Out of Practice

[DaytonaRik]

After what seems like an eternity we're back in the rehearsal room next week but this time it's to audition a new drummer after our long-serving tub-thumper has decided to reduce the number of bands that he plays in.

 

Ok - pick up bass, try to remember how things go - not a clue!   Fingering all over the place, arm/fingers/wrist aches - oh this is horrible!

 

Who else has gone through the same painful process of realising just how out of practice they are after the enforced lay-off?

[neepheid]

It wasn't as painful a time as it sounds like you had.  Yes, I was rusty, but on the other hand I didn't have to break in a new drummer.  Originals band was easier to get back into the swing of than the covers band.  I guess it's just easier to remember/play songs you (co)wrote.

 

No major physical ill-effects.  Had a bit of a sore shoulder after the first two gigs back but it was gone the next morning.

[Lozz196]

The opposite for me, as I’d just joined a band doing much more difficult songs than I was previously used to just before COVID began I kept up practicing them and have improved big time over the last 18 months. Which is nice.

[Newfoundfreedom]

53 minutes ago, DaytonaRik said:

After what seems like an eternity we're back in the rehearsal room next week but this time it's to audition a new drummer after our long-serving tub-thumper has decided to reduce the number of bands that he plays in.

 

Ok - pick up bass, try to remember how things go - not a clue!   Fingering all over the place, arm/fingers/wrist aches - oh this is horrible!

 

Who else has gone through the same painful process of realising just how out of practice they are after the enforced lay-off?

 

I'm like that at practice every week. 😆

[Woodinblack]

I practiced all the time. However, doing two 3 hour gigs on consecutive nights shows you cant practice your skin staying on!

[BlueMoon]

I was about to re-start rehearsals a couple of months back...............and then fractured my arm. Operation, screws, pins, the "whole nine yards". Then endless physio sessions. Damn!

 

Last night was my first bass playing at a rehearsal........previously I was at last able to do backing vocals while a dep bass player stood in.

 

"Rusty" ain't the word..........but I felt elated despite the self criticism on technique and overall sluggish performance. We'll get there!

 

[Nail Soup]

Had first rehearsal after lockdown and was dreading the worst. We went through a bunch of the more well known song and went surprisingly well.

Then the drummer said he wanted leave  for personal reasons ( and guitarist will take this opportunity to drop out too) so currently the band is in limbo.🙁

[ubit]

We haven't played for years and I was getting out of practice. Last summer during lock down I started noodling with the basses and Logic Pro. I was actually playing the best I had ever played. Since then I have not had so much time and I went in a couple of days ago and I couldn't remember anything.

 

If I ever go into a music shop and they say do you want to try something I am like nah, I know I will freeze and won't remember a thing. My jamming ability has gone through lack of practise.

[spongebob]

I stopped playing in November '19, only started again in June. Bit rusty at first, nothing major - been playing a bit most days since. First new band meeting this month, so should be interesting!

 

I think if you've played for enough years beforehand (about 27 in my case), you do fall into it quite quickly, just the stamina and the fingers need a little TLC.

Edited September 3, 2021 by spongebob

[casapete]

I didn’t play much during lockdown(s) and worried about starting up again so rehearsed gradually more and more before my first gigs back. What I did overlook was my vocals, and subsequently suffered a little during the first few gigs. but this settled down again to my usual average warbling! Would advise anyone who sings to do some practice at stage volume to build your voice back.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

Rehearsing online during lockdown pretty much saved me from any rust creeping in. I managed to get another band started up during the gig drought and we've knocked three x 1 hour sets into gig readiness in that time. First gig tomorrow (later today in fact) and we've only been in a room together three times. Should be interesting.

[Paul S]

Its a funny thing, this match-fitness.  The drummer of my blues trio is an arable farmer and so can't afford to take much time out during the summer.  So between that and lockdowns we have played very little.  A couple of weekends ago we played at a biggish BBC event on Ipswich waterfront and were ragged, despite managing to squeeze in one quick rehearsal a few weeks earlier to run through the 40 minute set.  If there are only 3 of you there isn't much room to hide and we all made some glaringly obvious mistakes which I put down to lack of match-fitness. 

 

So with that in the back of my mind I was feeling a bit apprehensive about last night's pub gig as we haven't played some of the tunes for absolutely months.  In the event it was one of the best gigs we have played - tight, energetic, passionate and pretty much everything was on the money.  A small but noisy crowd who follow us came up on the train from Ipswich to Stowemarket and that helped as they were up from the first tune.  Weird.

[tvickey]

I pick up my bass, put on my headphones, press play on my computer, and rehearse 'with the guys' almost every day.  That's helped keep my memory and skills sharp.  In 2020 we had one rehearsal with everyone together... so far this year none!

 

[police squad]

I had 3 months off last year. Then started playing in my studio, to backing tracks. Fingers were sore for a bit but I realised I had to keep playing to keep the match fitness. It's amazing how it goes as you get older (I'm 53)

Gigging full on now

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[casapete]

39 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said:

I did notice my calluses softening at one point, but have kept noodling most of the way through. What I really noticed was my feet aching after gigs, from most of 18 months sat on my backside!

Yeh, me too! Had aching calves as well, especially on sloping stages. Amazing how soon your body gets used to doing less than usual, especially as you get older.

[Bassfinger]

I do my own 2 hours practice a day, so no lay off there. I practice standing up every 2nd or 3rd day.

 

Not ideal, but during lockdown were were laying down tracks on Bandlab, so still  got a bit of a feel for each others timing and technique. It worked pretty well, and when he got back into the studio in May were were much slicker than we thought we would be.

Edited September 7, 2021 by Bassfinger

[Killed_by_Death]

 

You didn't practice when the band wasn't rehearsing?

It's really not like riding a bicycle, you can't just pick up where you left off.

 

My memory is bad enough, spending time away from it means it's like starting over for me.

 

[chris_b]

I was definitely not match fit and my stamina and strength was diminished, but I could play my bass and all the numbers I was asked. I played my bass pretty much every day during Lockdown #1.

[Bassfinger]

Which bass player said, "If I don't practice for 2 or 3 days I start noticing it, if I din't practice for a week the fans start noticing"?

 

Very, very rare that I miss so much as a single days practice.

[DaytonaRik]

Well the muscle memory has kicked in and it has taken about a week to remember the whole set, and the fatigue is going fast!   I always practiced diligently prior to lockdown and although I still played during that period it was for an unplugged rock trio with completely different material that was much more chilled and laid back.

 

Getting sidetracked learning to pay drums didn't help much either as given a choice between the two over the enforced layoff I'd much prefer to pick up the sticks!!!

 

It turns out that it really is like riding a bike after all  

[louisthebass]

On 03/09/2021 at 14:10, DaytonaRik said:

After what seems like an eternity we're back in the rehearsal room next week but this time it's to audition a new drummer after our long-serving tub-thumper has decided to reduce the number of bands that he plays in.

 

Who else has gone through the same painful process of realising just how out of practice they are after the enforced lay-off?

 

I had the same thing with one of the two bands I play in; the drummer lost interest, so I called in a mate who was more than capable of doing the job and although the complete band only has 4/5 rehearsals under its belt, we're definitely on the way.

 

In terms of "match fitness; I played quite a bit on my own through Lockdown 1.0 as I wasn't working but had to scale things back when I eventually went back to work. Nice to have three gigs in the space of 5 weeks between the start of October and the start of November 🙂

[neepheid]

It sounds like I got off lightly, considering how lazy I was wrt bass.  My hat is off to those who played frequently during the lockdown(s).  I picked up the bass about three times in 18 months - just no motivation to do so - no gigs, no rehearsals, no pressure, no-one to play with, tried the online rehearsal thing and it was gash, just meh.  I was debating with myself whether or not to give up the bass if truth be told.

 

I'm glad I didn't.

[BigRedX]

Having barely played during the pandemic except for writing and recording a song with the other band, it turns out that In Isolation's first gig since the end of 2019 is to be an "acoustic" set, with the following week a normal gig. So not only have I got to remember how to play all the songs again, but I've also got to learn and remember completely different versions for the acoustic gig. Wish me luck.

Edited September 8, 2021 by BigRedX

[BigRedX]

Scrap all that. We've been offered and have accepted a last minute slot at HRH Goth in Leeds on Sunday (yes in 3 days time). Mega rehearsal tonight for us all to get back up to speed, followed by another mega rehearsal next week for the "acoustic" gig (supporting Mark Burgess of The Chameleons).