Tell me your bass tryout stories

[jazzbill]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is this. After the audition follow up with an email or phone call to thank them for the opportunity and let them know you are still interested in the gig (if you are).

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by jazzbill

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is this. After the audition follow up with an email or phone call to thank them for the opportunity and let them know you are still interested in the gig (if you are).

+1

[klokker]

I think auditioning for a band is fun. You never really know what you're in for or the kind of people you meet. I've found myself in a basement with a few amps and a room with a $100,000 sound board. Guys that can't play and stuff that sounds great from the word go.

It's really interesting to see how that first song will go. I'd audition every week if I had time.

[James Mobius]

a lot of good advice here. this stuff takes me back, I don't audition for people anymore, I have my own band, if people want to work with me, I'm auditioning them. but I recall some interesting learning experiences from auditions, once I auditioned for a prog band, they were also trying out drummers, by chance, the drummer who was auditioning with me, was one I'd worked with before! on a music video, (I was at Berklee at the time) so we clicked well, but I didn't get a call back. no idea why, I thought we all sounded great together. perhaps they were flakes.

one cat I auditioned for, had a really happening funk thing going on, big time connections, it seemed really promising financially, and reasonably enjoyable music, I went over to get a tape, yes a tape, 1990, and the guy wasn't there, we'd met before and talked, a few more failed attempts to get together and I gave up, he was just too disorganised and flakey. his band did well for a little while, and the band I did join that year did a show with them, their bassist had auditioned for the band I was in as well, ironically, Boston's a small town I guess. eventually they fell apart.

I used to have a problem of people hearing me play, being impressed with my chops and wanting to work with me, then telling me I was playing too many notes. but that was my thing! eventually I learned to put my ego aside, and play less when the song and style call for it, and started my own band so I can play as many goddamn notes as I want.

when I moved to Japan around 1989/90 for half a year, my band took out an ad to replace me, and the lead guitarist decided to leave as well, they got 10 responses from bassists, and 200 from guitarists, giving you an idea of the ratio. I auditioned for a German musician living in Tokyo, got the gig even though it should have gone to a group of very tight and talented americans, but I think the singer was scared of black people so he offered it to me, and a guy who didn't even own an electric. that went nowhere though.

when I moved from Japan back to Boston, I answered tons of ads looking for bassists but 98% of them were too flaky to get back to me. got into one band, started my own band with my old guitarist, and haven't auditioned for anyone else since.

be on time. be polite and professional, don't say anything you wouldn't say in front of your mother or girlfriend, and remember you are auditioning them as well as them auditioning you.

[Art Araya]

The closest story I have is about the audition that never happened...

My friend was a lead guitarist for Molly Hatchet and he has many friends in the southern rock world. A few years ago Lynyrd Skynyrd had need of a bassist - they asked my friend if he could recommend anyone - he mentioned me to them. I was invited to "audition" for the band. My understanding is that at that level it's basically referral based - that once my friend says "you want this guy", the audition is a formality unless you absolutely blow it.

Unfortunately the opportunity came too many years too late. I'm not in a place where I want to be touring with Skynyrd. But it felt good to be invited.

[Kmonk]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

This always works for me. I view this to be the same as interviewing for a job.
-Be groomed
-Be 15-30 minutes early
-Be prepared
-Be polite
-Listen, and keep any comments to yourself
-Don't use foul language
-If you're practicing at a member's house, note the address, and send them a hand-written thank you card. It may sound "gay", but you have no idea how many doors that simple gesture has opened for me.

HAVE FUN and good luck!

I started my first band with some friends so there wasn't a tryout. Over the past 34 years, I have auditioned for several bands and have been fortunate enough to be asked to join all of them. I turned most of them down. Most have gone very well. In all cases I showed up about 15 minutes early, talked with the band members for about 10 minutes and then played. I got into one original band that was getting ready to tour because the BL told me to learn 2 songs from their cd and I learned every song in the 2 days I had before the audition. He said he was so impressed that I took the time to learn the entire cd that he figured I would be right person for the job.

My advice:

Do everything that bassgod76 suggested and

DO NOT under any circumstance bring alcohol to the audition. Some bands drink and some don't. To many people someone showing up with alcohol is a red flag that they cannot play without drinking and as we all know, alcohol usually causes problems at some point.
Wear something that is neat and comfortable. You don't have to dress like you are going to a business meeting, jeans are fine as long as they are not full of holes and dirty.
Make sure you know the material without having to think about it
Don't panic if you make a mistake
Thank them for the opportunity regardless of how it turns out. Hand written note is a great idea and one that I have done many times. It sets you apart from the other people who will be auditioning.

Most of all, have fun and don't be discouraged if they turn you down. Use it as an opportunity to learn, improve and network.
If you don not get the gig, keep in touch with them. You never know when they may need someone or might know of a band that needs a bass player.

GOOD LUCK!

[39-Bassist]

Everyone here has VERY good points and you just need to listen to EVERYONE of them...you won't go wrong. I add just have FUN with it and enjoy. It is something to look back at and grow.
Now for my experience....I have been in the band I play in for 8yrs now.
I actually new the guitarist for sometime and kept running into him.
I asked if he had anyone yet and he said no. So I ask him for a copy of his bands music and in 2wks learned each song note for note, but with my own style added. The audition went quite well. He said there was another 2 auditions to do yet so I waited and called him back a week later to see how they went. They didn't show...so I asked if they wanted me to come back even if just for them to practice and he said fine. Well 4 weeks of that and no one "decent" showing up, I got the gig...persistence paid off in this opportunity...
Other tryouts I actually had told them no thanks becuase they were drunks and drug addicts, not my thing....hey just wanted to party.
Good Luck and have fun!

[RadioactiveGuy4]

I would say make sure you brush up on your scales and theory as well as being able to play the stuff they give you. When I have had people try out for me I will give them 2 or 3 songs to play and then (as long as those songs go well) I will have them play on something they haven't heard before or I will pick a key and the band will have a jam. I don't want a robot to play bass or guitar that i have to tell them what to play note for note. I want some one who can come in and add some flavor to our music. I also don't want someone who has to be told what fret number on what string to play either.

[brumshine]

Well last night the try out went down, I'll try to sum it up as best as I can but I you have questions just ask.

I showed up to the house 30 minutes early on the nose and met the singer /writer / rhythm player. In few words, he was an odd-ball but a very nice guy. We chatted about music theory, gear and gigs and really jived. Then the drummer showed up, also a really nice guy, solid musician and good listener. After chatting with him we loaded out my 2 OLP basses (4 and 5 string) and my acoustic B200 combo and set up in the basement.

I'm still very nervous about playing at this point. They asked me which of the 2 songs I would like to start with. I picked the most difficult one that I spent the most time on and we we're off. The chorus is a groovy syncopated bass focused part. Between nerves and just not quite being familiar with the part, I boffed it bad. I choked, and couldn't even find the root to drone on to get back to the parts I really knew. Tried the song again with the same results.

The singer didn't sugarcoat his feedback. He said, "what happened? why can't you play that part?" I told him that I'm capable of playing it but I haven't practiced enough to have it down note for note like the recording. The drummer said I was tight and needed to loosen up a bit (probably because of neves) Ok, on to the next song.

Next song was a repeat of the first, played the simple parts well. I felt like I locked in with the drummer but really blew the chorus. Here's a link to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-FG5M8VctA

After that, same feedback, same response. I needed more practice to get the groove down.

Even after struggling through those 2 songs the singer wanted to throw some new material at me and see how I could hang. I felt pretty good about this stuff, I stayed in the pocket and felt like I started catching on pretty quickly.

It was time to call it a night, I thanked the drummer and the singer for the opportunity and the singer said that they had a few other tryouts lined up. He also said that if I wanted to practice the two songs again and have a re-tryout in a few weeks that he said that would be OK. He said that if someone came in and played the 2 songs I worked on perfect, that it would be a done deal. The other songs they play are much less challenging than those 2.

It looks like I still have a chance if I want to make it happen. I plan on spending a few nights with the songs to see if I can get them down note for note so I don't even have to think when playing, then asking for a re-tryout. All and all this was a good experience for me. I think future audtions will be much much better now that I know what to expect.

Thanks,
BRUMSHINE

[ssabass]

Well, you got it done! It was a great learning experience either way, as long as you actually take a lesson from this . Continue to work on those tunes, with a metronome or drum machine, slower than the performance tempo for a while- then take it up- until you can play it at speed or faster. You will find that nerves will get in your way unless you can focus enough on the moment (think ahead to those hard parts) and find a technique to relax and get in the zone. Remember, if you get the gig- and then face an audience, you have the band and its fans counting on you to keep it together and have it nailed. You can practice relaxation techniques and work on mentally staying farther ahead in the tune to be prepared to shift into the harder parts.
Best of luck, and keep it up!

[bluewine]

If you didn't know the songs inside out I think you would have been better off rescheduling.

It sounds like it was a good learning experience.

Auditioning is serious business you really want to leave an audition with one thought.

" I was flawless, I completely nailed all the songs. If I don't get the gig it won't be due to my playing"

Blue

[BayStateBass]

Well, one of the things that I've found in doing cover music is that bands very rarely reproduce the exact song unless they are tribute bands. It always seems to have a particular "flavor" that is the result of the performers.

So when you are dealing with a cover band you might be faced with adapting to their particular "nuances" in a song, whether it be an "introduced" solo, key change, tempo, phrasing, or whatever. So, with that being said, it can be difficult to "nail" songs on a tryout when you have no background of what this group does. So, depending on the group, you might not be "spot-on" by their standards. But if you can follow along as adapt quickly it means a lot.

Don't worry too much about it, it's all part of the learning experience. If you don't get this one, keep trying and practicing, sooner or later you'll find a good match.

Now you have an idea what to expect, and you didn't before.

So don't get down on yourself. Just learn from it!

Each disappointment in life is an opportunity to better ourselves.

[Mattosaur]

I'm a bit surprised by all the advice to show up 15-30 minutes early. To me, that isn't showing that you're on top of things--it's telling me you don't know how to show up on time.

At my day job, when people get their more than 10 minutes early for an interview, we notice and it's a mark against you. Think of it like this: as a bass player, you need to arrive right on the 1. Not on the 3 of the measure before. It's not a big deal with auditions, but it's something. I'd be a bit put off if someone showed up 30 minutes before I expected them if I had other plans for those 30 minutes.

[gard0300]

I feel I am an average bass player... Not great .... Not horrible. But I've been offered every gig so far. I'm very realistic in my auditions. I don't try out for the next Rush or Dream Theatre, just straight up rock n roll and some metal bands. But like many have said:

1. Show up on time
2. Dress the part
3. Bring just enough equipment
4. Learn the material inside and out. Know what key it's in. Learn a few cute turnarounds or little fills you can throw in sparingly. Be careful here, DO NOT overplay the song)
5. Make eye contact
6. Help with background vocals. ( This can get you a lot more opportunities )
7. Keep it short and simple. Don't overstay your welcome, unless asked to.
8. Be confident and show some stage presence.
9. Most important thing..... Have fun!!!! It's music not taxes.

Good luck...I'm going back to being average.... Possibly below average.

[Stumbo]

A few previous TB links on the topic you may want to check out:
~Auditioning
1 For new band-what to do or not to do
2
Questions to ask before auditioning or joining a new band.

~Auditioning stories and humor
Getting back in the game
Red flag stories
Hilarious/Bizarre audition stories
"Never got to audition"
Audition didn't go as planned


Also check out my >500 links below that has a section on "Being in a Band".

Good luck.

PS. I suggest using "audition" instead of "tryout" to describe the process.

[Stumbo]

Even if you don't go back for a second audition, I'd learn the more difficult parts on my own as this situation will come up again in future auditions. Seems like you underestimated how well you learned those parts and how much time you needed on them.

If you can learn them ASAP with some heavy wood shedding over the next couple of days and call them back to reschedule, that may give you the best second shot.

[Tony Flow MMMM]

Originally Posted by Mattosaur

I'm a bit surprised by all the advice to show up 15-30 minutes early. To me, that isn't showing that you're on top of things--it's telling me you don't know how to show up on time.

At my day job, when people get their more than 10 minutes early for an interview, we notice and it's a mark against you. Think of it like this: as a bass player, you need to arrive right on the 1. Not on the 3 of the measure before. It's not a big deal with auditions, but it's something. I'd be a bit put off if someone showed up 30 minutes before I expected them if I had other plans for those 30 minutes.

Wow... I officially believe there are no common rules in business anymore, just show up and **** on the desk because that might be exactly what their looking for. But you'd never know because some people have their heads so far up their own butts. Companies won't hire you if you show up early wont hire you if you show up on time, won't hire you if you had more than 3 jobs over 6 years and won't hire you if you only had 1 job for 6 years.

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by gard0300

I feel I am an average bass player... Not great .... Not horrible. But I've been offered every gig so far. I'm very realistic in my auditions. I don't try out for the next Rush or Dream Theatre, just straight up rock n roll and some metal bands. But like many have said:

1. Show up on time
2. Dress the part
3. Bring just enough equipment
4. Learn the material inside and out. Know what key it's in. Learn a few cute turnarounds or little fills you can throw in sparingly. Be careful here, DO NOT overplay the song)
5. Make eye contact
6. Help with background vocals. ( This can get you a lot more opportunities )
7. Keep it short and simple. Don't overstay your welcome, unless asked to.
8. Be confident and show some stage presence.

9. Most important thing..... Have fun!!!! It's music not taxes.

Good luck...I'm going back to being average.... Possibly below average.

I have to disagree with #9, everything is not about having fun. For new players. Auditioning is about serious preparation executing material flawlessly and winning.

blue

[bassbully]

Originally Posted by bluewine

If you didn't know the songs inside out I think you would have been better off rescheduling.

It sounds like it was a good learning experience.

Auditioning is serious business you really want to leave an audition with one thought.

" I was flawless, I completely nailed all the songs. If I don't get the gig it won't be due to my playing"

Blue

Ok, so you nailed the gig you played perfect but how was your attitude, appearance, equipment? Did you ask too many questions or not enough? Did you act like you are not interested or were you to interested and pushy?

Those factor's can play as big of a role as your playing. In my experiences with bands I have been in the guys who got the jobs were not always the best players they were good but they allot of the other things you need beside being a good player.

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by bassbully

Ok, so you nailed the gig you played perfect but how was your attitude, appearance, equipment? Did you ask too many questions or not enough? Did you act like you are not interested or were you to interested and pushy?

Those factor's can play as big of a role as your playing. In my experiences with bands I have been in the guys who got the jobs were not always the best players they were good but they allot of the other things you need beside being a good player.

I agree, you really have to convey in some way that you know how to be in a band which includes all the things you mentioned.

You can't nail the parts and come off like a "goof ball".

Blue