Least amount of rehearsals before gig with new band?

relic245

I'm interested in how few rehearsals can be gotten away with....

I'm doing a gig at a festival at the end of September with a new band. I say new, the 3 other guys already play in a band together and are all very good. I've played a few songs with them at open mic nights and we gel well. We will be playing Beatles covers in a rock style so not technically challenging.  Due to circumstances it looks like we will only get 4 or very best 5 - 2 hour rehearsals before the gig. 

I'm comfortable with that and so are the others. I'm just curious to know what is the least amount of rehearsals anyone has done to prepare for a reasonable sized gig.

octatonic

It depends on the music, the musicians and the expectation of professionalism- you judge each gig on its own.
I've done a fair few gigs with no rehearsals at all.
If you are playing covers and either playing exactly like the recording or you have charts available then it hinges on how experienced the players are.

The rockabilly covers bands I was in rehearsed a 40 song set only once and we went out and gigged- this was a 4 piece band getting paid average covers band wages.
A European tour in 2006 we (different band) did 2 months of rehearsal but that a 10 piece band, with horns and back up singers, played Montreal jazz festival etc. 

John_P

I've done a few with just one or two.   But that needs half decent players and a carefully chosen setlist.  
Imo having musicians they listen to each other and play together and learn material beforehand is way more important than rehearsing.     
I know some people that enjoy rehearsing (and with some bands I don't mind it) but it takes a few gigs to get really really tight.  

slacker

I did 4 rehearsals with a covers band-blooze rock stuff. Band Leader booked a gig, changed the set to Motown and we did one 4 hour rehearsal on the day. Went ok.

Danny1969

My latest band did one rehearsal then 2 gigs a few days later. If it's covers and your all listening to the same version (important that!) then generally a lot of rehearsal isn't needed  ........... however there's no such thing as over rehearsed. 

Just a quick tip if anyone has a gig coming up and nowhere to rehearse, go along to an open mic  \ jam night .... not only won't it cost you anything to rehearse a few songs some other people will set all the gear up and break it for you too!  

digitalscream

I recently depped for the band I used to play for (about 3 or 4 years ago), all original stuff, mostly songs that they've written since I left.

One rehearsal, 3 days before the gig.

Yes, it went as badly as you might imagine.

Maynehead

Not speaking for myself but we needed a dep guitarist once for a gig and we call on the guitarist playing with our bassist's other band. We only had the chance to do 1 rehearsal before the gig, so I was quite worried... our bassist didn't seem worried at all though.

On the night of the rehearsal he turned up with pages and pages of material he'd prepared himself from our setlist, including hand-written sheet music(!). He then proceeded to play along with the musical scores and notes he'd prepared, and sounded better than the guitarist he was replacing!

At the gig he breezed it and even added various fills and improvisations that really worked well.

So, the moral of the story is, the minimum number of rehearsals required is actually just one, depending on how good you are

stickyfiddle

My last lot (pubs & parties) we did 2 a week for 3 weeks , plus a single separate session for vocal harmonies then gigged. Though tbh that was cos drummer was a little slow - if he'd been up to the level of he rest of us half that would've been enough i think

paul_c2

Maynehead said:

Not speaking for myself but we needed a dep guitarist once for a gig and we call on the guitarist playing with our bassist's other band. We only had the chance to do 1 rehearsal before the gig, so I was quite worried... our bassist didn't seem worried at all though.

On the night of the rehearsal he turned up with pages and pages of material he'd prepared himself from our setlist, including hand-written sheet music(!). He then proceeded to play along with the musical scores and notes he'd prepared, and sounded better than the guitarist he was replacing!

At the gig he breezed it and even added various fills and improvisations that really worked well.

So, the moral of the story is, the minimum number of rehearsals required is actually just one, depending on how good you are

That's the danger with getting a dep in - they might potentially be better than the guy they're depping for! Based on the above, if the sheet music is accurate enough, the minimum number would be 0.

John_P

Deps are a bit different to a whole band that is new,  I'd rather just turn up and gig for a dep gig and assume they can all play together fine  but I understand that a lot of bands feel more comfortable if they can rehearse with you first.

stickyfiddle

Speaking of Deps we had a different drummer for a NYE gig - 1 rehearsal for a 3-hour set and he was better than our regular guy. VERY good drummer i'd be happy to recommend if anyone needs on around London

Maynehead

paul_c2 said:

That's the danger with getting a dep in - they might potentially be better than the guy they're depping for! Based on the above, if the sheet music is accurate enough, the minimum number would be 0.

It might be 0 but I'd have to spend a fortune buying new underwear for the week before the gig...

Vaiai

If they are comfortable together and you are just stepping in - I'd say you do as much homework as you can (make sure they are doing the original version/key etc!) - you should be able to do it in 2 or 3 rehearsals - maybe even just focus on the ones you are not sure about. If they do the songs identical to the record you can practice as much as you want before doing it with them. Good luck anyway

lustycourtier

We flew into Italy for live dates with a drummer who had learnt the set from YouTube and the soundcheck was the rehearsal. Went very well too. I also recently did a bass gig at a festival with Tony Hadley (I don't play bass) 45 min set, no rehearsal but I'd been sent mp3s of live set. I knew to follow the drummer for grooves and I believe no fans other than the die hards who know the band members noticed the difference. 

koneguitarist

Depends on so many factors, but as long as you are competent musicians and know in advance the songs you are doing, then do you need the rehearsal. 
I am fairly often asked to knock a band together at short notice, there is a team of players that we all trust. Sometimes I am on guitar, sometimes bass, depends who is available on the night, sometimes don't know till I get there. 
Did one gig a few years back near Dorchester, called at 5pm, told I was on guitar at 6 as they had a bassist. Met bassist on night which was awkward as I had turned him down on an audition for my band the week before! 
Singer was an old guy from Southampton way called Chris, who pulled out song after song with "it's in G or its in E"as often our only clue. 

ESBlonde

I once had a phone call from an old schhol mate (drummist) who needed help/dep with a gig. We discussed the set and such like and I then asked 'when is this gig?'. Tonight was not the reply I was expecting.

Turned up at the gig and myself (pop/soul/funk specialist) and the bassist with vocals (Metal/rock complete with lycra and headband) pulled a set together on the hoof with each set devised as the previous one ended. Essentially we played songs we knew well and could sing and followed one another.

I hadn't at that time played with the drummer in at least 10 years and never met the bass player before, so thats the least rehearsal ever for a band or gig. It will be hard to top that, the only saving grace was that the venue was smallish and the crowd under 50.

koneguitarist

@ESBlonde I did one like that, had a phone call from a drummer to play bass in a 3pc Blues Rock band down in Bournemouth. Got there as guitarist was setting up, introduced myself and asked what's the drummer like, said he did not know he only got the phone call himself an hour ago. So none of us knew each other at all!