Band Dynamics Practicing - NEVAH BlueGrass - Part 5

Hello friends of NEVAH and NEVAH Band blog readers … I know I said the next blog in the series was going to focus on performance, however, at NEVAH's last  PRACTICE session we began to move our rehearsal in a whole new direction … for us.

NEVAH, Maine's BlueGrass, Newgrass, Country, Prograssabilly Band practices one to two times a week. From past blogs you know we are an eight piece band (not including our sound man). Our instrumentation is both acoustic and electric such as a Gibson Mandolin, Martin Guitars, Fender Bass, Pedal Steel, Dobro, Sax, Flute, Ludwig Drums and Percussion along with a modified Stelling Sunflower Banjo with a custom Black Kavanjo Banjo Head. Almost all of our instruments are either wireless or direct plug-ins to the board … with the exception of the drums/percussion, Sax, Flute and Penny Whistle. All of which add to our unique PROGRASSABILLY sound.

NEVAH Bluegrass / Country Music at the Blue Hill Fair

At our last practice we concentrated on just two songs. One an original by our own Ed Russell, "Slow Down Superman" and the other a Bob Dylan tune … "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight". In the past we have essentially assigned large parts, longer instrumental leads – the mandolin taking one break, then the guitar, then more singing, then the banjo lead … etc., however, we are now getting down to single measures of music. Short sweet - instrumental licks played by one or more instruments as a "taste". With two instruments we are arranging these measures to be played in harmony.

Now this might seem normal for some bands, but it has taken us a couple of years to get a basic sound we like and to hone our skills and band sensibilities reaching for a new performance level. We aren't at the point where we microscopically write/create, dissect and restructure a song to the Nth degree as our good friends the world renowned Kruger Brothers do … we simply aren't there yet. However, we are moving in the right direction, growing with each rehearsal. Listening closer, discussing openly, playing better and amazing as it may sound … we have eight musicians agreeing, and working towards a common musical goal.

One thing I believe helping us to be better is the short time we just spent in the studio which forces us to examine each individual instruments contribution to the "whole". And we realize if we take that same attention and apply it to our rehearsals and arrangements then we will produce a better product at our live performances.

Ahh … we have another rehearsal tonight and then on Thursday hit Main Street Music Studios in Bangor again to add Mandolin, some bass vocals and a few additional tracks that weren't recorded at the first go round.

Next NEVAH Dynamic Blog: Performance (For real - I promise)