Bassworm Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Crunch time. Since first taking up the DB a year ago (and having not played any bass at all for the last couple of months due to playing guitar and mandolin for a lady folksinger instead) I'm having an audition on Weds evening with a local-based but high profile blues/boogie-woogie band, who are damn good to say the least This'll be the first time I've played the upright for any reason other than practice/noodling and certainly the first time I've ever auditioned with it and I'm pooing myself with terror. Well, that's possibly a slight exaggeration, although my cats are keeping a wide berth due to the fear-induced flatulence.. Any suggestions how to cope with it all? Mike E. www.pbase.com/bassworm www.myspace.com/the_bassworm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Yeah, go and have fun because that's the whole idea. Try not to psyche yourself out. They're just other people you haven't yet met who play music that you enjoy playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 I've said it before and I'll say it again: More space, less notes. With DB, people seem more impressed the less you play and with a bit of vibrato you can fill a lot of space with one note. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougal Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Don't eat beans before the audition? Think about what it is that makes you love to play. Know your parts. Try & relax. All I got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassworm Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 [quote name='dougal' post='216099' date='Jun 10 2008, 12:50 PM']Don't eat beans before the audition?[/quote] Heh, good advice in most situations...? [quote]Think about what it is that makes you love to play. Know your parts.[/quote] Interestingly, I've no idea of most of their setlist "It's all 12 bar blues, you'll be fine" said the guitarist Many thanks for the advice everyone, keep it coming. Mike E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassworm Posted June 13, 2008 Author Share Posted June 13, 2008 Well, I don't think I've ever played my DB so fast, aggressively or for so long as I did on the audition. By the end of the night, I had a blister the size of a 10p piece on my plucking finger, and my left wrist had turned to jelly. For the last 45 mins of the three-hour session I went over to bass guitar but by then my hands were shagged. They turned out to be a nice bunch of guys with some serious chops. At one point they launched into a fierce high-speed, long boogie-woogie that I struggled to keep up with. At the end I just let out a "F**k me! You b*st*rds!" accompanied by much shaking of agonised wrist which got a huge laugh all round. Anyway, despite playing like a complete donkey at times, and fully expecting to get a "Thanks but no thanks" I found a message this morning in my inbox thanking me for coming and offering me a local gig! So not complete acceptance, but certainly not a Dear John either (And according to the guitarist they've already rejected 8 bassists who auditioned). I'm quite pleased. Many thanks for everyone's advice; I may have even remembered to heed it at times during the session Cheers All, Mike E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooks Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Congratulations on getting at least one gig!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted June 15, 2008 Share Posted June 15, 2008 Nice one mate. Enjoy the gig with them. Hopefully, it may lead to more. Sounds optimistic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted June 15, 2008 Share Posted June 15, 2008 [quote name='Bassworm' post='218187' date='Jun 13 2008, 11:29 AM']By the end of the night, I had a blister the size of a 10p piece on my plucking finger, and my left wrist had turned to jelly.[/quote] Jeeezus how big are your f***in' fingers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassworm Posted June 15, 2008 Author Share Posted June 15, 2008 [quote name='jakesbass' post='219352' date='Jun 15 2008, 06:51 PM']Jeeezus how big are your f***in' fingers[/quote] I've just looked at a pic of the blister (Yes, I took one as a souvenir!), perhaps a slight exaggeration there, possibly an overweight 5p instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooks Posted June 15, 2008 Share Posted June 15, 2008 Holy crap that's one impressive blister You must have been really going for it during the audition! At what point did you notice it? Or wasn't it until the end?? But at least it was worth it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted June 15, 2008 Share Posted June 15, 2008 owwwwwwwwwww! I remember those days well. Probably 10 yrs since I had a blister now. there is hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassworm Posted June 15, 2008 Author Share Posted June 15, 2008 [quote name='Wooks' post='219464' date='Jun 15 2008, 09:38 PM']Holy crap that's one impressive blister You must have been really going for it during the audition! At what point did you notice it? Or wasn't it until the end?? But at least it was worth it!![/quote] I noticed a small one about an hour in but carried on until it got as big as it is in the pic, then finally switched to bass guitar when the pain got too much. Despite all that, I had a good time with a nice bunch of blokes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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