# League of Rock Experience?



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I was one of the winners last July, but I talked with Terry and decided to hold off until the next session. So, I start this evening. I was just wondering how it worked out for the other winners. I'll update every few weeks.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Robert1950 said:


> I was one of the winners last July, but I talked with Terry and decided to hold off until the next session. So, I start this evening. I was just wondering how it worked out for the other winners. I'll update every few weeks.


I see the League of Rock at the Rehearsal Factory on Geary all the time. From what I see and hear, everyone seems to be having a good time and it looks like a pretty well-organized event! Good luck!


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Keep us posted on how you make out


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

How did you make out at the LOR?


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Very well so far. Our group has six songs in rough form so far. There are songs I would never have dreamed of doing. At home I mainly listen to jam band / progressive improvisation stuff or music from the late 60s/early 70s, Zappa, Allmans, John Mayall etc. So it was a surprise to end up with four songs from 80s/90s by the Hip, Pumpkins, Ramones and RHCP. The two others are Taxman and All Right Now. We've got to wittle this down to 3 or 4 songs. There are a couple of solos I've got to 'woodshed' over the weekend. 

Guys in the band are aged 41, 47, 58 and 61. Singer/Acoustic-Electric, Electric, Bass and Drummer. We are all there for same reason, so we get along well. 

This puts my ass in gear - I have learn songs, rather than just noodling 90% of the time. The beer and pizza provided is good too.

The only thing I don't like is that I have to use TTC to get up to Dufferin and Dupont and walk a few football fields in the rain to get to the rehearsal studio. And have to get back to Ajax by Go Transit. But hey....


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Robert1950 said:


> Very well so far. Our group has six songs in rough form so far. There are songs I would never have dreamed of doing. At home I mainly listen to jam band / progressive improvisation stuff or music from the late 60s/early 70s, Zappa, Allmans, John Mayall etc. So it was a surprise to end up with four songs from 80s/90s by the Hip, Pumpkins, Ramones and RHCP. The two others are Taxman and All Right Now. We've got to wittle this down to 3 or 4 songs. There are a couple of solos I've got to 'woodshed' over the weekend.
> 
> Guys in the band are aged 41, 47, 58 and 61. Singer/Acoustic-Electric, Electric, Bass and Drummer. We are all there for same reason, so we get along well.
> 
> ...


Boo! Yeah, that walk is killer. I rent a room at that Rehearsal Factory (#16), so maybe I'll bump into you one day!


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Sounds good so far, keep us posted


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Okay, caught the virus going around work last week. It was like a 2x4 to head. Just getting over it. I was able to some practicing the last couple of days. On the weekend it like practice for 5 or 10 minutes and crash for 2 hours. 

Anyway, it really came clear how I learn best - by watching. Youtube is my friend. I have always been visual learner. I have to always fight my aversion to reading tab, unless it is really simple. When learning by ear, I get the basics or the easy stuff, but I miss a lot of the subtlety. 

And then there are songs like All Right Now. I figured out the solo by ear, but man, even if I had a nuke up my ass, I could not come near to doing vibrato like Kossoff.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Yeah, Youtube is a godsend in some ways. It really make it easy to see how things are done. I don't have any problems with tab, but sometimes I try to play something that seems ridiculously difficult and when I Youtube it, I find someone playing it with a different fingering or whatever that makes it was easier and I'm like, jeez, why didn't _I_​ think of that???


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Okay. Got our set down. Four songs. Wheat Kings, 1979, Taxman and I Wanna Live. I would never, ever have consider playing 3 of 4 of these songs, Taxman by the Beatles being the exception.

Forward to last night. Seven LOR bands at the Velvet Underground, first stage practice. They wanted us to do a three song set, so we dropped Wheat Kings. Not bad. I felt totally detached from my guitar. I really had a hard time relating to my fretboard. I made about 7000 mistakes, but hey. 

This was the half way point. Very good experience. Will practice standing up. Reduce time looking at fretboard. Will have to woodshed the songs more. Got so ideas on how to Jimify the Ramones tune.


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

Sounds like fun!
Could you give us a rundown on the overall process? How is the overall experience broke down time-wise?
What's a typical day like? 
If I were sign up for this what kind of time would I need to set aside?


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

First 4 weeks involves 2 or so hours in an equipped rehearsal studio. You pick songs you want to try and whittle it down to a set of three and rehearse. You should be able to put in a few hours of 'homework' a week practicing a your tunes. On the 5th week, the LOR books a club and play your set on stage. Coaches (professional musicians) then give you feedback on your performance and stage presence, etc.

Our coach was Tony Springer (http://www.wildt.ca/)

You can get a rundown of weeks 6 to 10 from here - http://www.leagueofrock.com/joinband.asp


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

Robert1950 said:


> First 4 weeks involves 2 or so hours in an equipped rehearsal studio. You pick songs you want to try and whittle it down to a set of three and rehearse. You should be able to put in a few hours of 'homework' a week practicing a your tunes. On the 5th week, the LOR books a club and play your set on stage. Coaches (professional musicians) then give you feedback on your performance and stage presence, etc.
> 
> Our coach was Tony Springer (http://www.wildt.ca/)
> 
> You can get a rundown of weeks 6 to 10 from here - http://www.leagueofrock.com/joinband.asp


In those weeks how many days of the week are you at the rehearsal? How many hours per day?

What I'm getting at (and it's not clear from their website) is would it be feasible for someone who doesn't live in Toronto or very close?


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Sounds like a lot of fun
I wish they had one out this way and I won a the same prize!

Enjoy!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Hamstrung said:


> In those weeks how many days of the week are you at the rehearsal? How many hours per day?
> 
> What I'm getting at (and it's not clear from their website) is would it be feasible for someone who doesn't live in Toronto or very close?


The rehearsal time in usually on a Wed from 7 to 9. Though you can request an extra hour for a small fee. You also get beer and pizza during rehearsal. There are 6 evenings for rehearsal, 2 stage rehearsals, one four hour recording session, and a Performance Night. you get a CD of your recording, and a DVD of the performance night. I have been putting a few hours of practice at home a week in between rehearsals.


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

Are you sure about the DVD. I was in the last session and no one in my band got a DVD. There was a flyer in the rehersal room one night that said we could be video taped for $500.00 including all post production editing. A little rich for me...


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Maybe you are right about the DVD. I just tend to skim when I'm reading and misinterpret what I've,... skimmed sometimes.

Anyway, tomorrow is the second stage rehearsal. I figure one of the reasons I sucked so much is that I was standing. I ALWAYS play sitting and it felt alien standing - couldn't connect with the guitar. For the recording, we go to the Phase One studio up Kennedy Road on December 10th.

We got the right bunch of guys together here. The experience has been very good so far.


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

Wait till you get to Phase One... The place is just awesome. Gold records all over the walls, pictures of stars and artists, state of the art control room and a fabulous lounge for inbetween takes.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

man that's so cool that your coach is wild T!!! that guy is awesome!!!!!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

cheezyridr said:


> man that's so cool that your coach is wild T!!! that guy is awesome!!!!!


Just for that one day. He did like my strat and noodled on it for a minute or two.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Just found out that one of the three coaches is,... Terry Brown. (is there an emoticon for a jaw hitting the ground?) One in three chance here of having him review our set.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

I was in the summer session. A cool experience, I'd recommend, although I think chemistry with other band members and being comfortable with the song selection can have a lot to do with how much you enjoy yourself. Like anything else, if you aren't into the music, it can feel more like a job than a hobby.The recording studio experience was incredible and definitely the highlight of the session for me.....phase one studios is an amazing place!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Diablo said:


> I was in the summer session. A cool experience,* I'd recommend, although I think chemistry with other band members and being comfortable with the song selection can have a lot to do with how much you enjoy yourself*. Like anything else, if you aren't into the music, it can feel more like a job than a hobby.The recording studio experience was incredible and definitely the highlight of the session for me.....phase one studios is an amazing place!


That pretty well nails it!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Last night went very well. It was our second stage rehearsal - we did our three song set. The coaches thought we were very tight and performed very well. My ego got well stroked last night - when the producer of the first ten Rush albums said he really liked my guitar work, especially on the last song, hey......


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

*I LOVE Recording !!!*

We recorded our song yesterday. The most fun you can have with your clothes on. If my overall music abilities were far greater, I would have become a studio musician in another life. Studio A at Phase One in Scarberia North. Used my strat into my Tonebone Hot British into a Mack Heatseeker HS-18, ,miked in an isobooth. Recorded 5 overdub tracks. I'll upload it next month sometime.

The 'Showcase' is next Wednesday, but it's a going to be a bit of anti-climax for me after recording.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Sounds like it has been a cool experience


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

hey this sounds interesting, what's it all about? never heard of it before

would love to hear sound bites


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

bolero said:


> hey this sounds interesting, what's it all about? never heard of it before
> 
> would love to hear sound bites


http://www.leagueofrock.com/index.asp


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

The producer on our song was David Barret - http://www.noisytrade.com/index2.html


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

He produced my session too. Real nice guy with some excellent chops.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Okay. Had the time of my life. Lucky enough to form a band with three other guy I absolutely gelled with. Most important thing. I noticed about 10-12 mistakes during the showcase that I made (mind you I recovered from them very well). I'd do this again and pay for it.


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