Rehearsal Habits and Band Agreements

Most band fallouts aren't really about music. They're about money, credit and who decided what. Good rehearsal habits and a few written agreements prevent a lot of that before it starts.

Make rehearsal time count

Have an agenda

Post a short plan in the group chat beforehand: which songs to tighten, what new material to try, and what's coming up. Ten minutes of planning saves an hour of noodling.

Start on time

Agree that the start time means playing, not arriving. Setting up and tuning happen before it.

Record everything

A phone in the corner is enough. Listening back is the quickest way to hear rushed choruses, clashing parts and lyrics nobody can make out.

Work on the hard parts

It's tempting to play the songs you already love. Spend the first half on transitions, endings and new material, and the second half running songs through.

Run the set like a show

Before a gig, play the full set in order, standing up, with the same gaps you'll have on stage. You'll find out where the energy dips and where the tuning breaks are too long.

Keep a living song list

A shared document with each song's key, tempo, tuning, who sings it and whether it's gig-ready makes setlists, recording sessions and new members much easier.

Splitting costs fairly

Rehearsal rooms, recording, fuel, shared gear and merch add up. Common approaches include:

• Equal split: every cost divided evenly. Simple, and fair when everyone is equally involved.
• Band kitty: members pay in regularly, gig and merch income goes in, and band costs come out.
• Front and reimburse: one person pays and gets paid back. Workable if every payment is logged.

Whatever you choose, write it down, keep receipts and keep a shared record anyone in the band can see. Settle up regularly so small debts don't turn into grudges. If one member can contribute less money, it's fine to agree they contribute differently, such as driving or handling bookings, as long as everyone is happy with it and it's written down. Also agree who owns gear: a PA bought from the kitty belongs to the band, not to whoever stores it.

Songwriting credits

A song (the composition) and a recording of it (the master) are different things, and they can earn money separately. Decide how songwriting credit is shared. Some bands split everything equally, others credit whoever wrote each part. Neither is wrong; what matters is that it's agreed before money appears.

For each song, write down the title, who wrote it, the percentage split and the date, and have everyone confirm it. Use the same figures when you register songs and set up releases. The releasing guide explains where those details end up.

What to write down early

• Who is in the band, and how decisions are made (majority or unanimous)
• Who owns the band name, logo, website and social accounts, and who has the logins
• How money is handled and who can spend it
• Songwriting splits for every song
• Who owns the recordings and how income from them is shared
• What happens to gear, money, songs and the name if someone leaves or the band ends
• How new members join, and whether they share in older songs
• Basic expectations: rehearsal frequency, gig availability and notice for absences

Having the conversation

Pick a calm moment, not the drive home after a bad gig. Frame it as protecting the friendship rather than preparing for a fight. One person drafts a simple document, everyone reads it, changes are discussed, and the final version is dated and shared. Revisit it once a year or whenever something big changes, like a new member, a release or an offer.