Band Booking Practise Part 2 - Going Solo

A couple of you emailed after the post about rehearsals & band booking success. In answer to you, this 7th holiday tip is about what to do if you can't get the whole band together to rehearse as often as you need.

If this is a problem for you too, you could do worse than investing in what still my remains one of my best pieces of gigging kit.

A phrase trainer like the Tascam GTR1 on the left, is basically an mp3 player which you plug your guitar (or voice) into as well. 

You can then mute your own part on the original recording so you can play along as if rehearsing with the band in question. You're also able to loop and slow down those tricky phrases until you get them absolutely nailed.

Any good semi-pro gigging musician will tell you that effective band rehearsals are not where you all learn your parts for a new number. You should do that alone, before you all get together. 

That way you'll be up and playing those band bookings in 2012 in the fastest time possible.