Impressing strangers?

[lojo]

Im I the only one who is slightly worried that this is connected to being a dentist, I mean next time you go to see a dentist it could be they got the practice because they did naked backflips at the interview

[fleabag]

No probs, as long as my dentist doesn't do those while doing my fillings

[ambient]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1440498609' post='2851213']
To impress a non-musician stranger, play something that they are likely to know. Another One Bites The Dust, Billie jean, Down In The Tube Station, Eton Rifles etc, anything where the bassline is a prominent lead in the song.

Widdling away on a very techinical part that they don`t know may make them think oh he knows what he`s doing, but play something they know, oh he must be good. It`s amazing how people work that way - play something mainstream and they usually think you`re much better, cos as "it`s famous" it must be difficult.
[/quote]

From your list there's only one that I know, and even then I'd think I know that from somewhere, without necessarily linking it to a specific song.

Are bass lines something that non bass players recognise ?

Edited August 25, 2015 by ambient

[sprocketflup]

Take you biggest cab and show how many teeth you can shake loose from your interviewers jaw

Id agree with what you said at the beginning, groove over 'flash'

But then I cant do 'flash'

And struggle with 'groove' if Im honest lol

Edited August 25, 2015 by sprocketflup

[JTUK]

I just do something with really fast hand movement so all they get is the sound assault without really knowing what I did..
That is just showboating though so not sure I'd do that for your audience... but it is certainly dextorous, IMO...and also
pretty clever/cool or however you measure it..?

[TimR]

Dexterity.

Some two octave major and minor scales up and down at a fairly quick but even pace.

Play each one using the different scale patterns across different strings but on the same root.

They can hear and predict what they will hear but your fingers will apparently be doing different things.

[Nicko]

If they want to be impressed by dexterity maybe just take the bass, change the strings and give it a full set up during the interview.

If this is beyond you I'd take a bass amp, a guitar amp my POG, and overdrive and play some Royal Blood. Its mostly not difficult and if they're under 40 they might recognise it. If you meeting the greyhairs they're probably expecting a double bass and some Jazz.

[Cameronj279]

How do you know they are non-musicians?

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1440484675' post='2851085']
If you need to impress a non musician stranger I'd take a guitar instead...
[/quote]

If I needed to impress a dentist I'd take a PRS.

[lojo]

I hope the interview goes well for the OP

I went to an audition last week for a covers band, when the singer opened his mouth I reached in with some pliers and pulled one of his teeth. I'm waiting to hear from them how I did.

[tauzero]

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1440518113' post='2851480']
How do you know they are non-musicians?
[/quote]

I was wondering that too. My dad was a dentist, who also played piano to a pretty reasonable standard - I think he got his interest in the piano from his father, who started out as an organ builder. So you can't really predict what your audience might contain.

[ChunkyMunky]

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1440518113' post='2851480']
How do you know they are non-musicians?
[/quote]

I don't know for absolute certain but I'm going to go with the latter option of the interviewer probably not being a musician. The purpose of this section of the interview is to demonstrate your dexterity by whatever means you feel is best. Of course, playing bass is the best option!

[TimR]

I think they'll want to see accuracy and control.

Speed and complexity is probably overthinking it.

If my dentist stuck his fingers in my mouth and started playing Chopin on my teeth I'd wonder what he was doing.

[lojo]

[quote name='ChunkyMunky' timestamp='1440579029' post='2852028']
I don't know for absolute certain but I'm going to go with the latter option of the interviewer probably not being a musician.
[/quote]

The % chance of you being right is high id guess, but just incase I'll start a list of known Dentist / Musicians ....


Tidu Mankoo - Dentist and wonderful guitar player who I had the pleasure of playing with a number of times.

[Bikenbass]

In the early days of Queen, Roger Taylor was studying dentistry.

[solo4652]

I'm riding a hobby horse here - sorry. Apologies if I'm taking this too seriously. This sort of nonsense does frustrate me. Some thoughts,

1. I spent all of my working life assessing people's suitability, including dexterity, for jobs. If your interviewers really want to assess your dexterity properly and objectively (and I can quite see why they should for dentistry training), then they should go and speak to an Occupational Psychologist. There are well-researched psychometric tests available. What your interviewer panel is doing is amateurish and would make me wonder if they know what they're doing. Be that as it may, you're going to have to do it their way, so;

2. Use the old consultancy trick; I if you can't decide whether your client would prefer X or Y, ask them. So, instead of wondering what music would impress them, why not give them a choice? "I've prepared a classical piece by X and a pop piece by Y - which would you prefer to hear?"

3. Even better - can you demonstrate dexterity and handskills in a way that's more obviously relevant to dentistry training? Slow, controlled, small movements in a small space. E.G. Soldering some wires inside a small box? Sewing a hem neatly? Some small-scale sign-writing, again inside a small box? Pick up a sugarcube with a pair of tweezers and paint the 6 faces in different colours using a fine brush? Ask your interviewers to draw two parallel lines about 1 cm apart and 50cm long (corners and curves are fine) on a piece of paper. Then show how well you can draw a third line in between theirs that doesn't touch theirs.

Apologies. My whole working life...

Good luck with your interview.

Edited August 26, 2015 by solo4652

[lowhand_mike]

just play something you can really sink your teeth into

[Subbeh]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1440602990' post='2852330']
I'm riding a hobby horse here - sorry. This sort of nonsense does frustrate me. Some thoughts
[/quote]

Your post makes so much sense, unlike the OPs interviewer, it seems entirely ludicrous that they would have you demonstrate your dexterity in this manner. If you had experience as a mechanic would they ask you to change the cam belt on your car for them? Wtf :s
Good job you weren't a proctologist previously, I imagine f***ing yourself infront of an interviewer would be less fun than it sounds.

Edited August 26, 2015 by Subbeh

[xgsjx]

[quote name='lowhand_mike' timestamp='1440604800' post='2852351']
just play something you can really sink your teeth into
[/quote]
Sink your teeth into that - Talas
Anything by Billy Sheehan or Les Claypool should impress.
My go to for impressing is Fur Elise - my own transcription of it.

[ChunkyMunky]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1440602990' post='2852330']
I'm riding a hobby horse here - sorry. Apologies if I'm taking this too seriously. This sort of nonsense does frustrate me. Some thoughts,
[b]Yay![/b]

1. I spent all of my working life assessing people's suitability, including dexterity, for jobs. If your interviewers really want to assess your dexterity properly and objectively (and I can quite see why they should for dentistry training), then they should go and speak to an Occupational Psychologist. There are well-researched psychometric tests available. What your interviewer panel is doing is amateurish and would make me wonder if they know what they're doing. Be that as it may, you're going to have to do it their way, so;

[b]The UKCAT is used to filter out weaker students and the interviewer gives you a choice on how to demonstrate said dexterity. I figured bringing my bass might as well be a better idea than the usual that some will have prepared in a half baked manner. The UKCAT itself is a gruelling psychometric test to assess potential students and those scores are used to pick the best out of the bunch (lot, whatever collective noun you fancy)[/b]

2. Use the old consultancy trick; I if you can't decide whether your client would prefer X or Y, ask them. So, instead of wondering what music would impress them, why not give them a choice? "I've prepared a classical piece by X and a pop piece by Y - which would you prefer to hear?"

[b]Excellent idea! [/b]

3. Even better - can you demonstrate dexterity and handskills in a way that's more obviously relevant to dentistry training? Slow, controlled, small movements in a small space. E.G. Soldering some wires inside a small box? Sewing a hem neatly? Some small-scale sign-writing, again inside a small box? Pick up a sugarcube with a pair of tweezers and paint the 6 faces in different colours using a fine brush? Ask your interviewers to draw two parallel lines about 1 cm apart and 50cm long (corners and curves are fine) on a piece of paper. Then show how well you can draw a third line in between theirs that doesn't touch theirs.

[b]http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/improving-hand-skills-before-dental-school.605396/[/b]

[b]About half way down the page is a bunch of exercises in regards to this for more relevance. Again, the bass is there because it'd be criminal to not utilise my skills if it means a significant boost over the other candidates. The intellectual part of the interview would be amassed by the scores of the UKCAT and the previous grades, this bit is just used to assess the type of student one is.[/b]

Apologies. My whole working life...

[b]No need to apologise, this stuff is golden.[/b]

Good luck with your interview.

[b]Thank you! [/b]

[/quote]

[TimR]

A number of my friends are university professors, head masters, teachers, and members of leadership teams.

They live in a strange world called academia. Their Facebook posts make my eyes itch.

[solo4652]

Just had a quick look at that UKCAT test. On the face of it, it looks pretty good, with most of the key design points from professional Psychologists I'd be looking for. Just a shame the designers didn't quite finish the job off by including an objective test of fine-finger dexterity - they do exist. It may be because of practical constraints - traditionally, psychometric tests of motor (as opposed to cognitive) ability have generally needed 1-on-1 administration, not group administration.

I'll shut up now.

[solo4652]

You ask a deep and concerning question. What is the collective noun for dentists?

[Roland Rock]

Count yourself lucky - according to the advert, craftsmen (craftspeople?) at Lexus have to prove their worth by doing origami, with their non-dominant hand, against the clock.

Edited August 26, 2015 by Roland Rock

[Roland Rock]

Oh, and play something by Pulp

Edited August 26, 2015 by Roland Rock