I have a Berklee Audition in 2 weeks and I need help...

[Rinton]

Hello, talkbass. It's my first time posting on these forums, despite occasionally viewing them when I'm stuck on something. You guys seem to be pretty good about answering questions, and for a guy that's only been playing for 3 years, answers are what I need.

Essentially, I love my bass guitar. I've loved it since before I owned one, and I've obsessed over my instrument for 3 years. I've played over 30 shows in the Phoenix Metro Area with 2 bands, and I've jammed with countless musicians trying to get better.

I've decided my lack of experience is unfitting, and Berklee is where I'm going to make up lost time. Upon completing registration, however I recieved an email notice today inviting me to my audition in Boston. In 2 weeks. Now, getting work off and paying for a 3 day trip to Boston is going to be a problem, but the meat of the audition is what has me worried. Berklee's site indicated that I'd have 6 weeks between my invitation and my audition. Instead I get about 2.

This means I've got a lot of preparing to do in 2 weeks.

The Audition will be conducted as follows:

"Prior to your audition, you will have 15 minutes to warm-up on your instrument and review the reading material. The audition will be 15-minutes in length and will consist of the following:

-a prepared piece of your choice
-reading (if you can)
-simple form blues
-an optional improvisation over a standard jazz tune or harmonic vamp
-melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic ear training exercises

At the discretion of each audition team, technical exercises and/or a jam with the audition team might be part of your audition."

Now, for my piece I think I'm using "Come On, Come Over" by Jaco Pastorius. This is a piece I started working on today, and it's giving me some trouble, but I can get it. Maybe not perfect in 2 weeks, but I can get it well enough to hold a groove.

My problem is that I don't know how to prepare for the rest. I need help finding training exercises or online music classes that can help me here.

I can't sight-read. I can hardly read in treble-clef. Bass is nearly out of the question right now. I put in my application that I can't yet read music, but when they ask I don't want to be completely in the dark. Any websites or exercises I can look at?

I'm not sure how the simple-form blues is going to go, or what that even implies. Any help, as well as anything to work on would be a great help.

The Jazz Improv I'm on the fence with. In an isolated situation with some friends, I could maybe improvise a cool solo on my bass, and I could maybe even do it without struggling too much. That said this is going to be early in the morning on the other side of the country with a bunch of better musicians judging me. I'm not really sure how best to prepare for this.

The ear training exercises have me a bit worried too. I can probably sing any note or line they play me... probably.... but with the rhythmic exercises I think I'm going to have to clap out 2/4 and 4/4 and every other time signiature, and the problem is I honestly don't know if I could clap them out on the spot. Are there any websites dealing with online ear training or even just basic rhythms so I can commit them to memory before my audition in 2 weeks?

I'm sorry this has been so long winded, but I'm in a bit of a bind here and I need some help.

Thanks in advance, talkbass.

[Bassist4Life]

Music Theory.net

Spend some time here each day. Music is one of those subjects that you can't cram for. It takes time and experience. Just do your personal best and don't beat yourself up. Keep it positive if things aren't going well.

Best of luck to you sir.

Joe

[Freddels]

I have a couple of suggestions.

First, you could contact Berklee and request a later date due to the distance you need to travel and the need to make arrangements for travel. That would buy you a little more time to prepare.

Second, based on what you've stated (can't read, etc.) I would suggest that you delay going to Berklee for at least a year so that you can work on these things with a private teacher. Berklee is expensive and I don't think it's the place to learn to read. You should have some level of competence before you go there. Perhaps, attend the shorter summer program to get an idea of what it's like there.

Good luck.

PS -- I'd forget the Jaco tune and pick some standard that would be more in line with your level of playing. It's not going to impress them (unless you can play it better than Jaco) and I'm sure they hear these tunes over and over.