IN THE BEGINNING.... The Online Rehearsal website was born as an answer to a need. It was originally conceived for the players my orchestra, who during the lockdown and the summertime period lamented both the lack of chances to meet and play together and the dryness of playing alone at home. Since most orchestra instruments play a melodic line, the at-home practice alone tends to become frustrating after a little while: by creating these materials I wanted to render the practice routine more enjoyable. I endeavoured to offer to amateur musicians, at beginner and intermediate level, the possibility to practice the music at home with the backing of an audio-track of the pieces to be rehearsed. The initial feedback from the players was very encouraging, and I decided therefore to extend the proposition to a larger audience of players and learners. PROS AND CONS.... The obvious advantages are that the performer can play the whole piece through with an understanding of the music being played around from other instruments, and also that one can gradually perfect their single part while following the audio accompaniment, or try their hand at a different part, learn thoroughly the piece at a steady tempo. The disadvantages are that the digital track works with a regular metronome beat, lacking therefore all subtle tempo changes which naturally occur during the live performance of a piece, and that the sound of synthesized instruments lacks the warmth and the vibration of real instruments. ....A FINAL WORD... Please note that this tool does not intend in any way to replace the real live rehearsal experience with the orchestra and the conductor; rather it aims to be a practical aid, an acoustic accompaniment to the ordinary everyday practice, a metronome with more than the beat, an online-game for musicians, which hopefully helps make the study routine less tedious and more productive. ENJOY!
The author and developer: Paolo Buttaboni is a professional musician. He is active as a pianist, conductor and arranger. His work spanning over three decades has brought him to perform in different countries across Europe. He has studied piano, composition and conducting at the National Conservatory of Music in Milan (Italy), and has subsequently obtained a master degree in Musicology.