Rehearsal - How frequently do you practice as a team?

777Brad · 07-23-2007, 08:39 AM

We're having a discussion about how much rehearsal time is necessary. I'd like to know how many times your team rehearses together per week & how much time overall is spent.

Blessings
Brad

Xkcer Man · 07-23-2007, 09:28 AM

We do 2 hours on Thursday (including time on new material) and a run-through on Sunday morning. The instrumentalists are all experienced musicians, so it doesn't take too much. Our church is about 200-250.

Joe F · 07-23-2007, 10:15 AM

We do about an hour and a half on Wednesday nights. That is divided up. First I'll run the Sunday set with the full team of band and singers. We'll also work on any new songs we have reached the point of working on together. After that I'll dismiss the band and work on any new first time songs with the singers seperately. I've found that with just my guitar, the singers can learn new songs much quicker if they are not trying to sing over the entire band.

On Sunday morning I work with the band for about an hour without the singers. We run the Sunday set so I can explain what kinds of song transitions we will do, where we will have scripture breaks etc., then we'll work on any new songs we have coming. I then run the Sunday set again with the singers in a rehearsal room just prior to the service starting in order to polish things up, get then up to speed on the song trasitions and get their voices warmed up.

When the Christmas musical comes along, starting in October, we'll spend an extra 40 mins to an hour or so on Wednesday nights working on that also.

anathema · 07-23-2007, 10:40 AM

Vocalists practice on tuesday for 2 hours or so
The band practices on thursday for 3 hours or so (getting monitor mixes correct as well)

Saturday we arrive at 1:15pm to practice all together and run through the songs two or so times each. Then a production meeting, then a full dress rehearsal of the entire service exactly as it will run including videos and sermon, then another production meeting to iron out stuff. Then two services , 5pm and 6:30.

Sunday we arrive at 7:15 to iron out anything from the night before and may run through half the set again or trouble spots, then have three services 8:30, 10 and 11:30.

**thesteve** · 07-23-2007, 10:59 AM

We practice 630-800pm or so (1.5 to 1.75 hours) on Wednesday nights. We run for about half an hour to 45 minutes on Sunday morning to iron out kicks and get levels set.

777Brad · 07-23-2007, 11:06 AM

Thanks for the quick responses, folks. One other variable, how large are your churches in terms of members?

Thanks again,

Brad

anathema · 07-23-2007, 11:36 AM

Not 100% sure, but 4,000 seems correct.

**thesteve** · 07-23-2007, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777Brad

Thanks for the quick responses, folks. One other variable, how large are your churches in terms of members?

I believe our weekly attendance has been around 185-200.

Joe F · 07-23-2007, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anathema

Not 100% sure, but 4,000 seems correct.

Wow! You guys probably have more greeters than we have members!

Slightly over 200 members for us.

Dave H · 07-23-2007, 03:00 PM

we practice on thursdays from 7-9pm. Our church probably has around 400 members but only about 50 come to the celebrate (contemporary) service.

**jamforchrist123** · 07-23-2007, 06:01 PM

We practice from 8 to whenever we are done (ha) which is almost always just at 9. So from 8 to 9 I guess. Then on sunday mornings we practice for about 30 minutes. Our church is about 250?

tl_guitarnut · 07-23-2007, 09:30 PM

We practice on Thursdays form 8:00 Pm to whenever we're done. Our church consists of about 600 to 700 members.

Jubal · 07-23-2007, 09:36 PM

Our practice goes from 7:30 (though I am usually there by 7) and goes till 9:00 on Thursday night.

Sundays are normally rushed as the traditional service is supposed to end by 10:45, and my service starts at 11 am.

In the summer, I get the band to come a half hour before, since we condense down to one service.

Jay Tea · 07-23-2007, 09:43 PM

Our church has 200-250 people in a normal morning service. We usually practice for an hour or so during the week, and 45 minutes or so before the service. The evening services have less people involved in leading, and more familiar songs, so we practice for about 20 minutes before the service.

gtrdave · 07-23-2007, 09:48 PM

We practice every Thursday eve, from 7 until 9 and then perform a "Reader's Digest"-length run-through on Sunday morning between 9 and 9:30.

We currently have about 550 attending.