. On top of everything else I just decided to to disband and start again. There is no use flogging a dead horse. Cut your losses and re group. You're the band leader so you can do that. It's not worth the stomach acid