Real Men Don't Rehearse: Adventures in the Secret World of Professional Orchestras Paperback – January 16, 2012

I am three years back to my bass after a 14-year hiatus (why, oh why did I ever stop?)...after having played from grade-thru-grad school. I returned to find electronic tuners, end pins that actually work, blogs just for bassists, and Justin Locke's wonderful book. I ordered it via Amazon, and it was fulfilled directly by Justin (complete with a nice note on the packing slip.) I squirreled it away for vacation, and gobbled it up last week in one wonderful day. The back of the book bears a warning not to read in "the quietude of a library, as you're apt to break out into uproarious laughter." I would amend that to "anywhere in public" since I frequently found myself hooting, belly-laughing, slapping my thighs, and laughing so hard I snorted...with tears streaming from my eyes. This is really bizarre looking on a beach but I was having such a great time I did not care. Anyone who has played an instrument with a musical group - not just bassists - will delight in this book...but for bassists, it is a treasure.Justin's perspective on conductors (oooh, he played with Fiedler and on tour with Mancini), stand partners, spinning basses (wonder if I can bring to our community orchestra) and symphony management idiosyncrasies are priceless.My favorite passage though is about bassist attitude..."While I can only comment on the bass sections I played in, the attitude we always had could be summed up as, "this thing is pretty much impossible to play, we're doing the best we can, and we really don't want to be here anyway, so don't bother us with your prissy nitpicking."" Amen, Justin.After all, as he notes, "...since bass players are so rare, you don't have to be terribly good, or even all that motivated, to be wonderfully successful at it." What you do have to have is spirit, a sense of humor, and attitude, and Justin delivers.Buy the book, enjoy, and pass it on to your musician friends and your family (maybe they will finally understand you.)

I didn't know what to expect going into this book, but I have really thoroughly enjoyed it. He writes like he's talking to you, just telling stories. I'm a band person myself who has never been in an orchestra, but the book still feels really relatable and real. 10/10

This highly entertaining book provides those of us who perform only part-time with an insight into the lifestyles of people who perform full-time in orchestras.

In Real Men Don't Rehearse, Justin Locke gives us all an excellent view into the daily lives of the human beings that produce the music. So often, the musicians on stage appear as if they are placed in the cases next to their instrument, only to be activated prior to the next performance. The secret of their humanity is exposed in wonderful style in this gem.A quick read and full of the coping methods employed by musicians to shrug off the stresss of making sure that each entrance is precise, in tune, on time and fully compliant with all aspects of the interpretation of the conductor. As a musician, it was great to see that musicians from many different areas of the planet have developed similar coping strategies.This is a book that you will not put down until it is done and will not give away because you will want to read it again. The book is highly recommended for musicians of all types - and particularly for the listeners. You will approach your next concert with a fresh outlook, a knowing smile, and renewed interest at the beginning of the second half!

I thought this book was fascinating! I sang the Great American Songbook with symphony orchestras from the mid-eighties through the early 2000s, including some of the finest in the country such as the Pittsburgh and the Cincinnati (sadly though, never the Boston Pops). I studied classical piano for ten years, so I respect and admire the fine symphonic musicians I worked with. Thanks to Justin Locke's book, I also realize why my technique was never that great....I NEVER spent time practicing scales and exercises. I just played pieces I enjoyed playing...and a little sloppy technique?....well...I was never going to be a concert pianist...so I just played for fun. Still do. BUT..after reading his book, I realize how much better I COULD have been. A real eye-opener for me. And, oddly enough, one of my greatest regrets is that I never learned to play classical bass!

Alright Justin, what a great read!If you wonder what professional musicians do on, off, and back stage (as well as the back of the bus), this is the book for you.

A delightful insider's look into the world of orchestral playing. Justin Locke contends that most of the time when great conductors are waving their arms and making faces, the orchestra is just playing the standard repertoire as it has been doing for years, paying little attention to the on podium histrionics. True, as a regular member of the Boston Pops under Fiedler he was not subjected to the careful preparation of more profound musicians like Solti and Kleiber, but there is a lot to be said that the modern conductor has been given much too much credit for what we hear. This book offers lots of wonderful anecdotes about the average hard-working musician's life. As Mrs. Loman once said, "Attention should be paid."

I learned more about being a professional orchestral musician. Lots of knowledge and humor in this book.

If you are a musician or not. You will have a good insight of what is going on in and around an orchestra. And how difficult it can be.

This is both an entertaining read, as well as a bit of disappointment. Perhaps it is all a matter of expectations. I had hoped for a book on the inside workings of the orchestra, the players, the music choices, and the conductors, and while there are snippets of this in the book, those subjects take a back-seat to the anecdotes about practical jokes and daily life of a musician. The book is written in an engaging style, and I did enjoy reading through, but at times it seemed a bit repeptitive or even juvenile: not that there's no place for that, just that it seemed a bit too much at times.For someone who wanted the "behind the scenes" of a big-name orchestra, this book won't satisfy much; for those who want to learn about the less-than-formal life of an orchestral member, it's a worthwhile read, although don't expect any deeply surprising details about musicians, orchestras, conductors, or the life of an orchestra member.

I've had conversations with many musicians about playing in orchestras and most of them had better and funnier stories than you will find in this book. If you buy it, you are probably used to listening to orchestral music and will not learn much from the explanatoins of how orcestras are organized, who leads, who follows, etc. There is actually one story good enough to repeat at parties, but I won't spoil it for you.

Short anecdotes about working in a professional orchestra.I really enjoyed it and it brought a smile to my face. PLUS the author explains stuff which is not obvious to people who never took music classes such as the hierarchy. Definitely will recommend it.

A fun read.