Rehearsal - Playtime or worktime?

[betnich]

I tend toward the latter view (learn songs for Sunday first), but many musicians see practice as a chance to get together, to jam/blow off the steam and stress of the week. Trouble is, we may get distracted for what we came to do - worship the Lord, and work on songs for Sunday.

IMO, once songs are learned there can be jamming and improv, but that shouldn't take over rehearsal and eat up practice time...

What say you???

[blyempowered]

Ummm I like a balance of the two. I like to get work done but I also like to relax and enjoy the fellowship. For some, rehearsal is a time to get away from stresses of life. I've probably been playing a bit too much over the last 2 years in rehearsals but I just believe in balance.

[nessalynn77]

I think nowadays, choir rehearsal is just another thing that has to be fit into my schedule.  I enjoy my personal practice time much more than choir rehearsals.  This may be because the majority in our PT/Choir/Musicians aren't really appreciative of excellence in music.  That's a double-edged sword, because if they were, I would be getting on their nerves not being as polished as most musicians that play at that level.  But, it irks me because I am in pursuit of excellence, and when we're just playing around, I feel like I'm wasting my time, and it's usually because people in charge don't have their stuff together as far as what we have come to accomplish, so they're just throwing out songs off the dome, and don't care if I've fully mastered them before we play them in service.  All of this irritates me, and makes me think I could spend the time better trying to practice and get better on my own. 

[PianoClubhouse]

In choir rehearsals, i personally don't like the playtime. In most cases, a band's "playtime" is in the form of over-the-top improv, unexpected progressions, etc. Typically, anything done out of the ordinary from the band will draw peoples attention to them, thus away from the choir director or that choir members part that they are supposed to be focusing in on.

As a director, I don't let one vocal section goof off or play around during songs just because they know their part. They are expected to sing it as taught, with excellence, every time. Why should it be any different with the band?

HOWEVER, during a band rehearsal, thats a different story. Once the song is learned there, then by all means, let loose a little, try different things, "play" around if you need to. But I don't feel rehearsal is the right place for it.


tj

[PianoClubhouse]

Let me also say that we only have an hour a week for rehearsal, so time is very precious, which is another reason I like to stay focus during rehearsals....

[blyempowered]

Ummm I like a balance of the two. I like to get work done but I also like to relax and enjoy the fellowship. For some, rehearsal is a time to get away from stresses of life. I've probably been playing a bit too much over the last 2 years in rehearsals but I just believe in balance.

Let me add to my original answer by saying that for me, it depends on the choir/group I'm rehearsing with:
-Gospel Chorus: We joke a little but they have more of a serious demeanor. Same with the male chorus and the senior choir.
-Youth Choir: We practice but we also have fun.
-Young Adult Choir: It's not as fun as it use to but we still get work done.
-Praise Team: The ultimate "goofball" group....LOL! We are like a family. It's only 6 (7 total but one is out of town and inactive) in the praise team plus me and drummer and we are all young adults. We joke around but still work.

So I try to balance.

[betnich]

Yes, the fewer people in a group the more potential for riffing and goofing off...

[Japicaii]

I really don't like playing around, I come to do what I need to. I remember 1 time I raised my voice, I didn't yell, but i raised my voice. Everyone knows I like to joke around, which I do during practice also, but my major rule is when I talk you don't because it's rude, and my pet pieve, is saying things more than once.

[betnich]

One of my pet peeves (besides people wasting church/rehearsal time) is joking around. Especially the "drive-by" while they talk w/somebody else as you are going by. I can't always tell if they are serious or not, and some passive-aggressives use it to get their point across.

Guess I need to start asking "Did you really mean (what you hear them say)?"