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Iain_P wrote:I'm quite keen on the "everyone face inwards and look at each other" kind of rehearsal. It's very good for picking up on all sorts of little things that only the audience otherwise sees.

Absolutely, Iain. The stage-layout run-through is the equivalent of the dress rehearsal. Before that, it should be geared to the band's convenience.

As a drummer who has endured his fair share of "rehearsals" and "practices" it is always a problem for the drummer to hear all amps therefore I offer this advice.

Set the drummer up and point the amps in his general direction or place them behind him so he gets the full effect of all guitars.

We set up on a stage and the amps are just level with me but turned slightly towards me.
Alternatively get him a pair of headphones and plug them into the system.
There is no easy answer to this as every room is different and the acoustics change, I have even had problems in a proper recording studio.

Trial several options and see what works best.

Ron

Thanks, Ron. We will do that. Andy

A group of us who don't normally work together did a rehearsal yesterday, amps facing drummer, players looking at each other. Even then the drummer asked for adjustments to hear each electric instrument properly. We were not gelling and I suggested the others all look at the drummer and listen to everybody. Hey presto, it got a whole lot better.

Just a sort post to note that I have had some success in improving the sound in our garage "studio."

Since I posted, I had a friend who is in the acoustic treatment industry come over and assess the place. He kept the studio still quite live, but treated the ceilings heavily with acoustic absorbent panels and also some of the walls with 2x4-foot panels.

We kept the drums in the same location, moving the kit just a foot forward into the room, and (as suggested here) had the drummer use "blast-sticks" - those bundled sticks that come in different diameters and thicknesses.

The result was quite good. The drummer can now hear everything, he says. He remarked that. previously, the ringing of the cycmbals was overpowering. I figure there must have been reverberation before in the very gigh frequencies, so the sonic treatment on top of the drummer and the walls next to him might heave helped. As did the blaststicks.

Ou bassist Anna said that she could hear all the instruments very clearly now. I had the same impression from where I sat, the bass notes being particularly clear. I think treatment has worked very well. We used a Heritage AC15, a Fender Acoustasonic, and an Ampeg tube amp.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. My best,

Andy

Since I posted - time flies - the acoustic treatment people have installed more panels in the ceilings and walls, as I've reported in another forum. Here is the "drum-end" section of the rehearsal room, showing the thick white acoustic panels on the ceiling above the drums and the dark gray panels (behind the Vox amp).



The treatment has improved acoustics even more, at least against backing tracks, and I am eager to get the band over to try the place out.

Best,

Andy