Auditions, How To Weed Out Flakes

[bluewine]

There have been several threads about auditioning recently.

I thought it would be productive to examine an ad.

More than likely we all will see and interpret the ad differently.

The purpose of my thread is to help guys new to auditioning weed out bogus opportunities

Here's a fictional ad where I have placed a number of red flags;

• Established band looking for a new bass guitar player.

• We have been playing originals for about 4 years, and have decided to change over to - Current Rock/Alternative covers. Anything from Lady Ga Ga to the Black Keys

• We want to have fun and make some money

• We are all in our mid 30's.

• Practice twice a week.

Share your opinion, what type of opportunity is this?

Look at each bullet point. What "red flags" do you see.

Blue

[mjac28]

I have never auditioned so this is helpful because I don't see anything except I wouldn't put Lady Ga Ga or the Black Keys as Current Rock/Alternative I must be a sucker

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by mjac28

I have never auditioned so this is helpful because I don't see anything except I wouldn't put Lady Ga Ga or the Black Keys as Current Rock/Alternative

Nice job!

That's one if the red flags to look out for. Genre combinations that don't make sense.

Blue

[klokker]

Practice twice a week? No fricken way!

[mjac28]

Sweet !!! what do I win a new Fodera?

[mjac28]

Twice a week is that bad?

[fdeck]

BK7?

[bass81800]

Prefer to call band practices 'rehearsals' and what you do at home in the shed practice. If you are doing your homework in the shed, there is no reason to practice twice a week. Besides, I cannot imagine a band of mid 30's all being able to get together twice a week. But, again, as the ad makes perfectly unclear, is this for fun or money? The focus has to be more on one than the other. I would be passing this ad by.

[Barca_bass]

I'll play...
Perhaps the emphasis on age? Who cares how old you are, as long as you get along and can keep up

Unsure on the first one. Maybe the phrase "new bass guitar player" along with them claiming to be an established band? Experience bassist would probably be a better choice of words

How'd I do?

[Nev375]

Twice a week isn't a red flag to me if the band is wanting to get up to speed fast and cover a large amount of material as well as really get to know the new member.

As the norm of an established working cover band, yeah that's excessive.

[NYCbassist]

I guess I'd want to know where the Old bass player is. Especially and why the change from originals to covers. Maybe the former Bass player was the driving force of the original songs and dumped these 30 year olds for some new/better talent.

[mjac28]

"We are all in our mid 30's." For me that would be a red flag because I'm older than that and I wouldn't' want to be the "old" guy.

[mjac28]

Originally Posted by fdeck

BK7?

LOL I edited that out I had Burger King on my mind

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by klokker

Practice twice a week? No fricken way!

That was another red flag, needless rehearsals.

Blue

[Winfred]

Well, all of those bullets are bad. That's a start up band that doesn't know what or where they're gonna play. No experience playing covers, and probably no idea how (or where) to book a cover band.

If they were really an established originals band, they wouldn't want to become a cover band.

I would call that type of band "directionless". They could be salvaged, if everyone is willing to do the work, but it's definitely a start-up project. Lots of trial and error and learning.

[mjac28]

"We have been playing originals for about 4 years, and have decided to change over" What happens if playing covers doesn't work out do we now go back to originals and since I'm new will I have an input for the new songs?.

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by Barca_bass

I'll play...
Perhaps the emphasis on age? Who cares how old you are, as long as you get along and can keep up

Unsure on the first one. Maybe the phrase "new bass guitar player" along with them claiming to be an established band? Experience bassist would probably be a better choice of words

How'd I do?

Established bands usually will qualify who they are and in some cases will have something in the ad like " Check out our web site"

You would think guys in their 30s would craft a better ad.

Blue

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by Nev375

Twice a week isn't a red flag to me if the band is wanting to get up to speed fast and cover a large amount of material as well as really get to know the new member.

As the norm of an established working cover band, yeah that's excessive.

I was looking at it from an established cover band model where twice a week is excessive usually unheard of.

Blue

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by Winfred

Well, all of those bullets are bad. That's a start up band that doesn't know what or where they're gonna play. No experience playing covers, and probably no idea how (or where) to book a cover band.

If they were really an established originals band, they wouldn't want to become a cover band.

I would call that type of band "directionless". They could be salvaged, if everyone is willing to do the work, but it's definitely a start-up project. Lots of trial and error and learning.

That's pretty much it, directionless.

Blue

[jive1]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Established bands usually will qualify who they are and in some cases will have something in the ad like " Check out our web site"

No they won't. They wouldn't want to jeapordize future gigs with an agency or venue if word got out they were out a member.