Comments on: What To Do When One Of Your Band Members Won’t Practice http://livemusiciancentral.com/2009/10/27/what-to-do-when-one-of-your-band-members-wont-practice/ Resources for Performing Musicians Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:53:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Matt Rushton http://livemusiciancentral.com/2009/10/27/what-to-do-when-one-of-your-band-members-wont-practice/comment-page-1/#comment-22392 Matt Rushton Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:53:33 +0000 http://livemusiciancentral.com/?p=4769#comment-22392 Hey Chris, this advice works even better in an original band. In an original band you can tailor your songwriting so that weaker members can play more to their strengths. Cover bands don't have that luxury. In my original band I've found that getting along and being able to create music together is far more important than individual playing ability. That being said, if you have a member holding you back and they don't have anything to offer to your band, it's time to kick them out. Hey Chris, this advice works even better in an original band. In an original band you can tailor your songwriting so that weaker members can play more to their strengths. Cover bands don’t have that luxury. In my original band I’ve found that getting along and being able to create music together is far more important than individual playing ability.

That being said, if you have a member holding you back and they don’t have anything to offer to your band, it’s time to kick them out.

]]> By: chris http://livemusiciancentral.com/2009/10/27/what-to-do-when-one-of-your-band-members-wont-practice/comment-page-1/#comment-22384 chris Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:45:52 +0000 http://livemusiciancentral.com/?p=4769#comment-22384 this sounds like advice for a covers band or band with no ambition, surely if your an orginal band and want to get signed then only playing the songs that a weak member can play going to lead to nowhere. this sounds like advice for a covers band or band with no ambition, surely if your an orginal band and want to get signed then only playing the songs that a weak member can play going to lead to nowhere.

]]> By: Matt Rushton http://livemusiciancentral.com/2009/10/27/what-to-do-when-one-of-your-band-members-wont-practice/comment-page-1/#comment-19366 Matt Rushton Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:17:08 +0000 http://livemusiciancentral.com/?p=4769#comment-19366 Well Rob, letting the problem member go and starting over with someone new is definitely the easiest way around this problem. The thing I've found from my years of playing in bands is that you open up a whole new set of problems every time you change band members. So you have to ask yourself, does the problem member bring enough to the band that we can work around his limitations? If so, it may be in your best interest to work within the problem band members limits. That's why I give the example of the three brothers forming a band. One of the bro's won't practice but plays well enough to do certain songs well. The marketing aspect of having 3 brothers in a band is huge (case in point, the Jonas Brothers) so it's probably in the band's best interest to choose music where the non-practicing member has a simple part to play that will allow the music to still sound great. I've never been in a perfect band where everyone carried their weight equally. That's why I suggest learning ways to work with weaker members. Well Rob, letting the problem member go and starting over with someone new is definitely the easiest way around this problem. The thing I’ve found from my years of playing in bands is that you open up a whole new set of problems every time you change band members. So you have to ask yourself, does the problem member bring enough to the band that we can work around his limitations? If so, it may be in your best interest to work within the problem band members limits.

That’s why I give the example of the three brothers forming a band. One of the bro’s won’t practice but plays well enough to do certain songs well. The marketing aspect of having 3 brothers in a band is huge (case in point, the Jonas Brothers) so it’s probably in the band’s best interest to choose music where the non-practicing member has a simple part to play that will allow the music to still sound great.

I’ve never been in a perfect band where everyone carried their weight equally. That’s why I suggest learning ways to work with weaker members.

]]> By: Rob http://livemusiciancentral.com/2009/10/27/what-to-do-when-one-of-your-band-members-wont-practice/comment-page-1/#comment-19354 Rob Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:31:28 +0000 http://livemusiciancentral.com/?p=4769#comment-19354 I don't think that a band should be held back to such an extent by one lazy member. This seems to be what you're saying in this post. If a band member isn't pulling his weight he should be given a warning, and if that doesn't help he should be kicked out. Why should other band members suffer because of this one guy? I don’t think that a band should be held back to such an extent by one lazy member. This seems to be what you’re saying in this post.

If a band member isn’t pulling his weight he should be given a warning, and if that doesn’t help he should be kicked out.

Why should other band members suffer because of this one guy?

]]> By: Matt Rushton http://livemusiciancentral.com/2009/10/27/what-to-do-when-one-of-your-band-members-wont-practice/comment-page-1/#comment-18964 Matt Rushton Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:30:16 +0000 http://livemusiciancentral.com/?p=4769#comment-18964 So Knarf0, I bet you've seen this phenomenon in the real world of playing in rock bands yourself? :) So Knarf0, I bet you’ve seen this phenomenon in the real world of playing in rock bands yourself? :)

]]> By: KnarfO http://livemusiciancentral.com/2009/10/27/what-to-do-when-one-of-your-band-members-wont-practice/comment-page-1/#comment-18961 KnarfO Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:03:14 +0000 http://livemusiciancentral.com/?p=4769#comment-18961 LOL. LOL.

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