Audition - Go Basic or Advanced

[JamNight]

I have a rare opportunity to audition for an up and coming indie pop rock band Tuesday. The songs are fairly basic, but the bass player I would be replacing played way too many notes... in my opinion. I've had a couple of days to learn the songs, and know my way around them. My question is do I try to follow the current bass players lines all over the place, or stick with my style of fewer more tasteful notes, and a groove. Seriously...this guy played too many notes for every song, and it sounds too busy. Advice please.

[rmarsch]

What if you tell them as much and show them both styles and see which they prefer.

[JamNight]

Originally Posted by rmarsch

What if you tell them as much and show them both styles and see which they prefer.

Yeah...I was thinking about doing that. I just don't want to play Geddy Lee bass lines in a pop rock/punk song...it doesn't go.

[metallicafan18]

Honestly, I'd ask them if they want you to play was was previously played, or if you can put your spin on it. Then go from there.

[Rockmusician]

I would let them know that your style is different from the previous bass player and tell them you are going to keep it simple so everyone can hear how you lock in with the drummer. You could also just ask them if they expect you to learn everything note for note or will they allow you some space to be creative.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by JamNight

I have a rare opportunity to audition for an up and coming indie pop rock band Tuesday. The songs are fairly basic, but the bass player I would be replacing played way too many notes... in my opinion. I've had a couple of days to learn the songs, and know my way around them. My question is do I try to follow the current bass players lines all over the place, or stick with my style of fewer more tasteful notes, and a groove. Seriously...this guy played too many notes for every song, and it sounds too busy. Advice please.

I've been in this exact situation.

I had to learn the songs sans basslines and create my own.

When I auditioned, one of the guitarists wrinkled his nose and made a comment about how my lines were different from the original bass player's lines.

But the band leader loved it. He said, "no, it's great, a real improvement," and they practically begged me to join.

You may try to retain the spirit of what the original bass player did, but if you've got a take that you feel is an improvement, by all means let them hear it. You may learn the original line note-for-note, then try it with your line, and explain why you changed or simplified it.

In the final analysis, if you did what's best for the song, your lines win and you will score points.

[Joe Nerve]

I would just ask them. While there's a chance things might go excellently and they might like your lines better than their previous bassplayer, if they'be been playing and listening to them for a long time as is, those chances are pretty slim. The songs are going to sound strange to them, and I'm going to guess they'll think you CAN'T do what they're previous player has done. Electracoyote experienced what I think is a rare occassion, and it weren't for the one guy with the open mind, well....

[JamNight]

Good input everyone. I will start the audition with a few minutes of questions like an office job interview, and learn more about what they are looking for. I think that "less is more", and I really feel that the previous bass player over did it. I will keep the spirit of the bass from their albums, but make it my own. That way they hear their song, but also get a flavour for what I will add. Fingers crossed, and hoping this works. Who knows...maybe they are getting a new bassist, because they thought the previous guy was just too busy on the fret board.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

I would just ask them. While there's a chance things might go excellently and they might like your lines better than their previous bassplayer, if they'be been playing and listening to them for a long time as is, those chances are pretty slim. The songs are going to sound strange to them, and I'm going to guess they'll think you CAN'T do what they're previous player has done. Electracoyote experienced what I think is a rare occassion, and it weren't for the one guy with the open mind, well....

Good point. I think I'd learn the original lines just to be on the safe side.

In my example, I didn't have original lines to learn from.

[noahw1]

I think asking questions about what they want/expect is a good idea but I don't think you should say that you think the previous bass player over did it. Keep that bit to yourself because they may have liked his lines or he was a good friend that moved away or who knows what. At a job interview it's never good to go in saying negative things about someone you may not know and the quality of work they did. Keep it to yourself, ask what they expect and go from there.
If they ask you to join the band you may eventually get to express to them your thoughts on the guy you're replacing or they may say it themselves but until then just go out and there and do your thing.

[chaosMK]

I think if you know "advanced" you should be able to do both at the same time.

[MysticMichael]

This isn't really a "technique" question. It's more of a "playing style" and musical judgment question...

That said, my advice would be: play to the songs. And don't be too repressed or conservative in your approach. This is original music. It requires one to take creative risks. That's part of the excitement of it all!

If your musical instincts and judgment tell you what the songs need, and you fail to really show these guys your stuff - because you're afraid they won't like it, or you're afraid they may be expecting you to play the pre-existing parts - then you may be shooting yourself in the foot, selling yourself short for no good reason. They may never realize how good your compositional skills really are - if you're afraid to show them! Besides, it's hard to conceive of a bassist ever getting in trouble - for simplifying a part and making it groove more than it did before!

Any originals band worth its salt should be evaluating you on the basis of your ideas and your ability to constructively implement those ideas - as well as on your ability to simply play "what's written". Any band that wants you to strictly reproduce what's been done before isn't really an originals band - it's a covers band that plays covers of itself!

MM

[anonymous122511]

Honesty is the best policy. Play it like you hear it.
I got a call once to play in a pickup rock band of great players from some very good local bands. I've always cultivated a busy, conversational improvising style influenced heavily by all the Bill Evans' trios and by the lyrical bass playing of Steve Swallow. Really wanting to impress these guys though I decided to keep it dead simple and just lay down the roots. They never called me back. I found out later I'd left them with the impression I couldn't improvise very well. A couple of years later the organ player sat in with a band I was working with and complimented me on my playing but wondered why I hadn't improvised on his gig like I was doing now.

[MNAirHead]

For an original band, I'd play it like you eventually will.

IF busy is not your style - then don't fake it..

I do like the options approach -- this can be done if you can get a read on the band.

[Joe Nerve]

Is there a reason you're not asking them NOW, before you go to the auditon, how they want you to learn the material? I don't know anything at all about this band or the level that they're at, but if they've established themselves at all (which you say they have), I'm going to say the chances are more than 90% that if you play the songs your way, you're not going to get the gig. Not unless you've got tons of other stuff going for you, which you might. I've been on both sides of the audition fence countless times and I'm certain people want to hear what they're used to hearing. In a new band (latest latest vid below) that I'm playing in, I learned everything note for not and got the gig. A month down the line I told them I was going to simplify some parts where the previous bass player was 'clearly' overplaying. They told me those parts were their favorite parts of the song. Do whatever you feel you have to do, but if you really want the gig, I'd learn the songs inside out (or at least a few of them) and then show what you'd do.

If the truth is you can't play the other guys parts, then that's a whole different story and maybe you should play them your own way. But if I wanted a gig badly enough (which I have) I'd do whatever I had to do to learn what I couldn't play. It's surprising what we're capable of if the motivation is there. And the rewards for putting the time and effort can be many.

[Jools4001]

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

Is there a reason you're not asking them NOW, before you go to the auditon, how they want you to learn the material? I don't know anything at all about this band or the level that they're at, but if they've established themselves at all (which you say they have), I'm going to say the chances are more than 90% that if you play the songs your way, you're not going to get the gig. Not unless you've got tons of other stuff going for you, which you might. I've been on both sides of the audition fence countless times and I'm certain people want to hear what they're used to hearing. In a new band (latest latest vid below) that I'm playing in, I learned everything note for not and got the gig. A month down the line I told them I was going to simplify some parts where the previous bass player was 'clearly' overplaying. They told me those parts were their favorite parts of the song. Do whatever you feel you have to do, but if you really want the gig, I'd learn the songs inside out (or at least a few of them) and then show what you'd do.

If the truth is you can't play the other guys parts, then that's a whole different story and maybe you should play them your own way. But if I wanted a gig badly enough (which I have) I'd do whatever I had to do to learn what I couldn't play. It's surprising what we're capable of if the motivation is there. And the rewards for putting the time and effort can be many.

+1

I would listren closely to this advice

[JamNight]

Originally Posted by noahw1

I think asking questions about what they want/expect is a good idea but I don't think you should say that you think the previous bass player over did it. Keep that bit to yourself because they may have liked his lines or he was a good friend that moved away or who knows what. At a job interview it's never good to go in saying negative things about someone you may not know and the quality of work they did. Keep it to yourself, ask what they expect and go from there.
If they ask you to join the band you may eventually get to express to them your thoughts on the guy you're replacing or they may say it themselves but until then just go out and there and do your thing.

Yes...I totally agree Noah.

[JamNight]

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

Is there a reason you're not asking them NOW, before you go to the auditon, how they want you to learn the material? I don't know anything at all about this band or the level that they're at, but if they've established themselves at all (which you say they have), I'm going to say the chances are more than 90% that if you play the songs your way, you're not going to get the gig. Not unless you've got tons of other stuff going for you, which you might. I've been on both sides of the audition fence countless times and I'm certain people want to hear what they're used to hearing. In a new band (latest latest vid below) that I'm playing in, I learned everything note for not and got the gig. A month down the line I told them I was going to simplify some parts where the previous bass player was 'clearly' overplaying. They told me those parts were their favorite parts of the song. Do whatever you feel you have to do, but if you really want the gig, I'd learn the songs inside out (or at least a few of them) and then show what you'd do.

If the truth is you can't play the other guys parts, then that's a whole different story and maybe you should play them your own way. But if I wanted a gig badly enough (which I have) I'd do whatever I had to do to learn what I couldn't play. It's surprising what we're capable of if the motivation is there. And the rewards for putting the time and effort can be many.

You give me a lot of good things to think about. I wish I had more time to prepare.

[staindbass]

play what you think fits best. if they dont like it, you were not meant for the band. usually if the band has albums selling already and is popular, you would be expected to copy the bass pretty closely. if they let the other guy go because they didnt like his playing, it would be no good to copy him.

[gnjpowell]

Be you own man play your own thing. If they like it you'll be far better off Vs trying to be their previous bassist. You may find they like your playing so much that they change direction somewhat... BTDT

A famous trumpet player once said: "Think of a note.... then don't play it...."