What kind of audition was this?

Lowner · #1 08-09-2006, 08:49 AM

Well, first off at the end he said I played bass like a guitar player(see my other post about that) But any ways, they insisted that I use their bass amp. Then he made me run through the chromatic scales up and down the neck. Then he would call out the name of a scale and I had to play it. After that I spontaneously jammed with just the drummer, then the rest of the band. I also had to learn the bass lines to The House is Rockin' By SRV before I came to the audition and finally I had to come prepared with my own original song to play for them. That is when I took my Boss Me 50 B and played with a bit of delay on my song. Then afterwards I was told because I played with effects I played bass like a guitar player. Appparently, to this guy(the guitar player) he knew I started playing guitar then switched to bass by my use of effects. Also real bass players dont use effects. I didnt get the gig because of this even tough I nailed the rest.
Maybe this guy had something against female bass players.

**NOLA Bass** · #2 08-09-2006, 08:51 AM

Based on all that, consider it a blessing in disguise. Do you really want to be in a band with someone like that?

McHack · #3 08-09-2006, 08:53 AM

Wierd....

markjazzbassist · #4 08-09-2006, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOLA Bass

Based on all that, consider it a blessing in disguise. Do you really want to be in a band with someone like that?

+1

morf · #5 08-09-2006, 08:59 AM

Whats the point of yet another thread on the topic???

zac2944 · #6 08-09-2006, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOLA Bass

Based on all that, consider it a blessing in disguise. Do you really want to be in a band with someone like that?

Yeah. You don't want to be in a band with those dorks. If I went to an audition and they asked me to do that b/s I'd walk out.

"Ok, now I need you to play a G minor scale. Can you do that for me?"

That just sounds so funny. Did it make you want to laugh? I think I would have started laughing.

BTW, anyone who say something like "bass players don't use effects" is an idiot. As long as they are used correctly, it is pretty normal. I don't use any myself, but I know plenty of pros that do.

zac2944 · #7 08-09-2006, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morf

Whats the point of yet another thread on the topic???

There is no point. If it you don't like it, then don't read it.

markjazzbassist · #8 08-09-2006, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zac2944

There is no point. If it you don't like it, then don't read it.

+1

i think this thread is relevant.

cowsgomoo · #9 08-09-2006, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowner

Well, first off at the end he said I played bass like a guitar player(see my other post about that) But any ways, they insisted that I use their bass amp. Then he made me run through the chromatic scales up and down the neck. Then he would call out the name of a scale and I had to play it. After that I spontaneously jammed with just the drummer, then the rest of the band. I also had to learn the bass lines to The House is Rockin' By SRV before I came to the audition and finally I had to come prepared with my own original song to play for them.

JEEEZ! did you have to wash his car too? It'd have to be a pretty high-paying gig for me to feel like jumping through all those hoops for him

remember, you're also auditioning THEM... to see if they're worth playing with... in dating, job interviews, anything, it's always worth giving the other person a test or two in return... the more selective you demonstrate you can afford to be, the better

guy n. cognito · #10 08-09-2006, 09:13 AM

Was this an audition for a cover band? Like others, I would have left, laughing, if they had asked me to play scales.

BrandonBass · #11 08-09-2006, 09:16 AM

i would want jennifer lopez in my band even if she cant sing/ play watever. face the truth, ur not hot enuff.

dlloyd · #12 08-09-2006, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Then afterwards I was told because I played with effects I played bass like a guitar player. Appparently, to this guy(the guitar player) he knew I started playing guitar then switched to bass by my use of effects. Also real bass players dont use effects. I didnt get the gig because of this even tough I nailed the rest.
Maybe this guy had something against female bass players.

Maybe you didn't nail the rest. Maybe someone else nailed it better than you.

What you should have played as your own tune should have been informed by the SRV tune. Bands that do blues covers generally don't want Anaesthesia or Portrait of Tracy style bass soloing.

superbassman2000 · #13 08-09-2006, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowner

Well, first off at the end he said I played bass like a guitar player(see my other post about that) But any ways, they insisted that I use their bass amp. Then he made me run through the chromatic scales up and down the neck. Then he would call out the name of a scale and I had to play it. After that I spontaneously jammed with just the drummer, then the rest of the band. I also had to learn the bass lines to The House is Rockin' By SRV before I came to the audition and finally I had to come prepared with my own original song to play for them. That is when I took my Boss Me 50 B and played with a bit of delay on my song. Then afterwards I was told because I played with effects I played bass like a guitar player. Appparently, to this guy(the guitar player) he knew I started playing guitar then switched to bass by my use of effects. Also real bass players dont use effects. I didnt get the gig because of this even tough I nailed the rest.
Maybe this guy had something against female bass players.

i just think that guy doesn't want you in the band. maybe it is a female thing i mean, your instrument is bigger than his and i think he feels intimidated

lol

but seriously, i wouldn't give that band the time of day. chromatic scale? give me a break. if i was auditioning band and they told me i had to play a chromatic scale, i'd break their face. well, maybe not that extreme, but you really can't tell someone's talent by chromatic scales...i think he was just hoping you wouldn't know what it is so he could tell you to get lost. then calling out scales and then talking about learning the blues? give me a break. there really aren't that many scales involved in the blues...for bass there is even fewer imo.

i'd steer clear of that band...if they treat you like this now, imagine the crap you'll have to put up with if you get in...

fraublugher · #14 08-09-2006, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markjazzbassist

+1

+1

run , run for your life!

ROCK THUMBS · #15 08-09-2006, 03:07 PM

+1
run run away

s.m.80808 · #16 08-09-2006, 05:12 PM

do you guys seriously think it is out of line to ask for audition material to be prepared?

Knowing scales and specific songs are not huge requirements to join a band and jamming with the band to make sure there is chemistry sounds like a good idea too.

I think that the reason you weren't picked up for this band was simply because they didn't feel you fit in that specific context. What good is it to even humor the idea that they "wronged" for some reason?

It is their band after all.

at the whole assumed male chauvinist angle too. There is really no reason to bring that up as an issue from how you have described the situation. They probably didn't like how you played.

Lowner:
I noticed a common occurence in all your threads of rubbing people the wrong way. Maybe you should work on that side of things along with your musicianship.

(Then again you could just be a troll that likes to bring up male/female issues where there are none.)

As an aside, I personally would much rather play with a bunch of guys that I felt were better than me so I can see why those guys were picky. I would be too. Not sure if I would ask someone to play scales, but I would definitely want some indication that my bandmates had chops. I wouldn't have said you played like a guitarist because you used effects, but maybe he was trying to put you down gently.

Bottom line is that if people really like how someone plays they will work it out. If not then you move on and don't worry about it too much.

Everyone gets rejected at some point. Get over it, practice more and start your own band.

addylewis · #17 08-09-2006, 05:38 PM

I'd have just said "You know what? - I don't care" if they were as picky as that and accused me of being a guitarist on bass just because I decided to use distortion or chorus.
(just say "Listen to New Order or Motorhead then you'll understand")

What was that fetish for scales all about anyway?

tplyons · #18 08-09-2006, 05:45 PM

I think it's perfectly fine that they asked you to play those scales. If it's an original band, they may want to know that the players they're auditioning are capable of keeping up in certain keys, and they may want to find your weak spots.

Just like auditioning for a college, an orchestra, or something else. They want to make sure you're on the right track at least for what they want.

Still confused by the whole effect thing.

PurplePurple · #19 08-09-2006, 06:21 PM

Who can't play the chromatic scale?

Isn't this thread exactly the same about the one where you talked about being told you played bass like a guitarist? Except now you added the fact that your female again?

THIRSTYGUMS · #20 08-09-2006, 07:20 PM

haa haa, youve just come across MUSO-fever infected sputum, those that think they have trancended the trappings of humanity and now occupy a space just left of Christ himself, you had a lucky escape.
Now find some REAL people to form a band with and enjoy the rest of your life. +goodluck!