While I wouldn’t ever class myself as a singer I do think it’s a huge help to becoming more employable as a musician and also understanding harmony and keeping costs down. I started singing many years after being a full time bass player but it was the best decision I made and I urge you to force yourself to learn to sing like I did. As you can see you don’t need to be amazing to get gigs, lead rehearsals and contribute to the band. Thanks for watching and I hope this helps, if I could ask you to join this community with a subscribe that would be amazing! Big love Damo x
My old band used to rehearse with headphones. Drummer used electronic drums, and we kept the guitar amps at low levels so we could hear all the vocals and harmonies clearly.. Actually worked really well
I can testify it's virtually impossible to find band members willing to put in the extra time and effort Damian is suggesting. Each of my bandmates attend about 3 out of every 5 rehearsals.
got the wrong band my man. either that or if I may suggest, you're not selling the dream enough. not trying to make it sound easy at all ESPECIALLY if we're talking about grown men/women but people will do anything if you convince them of the vision and everyone is on the same page
You need kids out of highschool/college who are HUNGRY. Every member needs to want it bad enough and has to set their ego aside to LEARN about how things work in the professional world. If one band member doesn’t want it, they will drag the others down and it would be best to replace them. You also need to sell the dream effectively, you do this by writing damn good songs that everyone likes. Songwriting and work ethic is everything.
Now I'm in doubt if i shoud send it to my EX band that broke for the very reasons that are carefully explained in the video. We were probably guilty of every one of the different mistakes he talks about. And of course one tends to blame the others but I did my fair share of all of that also.
i mean if no one is having fun there is not going to be much place for creativity. I do think that some kind of rules or bounderies are necesary, but if the band is not having fun bc of it, then they are bad rules.
One of the best things we did for our rehearsals is move everyone to in ears or headphones. Apart from helping me to hear myself sing a lot better, it's a lot easier to learn a song. I put the songs on a USB stick and play them directly into the ears of everyone. It's great for a reference and you hear things that you don't hear through speakers and it solves arguments really quickly. We also record absolutely everything and I mix it down at home and send it to everyone later. This helps everyone hear if they playing or singing their parts correctly and make adjustments for next weeks rehearsal. A digital mixer is the best thing you can buy for your band as it allows you to do so much more.
@@kangaroofoot I use a Presonus Studiolive 32sc digital mixer. It’s awesome for so many reasons. It has the ability to record multi tracks to an sD card and you can mix it down later in a daw. I use Studio One because it integrates so well with the mixer.
Dear Damo - we had our first full band rehearsal for a few months recently (had to audition for a new bassist), and deployed all the stuff that we weren't already doing that you suggested. 1) Met at the pub. Great idea - caught up who's banged who, arrive at the studios five minutes early. 2) Controlled the noise. This is the first rehearsal where I haven't walked away with tinnitus and a blown voice. Brilliant. 3) Played to a click. (Note to others: download a metronome app on your phone, and buy a jack from your phone to the studio's amplifier.) Write the tempo on your chord/lyric charts. Amazing how quickly we 'lost' the click when the song got exciting. 4) Sent out a reminder as to what we were going to do a week before rehearsal - so people practiced those songs. 5) Made "music director" an official thing, but we call it "Rehearsal Nazi" because this is Australia and we have to take people down a peg ;) There's one thing that we do that we reckon other originals bands should do: keep your songs on a file share (like Google Drive) with one folder per song, each song has its chord and lyric charts plus recordings. Print these off, and if you make any change to them in rehearsals, NOTE IT DOWN.
band type 2:30 what rehearsal for dont late be prepared setup gear 5:15 meet before rehearsal 5:50 no break 6:09 stand facing together 6:30 everyone shall have mic 7:09 keep volume minimum: we need to hear mistakes 8:40 no distraction (phone 9:00 appoint MD 10:45 use metronome 12:25 drum + click 13:30 learn it so you cant play it wrong 17:15 perofessiobal rehearsal note and record
I like the dedication and practice of craft you suggest and definitely no extra people, no phones(except to find the song to discuss the part of a specific song) and no too much booze. but come on a beer or two relaxes everyone and music (and rock music def) is about having fun whilst you do it after all
As Damian commented himself, If you "don't sing" as a musician, you may as well pack it in, at least around here. because nobody wants to hire someone who won't sing. Notice I said "won't sing" not "can't sing." If you're a musician, you can sing, don't kid yourself. You're not expected to be the next Sinatra or Freddie Mercury but to help with some "heys" or some easy harmonies or just gang-vocal on the chorus of certain songs is invaluable to your career.
berringaboy and here speaks someone with little experience.. I employ over 100 musicians a week, if you think money makes musicians professional you’re wrong. Also most bands aren’t paying their band mates, they just want to sound as good as possible
@@berringaboy - Yes. It's great to talk about "professionalism" but if you're not making a living from performing, everyone will have other priorities. Set a time, but plan on really starting later, such as calling a 6pm rehearsal with the real plan to start at 6:30pm.
We always had a song we never played live but always loved playing that we played at the start of rehearsal to warm up with. Run through new things and decide which bits need work. Take 10 mins for a drink or piss while listening to the actual song. Go back and nail it. Same formula every time that worked perfectly for us.
Yeah warm up with a few songs, just go into the next song without any pause. Play the songs, even if there are mistakes. After you're warmed up and into it, work on one or two songs that need improvement.
Videos like this are pure gold! Had I known these things in my mis-spent youth, I would undoubtedly be a rock god by now! Now that I've been in the "real" workforce for many years since, it just seems so obvious that a serious and professional approach will yield the results you want. Thanks for a video with so much great advice!
Step 1: Guitarists turn down to play at a reasonable volume so everyone can hear themselves without severe hearing loss. Step 2: Drummers don't play while other people are tuning. Step 3: Everyone listens to the bass player because he's got some good ideas. Step 4: Fire the singer. You don't really need one, they never help load/unload gear, and they don't even sound that good most of the time.
"Meet in the pub an hour before" NO NO NO!! You'll never get them out again and you'll pay for the room and no rehearsal. Yes its happened to me years ago!
Man, that is a recipe for disaster. After an hour hanging out will be having too much fun and just put off the rehearsal. Best to hang out after the rehearsal and unwind and goof around.
I think you're more than an MD who can sing to move along a rehearsal - your voice has great presence and expression. This is straight to the point, professional, informative, entertaining - you're a multi-talented guy!!
Wow thank you so much, this has made my day. I was nervous to sing on camera as I wouldn't class myself as a singer but feel like I need to put my money where my mouth is as I tell people they need to sing more. I really enjoyed making this though it was a lot of fun. Thank you so much Gabrielle! 🙂🙂🙂
@@DamianKeyes I think this is a great conversation to have! I am a guitar and singing teacher for kids and even today the boys tend to gravitate to guitar and the girls singing (although it's a very slowly changing trend) I suggest to singers that they learn an instrument such as guitar or piano (or anything that plays chords) so that when they can't find an accompanist, they can play for themselves - and for my young guitarists to jump into a singing class early. Unfortunately, I see a lot of hesitation in the young boys (and girls too) wanting to learn singing as they think you have to be a "good singer" to take singing lessons. A beginner guitarist would never think they have to be good before they start, so it's very interesting to me that they have that expectation about their singing. Love your videos and what you are doing!
Well, with this inforamation, practice and some patience.. everyone can go from "I play in a band" to no longer having the need to introduce themselves. Greet video as always Damian! Greetings from Austria!
Love it! And we got to see you play some bass - finally!! And sing too... nice! Having a purpose for each rehearsal is clutch... tonight we're rehearsing the setlist for this weekend's gig!
My band is practicing new songs for maybe 2-4hrs per week, and our once-a-week rehearsals last for 4hrs. We drink, we chat, we have fun, and everything actually sounds pretty great considering the amount of time invested into the whole thing. Ofc, we're not professionals.
@@DrPepperZZZ There are many factors to going pro, but I feel like it would mostly introduce immense pressure, making it feel like a job and not a hobby, and the fun would start to fade.
Sir you just did something no one would offer for free thank you so much mr keys your the best of the West my friend ... your buddy from Los Ángeles California
You seem to have forgotten one important thing. Don't forget to have fun! I play rock n roll cause it's fun and it's time with my mates and it's always been that way. When it stops being fun, I'll stop doing it. My band is celebrating our 20th anniversary on NYE and I'm proud to say we still have all the original members! It's like that cause we still have fun together. Do the work but don't get too serious...it's gotta stay fun!
I’m defo an advocate of having fun and I find music and playing fun so defo agree with that. Personally I lose interest if something isn’t good or progressing and then the fun drains so for me the outcome is slightly different than fun alone. I guess it all depends on what outcome you are looking for 😊 thanks dude
@@DamianKeyes Yes! first actually BE half the band you think you are - then have fun on top of that undeniable foundation! Like you, I very quickly lose interest if only fun is the focus and the music is shite (so does the audience in fact..) Great video by the way - immediately sent it to my band (hope they watch :D) Also, your singing is great man! Go for it!
In my day we used to call pushing the beat "hunting the pace" and a bass player who kept doing it despite pleas to correct the tendency could break up an otherwise tight and happy band.
This was stunningly to the point, absolutely spot on! I thought you were more of a marketer, Damian - but this is sage musical director territory. A big thanks - will be very helpful on band education and teaching music!
I'd be interested in Andy's (the drummer) perspective here. I totally agree with minimising volume in the rehearsal but I think it's a bit of a myth that Hot-Rods/brushes are THE answer to volume control. Other players need to expect that drummers (especially pros) should be able to control their volume with their sticks. Rods/brushes are tools drummers use to get a specific sound just like guitar pedals or EQ settings, etc. I can't tell you how many times guys have asked me to play with rods when I was younger instead of asking me to play more quietly. Obviously there will be drummers who don't have the ability to control the volume (especially young/inexperienced drummers) and I think rods/brushes can be a valid solution at times but just be careful, drummers, that you're not being lazy with your dynamic control. Helpful video. Working this specifically and effectively should be the expectation of every rehearsal!
Very much on point! Using hot rods, brushes or other things requires a seperate skillset. Brushes are meant to be played differently than sticks! Also hot rods require a different approach to them, since they change the articulation and the mix between cymbals and drums. You can't just exchange sticks with hot rods and hope for the best.
Also having a good in ear system helps immensly. Often drummers are seen as the sole reason for the loud sound, while the amps are too loud and producing weird frequencies. Especially the singer needs a good in ear mix. It made a hell of a difference when our singer got a wireless in ear system. When needed I directly switch to my Cajon-setup. This sometimes makes more sense than playing on my normal drumset. Check my channel for an example!
Love this video Damo! Seeing something like this helps more than just saying it in a talking head video. I hope you make more videos like this one, also it's good to see you playing for once!
We always set up as we did on stage, we never drank alcohol, we'd always run through as many numbers as possible, probably two sets worth newest first Every week, I loved rehearsals,
Great video, but I realised one thing is missing: “DO NOT PLAY WHILE PEOPLE ARE TALKING” That was lesson no 1 by my teacher when I started drumming 15 years ago. It is very tiring when somebody talks and others are noodling on their instrument. Besides that it is not very polite and noodling band members may miss some vital information and slowing progress down. Just my 2 cents as total amateur 😉
Hi Damian, one thing that I would also suggest with rehearsals is for the drummer to work in conjunction with a drum machine so they can work out the beats and keep time a lot easier. I used to do this with my first band back in the 1990s, especially when there were times a drummer couldn't make it to rehearsals. Using a drum machine helped us sound a lot more tight and precise, and if you make mistakes and have to go through a song again from the start a drum machine won't chuck a wobbly. Just my thoughts.
We use headphones and run all rehearsals through our recording setup so we can listen back to various takes and how songs are working or not. This not only saves our ears from blaring speakers in an enclosed space, but is extremely useful when working on finding parts for original songs as you may try things that work or don't work throughout a take. Also, at the next rehearsal a week later, I may forget how I played a particular part, or the exact timing or technique I used, but with it recorded...It's right there to listen to and jog your memory (or lack of in my case!) Good Stuff!
Setting up in a circle is great for communication in the rehearsal room, for developing or fine tuning arrangements and so on. However, if the objective is preparing for live gigs rather than a studio recording, then the band ought to have a rehearsal or three set up as though they're on stage. This is because the band must also gel when the accordion, bongo and zither players can't easily make eye contact.
@@DamianKeyes it was a conservatory here in northern europe. my music tech teacher was a depressed french dude who didn't even speak my language properly (and liked wine maybe a little too much). got bullied by my class mates as well. luckily in thursday i have a interview for the best music studio in my country (applying for internship). do you have experience in doing internships?
There's one more thing for rehearsals that you didn't mention that does plague bands: managing absences. Sometimes it happens - people have to go interstate, they're sick, etc etc. We have the "75%" rule - that if three of our four members can come to rehearsal, rehearsal goes ahead. Otherwise you wind up in this awful spiral whereas you don't rehearse more than twice in a month. (Another good reason to have rehearsal *twice* per week).
I'll add: - a perfect rehearsal is impossible, so be flexible, open-minded, and communicative. - backline gear can be a handy option sometimes. However using the rig you are going to use live is more important and should be an important part of every rehearsal to test your sounds and foolproof any potential problems. - I disagree with everyone having a mic too. If you don't or can't sing proficiently, you won't do yourself or the band any favours by simply "trying" at rehearsal. Learn your craft before joining a band! - Who has time to run all the songs at a rehearsal one instrument at a time? These are the basics that you do before joining a band and it's called "homework". - Making notes before and after rehearsing and sending everyone the recording of the rehearsal is key. This is the most effective way to make use of the time spent, yet most bands overlook this.
I agree with your point about not everyone needs to sing, but I do think everyone should have a mic. Without a mic people will be less inclined to speak up, you want your bandmembers to be able to get your attention during a song or in between songs. It's just nice to have everyone have a mic for communication reasons. Fully agree with what you said about 'homework' though, it really is my pet peeve to have to figure out individual parts during a rehearsal and have to explain the other musician how his part is played. Its okay to forget or misremember, but if I need to tell you exactly where to press the instrument when and where and it's obvious you don't have the rhythm or melody going in your head... I'll get a bit annoyed. It's hard to get other bandmembers to practice and your your material tho, I'm now in a 4 man band where I and a friend write all the material and we notice that we can't get the other 2 to really dig into the material at home. We tried to get them more involved in the writing process but they aren't as creatively inclined or motivated. Me and my friend can improv and record an entire fullband demo in ableton in 3 hours, but getting the other bandmembers to play our written parts takes weeks and getting them to think of and record a original interesting part on our song would take them even longer. So far its best to just feed them whatever we write and record and slowly work into them getting it all down, but for every song we get down as a band me and my friend have written 5 more
I've just joined my very first band… a rather diverse "Collective." I'm feeling out how to balance our creative fertility with professionalism, and how to make a role for myself. We've got rehearsal tonight, and a gig tomorrow. 🎃 Just sent this to the group chat. 🤘🏿
Fantastic tips Damian! Sadly, I haven't been in an active band in quite some time but both of the most serious bands I was in did exactly what you've suggested here. We played to a click and worked problem sections of songs. We focused on the timing, speeding up, slowing down, etc. When we rehearsed for recording, we worked on songs until we could pretty much play them perfectly in our sleep. If we were practicing for a gig, we would drill the songs in order and try to move from one song to the next as quick as possible. That's always a pet peeve of mine when it takes minutes of change over from one song to the next. Unless you're a headliner and mega successful, I doubt anyone wants to wait more than like 10-15 seconds to start your next song. Kudos on your singing too! I think you all sounded great in the band here!
I quit a band recently because the guitarist was a total pain. He seemed to find rehearsing boring. He didn't seem to think it mattered if he messed up over and over again in rehearsal. At one point we had a gig coming up and I told him he needed to use a tuner rather than tune out loud. He reluctantly agreed. He wasn't using it in rehearsal, so I asked when he was going to. He said "for the gig". I told him not to leave it that late - rehearse with the gear you're going to use. He did not do that. He used it for the first time at the gig. We started the first track and the guitar was completely wrong. It turned out he misunderstood how the tuner worked, so he tuned to the wrong E. He didnt understand what was happening, so he stopped playing mid-track and tried to tune, but because he didn't understand the tuner, he just kept re-tuning his guitar totally wrong. Someone explained it to him after the first track, but the damage was done. The first track was awful, and he'd damaged his strings by tuning in a panic. He broke his bottom string a few songs later. Then he insisted the show must go on even though he couldn't play the parts without his bottom string. The last two songs were as bad as the first. After the gig, he said he thought the gig had gone well. I said I didn't believe it had and asked what on earth happened with the guitar. He said 'it was just a technical problem and a broken string, I don't get why you're blaming me' and then proceeded to spend months acting like I was picking on him and insisting that it was unfair to blame him (which I never explicitly did anyway). We are in our 40s. He also used about 12 pedals and often couldn't get them working, and often took more than 2 minutes to get them ready between songs. I kept saying it was too long and he just thought I was going on about nothing.
Spot on. I've always recorded all my rehearsals originally on 4 track Portastudio cassette, then on ADAT and now on laptop. I must have a full closet full of tapes from 35 years of playing. Some of it is quite good and a lot is well not so good.
Impressive! I used to dream on acquiring a Fostex in the 80s/90s, but they were too expensive here in Brazil, at the time. I bought a Boss BR532 in early 2000s, though.
Maaan, thank you for this video! I’ve been working my ass off for years now and gotten nowhere. And I’m seeing now that I and every member of every band I’ve been in, are have all been a part of the problem. After years of jamming with tons of people, forming bands that eventually collapse, failing to find reliable people, etc., I’ve finally found a group of guys who are very good, and who flow together well. But not quite well enough yet. I’m going to take this info and use it at rehearsal tonight. No more getting in my way, or letting someone else do so. I’ve put way too much time into this to keep getting nothing out of it. It’s time to step it up, or trim the fat. Thanks for the sound advice.
Going to the pub BEFORE practice sounds dangerous but its a great strategy. It can quickly reveal who should be removed from the band..... you don't only want to find that sort of thing out when you are on tour hundreds of miles from home.
How do you feel about switching MD’s ever other rehearsal? So that the power doesn’t eventually go to someones head. And let’s say we’re working on 6 songs in a 3 hour rehearsal one week, when would you know when to switch to the next song? Love this video, make tons more like it! Where you show what you’re talking about. It really helps
Love this idea. It will mean everyone get's their say and more creative ideas will flow as long as the person wants to and everyone respects them for doing it 🙂🙂🙂
That is a double sword idea. Not everyone in the band has leadership skills, and above all, few will really study the song effectively and have a clear vision. Suggestions shared, yes, leadership shared = No !!!!
The Metronome REALLY kept them on track. There were a few pull-push and I hope they could feel it. Remember, tempo is conveyed/dictated by the LENGTH of the notes and the space between notes. To hear the shortest rhythmical value (in your head) is crucial...
I am 42 yrs old, I have been playing since I was 12, joined my 1st band at 13 (we sucked as most beginners do but I was hooked). I have played guitar and lead vocals in bands, bass, and drums in a couple projects. mostly original rock/punk/ska/alternative/metal bands. Three 90's to current rock cover bands. I agree it is imperative that members come prepared, show up as close to on time as possible (we do have lives, jobs, and families too) We work hard in weekly rehearsals but we do laugh, joke, and bust each others balls too. If it's not enjoyable as well as being fun and with good music... why bother? The members are gonna say "fuck this" unless there is significant money to be made. Even then, they won't stay long. Don't tell me what I do is not "rehearsal for big boys" man. I have been at it 30 years, toured, shared the stage with some huge bands. and played Disney world to 10,000 people. I am the "band director" or one in control i.e. the pain in the ass for my band members and I try to run a tight ship. But until you hit a level where there is no day jobs involved (I haven't researched... but I don't think you guys are there yet either. If so, forgive me) then I would not be happy in a band run as you suggest sir. my 2 cents. take it or leave it. I don't care either way!
I agree. Music must be fun. If there was any band member like this, I wouldn’t be in it. Maybe these tips are for beginners, but than again, I would lose my will to play.
@damiankeyes1 ... this is such good advice! Gonna implement these simple, to-the-bone, practical measures. You rock for being so generous with your knowledge and experience! Thank you sooo much! Pedro
I never really thought about a better way to rehearse when I was on my first and only band, I'll definitely be applying your method on my future band, thanks a lot!
Awesome info, just passed this on to my band mates and after my new studio is finished in like 60 days, I'll video and show how it all goes. right now we waste too much valuable time. Cheers!
Damian, you killed it: „Who banged who?“ 😂😂😂 You are totally right, a rehearsal has to be prepared and not getting the character of a selfhelp group!🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽
The best advice my choir teacher gave in 7th grade? She played a recording that was a choir a capella. The first and last note were supposed to be exactly the same. She played it back to back to back. The notes had shifted so much by the end of the recording that when you heard the song start again it was jarring the actual difference! Since then, I record a lot of my practices and use them to watch and listen to changes and differences and issues I have. Works like a charm! Love this video. Thanks for creating it! (Also, not bad on the singing, regardless of what you say!)
@@DamianKeyes She was a magnificent choir teacher! We were #1 in the state, and I credit her for my Alto award at the time. It really hit home what she did for us and now when I do practice, it's one of the things I do is find the same notes somewhere in the song and then stop and start again to see if I'm still on pitch.
My old guitarist also refused to use click tracks. He claimed that our music needed to speed up and slow down slightly. I think this is absolute madness. Its very rare that you actually want to change BPM mid song. I don't know how to deal with someone that says things that are total nonsense.
Great video. Would love another (or series) on how to achieve the perfect SHOW practice. This video could be translated to a show but is more focuses on single songs, and applying this to a whole show would take weeks when we don't always have weeks to rehearse a show. Thank you!
Recording rehearsals is a great tip! There is so much to learn from listening back to what was said and done. What I dislike the most is when we agree to learn a song, and the lead guitarist hasn't prectised at all at home and tries to improvise his part. And it doesn't work...
This is all applicable to any music group.....my experience has been in high end chamber choir, jazz trio, bigband. It doesn't matter.....not following these rules will, as you said, kill a group.
I've left bands due to not taking notes, drinking too much, turning up late. You do get fed up with it. When someone in the band says "how's it start again" alarm bells sound. The amount of times I've said you have the rehearsal set list, bring a note book with each page with heading of the song to make notes under it, and been unheeded. Drives me mad.
Drinking and showing up late is good reasons to leave. But if your band is doing a larger gig with lots of cover songs in the same style, remembering every single thing about every one of them at rehearsals can be a challenge. I would rather have to tell my drummer how the intro starts once during rehearsal than him bringing any kind of note book or sheet. It's usually not because they haven't learned the songs, just that there are maybe 30 different intros and right then and there they didn't link the correct title with the correct intro at first, and by just telling them (which takes maybe 10 seconds tops) they got it and won't be asking again, no note books in sight. If i tell them to write something down, they usually end up taking it to the gig, not remembering but just looking at the sheet, and sometimes forgets what their notes mean. So I'm leaning a lot more towards learning it by memory and by feel. To me, notes are just how the MD communicates arrangements, and ideally not something to be used after rehearsing. That's my experience at least.
It's hard to "keep the levels down" as a drummer. Everyone else can just turn a nob, but us drummers need to change into a whole new style to play quietly.
this should be seen by all bandmembers whenever a new band is starting up. We broke up due to not rehearsing the way it should. I hated the fact that bandmembers "can 't make it due to ... " if you 're only rehearsing twice a month and not being flexible to rehearse the next week. I thought by rehearsing only every 2 weeks every member could add this to theirs agenda. I appears it's even more difficult to find time ( hm ) ...
Great tips and guidance especially on listening and learning to layer parts in. Also, playing at reasonable volumes so that errors and corrections can be heard and made. Yes, sometimes the guitar or drum sound is ONLY achieved with volume but find a happy medium so that work can be done. Great job!
Hi Damian, thanks for this. Can you make a video about setting up the EQ of acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass and vocals, in a rehearsal situation, so the whole thing does not get muddy?, thanks !
Thank you very much! very good content! I try to convince my band to do this 'boring' stuff 😅 I think this is key for tightness 👍 and the best advice is to use that content for social media! cheers
This is one of your best videos ever. All the best practical details ever. You are spot on. I always felt these details important with my bands. BTW you have a great voice. Beautiful. This is the very best most real, executable advice I have ever seen or shared for bands. Good job.
Great video. Despite voicing similar advice to my former band, the bad behavior continued - showing up late, not preparing the songs, excessive (talking) socializing during practice, noodling on instruments, playing over vocalist, taking phone calls, not stopping when directed, leaving room to get beer and pee..... Everyone still wants to have fun at rehearsal. So what can you do short of quitting and looking for a more serious band?
Amazing stuff Damo! I'm deeply interested in how to make the most of a session when composing a new song is the main objective. Tips and tricks to avoid losing time, patience, momentum. Thank you so much for all these content!! A big hug from Argentina!
It’s because we (singer/bassist and myself) wasted too much time with the wrong musicians the most important thing to look for in musicians/band mates is the drive to be in a band and be the best band that everyone can, the type of people that bring new ideas to every band practice, you can tell they are always working on getting better, they put the band first (within reason obviously) meaning they don’t text everyone 5 minutes before practice every other week because of whatever reason if someone really wants to be there they will do whatever, they type of people that would quit their job if the job told them they have to work Friday night but the band has a big show with a national band that the band will not get paid to play, people that would be fine with all 4 members of the band living in a small studio apartment so the band members can afford to tour, people that will sell everything they have so the band can pay for studio time pay for merch and buy a van because some very well known band invited ur band on a 2 week tour that is in good markets. If ur in a original band or ur starting one u need people like this that are in it to win it, if they aren’t or u aren’t that kinda person that’s willing to do whatever to make it happen and ur not willing to put in all the hard work, hours every day practicing, writing, learning whatever u can then don’t waste ur time and don’t waste anyone else’s time. If ur not gonna be 100% in it putting the band before almost everything like if ur not willing to move to LA next week if that’s necessary not bother trying to be successful in a band, if ur not willing to get 3 jobs to save the money to get good equipment, record an album, buy merch, make a music video, buy a van & trailer, save money to afford to tour & this goes for all band members then don’t waste ur time I promise you that no record label is gonna come begging ur band to sign a big contract when u haven’t even played a show the next city over that’s only 1 hour a way u need fans, fans = success! Record labels sign bands/artists that have a following that have social media traction they don’t do artist development deals all the time like they did in the past so if ur not out there busting ur butts recording music that ur gonna have to pay for urself (high quality professional sounding tracks), touring playing 250 shows per year all over the country sleeping in the bands van in Walmart parking lots building a fan base, making creative band merch in the van while driving to the next town, doing some creative things on social media to keep fans interested and growing then it’s not gonna happen for you because there are thousands of bands doing just that right now this very second! Think about it like ur the A&R guy at a record label and you just watched a live show and really liked both bands would you want to sign a band that has been a band for 3 years that only has some really bad quality recordings, have only plays local shows, basically has no merch, hasn’t posted on social media in 5 days, all members have 9-5 jobs? Or The other band who has been a band also for 3 years who have released an ep and a full album that was recorded professionally, have a merch store, tour 10 months out of the year, the band owns decent equipment to make and edit videos for social media they make commercials/teasers for upcoming shows/events and for stuff like social media livestreams they are gonna do, the band is everyone’s 9-5, each band member is responsible for doing something like one person deals with merch, one deals with management details and scheduling, one does the social media posts basically everyone has a set job so everything gets done, the bad has some creative things they do to make money like they have a sick guitarist so he gives out 30min lessons on Skype for a fee, maybe songwriting lessons or whatever they just see people asking questions a lot about something so they fine a way to make money with it, maybe the guitarist sets up lessons in person before the show, with the internet there are many ways for bands to supplement their income and the bands that are Hungary do stuff like this because they do what they gotta do because there is nothing else they have no back up plan because they don’t need one because its only music no matter what! When the A&R guy does some research this is the band he would pick because they are making it happen while the other band it waiting for someone to make it happen for them. Sorry for the long rant but I wish I knew all this stuff before starting bands and many people that have really been in the music scene would agree.
Hi Damian, thanks for such a great lesson. Could you make one video explaining best practices to setup sound in a small rehearsal room like that? I mean, what's better to connect through console than direct amp, monitoring, microphone orientation, etc...
Everyone needs to be taking notes... Recording & metronome is a good idea. Being late and not being prepared is a problem for one of my band mates. The problem is he's really good, and we've invested too much time already. The mistake was made on my part of not addressing it early and removing that him if he couldn't commit. The question is, what do I/we do now?
Crowded Car thank you so much, I would never class myself as a singer but as an MD it does help to be able to drive along a rehearsal and chip in .. I only started singing to get more work and was never natural but it’s the best thing I ever did was persevering with it 😊😊😊
In terms of the rehearsal structure itself, we don't do this at all, and we still pull a great result! But, If i rocked up to a session and someone was directing me to work this way, i'd give it a go! :) Great video. Nice to see you play :)
While I wouldn’t ever class myself as a singer I do think it’s a huge help to becoming more employable as a musician and also understanding harmony and keeping costs down.
I started singing many years after being a full time bass player but it was the best decision I made and I urge you to force yourself to learn to sing like I did. As you can see you don’t need to be amazing to get gigs, lead rehearsals and contribute to the band.
Thanks for watching and I hope this helps, if I could ask you to join this community with a subscribe that would be amazing!
Big love
Damo x
Damian Keyes you’re actually nailing vocal duties in this one, Damo 😅 I appreciate your modesty, though!
Your singing is great! I have to admit that I’m a bit surprised. 😁
Not only is the video about taking care and paying attention but even the way it is explained it's like so.
Keep on practicing!
How do i learn to sing?
My old band used to rehearse with headphones. Drummer used electronic drums, and we kept the guitar amps at low levels so we could hear all the vocals and harmonies clearly.. Actually worked really well
What gear do you use that has headphone output for each band meember?
@@jeromeclemente3672 headphone amplifer
Exactly... We do that...,😁
That's the way I do since 2010 when I got a "jamhub", no matter where you are, the band always sound good.
I can testify it's virtually impossible to find band members willing to put in the extra time and effort Damian is suggesting. Each of my bandmates attend about 3 out of every 5 rehearsals.
got the wrong band my man. either that or if I may suggest, you're not selling the dream enough. not trying to make it sound easy at all ESPECIALLY if we're talking about grown men/women but people will do anything if you convince them of the vision and everyone is on the same page
My band is pretty lazy being in hs kids r not putting in the proper effort. They lose motivation very quickly and aren’t driven the same way I am.
@@owencashman8226 working professionals in their 30s aren’t much better. I imagine working professionals in their 40s with kids are even worse.
You need kids out of highschool/college who are HUNGRY. Every member needs to want it bad enough and has to set their ego aside to LEARN about how things work in the professional world. If one band member doesn’t want it, they will drag the others down and it would be best to replace them. You also need to sell the dream effectively, you do this by writing damn good songs that everyone likes. Songwriting and work ethic is everything.
Network network network and it will happen.
I’m sending a link of this to my band right now.
Same here.
Now I'm in doubt if i shoud send it to my EX band that broke for the very reasons that are carefully explained in the video. We were probably guilty of every one of the different mistakes he talks about. And of course one tends to blame the others but I did my fair share of all of that also.
Let me do it now too!
me too
this ^ :D
I sent this to my bandmate to demonstrate that my Nazi rehearsal tendencies are best practices. Thanks!
Man, this is serious! But it gets the job done.
Big virgo energy
i mean if no one is having fun there is not going to be much place for creativity. I do think that some kind of rules or bounderies are necesary, but if the band is not having fun bc of it, then they are bad rules.
@@reneegoust whatdya know the Md in my group is a ♍️
I'm sure you've come across as the Annoying Orange. :)
One of the best things we did for our rehearsals is move everyone to in ears or headphones. Apart from helping me to hear myself sing a lot better, it's a lot easier to learn a song. I put the songs on a USB stick and play them directly into the ears of everyone. It's great for a reference and you hear things that you don't hear through speakers and it solves arguments really quickly. We also record absolutely everything and I mix it down at home and send it to everyone later. This helps everyone hear if they playing or singing their parts correctly and make adjustments for next weeks rehearsal. A digital mixer is the best thing you can buy for your band as it allows you to do so much more.
How do you do this? What would I need to do this with my band?
@@kangaroofoot I use a Presonus Studiolive 32sc digital mixer. It’s awesome for so many reasons. It has the ability to record multi tracks to an sD card and you can mix it down later in a daw. I use Studio One because it integrates so well with the mixer.
Dear Damo - we had our first full band rehearsal for a few months recently (had to audition for a new bassist), and deployed all the stuff that we weren't already doing that you suggested.
1) Met at the pub. Great idea - caught up who's banged who, arrive at the studios five minutes early.
2) Controlled the noise. This is the first rehearsal where I haven't walked away with tinnitus and a blown voice. Brilliant.
3) Played to a click. (Note to others: download a metronome app on your phone, and buy a jack from your phone to the studio's amplifier.) Write the tempo on your chord/lyric charts. Amazing how quickly we 'lost' the click when the song got exciting.
4) Sent out a reminder as to what we were going to do a week before rehearsal - so people practiced those songs.
5) Made "music director" an official thing, but we call it "Rehearsal Nazi" because this is Australia and we have to take people down a peg ;)
There's one thing that we do that we reckon other originals bands should do: keep your songs on a file share (like Google Drive) with one folder per song, each song has its chord and lyric charts plus recordings. Print these off, and if you make any change to them in rehearsals, NOTE IT DOWN.
You basically gave me the keys to my Lamborgini. Thank you for another amazing video.
MAB 🤘🏿
Thanks so much dude I hope it helps
I got my key from MAB long time ago :D
band type
2:30 what rehearsal for
dont late
be prepared
setup gear
5:15 meet before rehearsal
5:50 no break
6:09 stand facing together
6:30 everyone shall have mic
7:09 keep volume minimum: we need to hear mistakes
8:40 no distraction (phone
9:00 appoint MD
10:45 use metronome
12:25 drum + click
13:30 learn it so you cant play it wrong
17:15 perofessiobal rehearsal
note and record
"dont late" lol
ah yes, perofessiobal
I like the dedication and practice of craft you suggest and definitely no extra people, no phones(except to find the song to discuss the part of a specific song) and no too much booze. but come on a beer or two relaxes everyone and music (and rock music def) is about having fun whilst you do it after all
As Damian commented himself, If you "don't sing" as a musician, you may as well pack it in, at least around here. because nobody wants to hire someone who won't sing. Notice I said "won't sing" not "can't sing." If you're a musician, you can sing, don't kid yourself. You're not expected to be the next Sinatra or Freddie Mercury but to help with some "heys" or some easy harmonies or just gang-vocal on the chorus of certain songs is invaluable to your career.
Question: Where did you manage to find musicians that can be on time? Because I sure as hell can't... 😂😂😂
yo it’s tougher than it looks isn’t it?!
You use paid professionals
berringaboy and here speaks someone with little experience.. I employ over 100 musicians a week, if you think money makes musicians professional you’re wrong.
Also most bands aren’t paying their band mates, they just want to sound as good as possible
I don't think that.
All things equal, paying some helps but it is not the only thing.
@@berringaboy - Yes. It's great to talk about "professionalism" but if you're not making a living from performing, everyone will have other priorities. Set a time, but plan on really starting later, such as calling a 6pm rehearsal with the real plan to start at 6:30pm.
We always had a song we never played live but always loved playing that we played at the start of rehearsal to warm up with. Run through new things and decide which bits need work. Take 10 mins for a drink or piss while listening to the actual song. Go back and nail it. Same formula every time that worked perfectly for us.
Yeah warm up with a few songs, just go into the next song without any pause. Play the songs, even if there are mistakes. After you're warmed up and into it, work on one or two songs that need improvement.
Videos like this are pure gold! Had I known these things in my mis-spent youth, I would undoubtedly be a rock god by now! Now that I've been in the "real" workforce for many years since, it just seems so obvious that a serious and professional approach will yield the results you want. Thanks for a video with so much great advice!
Step 1: Guitarists turn down to play at a reasonable volume so everyone can hear themselves without severe hearing loss.
Step 2: Drummers don't play while other people are tuning.
Step 3: Everyone listens to the bass player because he's got some good ideas.
Step 4: Fire the singer. You don't really need one, they never help load/unload gear, and they don't even sound that good most of the time.
_"Fire the singer. You don't really need one"_ Except you can blame him for your own lack of charisma during the shows. That counts.
I load and unload and often know my drummers equipment almost as well as him. Band members should work together. Not all singers ignore this
Yes, singers are not useful, i like it when the vocals are split up. That's the best
"Meet in the pub an hour before" NO NO NO!! You'll never get them out again and you'll pay for the room and no rehearsal. Yes its happened to me years ago!
Lol ok maybe be careful on the pub 🤣
I think it's best to go to the pub or a local cafe after the rehearsal.
Dario Western great shout!
Man, that is a recipe for disaster. After an hour hanging out will be having too much fun and just put off the rehearsal. Best to hang out after the rehearsal and unwind and goof around.
Why are these people paying to rehearse
I think you're more than an MD who can sing to move along a rehearsal - your voice has great presence and expression. This is straight to the point, professional, informative, entertaining - you're a multi-talented guy!!
Wow thank you so much, this has made my day. I was nervous to sing on camera as I wouldn't class myself as a singer but feel like I need to put my money where my mouth is as I tell people they need to sing more. I really enjoyed making this though it was a lot of fun. Thank you so much Gabrielle! 🙂🙂🙂
@@DamianKeyes I think this is a great conversation to have! I am a guitar and singing teacher for kids and even today the boys tend to gravitate to guitar and the girls singing (although it's a very slowly changing trend) I suggest to singers that they learn an instrument such as guitar or piano (or anything that plays chords) so that when they can't find an accompanist, they can play for themselves - and for my young guitarists to jump into a singing class early. Unfortunately, I see a lot of hesitation in the young boys (and girls too) wanting to learn singing as they think you have to be a "good singer" to take singing lessons. A beginner guitarist would never think they have to be good before they start, so it's very interesting to me that they have that expectation about their singing. Love your videos and what you are doing!
Well, with this inforamation, practice and some patience.. everyone can go from "I play in a band" to no longer having the need to introduce themselves. Greet video as always Damian!
Greetings from Austria!
I say this is the most positive way possible. THIS IS one of THE BEST videos you have ever made. Super helpful for bands man thanks!
Thank you so much, it was a lot of fun and I have some more ideas moving forward to get away from being a head against a wall 🙂🙂🙂
Love it! And we got to see you play some bass - finally!! And sing too... nice! Having a purpose for each rehearsal is clutch... tonight we're rehearsing the setlist for this weekend's gig!
Scratch Buffalo thanks so much! Defo wasn’t bass virtuoso territory but I’m thinking of something a bit more fun bass for a Xmas video lol
@@DamianKeyes I'm hoping it's a Mariah Carey/Slade Mash Up
My band is practicing new songs for maybe 2-4hrs per week, and our once-a-week rehearsals last for 4hrs. We drink, we chat, we have fun, and everything actually sounds pretty great considering the amount of time invested into the whole thing. Ofc, we're not professionals.
Sounds like my band. There's a lot of talent in the room but we're not going pro. We just have fun with it.
@@DrPepperZZZ There are many factors to going pro, but I feel like it would mostly introduce immense pressure, making it feel like a job and not a hobby, and the fun would start to fade.
Sir you just did something no one would offer for free thank you so much mr keys your the best of the West my friend ... your buddy from Los Ángeles California
Danny Salas thank you so much I really appreciate that 😊😊😊
Damian Keyes are you ever planning coming to the west coast ?
You seem to have forgotten one important thing. Don't forget to have fun! I play rock n roll cause it's fun and it's time with my mates and it's always been that way. When it stops being fun, I'll stop doing it. My band is celebrating our 20th anniversary on NYE and I'm proud to say we still have all the original members! It's like that cause we still have fun together. Do the work but don't get too serious...it's gotta stay fun!
I’m defo an advocate of having fun and I find music and playing fun so defo agree with that. Personally I lose interest if something isn’t good or progressing and then the fun drains so for me the outcome is slightly different than fun alone. I guess it all depends on what outcome you are looking for 😊 thanks dude
Damian Keyes the trouble always starts when not everyone in the band is looking for the same thing...
@@DamianKeyes Yes! first actually BE half the band you think you are - then have fun on top of that undeniable foundation!
Like you, I very quickly lose interest if only fun is the focus and the music is shite (so does the audience in fact..)
Great video by the way - immediately sent it to my band (hope they watch :D)
Also, your singing is great man! Go for it!
In my day we used to call pushing the beat "hunting the pace" and a bass player who kept doing it despite pleas to correct the tendency could break up an otherwise tight and happy band.
This was stunningly to the point, absolutely spot on! I thought you were more of a marketer, Damian - but this is sage musical director territory. A big thanks - will be very helpful on band education and teaching music!
I'd be interested in Andy's (the drummer) perspective here. I totally agree with minimising volume in the rehearsal but I think it's a bit of a myth that Hot-Rods/brushes are THE answer to volume control. Other players need to expect that drummers (especially pros) should be able to control their volume with their sticks. Rods/brushes are tools drummers use to get a specific sound just like guitar pedals or EQ settings, etc.
I can't tell you how many times guys have asked me to play with rods when I was younger instead of asking me to play more quietly. Obviously there will be drummers who don't have the ability to control the volume (especially young/inexperienced drummers) and I think rods/brushes can be a valid solution at times but just be careful, drummers, that you're not being lazy with your dynamic control.
Helpful video. Working this specifically and effectively should be the expectation of every rehearsal!
Very much on point! Using hot rods, brushes or other things requires a seperate skillset. Brushes are meant to be played differently than sticks! Also hot rods require a different approach to them, since they change the articulation and the mix between cymbals and drums. You can't just exchange sticks with hot rods and hope for the best.
Also having a good in ear system helps immensly. Often drummers are seen as the sole reason for the loud sound, while the amps are too loud and producing weird frequencies. Especially the singer needs a good in ear mix. It made a hell of a difference when our singer got a wireless in ear system. When needed I directly switch to my Cajon-setup. This sometimes makes more sense than playing on my normal drumset. Check my channel for an example!
Love this video Damo! Seeing something like this helps more than just saying it in a talking head video. I hope you make more videos like this one, also it's good to see you playing for once!
Lee Allen thanks so much Lee, I defo agree and I think it’s time I did a lot more action and less talking where I can
just sent this to my band, would probably watch 5 minutes and give up lol
BlackDog 😂
quiz them on the content and based on their responses decide if its time to find new band mates.
We always set up as we did on stage, we never drank alcohol, we'd always run through as many numbers as possible, probably two sets worth newest first
Every week, I loved rehearsals,
A bassplayer singing... that‘s some kind of hot, dude!
...
Paul
....
McCartney
...
I’m the singer and bassist in my band.
@@featuremeatme too!
Great video, but I realised one thing is missing: “DO NOT PLAY WHILE PEOPLE ARE TALKING” That was lesson no 1 by my teacher when I started drumming 15 years ago. It is very tiring when somebody talks and others are noodling on their instrument. Besides that it is not very polite and noodling band members may miss some vital information and slowing progress down. Just my 2 cents as total amateur 😉
Absolutely Richard... Great point, that is most definitely a shootable offence! 🙂🙂🙂
Hi Damian, one thing that I would also suggest with rehearsals is for the drummer to work in conjunction with a drum machine so they can work out the beats and keep time a lot easier. I used to do this with my first band back in the 1990s, especially when there were times a drummer couldn't make it to rehearsals. Using a drum machine helped us sound a lot more tight and precise, and if you make mistakes and have to go through a song again from the start a drum machine won't chuck a wobbly. Just my thoughts.
We use headphones and run all rehearsals through our recording setup so we can listen back to various takes and how songs are working or not. This not only saves our ears from blaring speakers in an enclosed space, but is extremely useful when working on finding parts for original songs as you may try things that work or don't work throughout a take. Also, at the next rehearsal a week later, I may forget how I played a particular part, or the exact timing or technique I used, but with it recorded...It's right there to listen to and jog your memory (or lack of in my case!) Good Stuff!
Setting up in a circle is great for communication in the rehearsal room, for developing or fine tuning arrangements and so on. However, if the objective is preparing for live gigs rather than a studio recording, then the band ought to have a rehearsal or three set up as though they're on stage. This is because the band must also gel when the accordion, bongo and zither players can't easily make eye contact.
your youtube channel taught me more than my music school.
Thanks dude what music school did you go to?
@@DamianKeyes it was a conservatory here in northern europe. my music tech teacher was a depressed french dude who didn't even speak my language properly (and liked wine maybe a little too much).
got bullied by my class mates as well. luckily in thursday i have a interview for the best music studio in my country (applying for internship). do you have experience in doing internships?
got the internship!!! here we go
There's one more thing for rehearsals that you didn't mention that does plague bands: managing absences. Sometimes it happens - people have to go interstate, they're sick, etc etc.
We have the "75%" rule - that if three of our four members can come to rehearsal, rehearsal goes ahead. Otherwise you wind up in this awful spiral whereas you don't rehearse more than twice in a month. (Another good reason to have rehearsal *twice* per week).
Respect for remembering all of these tips with no script, that’s just a ton to think about and remember.
Thanks bro!
I'll add:
- a perfect rehearsal is impossible, so be flexible, open-minded, and communicative.
- backline gear can be a handy option sometimes. However using the rig you are going to use live is more important and should be an important part of every rehearsal to test your sounds and foolproof any potential problems.
- I disagree with everyone having a mic too. If you don't or can't sing proficiently, you won't do yourself or the band any favours by simply "trying" at rehearsal. Learn your craft before joining a band!
- Who has time to run all the songs at a rehearsal one instrument at a time? These are the basics that you do before joining a band and it's called "homework".
- Making notes before and after rehearsing and sending everyone the recording of the rehearsal is key. This is the most effective way to make use of the time spent, yet most bands overlook this.
I agree with your point about not everyone needs to sing, but I do think everyone should have a mic. Without a mic people will be less inclined to speak up, you want your bandmembers to be able to get your attention during a song or in between songs. It's just nice to have everyone have a mic for communication reasons.
Fully agree with what you said about 'homework' though, it really is my pet peeve to have to figure out individual parts during a rehearsal and have to explain the other musician how his part is played.
Its okay to forget or misremember, but if I need to tell you exactly where to press the instrument when and where and it's obvious you don't have the rhythm or melody going in your head... I'll get a bit annoyed.
It's hard to get other bandmembers to practice and your your material tho, I'm now in a 4 man band where I and a friend write all the material and we notice that we can't get the other 2 to really dig into the material at home. We tried to get them more involved in the writing process but they aren't as creatively inclined or motivated. Me and my friend can improv and record an entire fullband demo in ableton in 3 hours, but getting the other bandmembers to play our written parts takes weeks and getting them to think of and record a original interesting part on our song would take them even longer.
So far its best to just feed them whatever we write and record and slowly work into them getting it all down, but for every song we get down as a band me and my friend have written 5 more
Very nice tips. This is what I need to let my bandmates see in order for them to understand the responsibility of being in a band.
I've just joined my very first band… a rather diverse "Collective." I'm feeling out how to balance our creative fertility with professionalism, and how to make a role for myself.
We've got rehearsal tonight, and a gig tomorrow. 🎃 Just sent this to the group chat. 🤘🏿
Go smash it!! 😊😊😊
Fantastic tips Damian! Sadly, I haven't been in an active band in quite some time but both of the most serious bands I was in did exactly what you've suggested here. We played to a click and worked problem sections of songs. We focused on the timing, speeding up, slowing down, etc. When we rehearsed for recording, we worked on songs until we could pretty much play them perfectly in our sleep. If we were practicing for a gig, we would drill the songs in order and try to move from one song to the next as quick as possible. That's always a pet peeve of mine when it takes minutes of change over from one song to the next. Unless you're a headliner and mega successful, I doubt anyone wants to wait more than like 10-15 seconds to start your next song.
Kudos on your singing too! I think you all sounded great in the band here!
This should be part of the induction at every music college in the UK.. RNCM, BIMM, ACM etc. Great work Damo
First video of yours I watch. Subscribed.
I quit a band recently because the guitarist was a total pain.
He seemed to find rehearsing boring. He didn't seem to think it mattered if he messed up over and over again in rehearsal.
At one point we had a gig coming up and I told him he needed to use a tuner rather than tune out loud. He reluctantly agreed.
He wasn't using it in rehearsal, so I asked when he was going to. He said "for the gig". I told him not to leave it that late - rehearse with the gear you're going to use. He did not do that. He used it for the first time at the gig.
We started the first track and the guitar was completely wrong. It turned out he misunderstood how the tuner worked, so he tuned to the wrong E. He didnt understand what was happening, so he stopped playing mid-track and tried to tune, but because he didn't understand the tuner, he just kept re-tuning his guitar totally wrong. Someone explained it to him after the first track, but the damage was done. The first track was awful, and he'd damaged his strings by tuning in a panic. He broke his bottom string a few songs later. Then he insisted the show must go on even though he couldn't play the parts without his bottom string. The last two songs were as bad as the first.
After the gig, he said he thought the gig had gone well. I said I didn't believe it had and asked what on earth happened with the guitar. He said 'it was just a technical problem and a broken string, I don't get why you're blaming me' and then proceeded to spend months acting like I was picking on him and insisting that it was unfair to blame him (which I never explicitly did anyway).
We are in our 40s.
He also used about 12 pedals and often couldn't get them working, and often took more than 2 minutes to get them ready between songs. I kept saying it was too long and he just thought I was going on about nothing.
Spot on. I've always recorded all my rehearsals originally on 4 track Portastudio cassette, then on ADAT and now on laptop. I must have a full closet full of tapes from 35 years of playing. Some of it is quite good and a lot is well not so good.
Impressive! I used to dream on acquiring a Fostex in the 80s/90s, but they were too expensive here in Brazil, at the time. I bought a Boss BR532 in early 2000s, though.
I used to record my band´s rehearsals on cassete tape everytime I thought it was useful.
Maaan, thank you for this video! I’ve been working my ass off for years now and gotten nowhere. And I’m seeing now that I and every member of every band I’ve been in, are have all been a part of the problem.
After years of jamming with tons of people, forming bands that eventually collapse, failing to find reliable people, etc., I’ve finally found a group of guys who are very good, and who flow together well.
But not quite well enough yet.
I’m going to take this info and use it at rehearsal tonight. No more getting in my way, or letting someone else do so.
I’ve put way too much time into this to keep getting nothing out of it. It’s time to step it up, or trim the fat. Thanks for the sound advice.
YOU SING MARVELOUSLY DAMIAN!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE THIS VIDEO
BIIIIIIIIG TIME
your fan from China
I'm often late because I need a last minute poo. 😅
This is my all time favourite message ever!! 🤣
take a laxative two nights before practice so your system is ready for the task at hand!
Going to the pub BEFORE practice sounds dangerous but its a great strategy. It can quickly reveal who should be removed from the band..... you don't only want to find that sort of thing out when you are on tour hundreds of miles from home.
How do you feel about switching MD’s ever other rehearsal? So that the power doesn’t eventually go to someones head. And let’s say we’re working on 6 songs in a 3 hour rehearsal one week, when would you know when to switch to the next song?
Love this video, make tons more like it! Where you show what you’re talking about. It really helps
Love this idea. It will mean everyone get's their say and more creative ideas will flow as long as the person wants to and everyone respects them for doing it 🙂🙂🙂
That is a double sword idea. Not everyone in the band has leadership skills, and above all, few will really study the song effectively and have a clear vision. Suggestions shared, yes, leadership shared = No !!!!
And make sure you're EQ is good in those ears...A MUST..
The Metronome REALLY kept them on track. There were a few pull-push and I hope they could feel it. Remember, tempo is conveyed/dictated by the LENGTH of the notes and the space between notes. To hear the shortest rhythmical value (in your head) is crucial...
I wish I had someone spell these out to me and my band 20 years ago. We may have lasted more than a few years.
Great video Damian as always, love your channel bud.😎
I am 42 yrs old, I have been playing since I was 12, joined my 1st band at 13 (we sucked as most beginners do but I was hooked). I have played guitar and lead vocals in bands, bass, and drums in a couple projects. mostly original rock/punk/ska/alternative/metal bands. Three 90's to current rock cover bands.
I agree it is imperative that members come prepared, show up as close to on time as possible (we do have lives, jobs, and families too) We work hard in weekly rehearsals but we do laugh, joke, and bust each others balls too. If it's not enjoyable as well as being fun and with good music... why bother? The members are gonna say "fuck this" unless there is significant money to be made. Even then, they won't stay long. Don't tell me what I do is not "rehearsal for big boys" man. I have been at it 30 years, toured, shared the stage with some huge bands. and played Disney world to 10,000 people. I am the "band director" or one in control i.e. the pain in the ass for my band members and I try to run a tight ship. But until you hit a level where there is no day jobs involved (I haven't researched... but I don't think you guys are there yet either. If so, forgive me) then I would not be happy in a band run as you suggest sir.
my 2 cents. take it or leave it. I don't care either way!
I agree. Music must be fun. If there was any band member like this, I wouldn’t be in it. Maybe these tips are for beginners, but than again, I would lose my will to play.
@damiankeyes1 ... this is such good advice! Gonna implement these simple, to-the-bone, practical measures. You rock for being so generous with your knowledge and experience! Thank you sooo much! Pedro
Pedro Gorman thank you so much Pedro 😊😊😊
Great video. I sent to my band to watch.
i love this guy...you guys got a good band...you can really get far if u guys agree and listen to your dm
Wow. Sounds good at first try. Sounds better than most bands live.
I never really thought about a better way to rehearse when I was on my first and only band, I'll definitely be applying your method on my future band, thanks a lot!
Thanks so much Tomás 🙂🙂🙂
Really helpful video :) I will be sharing with my bandmates.
By the way, your old Ric is still going strong ;) I love it so much it's bliss to play.
You literally make me LOL with the way you'll point out something that's so true!
Awesome info, just passed this on to my band mates and after my new studio is finished in like 60 days, I'll video and show how it all goes. right now we waste too much valuable time. Cheers!
Damian, you killed it: „Who banged who?“ 😂😂😂 You are totally right, a rehearsal has to be prepared and not getting the character of a selfhelp group!🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽
Absolutley summed up our band right now in terms of things we are absolutely doing wrong at rehearsal. Thank you!
The best advice my choir teacher gave in 7th grade? She played a recording that was a choir a capella. The first and last note were supposed to be exactly the same. She played it back to back to back. The notes had shifted so much by the end of the recording that when you heard the song start again it was jarring the actual difference!
Since then, I record a lot of my practices and use them to watch and listen to changes and differences and issues I have. Works like a charm!
Love this video. Thanks for creating it! (Also, not bad on the singing, regardless of what you say!)
+Hook, Yarn, And Needle amazing advice, they sound like a great teacher
@@DamianKeyes She was a magnificent choir teacher! We were #1 in the state, and I credit her for my Alto award at the time. It really hit home what she did for us and now when I do practice, it's one of the things I do is find the same notes somewhere in the song and then stop and start again to see if I'm still on pitch.
This is quite the eye opening video. Thank you!
My old guitarist also refused to use click tracks. He claimed that our music needed to speed up and slow down slightly. I think this is absolute madness. Its very rare that you actually want to change BPM mid song. I don't know how to deal with someone that says things that are total nonsense.
Great video. Would love another (or series) on how to achieve the perfect SHOW practice. This video could be translated to a show but is more focuses on single songs, and applying this to a whole show would take weeks when we don't always have weeks to rehearse a show. Thank you!
izmar great idea
If you can then practice in your garage. It's what it do and it works great! Fair enough you need to buy alot of stuff but it's worth it
Recording rehearsals is a great tip! There is so much to learn from listening back to what was said and done. What I dislike the most is when we agree to learn a song, and the lead guitarist hasn't prectised at all at home and tries to improvise his part. And it doesn't work...
This is all applicable to any music group.....my experience has been in high end chamber choir, jazz trio, bigband. It doesn't matter.....not following these rules will, as you said, kill a group.
One of your best videos Damian! Would love to see a part 2, or even more covering other kind of rehearsals like you mentioned in the beginning
I've left bands due to not taking notes, drinking too much, turning up late. You do get fed up with it. When someone in the band says "how's it start again" alarm bells sound. The amount of times I've said you have the rehearsal set list, bring a note book with each page with heading of the song to make notes under it, and been unheeded. Drives me mad.
Drinking and showing up late is good reasons to leave. But if your band is doing a larger gig with lots of cover songs in the same style, remembering every single thing about every one of them at rehearsals can be a challenge. I would rather have to tell my drummer how the intro starts once during rehearsal than him bringing any kind of note book or sheet. It's usually not because they haven't learned the songs, just that there are maybe 30 different intros and right then and there they didn't link the correct title with the correct intro at first, and by just telling them (which takes maybe 10 seconds tops) they got it and won't be asking again, no note books in sight. If i tell them to write something down, they usually end up taking it to the gig, not remembering but just looking at the sheet, and sometimes forgets what their notes mean. So I'm leaning a lot more towards learning it by memory and by feel. To me, notes are just how the MD communicates arrangements, and ideally not something to be used after rehearsing. That's my experience at least.
Can't take a piss?
How else do we make room for more beer?
Lol
Cheers guys, keep on rockin!
It's hard to "keep the levels down" as a drummer. Everyone else can just turn a nob, but us drummers need to change into a whole new style to play quietly.
Fantastic! You and I share the same ideology on what a rehearsal should be. Thanks.
omg i finally found the video where he plays bass. dope
this should be seen by all bandmembers whenever a new band is starting up. We broke up due to not rehearsing the way it should. I hated the fact that bandmembers "can 't make it due to ... " if you 're only rehearsing twice a month and not being flexible to rehearse the next week. I thought by rehearsing only every 2 weeks every member could add this to theirs agenda. I appears it's even more difficult to find time ( hm ) ...
Great tips and guidance especially on listening and learning to layer parts in. Also, playing at reasonable volumes so that errors and corrections can be heard and made. Yes, sometimes the guitar or drum sound is ONLY achieved with volume but find a happy medium so that work can be done. Great job!
Hi Damian, thanks for this. Can you make a video about setting up the EQ of acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass and vocals, in a rehearsal situation, so the whole thing does not get muddy?, thanks !
Thanks man me and my band NEEDED this advice. Legend 🤟
Thank you very much! very good content! I try to convince my band to do this 'boring' stuff 😅 I think this is key for tightness 👍 and the best advice is to use that content for social media! cheers
Thank you so much.
Also my biggest video of the year is dropping today. 'How to release a single in 2024'. It's a big one, hope it helps 🙂🙂
Soo...now you can make a video of the perfect creating new songs reharshal!! It would be awesome!!🙏🙏
Singer has a great voice
This is one of your best videos ever. All the best practical details ever. You are spot on. I always felt these details important with my bands. BTW you have a great voice. Beautiful. This is the very best most real, executable advice I have ever seen or shared for bands. Good job.
Great video. Despite voicing similar advice to my former band, the bad behavior continued - showing up late, not preparing the songs, excessive (talking) socializing during practice, noodling on instruments, playing over vocalist, taking phone calls, not stopping when directed, leaving room to get beer and pee..... Everyone still wants to have fun at rehearsal. So what can you do short of quitting and looking for a more serious band?
Thanks damo for all that you do and put out, this was great i got information and entertainment out of it! Cheers
Killer vid Damo! Thanks for all that u do for the music community!
AJ Bourdages thanks so much AJ, very kind of you! 😊😊😊
Amazing stuff Damo! I'm deeply interested in how to make the most of a session when composing a new song is the main objective. Tips and tricks to avoid losing time, patience, momentum. Thank you so much for all these content!! A big hug from Argentina!
What a sound Chris on guitar! Excellent video, thanks.
I love how thorough this is. Great job. Thank you.
Love this! Sharing with my band asap
Ratchet Hatchet thank you so much I really appreciate that 😊😊😊
@@DamianKeyes you've really helped me out a lot. Your book and the videos have got me playing out again. Thanks man!
It’s because we (singer/bassist and myself) wasted too much time with the wrong musicians the most important thing to look for in musicians/band mates is the drive to be in a band and be the best band that everyone can, the type of people that bring new ideas to every band practice, you can tell they are always working on getting better, they put the band first (within reason obviously) meaning they don’t text everyone 5 minutes before practice every other week because of whatever reason if someone really wants to be there they will do whatever, they type of people that would quit their job if the job told them they have to work Friday night but the band has a big show with a national band that the band will not get paid to play, people that would be fine with all 4 members of the band living in a small studio apartment so the band members can afford to tour, people that will sell everything they have so the band can pay for studio time pay for merch and buy a van because some very well known band invited ur band on a 2 week tour that is in good markets. If ur in a original band or ur starting one u need people like this that are in it to win it, if they aren’t or u aren’t that kinda person that’s willing to do whatever to make it happen and ur not willing to put in all the hard work, hours every day practicing, writing, learning whatever u can then don’t waste ur time and don’t waste anyone else’s time. If ur not gonna be 100% in it putting the band before almost everything like if ur not willing to move to LA next week if that’s necessary not bother trying to be successful in a band, if ur not willing to get 3 jobs to save the money to get good equipment, record an album, buy merch, make a music video, buy a van & trailer, save money to afford to tour & this goes for all band members then don’t waste ur time I promise you that no record label is gonna come begging ur band to sign a big contract when u haven’t even played a show the next city over that’s only 1 hour a way u need fans, fans = success! Record labels sign bands/artists that have a following that have social media traction they don’t do artist development deals all the time like they did in the past so if ur not out there busting ur butts recording music that ur gonna have to pay for urself (high quality professional sounding tracks), touring playing 250 shows per year all over the country sleeping in the bands van in Walmart parking lots building a fan base, making creative band merch in the van while driving to the next town, doing some creative things on social media to keep fans interested and growing then it’s not gonna happen for you because there are thousands of bands doing just that right now this very second! Think about it like ur the A&R guy at a record label and you just watched a live show and really liked both bands would you want to sign a band that has been a band for 3 years that only has some really bad quality recordings, have only plays local shows, basically has no merch, hasn’t posted on social media in 5 days, all members have 9-5 jobs? Or The other band who has been a band also for 3 years who have released an ep and a full album that was recorded professionally, have a merch store, tour 10 months out of the year, the band owns decent equipment to make and edit videos for social media they make commercials/teasers for upcoming shows/events and for stuff like social media livestreams they are gonna do, the band is everyone’s 9-5, each band member is responsible for doing something like one person deals with merch, one deals with management details and scheduling, one does the social media posts basically everyone has a set job so everything gets done, the bad has some creative things they do to make money like they have a sick guitarist so he gives out 30min lessons on Skype for a fee, maybe songwriting lessons or whatever they just see people asking questions a lot about something so they fine a way to make money with it, maybe the guitarist sets up lessons in person before the show, with the internet there are many ways for bands to supplement their income and the bands that are Hungary do stuff like this because they do what they gotta do because there is nothing else they have no back up plan because they don’t need one because its only music no matter what! When the A&R guy does some research this is the band he would pick because they are making it happen while the other band it waiting for someone to make it happen for them.
Sorry for the long rant but I wish I knew all this stuff before starting bands and many people that have really been in the music scene would agree.
Hi Damian, thanks for such a great lesson. Could you make one video explaining best practices to setup sound in a small rehearsal room like that? I mean, what's better to connect through console than direct amp, monitoring, microphone orientation, etc...
Everyone needs to be taking notes... Recording & metronome is a good idea. Being late and not being prepared is a problem for one of my band mates. The problem is he's really good, and we've invested too much time already. The mistake was made on my part of not addressing it early and removing that him if he couldn't commit. The question is, what do I/we do now?
How to sap all creativeness out of playing music and turn it into a boring chore/job.
+Richie Crozier for some of us it is a job
Great video! Love how you broke that down. Enjoyed hearing you sing too!!
Crowded Car thank you so much, I would never class myself as a singer but as an MD it does help to be able to drive along a rehearsal and chip in .. I only started singing to get more work and was never natural but it’s the best thing I ever did was persevering with it 😊😊😊
Damian Keyes yep! Cake is always better with the icing!
In terms of the rehearsal structure itself, we don't do this at all, and we still pull a great result! But, If i rocked up to a session and someone was directing me to work this way, i'd give it a go! :)
Great video. Nice to see you play :)
I've watched this video many times, really helps every band. Thank you very much for that!