Did they at least tell you what they tuned to? Standard, Flat, D? That would make things easier lol.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Advice:How to join an existing "original" band
- Thread starter Gaetano Paul
- Start date
Use your ears, man.
Exactly. I'll say it once again: Forget the tab. Tab is for rookies.
Either write out some charts for yourself to help you learn the material (but don't bring them to the jam/audition), or just memorize the material beforehand. Don't worry about being perfect - they aren't expecting it. They're far more interested in your ability to improvise, groove and create - or at least they should be.
The fact that the material on the recordings is still in rough shape means that relatively little of it is carved in stone as of yet. If you're the right man for the job, you should already understand what this means: Opportunity. Opportunity for you to step up, to show how tastefully and appropriately you can add to their sound, to put your own musical stamp on it.
MM
No nothing,
and the recordings are with as bass player doing what I dont want to, fumbling around in the dark out of key 50% of the time. This alone makes trying to learn from the recording even tougher.The best players learn the fastest? I thought the best players practiced the most?
- Jul 7, 2010
- 3,383
- 2,311
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist for: Duncan Pickups; Line6, Hipshot, GHS Strings, Somnium Guitars
+2 to dukaruk
You have to make them feel their music is something you like and do something that makes them feel confident they want to have you.
You have to make them feel their music is something you like and do something that makes them feel confident they want to have you.
I'd just try to figure them out and if you can't figure out a part then ask if they'll tab it out for you.
The best players learn the fastest? I thought the best players practiced the most?
Sorry about my first post being rather harsh. I didn't mean to insult you. I just wanted to stress a few things.
As people have told you, forget tabs.
I recently joined an establish originals band. I had a week to prepare four songs for the audition: one of the songs had no previously written bass part. I was given recordings of these songs. Half of them were just guitar tracks without drums or vocals, either. I learned them in a week easily. Use your ears to guide you, and rely on your pentatonic and major scales. You don't need to have these down note for note: if you do well enough, then you can clarify exactly which notes you're missing later. What's more important during the audition are things like how adaptable you are, and how well you recover from mistakes. If you get lost on complicated parts, the best thing you can do is pound away on the root, rather than playing random notes hoping they're right.
It turned out that in the bass line I wrote for the one song, I had chosen to play 3rds and 7ths instead of roots during a part where the guitar player was also playing rootless chords. It sounded alright for the audition, and it was in key, but in later practices we decided it would be better for the root to be present in that spot.
You should go to the audition if only to find out where your ear/improv skills are at. You may surprise yourself with your skills
Thanks for the engorgement RANDALL
This is a great point. And its also real important to point out how you react to your mistakes is more important than what your mistakes are sometimes. Mistakes + Optimism = win. Mistakes + Pessimism = fail.
Also, its really important to gauge what sort of song style the group writes in. Are the songs careful arrangements where each members role and note selection is carefully planned and executed? If so, chances are they band communicates well during practice about what they want people to do during a particular song, and can probably help you a lot in writing your part. Or are they a more song based style where the basic structure of the song is laid out, and there are certain parts where your expected to play something specific, but what you do at any moment is up to you. Then you just gotta learn the structure of the song and support it. Or it could be a much more communal Jam sort of thing, where its more about communicating musically and reacting to what people are doing. In that case, just hang on and have a good time, and listen to the energy of the musicians around you. You might end up changing the whole nature of the song and they might love it!
Either way, DO IT. Even if it doesn't work out, chances are it'll be a great time.
Hey guys, I just got off the phone with the guitar player. He was really humble and opened. He basically seemed a little embarrassed that he did not even know what keys these songs were in. Anyways, he is going to chart out the songs and such, so this is going to be great! I feel good about it. THanks for all the advice.
My approach when auditioning for original bands is NOT to listen to any recordings of the songs, unless the band insists that I play the previous bass player's lines. I'm much rather play what I feel is correct for the song than play someone else's idea.
So you just walk in, plug in, and start palying songs you have never heard before? I cant see how that would sound good? :scowl: Perhaps I am just to "trained" musically? This is a total new mind set for me though.
All very true. Being a bassist in particular, you have an opportunity to shape and direct the flow of the music as no other single musician does. It is in the very nature of the bass, existing as it does at the lowest (literally!) common denominator of melody, harmony & rhythm. Think about it...
If they were serious about their use of the term "jam", then that's what you should plan to do. In which case, consider the rough recordings of their material as merely an approximate starting place.
Absolutely. There is a real power and magic in approaching a new project as a virtual blank slate, with a fresh pair of ears. The very first part that you instinctively conceive for a particular song, upon first listen of a demo, is often the best one. This is what it means to really create - not just to parrot another player's parts or playing style...
MM
Great advice here, all of it. I can see this is going to be a whole new chapter for you, which is cool. My 0.02? I think you should go for it, trust in your abilities, even if you decide the project is not for you. If you like the material and you think you could work with it, why not give it a shot? Whats the worst that can happen? You and the band may agree that its not the right fit. But through this experience you might realize that you have the ability to get there with the right band. The band members will be looking for potential in the audition, not a finished performance. Theyll want to hear that youve got the feel of their material and that you can fill out the bottom end. If they werent happy with their previous bassist they will likely be very interested to hear what youd like to do with their songs. And we all know that the right bass line can transform an otherwise average song into a great one.
As a song writer and leader of an original band, and I gotta tell ya, there aint no tabs, my friend. Im afraid Mosess initial post is the truth. So, yes, this is what you can expect when working with original bands. Some bands may take the time to chart their material, but many dont bother. (IME, seasoned cover musicians dont use them, either. They lift songs by ear.) Our band currently has a sets worth of original material completed and not one note of it is written down anywhere, except the lyrics. We record everything and the best of those recordings are provided to prospective musicians for audition purposes. But I sure wouldnt be expecting someone to learn 9 of our songs for an audition. When we hold auditions, we pick 4 tunes. That is more than enough for us to get a sense of a prospective musicians abilities, and its enough for them to get a sense of our style and direction. So if youre able to get in touch with the band, Id ask them to pick 3 or 4 tunes so that you can spend some time listening to them and work out some preliminary bass lines. This is how we would set it up if we were auditioning a bass player. And yes, we would expect that youve taken some time with the selected tunes and have at least a basic idea of what you want to do with them. Or maybe you can select a few songs you like from what theyve given you and let them know youd like to work on those for the audition (in fact, that might be the better option to give you a bit of a comfort zone). I wouldnt worry about getting too fancy. Focus on the feel, locking in with what the drummer is doing, and staying in key to begin with. Remember, this is new material. None of it is carved in stone. You have the opportunity to contribute creatively here, which is what a band like ours looks for when we audition new members.
Do let us know how it goes and best of luck!
As a song writer and leader of an original band, and I gotta tell ya, there aint no tabs, my friend. Im afraid Mosess initial post is the truth. So, yes, this is what you can expect when working with original bands. Some bands may take the time to chart their material, but many dont bother. (IME, seasoned cover musicians dont use them, either. They lift songs by ear.) Our band currently has a sets worth of original material completed and not one note of it is written down anywhere, except the lyrics. We record everything and the best of those recordings are provided to prospective musicians for audition purposes. But I sure wouldnt be expecting someone to learn 9 of our songs for an audition. When we hold auditions, we pick 4 tunes. That is more than enough for us to get a sense of a prospective musicians abilities, and its enough for them to get a sense of our style and direction. So if youre able to get in touch with the band, Id ask them to pick 3 or 4 tunes so that you can spend some time listening to them and work out some preliminary bass lines. This is how we would set it up if we were auditioning a bass player. And yes, we would expect that youve taken some time with the selected tunes and have at least a basic idea of what you want to do with them. Or maybe you can select a few songs you like from what theyve given you and let them know youd like to work on those for the audition (in fact, that might be the better option to give you a bit of a comfort zone). I wouldnt worry about getting too fancy. Focus on the feel, locking in with what the drummer is doing, and staying in key to begin with. Remember, this is new material. None of it is carved in stone. You have the opportunity to contribute creatively here, which is what a band like ours looks for when we audition new members.
Do let us know how it goes and best of luck!
I walk in and setup. Ask them to play the song, from which I grab the key and some basic arrangement. Play the song through with them, holding mostly to the root and locking in detail of the arrangement. Play song again, adding arpeggios and fills where appropriate. Play song again, adding harmony vocals if appropriate. Move on to next song.
