Thursday, October 7, 2010

Band Tip: Practice On Your Own

Every band knows that you must practice together in order to give some semblance of a performance. But practicing on your own can be equally as important. While many people dread the idea of sitting in a room by themselves with their instrument, it's often what separates the good and the great players (as well as bands). Here are some of the ways that practicing on your own can take you to the next level:


Confidence
The confidence you build as a player is going to show in the risks you are willing to take because of an improved skills set. This will probably translate into better live performances as well.

Respect
The respect of your bandmates goes a long way. If you've practiced your chops and everyone doesn't have to wait on you to nail a part (in practice or in the studio) it only helps band morale.

Better Songwriting
Sometimes bands try to exclusively "jam" to write songs. While this can yield some very interesting results, it can also lead to a listless nightmare if you have no direction. If you practice on your own you can come in with a few fresh ideas to bounce off other members. Bands often break up or begin fighting when creative juices come to a halt. While some slump in creativity is natural, you can minimize it's effect but having some prepared material waiting on the back burner.
- Todd Thomas

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