I mostly compose and record on my own or with people on only the sections of songs I need them on but now I have some people who would all like to play together but I don’t know how to run a session like that. The primary goal would be for all us to get some practice and hone our technique on our instruments. Kinda like a workout club.

Do any of you do any kind of warm-up or exercises when playing with others?

When I practice an instrument I usually run through chords and scales and work on my finger exercises. I just met a drummer who can’t practice drums at her house so she’s going to come over here to play so I thought it would be cool to have some exercises lined up that don’t involve us knowing the same songs. Most of the people I’ve played with in the past just want to make noise at the other people playing and aren’t trying to build something together. I’d like exercises that help us form a tighter group so we can be better when playing whatever songs we decide to play when the time comes.

One thing I thought of initially was to play the same scale practices on the other instruments while the drummer does paradiddles or whatever. Thinking it would be starting at 50 BPM and building up to 180 BPM and then holding that for as long as we can.

Another idea was to only play one note at a locked tempo but vary the dynamics in way that is determined by a vocalist or one of those hairy potters waving around a wand.

If someone invited you over to something like this would you attend or would you run away? I can see how it might seem boring but I’d like some kind of structure to our sessions to get us going.