4/4 time is tricky LOL

[jay]

I found this funny essay it's worth a read

http://pooretom.com/therehearsal.html

[classicalguitar83]

OMG! LOL!

How sad is that that is EXACTLY how my guitar ensemble class is? Actually players 2 and 3 in my ensemble class are COMPLETE slackers and have no desire to be performing classical guitarists - player 2 is into being a rocker and player 3 has never commited himself to ANYTHING in his life, why he is even in school is beyond me - so players 2 and 3 in the story actually get more work done. I would be player 1, only I always know who cues (because I have the full score and I'm the one person who actually practices his part).

God that was too funny.

[cgram@adelphia.net]

Yeah dude, that was right on. The thing with the metronome especially. And the scales. Man ensemble is frustrating.

[thraex]

That was funny and all so common with us guitarists (non pro minded musicians)
My first couple of rehearsals in conservatory were a bit of a shakedown, I had to play a guitar trio for a contemporary music festival, and I went to the first rehearsal to do "prima vista" sight reading!!
they almost killed me...
I learned...
Afterwards for all my chamber music with different instruments I went to my first rehearsals with the piece almost memorized, like the rest of the players do, normally on our first rehearsal we could play it flawlessly..and work directly on interpretation. That is how is done in the real world...but we guitarists learn on the way there :cool:

My opinion is that guitar ensambles are fun, but useless, boring and help very little. We guitarists have trouble even sight reading, don't mention actually counting and being together with other players....but only when playing with other instruments, we start advancing our ensemble skills, because there is no "next rehearsal", you do it now and that is it, given that most other instrumentalists and singers actually have busy schedules outside school (playing).

[rdubb]

Yep. Sad but true. That could have been the transcript from many many guitar ensemble rehearsals.

Chamber music is a different story. The fear of God was instilled in me by my teacher before I started chamber work; i.e. he let me know in no uncertain terms that violinists, pianists, flautists, etc. expect their partner or group to have the music fully playable and worked out by the first rehearsal. Needless to say I busted my ass and got it done. As Thraex said, that's how its done in the real world, if you choose to be a working musician.