Trying out for a band, do I lie about how long I've played?

honeyiscool · #1 04-07-2011, 06:53 PM

Really, the thing is, I've seriously played bass for about... three years. I'm going to be trying out for a band soon, and I'm wondering if I should just lie and say I've been playing 7 or 8. I think I'm pretty good. Given that I've played violin and guitar, I think I got up to speed pretty quickly on the whole stringed instrument thing. Also, I've played piano for 20 years, during which I did everything from solo jazz to classical, so I think my left hand understood bass lines ever before I played bass.

The thing that I lack is real bass playing experience, and I want to gain that. I don't want to play keyboard in a band anymore because it's not fun for me. I think I understand what bass is all about and have a really good grasp of music and all that.

So would it be so bad to say that I've been playing longer than I have? After all, learning about chords, scales, melodies, I did that with my first instrument, it's the stuff I didn't have to learn with bass.

Zoa · #2 04-07-2011, 06:54 PM

Be honest.

hdracer · #3 04-07-2011, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoa

Be honest.

^ This

BigOldHarry · #4 04-07-2011, 06:57 PM

Don't lie. If you try to fake it, you will get caught.

Mojo-Man · #5 04-07-2011, 06:58 PM

Tell the truth.
If your good enough, you will get gig.

"If you don't lie, you never have to remember what you say"

SMILEYSIXX · #6 04-07-2011, 07:00 PM

Who the hell cares? If ya got chops, ya got chops.

honeyiscool · #7 04-07-2011, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

Don't lie. If you try to fake it, you will get caught.

Yeah but we can all spin the truth, can't we?

I mean, I tooled around on my brother's bass for a few years before I ever really played bass. I could play a few songs. I could count those years.

Jazzdogg · #8 04-07-2011, 07:04 PM

^ Do you have a problem with
Integrity?
Honesty?
Trustworthiness?

Or are you just clowning us?

Plays_For_Dog · #9 04-07-2011, 07:05 PM

Never lie. About anything. Don't even bring it up. If they ask, then tell them and back it up with all your other musical background. Probably won't even be asked if you nail the audition. Don't sweat the silly stuff, focus on practicing.

honeyiscool · #10 04-07-2011, 07:07 PM

I don't know. I'm thinking out loud more than anything.

It's the first job thing. You don't have a resume, so you have to make what little you have going for you sound like more than it is.

And yeah, I'm focusing on learning their songs that they had on their Myspace. I figure going in knowing their songs already will pretty much be the best thing I can do.

hdracer · #11 04-07-2011, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeyiscool

Yeah but we can all spin the truth, can't we?

I mean, I tooled around on my brother's bass for a few years before I ever really played bass. I could play a few songs. I could count those years.

Look at it this way,
If you say that you have played bass for three years and sound like you have played for seven, you will blow them away.

If you tell them you have played for seven and you sound like three, they will think you suck.

Dusty89 · #12 04-07-2011, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMILEYSIXX

Who the hell cares? If ya got chops, ya got chops.

Exactly, whether you've played for 20 years or 1 year all they care about is how you perform. Years don't mean anything, it's the care and passion you put into what you do. "Honesty is the best Policy."

honeyiscool · #13 04-07-2011, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdracer

Look at it this way,
If you say that you have played bass for three years and sound like you have played for seven, you will blow them away.

If you tell them you have played for seven and you sound like three, they will think you suck.

True. I think honesty is best policy after all. If I don't think I suck, I just have to prove it.

BrandonBass · #14 04-07-2011, 07:55 PM

i usually dont care how much experience a musicians got as long as he can pull his weight. i have seen long-time players who are not as competent as they should be. That, or maybe they lied about their experience.

**lowfreqgeek** · #15 04-07-2011, 08:07 PM

Must you even ask this question? What could you possibly gain?

If you're good and they like you, you'll get the gig. If not, lying about it won't help and would more likely hurt you when they say "you've been playing how long? Why aren't you any good? Hey everyone, check out this guy - he thinks he's good..."

I don't mean to be harsh, but given that you'd even ask the question says to me that A) you're not confident in your own abilities, and B) you don't really have much integrity. Lying about how long you've been playing is more to fool yourself than anyone else, and if I was a band leader who found out, I'd question when you were gonna lie again.

For your own sake, I hope you do the right thing.

Yawsbass · #16 04-07-2011, 08:43 PM

Be honest. If and when they ask, tell them exactly what you said: that you've played bass for three years, guitar and violin for however long, and piano for 20 years. Knowing that you have that much experience with music in general might make you more appealing, and if you're good enough they won't care how long you've played.

I mean, who hasn't met someone who's played for a few months and has amazing technical skill and feel, and someone else who's played for years and can only play passably at best? The amount of time playing isn't directly related to the skill level. Plus, if you lie about it and they find out later, you could risk being dropped no matter how good you are.

Short answer? Be honest.

kreider204 · #17 04-07-2011, 08:45 PM

I auditioned for - and got into - my first gigging band after only playing about 6 months. Be honest - and kick ass.

**JxBass** · #18 04-07-2011, 08:48 PM

Someone I know quite well just lost his job last Friday. His employer learned that he had attended college for three years and didn't graduate, but on his application he said he had completed his degree. They took his office keys and two security guards escorted him from the building. He had been at the job ten years and has a wife and son.

What you're considering may not be as serious an offense and wouldn't have the same implication if you're caught, but why get started?

16notes · #19 04-07-2011, 09:28 PM

Tell da troof!

Chances are you'll never be asked if your playing is a fit
for them. And if it's not a fit you would not be happy there lie or
no lie.

Dusty89 · #20 04-07-2011, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JxBass

Someone I know quite well just lost his job last Friday. His employer learned that he had attended college for three years and didn't graduate, but on his application he said he had completed his degree. They took his office keys and two security guards escorted him from the building. He had been at the job ten years and has a wife and son.

What you're considering may not be as serious an offense and wouldn't have the same implication if you're caught, but why get started?

Good analogy. Small lies lead to bigger ones. If you did get get accepted, then what? Become a pathological liar?