Unprepared For Your Audition

[yorks5stringer]

16 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

One of Bolder's finest efforts. You'll have a blast.

Wham Bam, Thank you Mam!

 

[nilorius]

Bart Sympson ?

[tauzero]

On 05/05/2023 at 07:21, NancyJohnson said:

To hell with auditions, every gig I do can't remember the songs until we start playing them.

 

So far, I've been able to remember "Seven Nation Army", "Make me smile", and "Psycho Killer", which are the only ones I really need to.

[iconic]

On 04/05/2023 at 23:00, Bluewine said:

Would love to hear your thoughts about guys showing up for auditions unprepared.

 

A few weeks ago I referred an opportunity to a friend. This was a legit opportunity with top notch guys with an agent and ready to go out make money and gig. This is not a start up band.

 

This was an opportunity for guys that want and need money from playing. Not for the

" I don't need the money I just want to play" guys.

 

It's an oldies act and they needed a bass player that could harmonize.

 

My friend was given 4 songs to audition and he shows up for the audition unprepared.

 

If it was a a start up or questionable opportunity I somewhat get why a guy would limit the effort put forth. This was

" money in the bank"

 

You've all heard this question before. Why do guys do this? Me, if I commit to an audition I'll show up owning those 4 songs. If I don't own them I'll cancel the audition. Doesn't that make more sense than showing up not knowing the material?

 

Blue

No good deed goes unpunished😎

Edited May 9, 2023 by iconic

[dclaassen]

On 05/05/2023 at 10:46, pbasspecial said:

Counter point to the argument:

I’ve done a lot of auditions in the past and usually take it very seriously with my preparation. 
However, there has been loads of times I’ve turned up to audition and I’ve been the most competent and knowledgable musician in the room by a mile. It can be quite disheartening to put over a weeks worth of practicing in to find out the band just aren’t very good. 
Thankfully I’m in a great band and have personally built up a good reputation as a musician. It’s a lot nicer being the one you gets to choose now. 

I’ve been here, but also am always grateful for the chance to learn new music.

[nilorius]

On 05/05/2023 at 13:25, asingardenof said:

Oh thank goodness it's not just me! If it's something I haven't had a chance to practice recently I always panic that I'll have forgotten a song, but so far (touch wood) as soon as we start I suddenly remember I'm not a complete numpty and do actually know how to play it.

This is not about do You learn that You need or don't - some chords on paper. I think there is nothing wrong with that when You have an 3 hour gig or first time rehearsal with a pro band. I always use those notes about songs to be better even if i know the song allready completly. This guy who came empty could easaly hear those 4 songs and write down the chords and some nuances and it would be OK. But he didn't spent an hour and choose to drink a lot of bear and watch some soccer match.

[Waddo Soqable]

30 minutes ago, nilorius said:

This is not about do You learn that You need or don't - some chords on paper. I think there is nothing wrong with that when You have an 3 hour gig or first time rehearsal with a pro band. I always use those notes about songs to be better even if i know the song allready completly. This guy who came empty could easaly hear those 4 songs and write down the chords and some nuances and it would be OK. But he didn't spent an hour and choose to drink a lot of bear and watch some soccer match.

I've done gigs with bits of paper with chords scribbled down and stuck to the floor or whatever.. 😁

[Dan Dare]

2 hours ago, nilorius said:

This is not about do You learn that You need or don't - some chords on paper. I think there is nothing wrong with that when You have an 3 hour gig or first time rehearsal with a pro band. I always use those notes about songs to be better even if i know the song allready completly. This guy who came empty could easaly hear those 4 songs and write down the chords and some nuances and it would be OK. But he didn't spent an hour and choose to drink a lot of bear and watch some soccer match.

 

I find if I drink a lot of bear, the fur tends to get stuck in my throat 😬

[Waddo Soqable]

37 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

 

I find if I drink a lot of bear, the fur tends to get stuck in my throat 😬

We'd perhaps better not persue the "bear" too much further, but leave old nilo to his fate..

[snorkie635]

On 04/05/2023 at 23:44, Woodinblack said:

 

I would actually be pretty annoyed about that

+ 1 for this

[snorkie635]

On 05/05/2023 at 11:18, geoham said:

I thought this was just me! If my guitarist or keyboard player asks me to remind them of the chords for a song - I'll generally have no idea and need to play a few bars.

Yes indeed, nothing like a good old pub crawl. 🙂

[nilorius]

45 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said:

We'd perhaps better not persue the "bear" too much further, but leave old nilo to his fate..

Of course, there is always otherside !!!😁

[TimR]

I went for an audition a few weeks ago for an originals band.

 

The comms were very relaxed. The guy sent me his Spotify album, sounded great, but 12 tracks, he said meet up for a jam and see what happens. 

 

I turned up and he'd got most of the songs charted. Good charts! He led the band well, plenty of eye contact and nods and 'back to the top', 'another verse' calls.

 

So I'm now in another band. 😆

 

I have been in the situation where I've been given a list of songs for an audition, the problem is, you can be able to play the original bassline to the original record, but you don't know their arrangement and you don't know what cues you're going to get from who. You don't even know if you're going to gel with the drummer. It's not an ideal way to audition. I'd expect a band looking for a serious bass player with paid gigs ready to go to have charts ready and maybe send them out, or maybe have recordings. This is how my brother's band operates, essential if you're using deps.

 

I've even done a few gigs where occasionally I've never even heard the songs before, let alone practiced them. Hard work.

 

More than one way to skin a cat.

Edited May 7, 2023 by TimR

[odysseus]

On 04/05/2023 at 23:00, Bluewine said:

Would love to hear your thoughts about guys showing up for auditions unprepared.....

 

It's bad enough the guy turned up unprepared, but doing that when you've recommended him for the band is even crappier because it's thrown you under a bus as well.  I hope he ain't expecting help in the future. 

[nilorius]

1 hour ago, odysseus said:

 

It's bad enough the guy turned up unprepared, but doing that when you've recommended him for the band is even crappier because it's thrown you under a bus as well.  I hope he ain't expecting help in the future. 

I hope he will not drive Ferrari in future.

[Ralf1e]

For some people it is easier to just plain allow themselves to fail than face rejection.

Maybe your friend is one of them.

[Bluewine]

On 05/05/2023 at 04:46, pbasspecial said:

Counter point to the argument:

I’ve done a lot of auditions in the past and usually take it very seriously with my preparation. 
However, there has been loads of times I’ve turned up to audition and I’ve been the most competent and knowledgable musician in the room by a mile. It can be quite disheartening to put over a weeks worth of practicing in to find out the band just aren’t very good. 
Thankfully I’m in a great band and have personally built up a good reputation as a musician. It’s a lot nicer being the one you gets to choose now. 

 

I was going to bring up the same point. Showing up for an audition, you know the songs but the band doesn't .

 

A very frustrating scenario indeed .

 

Here's  a thought, if your auditioning for people you don't know always ask how long the other members have been with the band 

 

You might be auditioning for a guy that's  trying to save a sinking ship. Meaning they were  not only  auditioning  bass players bur drummers, singers and guitarists. And the guys you played with at the audition were  new members  that barely knew the audition.

 

Blue

 

[Bluewine]

On 08/05/2023 at 00:24, Ralf1e said:

For some people it is easier to just plain allow themselves to fail than face rejection.

Maybe your friend is one of them.

 

Agreed, I think my guy thought he could get by with his looks.

 

Blue

[Bluewine]

On 05/05/2023 at 06:27, Woodinblack said:

Dont get me wrong, if someone says 'there is an audition tonight' and you don't have any chance to practice or rehurse and it is something you think you can do, I would still go along with the caviat that I would tell them upfront that i had no time to prepare, but in general unless it is something really odd that i have never heard before, I should be able to wing it mostly, I would just rather not have to

 

 

That might work for some guys. Me, I'm not a " wing it" guy.

 

Blue

[Bluewine]

On 07/05/2023 at 14:34, nilorius said:

I hope he will not drive Ferrari in future.

If he does I'll  hire him.😂

 

Blue

Edited May 11, 2023 by Bluewine

[MacDaddy]

On 05/05/2023 at 14:07, chris_b said:

I rarely do auditions, but when I turned up to one, about 10 years ago, I was the only one who knew the songs. The band, including the guy who wrote the songs didn't have a clue.

 

The guy running the audition, from their record company, was very apologetic and looked very embarrassed.

 

Been there too! Didn't think it was possible 😆

[MacDaddy]

On 06/05/2023 at 13:54, tauzero said:

 

So far, I've been able to remember "Seven Nation Army", "Make me smile", and "Psycho Killer", which are the only ones I really need to.

 

I can remember 'We will rock you', 'When doves cry', and 'Big yellow taxi'. 😉