[Harp-L] Re: How much rehearsal for covers

["Steve Power" <stevepower@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

You say declining to rehearse was an "uncomfortable" decision. This implies 
that perhaps you didn't feel right about it. The guitar player called you 
out for not stating in front that you weren't willing to rehearse. Asking 
the forum to submit views implies that you aren't sure if he's right. Since 
you asked, an I can be an opinionated s.o.b., here's my view.

If the guy says he's not willing to show a product until he feels it's 
ready, the project is obviously a start up and really begs the obvious 
question, "So, what do you think it will take to get to that point and how 
long?" To which some element of rehearsal is going to be an obvious element 
of the answer. With respect, someone who seems to be as experienced as 
yourself I would have thought would have known that. I suspect the guitar 
player may have assumed that as well, thus his belief that you should have 
mentioned reluctance to do weekly rehearsals in front.  His bad for making 
an assumption. Your bad for not seeing what was obvious.

The comparison with the bass player is not really valid. Different people 
have different ways of working. We all don't work the same and none is 
necessarily better than the other and many factors are involved.  It sounds 
like the guitar player's project was archival. He wants it all played note 
for note. Maybe the Boston band only needed a close approximation. How many 
people in a Vegas audience are going to know if a bass line is not 
absolutely correct?

The "Call me when you have work," is not necessarily arrogant. It is simply 
stating your condition, i.e. you're normally not willing to work on the "if 
come". The very first lesson I ever learned when I reluctantly first took on 
the role of band leader was this Cosmic Law. If you have paying gigs 
musicians will be lined up around the block.  If you do not have gigs, it's 
hard to get musicians and even if you do they're probably not the ones you 
want.

Bottom line, "What we have here is a failure to communicate." If you really 
like the idea of this project, I'd call the guitar player back and just put 
him in the picture. Sorry about the misunderstanding and you don't mind 
rehearsing but you need to know where the end game is. There are people for 
whom rehearsing is everything. I knew a great bunch of players who were 
doing Little Feat and Steely Dan covers. They rehearsed once a week for two 
bloody years without a gig. The bass player, my best friend, was so 
frustrated he actually hired a pub and created a gig himself. They filled 
the place, played great, and were offered a residency and still turned it 
down. At which point my friend quit. In my view, reheasing is fine and I 
enjoy it but there comes a point where all you've done is get good at 
rehearsing.