What makes a band "tight"?

[Derbeno]

What in your opinion make a typical Latin band tight?

Is it the Rhythm section? Is it the musical skills of all the members? Can a weak link be carried by the rest or will this bring the entire band down a notch?

So if the band is sounding a bit loose how would you try and fix that, what would you identify and start with?

[ABAKUA]

1. Rehearsal, rehearsal, rehearsal. And of course rehearsal.
2. Rehearsal is not practise. Rehearsal is rehearsal. You do not practise the repertoire at rehearsal. Nor do you practise your playing at rehearsal. This goes for every single member. Take rehearsal seriously, make it productive. Also, show respect, for example, do not start taking a timbal solo in between songs while your bass player and piano player are working something out, or same if the horn section is working something, dont go crazy on congas or play over someone trying to speak to the band/section for example.
3. Every single member must have the repertoire and their parts down perfect. A single weak link in a chain will break the entire thing it supports.
I strongly do not believe in carrying anyone who is not competant in their position within the band.
They either need to be doing something serious to rectify their lack of competance and show clear potential and improvement or there is no place for them in the band.
4. Everyone must be on time, if rehearsal starts at 7pm, its starts at 7pm, not arrive at 7pm, park the car, unload the car, set up your shit, tune, say hello to everyone, go toilet, have a drink, start rehearsal 7.4pm. You've just wasted 45 minutes. Start time is start time. This goes for every member.

You could suggest independant sections within the band to have seperate 'workshop rehearsals' on days apart from the regular full band rehearsal or earlier that day. Full band rehearsal is a must at a minimum of once a week. With every member doing their homework through the week.
Is this a new band derbeno? Or an existing one? In time, with rehearsal and commitment the band gets tight.
My former band would rehearse from 10am till 5pm twice a week. Got damn tight real quick! Admitedly now we most have full time work, so with my new band at a minimum we rehearse once a week from 7pm till midnight. We run the repertoire top to bottom a few times, identify areas which need attention and go over them, break off into sections, come up with alternative arrangements etc and come back and put it all together, run through that, then during the week we usually get together and jam out ideas for 2-3 hours, and come to the next rehearsal and go it all over again.

We prepare the 'show' for the next upcoming gig, order of songs, segway into other tracks, percussion arrangements, etc etc There is always something new to do.
But you firstly need to have the right people in each position.
Its like a soccer team or a well oiled engine, every single component needs to be doing the right thing at the right time, any discrepancy or lack of competance will result in an unsatisfactory outcome.

Hope this has helped.

Here is a clip from my new band, http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=_mZpLYJ2-pQ It was our 3rd gig and as many rehearsals. Still needs a little work, but its getting there.


Marcelo.

[yambu321]

I DIG THAT, MAN!
VERY WELL STATED AND TRUE.
WISH YOU ALL THE BEST BRO.

CHARLIE

[windhorse]

Hey Abakua! your band sounds awesome! It looks really tight, like everyone's competent and enjoying themselves thoroughly!
Good stuff!

Dave

[akdom]

Hi

Abakua is soooOOOooooo right.......

But my answer would be: "listening".

Each band member has to listen to the whole band together and not being only focusing on his part.

The rhythm section has to think "polyrythm" and listen to the whole percussion package (like in West African music).

You also have to be able to listen to each individual musician and see how he is "locked" with the others.

Listening leads to understanding...


B