Proper Rehearsal Etiquette
For the Conductor/Director
As someone who has been a member of a lot of ensembles - and has subbed in quite a few more - in my still relatively short life, there are many negative things I have to say about conductors/directors of ensembles. I have a lot of critiques especially about how they rehearse, but this list might include some non-rehearsal items. Some conductors are stubborn individuals who have bad intentions and won’t listen to any advice; this list isn’t for them.
Similarly to my list for musicians, I want this list to be as exhaustive as possible. I will likely update this numerous times as more items come to mind. I will likely expand upon many of these guidelines in the future.
The List
Be clear with your ictus points- I understand that you want to look “cool” or whatever, but many musicians hate conductors because they do all these extra motions that are very clearly only there to keep the audience’s attention. I’m not saying I’m against ALL of those flashy movements, but you definitely shouldn’t sacrifice clarity for the sake of looking cool. I understand that concert’s are partially a visual experience, but they’re an auditory experience FIRST. Your ictus points need to be clear and distinct (staccato, if you will), even if the music is slow and/or “smooth”.
At performances, don’t fight the ensemble’s time- I’ve been a part of far too many ensembles where the conductor doesn’t like what tempo the ensemble is going at, but the ensemble is playing together. The conductor tries to pull a power move and attempts to change the tempo the ensemble is going at, and most of the time, this results in a tear.
Remember: TRUMPET PLAYERS GET TIRED QUICKLY- Don’t run the same loud/high notes section over and over again for 30 minutes and then get mad at the trumpets when they can’t play anything else. Yes, many reps are required at times to get something sounding good, but especially at dress rehearsals and/or soundchecks, I’m amazed at how many directors will tire out the trumpets (or other brass for that matter).
Use a metronome- If there are tempo issues in the ensemble (or you think there are issues), then use a metronome to prove your point. I’m not saying that a metronome will convince everyone - I’ve met some incredibly stubborn/stupid musicians who refuse to listen to a metronome - but if you can put a metronome on and show the band their tempo errors, you’ll make it a lot harder for the musicians to argue with you. The ones that do argue after that are likely bad people that probably shouldn’t be in the ensemble.
Tell the ensemble who they should be listening to- Frankly, many conductors think they’re way too important; as a conductor, you’re there just to give cues and keep time for sections where the instrumentation is sparse and/or the rhythm is quite complicated. Most of the time, the musicians should be listening to one another, but more often than not, they should be listening to the percussion. In particular, they should be listening to the snare drum because the snare drum is the best combination of loud and short, meaning the time it’s producing is very easy to hear. There are many contexts where the ideal instrument to listen to will change
When calling out a measure/rehearsal number, repeat yourself multiple times- This is very easy to do and makes the rehearsal process much smoother, yet I’m amazed at how many directors refuse to do this. Bonus points if you say the measure/rehearsal number during the count off (ie., 1, 2, measure, 6). Even the most disciplined people will find their attention span wandering from time-to-time, so repeat yourself as a courtesy to those people.
Remember that the percussionist(s) decides dynamics - This is especially a problem in many big bands I play in, but I firmly believe this applies to almost any ensemble. If you want the band to play louder/softer, address the dynamics of the percussion first, and you’d be surprised at how effective that is.
SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY - If you can’t communicate clearly, then you have no business being in a position of authority. This is another big reason as to why I believe so many conductors are awful people; I remember one particular experience I had in college where a conductor said this “More energy doesn’t mean play louder; it means more energy.” Talk about a tautology. Your pedantic word games only make you sound smart to stupid people. If you want the band to play softer, then tell them to “play softer”. Don’t say unclear crap like “play with less gusto” or “be less forceful”. If you find this type of communication difficult, then you need to find a different profession.
Don’t be afraid to repeat a section numerous times - This is one that I’m surprised I never hear anyone talk about. I’m all for pushing individual practice, but any experienced musician knows that playing a passage a music you’ve practiced hundreds of times in a practice room is not the same thing as playing it in an ensemble. CONTEXT MATTERS, and it’s important to get the reps in AS AN ENSEMBLE so the players can get used to whatever excerpt is giving them problems when they’re with the rest of the ensemble.
TBD
Just like with the other list, let me know if I’ve forgotten anything. These are good rules to follow regardless of how competent or incompetent your ensemble is. The more you follow these guidelines, the better the rehearsal process will be, and the more respect the musicians under your authority will possess for you.
