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Carl Mesrobian · From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

How many of you have heard that?? and the ad contains a phrase similar to this

"we don't want a hired gun" or "no hired guns"

Which translates more to:

"You have to come to rehearsal every week and you will do all the $50/man gigs on our calendar, and we practice each week at rehearsals because we don't know the difference between practice (sit time) and rehearsal "

I'm finding groups that want a dedicated steel player who will do all their gigs, usually more than 2-3 a year, and over 50 rehearsals/year. When I played electric guitar at jazz gigs I confirmed dates, called guys, they showed up , we played, we got paid , we went home with decent pay, free meal, - no rehearsals.

Please! It's cheaper to sit home and shed and be rewarded with becoming a more accomplished player!! The best paying gig I have has a quick rehearsal at sound check Smile

We're all hired guns - it's what we do. A band is just a posse of hired guns, isn't it?
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"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown

Steve Spitz · From: New Orleans, LA, USA

If I had to pick between the best player who didn't rehearse, or a less accomplished player who was willing to rehearse, I'd go with the more accomplished player .

Depends on the genre / situation. But most of the gigs I play, best player trumps all. [/b]

Carl Mesrobian · From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

I often think that bands see the rehearsal as a social gathering; I see it as a business meeting Smile

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--carl

"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown

Steve Spitz · From: New Orleans, LA, USA

I barely have time to make the gig, the rehearsals would be a deal breaker. It's not because of my playing being so in demand, I just don't have the time.

A few things the bands labeling you "a hired gun" should consider:

1. A steel player has a lot of heavy , expensive , gear to haul. I'd need to feel compensated for that in some form.

2. Most acts can email me the material, and I'll learn my parts, chart the tunes, and be ready to deliver the goods. We don't always need face to face rehearsal to nail a gig.

3. Most of us know how to be an effective professional sideman. We aren't the rythym section. The tune won't fall apart if we haven't heard it before. Once around the block, and we usually get the progression.

Obviously this attitude doesn't apply to all situations , but getting together once a week year round for a handful of gigs? Very unrealistic. If not willing to do so makes you a hired gun, congratulations. You're a hired gun.

Carl Mesrobian · From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

I don't even need a permit Very Happy

The bands usually advertise "2 gigs a month", and usually are the bar gig level of pay. Bars here wince at even $300.

So, ideally, 24 gigs a year with a party or 2 thrown in as a bone, and "rehearsal" every week?? Split among 5 players or so .. the money gets thin fast and the time gets long. "Labor of love" becomes a mythical phrase.
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--carl

"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown

J R Rose · From: Keota, Oklahoma, USA

I always thought rehearsal was to be a serious down to business to work on a new song and have ready to perform the next Friday & Sat. night. Mine were always Wed. night. However they always became a social get together and nothing really ever came of it. A lot of drinking I recall. An escape from the wife and kids I suppose. I did not have that problem. I always thought it was a waste of time and I never got paid for a rehearsal. So I got to the point that I had some kind of excuse and could not make it. The leader would call and say you need to learn the intro on such & such song and I would and it would work. J.R. Rose
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Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

I've seen ads like this: Looking for a pedal steel player... "no mercenaries" We're looking for a "team player".

Translation: You must rehearse with us endlessly. You must arrive hours early to gigs, unload and load all band equipment, lights, mains, monitors, most in heavy road cases. You must chip in to pay for PA, lights, rehearsal space, recording. You must help with booking... etc, etc. etc. YUCK! no thanks Oh Well

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Duane Reese · Posted 7 May 2016 9:52 pm

Doug and Carl, my sentiments exactly. This is kind of feeling I had too, in my thread about how it seems like only crappy bands want steel players â€” and by "crappy", I mean bands that do this regimented recreational rehearsal crap with 2-3 gigs per year.

I guess it's about art more than economics for them. Fine, but for something that takes a lot of time and never pays back monetarily, it better be a pretty good sounding band â€” a lot better than the ones who usually put out ads for steel players, as far as I can see.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

well me too...I don't do rehearsals for the typical "Beer band" I mean Bar Band and I don't respond to those crazy adds...which in secret code means they think they are gonna be big stars !

I also don't generally assist with packing up the entire band anymore, I drag a D10, an amp , a tele, a seat and other stuff, plus I don't lolly gag, sometimes I am packed up and loaded in the van ready to head home before they even turn the PA off ! I ain't waitin' around on them...

I received a call about a year ago to do a once a month dance at the Legion. Pays $100. He sent me a set list and then told me that I need to come rehearse, I said no, it's a Legions dance, I've been carrying your set list in my pocket for 30 years ! The band leader kinda shrugged then I gave him the trump card.

I said...

I'll come play, if I don't cut the gig don't pay me and we'll part ways as friends.

I've been doing the gig for a year now and we are booked thru the end of this year as well. I didn't walk, they pay me, we are friends and the band is basically ok, good for the venue but this is not a band I would rehearse with. No need. If they want to add new songs they send me the song, If I don't know it, I chart it and learn it.

The band leader in this band is nice enough but he is missing something upstairs, he sends set lists the week of the gig, I study and prep the gig, make my notes, then at the gig he hands out NEW set lists which many times has different songs and different keys. I've only told him NOT to do this 100 times ! He looks at me with the "why ?" gaze..., then I show him my marked up set list with notes. And he goes..Oh....

but whatever...

It's a fine line , we don't want to come across as braggadocios but at the same time we can stand on the stump with our experience on the bandstand. We don't really need to rehearse Tenn Waltz anymore...!

Now this is not to say that I won't rehearse with other bands and players, I do, but more often than not it's about the get together, the social aspect. I have 3 or 4 summer outdoor shows coming up with the band I have been with for 10 or more years, we will get together , play some music hang out, trade guitar licks etc...call each other names, tell each other how bad we are...have fun and then some ! Smile

I also do rehearse with my bi monthly gig band but that too is really more of a fun time ( social) plus we have a guest artist who sings maybe 6 or 8 songs, we go over those songs more for arrangement than anything else. That rehearsal is at 10 in the morning every other Monday for about 2 hrs. And it's no big deal if we miss it. It's kinda like meeting for Coffee without the Coffee.
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Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

I play in a 5-piece band made up of good friends. We don't play bars. We only play private parties, corporate events, receptions, bbq's, fundraisers, etc.

We probably play 8 to 10 events per year. None of us play in other bands. We've been together for quite a few years.

We try to get together 2 or 3 times per month, for a couple of hours, to work up new material. The rehearsals are fun.

Prior to an event, we will get together and run through the set lists, to make sure we are all on the same page, with regard to the "road maps" of the songs.

We usually have 3-part harmonies on the vocals. Some of our leads are harmonized, guitar/steel guitar.

When we play for an event, we usually know most who are in attendance. I guess that comes from living in the same community for 60 years.

We want to put on a good show for these events, so we do rehearse. But, once again, they're fun.

Lee, from South Texas

Steve Spitz · From: New Orleans, LA, USA

Most times, I'd be willing to occasionally help load out, to be a team player, but only if everyone is getting the same dough. Like Tony stated , I'm already hauling more freight than most.

However, if someone , usually the band leader is buying, maintaining, and hauling a PA, I don't mind helping if I have the time. The deal breaker is the time.

When the show is finished, My gear gets packed. A lot of things can happen to your gear sitting in a bar while you're schmoozing or drinking, and I don't take any chances. If I'm the only one eager to pack up, I'm gone. I'm not knocking the others who choose to extend the evening into a social outing, I wish I could do it at times, but I can't. Bars stay open 24 hours in New Orleans. It's not unusual for some to spend a lot of time at the bar before securing their gear. My approach is more business and less social.I go out of my way to press the flesh and promote the band or steel during the breaks , because I know I'll be gone quickly after the last note is played.

Floyd Lowery · From: Deland, Florida, USA

When I was learning and trying to get it all just right, I would have practiced every night. I have even played until 2AM packed up, gone to someone's house and played until 5AM. After I had played for years and worked professionally, I was not interested in rehearsing so much.
I have quit jobs that wanted me to travel 50 or 60 miles to rehearse. Wanted to rehearse more than they played. Wanted to rehearse "happy Birthday". Have part of the band not show up for rehearsal, and hint that they were good enough to do the show without rehearsing.
I felt like when I was making $50 for a night and had to rehearse a night, that dropped me down to $25 a night. By the time I paid taxes, gas, and kept up my equipment I figured I was clearing about $3 an hour when I did not rehearse. So I retired. After midnight on those two land roads there are mostly drunks and cops. I did not care to engage either.
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Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Playing in a band is a team effort, you have to blend together. I've never come across the term "Hired Gun" with relation to music. To me a "Hired Gun" was originally someone (like a gunslinger) you hired because you either didn't want to do the job, or couldn't do the job yourself. A band's different...everyone has to pull their own weight.

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

Howard Parker · From: Maryland

I practice. I rehearse. I gig.

If I'm called in as a sub I still prefer to rehearse, time allowed. This enables me to be aware of original tunes, unique arrangements and any preferences/requests a band might have of me.

My goal is to make a transition as seamless as possible. I want to help and make the band sound good.

As far as my regular gig, 2-3 gigs/mo. 2-3 rehearsals/mo. About 30% original material. If I try something new in personal practice I'll definitely want to rehearse it with the band to make sure all the pieces fit.

Seems to work for me/us.

h

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Rick Schacter · From: Portland, Or.

I can't believe that this thread would be started by the same group of people who complain that the steel guitarist is usually the first guy to be fired by the band. Rolling Eyes

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Carl Mesrobian · From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

Tony - I hope you are considering the fact that the band leader is , most of the time, the guy who busts his hump to get gigs, be a Scoutmaster by default, coordinate rehearsals, deal with side players making rehearsal/gigs (missing gigs is for another post), obligated to be gracious with the venue and audience who pay him.

I don't know if it's the norm, but some venues require the band's mailing list of supporters. It's a good indicator of how many people the band can draw to the venue to keep the cash register ringing.

I'm a side player, but hand a lot of respect to a good bandleader.

Rick - I started the post, and have no complaints about being fired - last time I was fired was in the 70's after a gig in the Poconos - took my bag, my Twin and Les Paul and a bus back to Boston. I play guitar, bass, some banjo, mandolin, dobro. Pedal steel is one of the newest instruments in my corral. As I type this post I'm looping a song I need to nail down some mando for Tuesday night rehearsal - I am practicing right now Smile

Interesting how we got from rehearsals to packing up after a gig - I called the post a rant.. and it is - I love it Smile

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"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown

Carl Mesrobian · From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

Steve Spitz · From: New Orleans, LA, USA

Some unique and interesting gigs require rehearsal, I get it, and I've been happy to do so, if I found the gig worthy of the effort. Every time I've accepted one of those, it was clear what would be needed from me. I've taken a gig where multiple get togethers were needed to pull off the show, a single one time only gig, and it made for a great musical experience.

I'm all about doing what it takes, when the gig I've chosen to accept has special demands.

My "hired gun" mindset only applies to the gigs that don't need any rehearsal.The economics play a factor as well. I like to play, but I'm not desperate to play. Some gigs aren't worth it, even with no rehearsal factor.

Part of being the occasional sideman for hire means occasionally declining work that is not rewarding for whatever reason. The band member likely feels obligated, the "hired gun" not so much. I'm no great player, but I get offered gigs that aren't attractive. The Bandleader knows I'm not always available, it's all good.

The other side of the " hired gun" mindset ?
Who's the first to get hit with the budget axe ? What happens when another Hired gun, younger, or better, or more available , comes along ? How about the Bandleader gets signed, but not the band ? Plenty of ways to get you're phone to stop ringing.

Carl Mesrobian · From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

I'm going to a rehearsal/audition on guitar, mando, psg Tuesday for an artist show in June in a 1600 seat concert hall.

Sure! I'm in for that one Smile

The 6 piece bar band who wants no hired gun, but lots of rehearsal - hmm..., I'll get back to you on that, at least right now in my life..

EDIT - the people who are cool about you having other gigs are great to work with, since there's no guilt trip attached.
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"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Carl Mesrobian · From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

With fresh steamers and lobster, I'm sure Laughing

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"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown

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