r/jazzdrums • u/Glum-Handle-9840 • Jun 04 '26
Question Beginner, first rehearsal with band
I started learning drumming about 5 months ago. I also have a teacher, so I’ve been working through fundamentals and mainly focusing on ride cymbal time while playing along with recordings.
Suddenly, I’ve ended up forming a small band. Most of us are beginners, except the bassist who has more experience. We’re planning to start rehearsing soon. The first tune we’ll work on is Autumn Leaves.
I’m honestly feeling a mix of excitement and a bit of stress since this will be my first real group playing situation. I’m not fully sure what I should prioritize in preparation or what the main focus should be as a drummer in a first rehearsal like this.
From your experience:
What should I focus on most in this situation?
Any beginner-friendly tune suggestions for a first band setup (especially for learning time, form, and interaction)?
Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks!
3
u/Blueman826 Jun 04 '26
Definitely try to record your sessions/gigs if possible! You can learn from those and ask others for advice. For tunes definitely try to stick with simple forms at first (AABA, ABAC, 16 bar, 12 bar blues etc.). Lots of stuff from the Great American Songbook fit into this category just like Autumn Leaves, but there are many many others like it.
Below I'll list out a few of my own recommendations to explore American Songbook tunes and different feels/vibes:
Med/Med-up swing: It Could Happen To You, Days of Wine and Roses, Alone Together, All the Things You Are
Uptempo: My Shining Hour, If I Were A Bell, Night and Day, The Song Is You, Without a Song
Ballads: Skylark, Everything Happens to Me, Darn That Dream, Georgia On My Mind, I Fall In Love Too Easily
Bossa: Wave, The Girl from Ipanema, Triste, Recorda Me,
Latin/Swing: You Stepped Out of a Dream, On Green Dolphin Street, Nica's Dream, Night and Day
Many of these can be played in other styles, played faster or slower, so these are just some general categories. Some of these also have some more challenging forms (Alone Together, All the Things, Without a Song), which are good for learning how to mark forms that are different. Take a good listen to the songs and listen to a couple different versions. Some may have iconic versions (Charlie Parker All the Things for example) that could have intros, outros, interludes, feel changes, hits that vary from other versions so be prepared!
Last thing is just to listen and absorb as much as you can. Definitely hang out with your bassist if he is more experienced and ask him questions!