Over-rehearsing???

[Michael Watts]

I'd say it depends how you're rehearsing, you can certainly get fatigued during rehearsals which can potentially lead to a lack of focus, enthusiasm and musicality.

[nolegsfngrpickn]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

I heard someone comment this morning that we were over-rehearsing, that now she was making too many mistakes because of that.

Unrelated, but just subscribed to you on YouTube. Love your stuff man

[J Patrick]

....hmmm...I sometimes feel that I have finally gotten a difficult piece down and want to keep rehearsing it to “set” it...and when I do so I start to make mental errors....it’s like now that I have it down I have to learn it again but this time I have to relax so that I can bring the good musicianship to the tune...

...I suppose you could say that I didn’t really have it down yet and in a sense that’s true....but for me I guess there’s two rehearsal stages...learning to play the piece....and then leaning to play it well....working through the mental errors so that I can express myself musically takes time and can rarely occur without multiple sessions....

....ultimately it is all about the reps...but structuring my rehearsal time effectively is an important factor...too much time spent on an individual piece can be detrimental....

[PerryE]

My main instrument is piano and for me it helps to practice till my fingers know how to play without thinking. Then I can really focus on adding some touch of “add-ons” and variations and see if it improves or not. Never repeat exactly each time but instead try to improve by changing

[catdaddy]

Once a song is well rehearsed, I find it useful to take a break from playing it for a day or two. When I come back to it, I invariably seem to perform it better. As others have suggested, keeping a song fresh helps in keeping a focus on one's playing. I think well-timed breaks in the rehearsal process can be very productive, so yes I believe one can over-rehearse.

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

I heard someone comment this morning that we were over-rehearsing, that now she was making too many mistakes because of that.

For me, there is no such thing. I always do better when I know the material better. Maybe if my attention is wondering and I'm starting to make mistakes because I'm getting tired of a piece from repetition, that might qualify as over-rehearsing. But it takes a lot for me to get to that point. It doesn't happen very often, and I have pretty focused concentration.

Do you folks feel that you can over-rehearse a piece?

- Glenn

Hi Glenn,
Rehearsing/practicing are what they are. You got to know the material.

Playing it in for posterity with a red light, or in front of an audience? THAT'S another thing altogether.

Some people just need that situation for complete concentration, and some don't.

Ask almost anyone who is ADD (Moi, fer instance). Sometimes the carrot is the danger.

By the way: This isn't your wife, is it?

Talk about danger...:-)

Be well,
Howard

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by Jaden

From a technical point of view, probably not.

From a creative point of view, maybe yes.

Great response.

We have a song selection of about 120 songs. I used to keep a spreadsheet to make sure that we were working on everything, especially the weaker songs. That got so old after a couple of years to me, I simply couldn't stand it.

My playing time is divided now into what I consider 3 basic elements.

Noodling - can be just making stuff up, working on riffs, leads, etc - no objective but to play and be loose and fun

Playing - Focused on playing songs but with lots of leads and usually an extra person, the song is important but keeping it's spirit is the most important - not making it precise or exact to the original

Practicing - About precision, timing, playing clean and getting the vocals right (including back-up and harmony)

Rehearsing = Practice to me.

I have found the more I noodle and play, the better my practices are. Any time with the fret board under my fingers helps make me a better player.

[musicman1951]

Yes, I believe you can over-rehearse a piece in one continuous sitting. The brain is like a butterfly and likes to flit from one thing to the next. There is a limit to anyone's concentration.

But outside of a single, uninterrupted practice session, no - it seems a fairly ridiculous concept.

I suppose we should define "rehearsing." I can see how just playing through a song over and over and over would make the song feel stale after a while. And if you're someone who appreciates improv and playing the song a little different every time that might be a poor process.

For me, rehearsing is eliminating any weak spots in the song. I do find that songs get better and better over time, but I don't enjoy playing the same song over and over and over in one practice session.

[RustyAxe]

Rehearse vs practice? I dont think one can over-practice, unless it is causing pain or discomfort (to the player, not his family). I DO think it is possible to over-rehearse. Like the band that want to rehearse every week for two gigs a year.

[mr. beaumont]

If it needs to be "over-rehearsed," maybe everybody should go home and come back the next time and actually know their part.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

I heard someone comment this morning that we were over-rehearsing, that now she was making too many mistakes because of that.

For me, there is no such thing. I always do better when I know the material better. Maybe if my attention is wondering and I'm starting to make mistakes because I'm getting tired of a piece from repetition, that might qualify as over-rehearsing. But it takes a lot for me to get to that point. It doesn't happen very often, and I have pretty focused concentration.

I remember Tommy Emmanuel commenting at a workshop that he was often embarrassed to go back and listen to some piece that he had recorded 10 years earlier, that his refinements of a piece evolved and that it just kept getting better over time. I have found the same thing in my experience with music that I have played for a long time.

Do you folks feel that you can over-rehearse a piece?

- Glenn

While I agree you can play a piece so much that you get stale on it.

But my guess as far making "mistakes" the gal mentioned it is not because of over rehearsing , but that the real issue is continuing to practice the same mistake/s so that they become habit.
For me if I am making a mistake rather than forge on until the end of song ( which one should do live) but in practice I stop and replay a short section starting just prior and to just after the mistake part , with the correction usually 4 or more times until the correction becomes the habit... then I will replay the entire song and see if I actually changed the mistake .

But in more a general sense I once heard Chris Proctor say " Amateurs practice until they get it right, Pro's practice until they can't get it wrong."

[ThermiteTermite]

Threads like this with these contributors are what makes this an awesome forum.

I am thinking about moving back to Alaska to apprentice under Mr. Hampton He doesn't have to let me sing or play, I can just mop the church floors and listen.

I remember one quote from my time in the Army that seems apropos:


' The amateur practices until he gets it right. The professional practices until he's no longer able get it wrong.'

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by ThermiteTermite

I remember one quote from my time in the Army that seems apropos:


' The amateur practices until he gets it right. The professional practices until he's no longer able get it wrong.'

Echo Echo Echo ,,,,,,we are getting it right

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by nolegsfngrpickn

Unrelated, but just subscribed to you on YouTube. Love your stuff man

Well, that's COOL! Thank you very much for subscribing!

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by donlyn

Don't think you can over-rehearse a piece, but I do believe you can over-play a piece until you get sick of it.

Also don't play if you can't give it your full attention. Applies to learning, rehearsing, and performing.

Don
.

Hi Don,

I agree with your comments above.

For background, this was a bell choir that I got asked to join, so someone else is leading it, not me. I am just a guy holding a couple of bells in my hands, maybe switching them once in a while.

The lady in question is just not ever going to be a competent musician. Also, the bells are quite expensive so people can't take these things home and practice. Most people don't practice. I do, but I use various kitchen items, like whisks, and pretend they are bells, so I can practice the music in my head. This approach actually helps.

This lady is the reason we have to go over and over a piece, because she keeps making obvious mistakes and the director keeps working with her to get it right. And she is the one that complains that after a while she makes more mistakes because of "over-rehearsing."

I know what the correct answer is to this problem, but it's not up to me as I am not in charge. I mostly like being in the bell choir because I have met a lot of nice people. My wife is also in the bell choir, but she is very competent and rarely messes up. My being in the bell choir means that I can accompany her to an evening rehearsal in the dark and not worry so much about who is going to accost her in the parking lot.

- Glenn