In Over my Head(?)

elvinstheman · #1 08-01-2005, 05:31 PM

This isn't an orchestral audition but I have a general audition question:

I have an audition with a band that has members who have played at Birdland and various other large, impressive, historical venues. They are really great musicians. I have a lot of experience playing EB (20+ years) but I am pretty new on DB and this audition will be mostly on DB.

So the question is, what’s the best way to approach this audition? Should I just say up front that I’m probably outclassed by them and don’t have a lot of experience on DB or should I go in and give it my best shot and keep my mouth shut? It might not be painfully obvious that I’m a beginner because a most of their songs are sort of rock oriented and I can learn a lot of them before hand, so I have a chance of sounding decent, anyhow.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

GirlBass · #2 08-01-2005, 06:04 PM

Just go in there and play your ass off!
If you practice the rock songs enough on the DB before you get in there, you'll be fine, especially if you have 20+ years on EB.
If you tell them "I'm...uh...n-not so good at this big cello thingy..." they're not going to take you as seriously. You'll be fine, just practice as much as you can to learn the DB before you get in there, and have fun

Good luck and tell us how it goes!

Ed Fuqua · #3 08-02-2005, 11:48 AM

ELFINMAN - I don't think you are going to have to worry about anyone's reticence to tell you that you ain't making it. If you aren't giving them what they are hearing, it's gonna be "NEXT!"

Just go in and play. Don't try to impress anybody, LISTEN to what's going on and play what you hear. All anybody wants is for the music to sound good. The way you make progress as a musician is to do steady consistent focused work in the shed; there' snothing you can do in the short term that is going to change the way you sound. So let them hear how YOU sound; just be yourself.

Anything you can learn beforehand, as far as repertoire that the band does, is great. But don't get locked into an agenda before hand, you still have to be alive to the moment.

And relax. It's not like you're taking anybody's brain out. the worst that can happen is that they get somebody else for the gig, right? They aren't executing anybody...

elvinstheman · #4 09-28-2005, 07:36 PM

Just an update here - I think, much my amazement, I actually got this gig. I was stunned but they were really into my playing and my original compositions!

Anyhow, thanks for the advice - I used it.