8 Rules for a Good Rehearsal

by Erik Franklin

Since we started rehearsing together as the Novacane Quartet, we have been trying to improve our rehearsal etiquette, making our time together more efficient and productive.  Finding the perfect group dynamic is hard, and it’s always changing. Every group works differently, because individual personalities really influence the group dynamic. In his book Indivisible by Four:  A String Quartet in Pursuit of Harmony (1998), Arnold Steinhardt writes about the unique qualities of the Guarneri Quartet. This is a fascinating look at how an ensemble can work together, achieving so much over an impressive 45-year journey together.

A unique and defining quality of the Guarneri quartet was that the first violinist was not the leader of the ensemble. The group operated democratically—all decisions were to be made by the group as a whole. John Dalley (2nd violinist) explained how this operated:

“You have to be able to bend or give up some of your ideas. If you don't compensate and give in and compromise, you just don't get along. I think we had four strong personalities, and that's good. It's one way for a quartet to mature. The other way is to have a dictator who rules over the other three. That's the way it was in Europe, but Americans don't like that. It works faster, but the democratic way is more satisfying. “ (Reel, James (2009). "Guarneri Quartet Takes a Final Bow". All Things Strings)

In Novacane, we also operate democratically. We change parts depending on the piece, and everyone contributes musically and logistically.  We find that, like Mr. Dalley and the Guarneri Quartet, we prefer the democratic way to the dictatorship, even though it does indeed take longer.  As we grow together, we come up with “rules” to govern how we work. We have even written them down to make a handbook of sorts.  
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I thought I would share with you a few of our most basic rules to have a good rehearsal. If you are just starting a group, use these as a guideline to get you started with productive, satisfying rehearsals.

1. Show up on time and ready to play.
   The first rule of success is to show up, right? Try to get to your rehearsal early to warm up and pick out a reed, etc.  Don’t make your colleagues waste time waiting on you.
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2. Be Prepared
   No brainer....but we have all shown up to a rehearsal feeling like we didn’t put in the work, and it shows!  It’s fine to have a group reading day, but in general, come to rehearsal to learn everyone else’s part—learn your own at home.
   
   
3. Make a Rehearsal Schedule
   Rule #2 really only works if you know what you are supposed to be working on!  We are trying to be as specific as possible in our Novacane rehearsals...including measure numbers and metronome markings in our Google Calendar to make sure everyone is on the same page before we get together.
   
   
4. Only Play Together (Don’t Noodle in Rehearsal)
   Discussing music is important, and playing while others are talking is 1) disrespectful and 2) it might cause you to miss an important note about the music, which wastes time when you have to rehash it, etc. etc.  It’s a natural urge to want to do that, so just always be alert to your own inclinations, and try to only play together.
   
   
5. Talk Less!
   That said—people talk too much!  Rein it in, people. Kylie introduced us to this rule:  if two of us are talking too much and getting off track, the other two quietly decide to begin playing again and leave the other two behind!  This is a great way to say, “Shut up and keep working” without anyone getting angry.  In fact, we all have a good laugh and it (usually...) puts us back on track.
   
   
6. Comments are Direct, but Positive and Helpful
   Avoid saying “you” (pointing fingers) or superlatives like “always”, “never”, etc.  For instance, instead of saying “you always come in late there”, say “we aren’t together here, let’s try it again.” Instead of “you’re flat”, “I’m having trouble matching that note.”  Framing comments this way is polite and encourages working together to solve issues instead of blaming others. And sometimes, comments like that (you’re flat), end up being wrong!
   
   
7. Write Down Your Rules
   Everyone should agree on your rehearsal etiquette.  If your rules are all unspoken, no one knows what they are. Duh, right?  Having them written keeps everyone accountable and it also shows what rules are most important to the group.
   
   
8. No Phones!
   This one is hard, and getting harder!  We use our phones in rehearsal as a metronome, tuner, or to play recordings.  We are never on Facebook, texting, or taking calls during rehearsal time.  Maybe we are old-fashioned, but it’s an important rule for us, and a hard one to follow 100%.

Groups can add, subtract, or change any of these rules according to their needs. I think the most important idea is that everyone is on the same page about how to behave in rehearsal. Having a unified vision for the group and a consensus for working towards achieving that are crucial, and communicating these clearly (and all together) is the most effective way to do that!

What are some rules your groups have for rehearsals?

Happy rehearsing!