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Ahh! Audition! Help!

S

subject42

Jul 14, 2010
173
110
#1
I just got called back about an open bassist position and it looks like I'll be auditioning this Saturday.

The gentleman with whom I spoke seemed extremely dubious about me due to my comparatively young age (20 - 25 year gap), but they're hard up for a bassist, so I have a shot.

The band is focusing on Classic Rock, Motown, and R&B. By Saturday, I need to nail the following songs. I won't be able to pick up my bass until this evening, so right now I'm listening to the songs and taking a look at chord charts for them.

Rolling Stones
It's all over now
It's not easy
Get off of my cloud
Paint it Black

Spencer Davis Group
Keep on Running

Blood Sweat and Tears
I love you more than you'll ever know

Gerry and the Pacemakers
Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying


Other than the obvious answer on "practice a lot", does anyone have any suggestions on how to nail these songs quickly? None of them look terribly hard, but I'd like to maximize my gains for the work that I do.

Additionally, do you have any suggestions on how to handle the age prejudice? I definitely want to put my best foot forward with regard to knowing the music and maintaining a professional image during the audition, but stuff like that isn't always rational.
 
#2
I started out at 18 playing with older musicians. Knowing the songs inside out is a start. Only way to do that is to practice a lot don't know any shortcuts. If there is one I'd like to know it too.

Practice with the songs, but play the songs by yourself too. Another thing I would do is be professional. Punctual and nice. Don't be stiff though, relax. If you get stiff you probably won't go over well.

So I guess in shortened terms, learn songs and stay relaxed. Only way to overcome prejudice is to just do your thing and not let their prejudice slow you down.
 
#3
If they don't like you, can I have the gig?:cool: Just kidding, but I'd love to play that stuff. I'm 61.

Look here, dude, just go in there with those tunes in your pocket and forget about the age thing. Chill out. It'll help them relax, too. Do you like the kind of music they're doing? It's important to know the answer to that. I know young guys who love that stuff. Heh, heh, they think I'm cool because I was there when the songs were new. It's the same way I can appreciate folks who were alive during World War II and who listened to and played big band jazz. The good news is that a lot of that stuff ain't hard to learn. I bet you'll do fine. best of luck, pal.
 
#4
Just chart them out, simply. Practice them as much as possible, then go. Then, be prepared to throw the charts away when the band decides to do tunes that aren't on the list instead. Really.

Honestly, you just have to go for it, and use your ears for the tunes you don't know. It's not easy, but it's not that hard, either.
 
#5
You are right. None of these songs are too hard.

Break it down. Learn the easier ones first,two at a time, at least the basic parts. Then start tackling the songs you feel are a bit tougher one by one. If you put the time in, by Thursday you'll be fine tuning the material and then it's just a matter of repetition to smooth it out and commit the songs to muscle memory.

On audition day, focus on being tight with the drummer and nailing the essential spirit of the songs. Above all, have fun.

Good luck.
 
#6
Oh yeah...and something to remember is that all us old farts still feel your age inside, for the most part. I mean we have aches and pains and different lifestyles, and so on, but, when it comes to playing, we're just like young folks.
 
#9
Russell L said:
Do you like the kind of music they're doing? It's important to know the answer to that.
Click to expand...

I absolutely love older R&B, Motown, and Classic rock music. It's actually what got me into playing the bass a few years ago. Right now I'm playing with a mainstream pop/rock band and it's starting to feel more and more like a job. I'm not a professional musician; I do this for fun. I already have a job.

I'm really excited about this opportunity and I can't wait to really dig into the material tonight.

Russell L said:
I mean we have aches and pains and different lifestyles, and so on, but, when it comes to playing, we're just like young folks.
Click to expand...

That's funny, people who know me say I've been 40 since I was a toddler.
 
#10
subject42 said:
I just got called back about an open bassist position and it looks like I'll be auditioning this Saturday.

The gentleman with whom I spoke seemed extremely dubious about me due to my comparatively young age (20 - 25 year gap), but they're hard up for a bassist, so I have a shot.

The band is focusing on Classic Rock, Motown, and R&B. By Saturday, I need to nail the following songs. I won't be able to pick up my bass until this evening, so right now I'm listening to the songs and taking a look at chord charts for them.

Rolling Stones
It's all over now
It's not easy
Get off of my cloud
Paint it Black

Spencer Davis Group
Keep on Running

Blood Sweat and Tears
I love you more than you'll ever know

Gerry and the Pacemakers
Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying

Additionally, do you have any suggestions on how to handle the age prejudice? I definitely want to put my best foot forward with regard to knowing the music and maintaining a professional image during the audition, but stuff like that isn't always rational.
Click to expand...

We recently had to go another direction from a young guy that actually auditioned pretty well for our band.

The problem was experience, he had never played in a band and his gear was not adequate.

First be able to play those songs flawlessly.

Don't make the mistake of thinking those songs are easy, no matter what these guys tell you, especially the Stones stuff.

If they question your gear, be honest on whether your in a position to upgrade.

I don't know what your level of experience is, so I can't comment

I think they gave you too much audition material. Unless you already know some of them, it would be better to go in and knock 4 out of the park then screw up all 7.

blue
 
#13
bluewine said:
I think they gave you too much audition material. Unless you already know some of them, it would be better to go in and knock 4 out of the park then screw up all 7.
Click to expand...

I agree with blue on this, but I guess that they either want to move forward quickly or want to see how good you are at picking up songs with short notice.

My advice would be to ensure you nail the chord changes and any particular "signature" riffs but don't sweat the details TOO much, unless you have time. Better to play a tad simpler and nail the groove, than be all over the place and all over the time.
 
#14
You will want to be personable but don't do to much talking.

No jokes

No stories

Set up your stuff fast

BTW, you might want to email them before the audition reinforce your interest and you might want to ask why the spot is open, for obvious reasons.
 
#15
90 minutes in and taking a break to cram some food down my gullet and let the fingers on my left hand loosen up a little.

Thanks for the advice folks. Right now I'm making sure that I have the chord changes nailed and getting the fills down piece by piece. Some of Wyman's riffs are deceptively tricky, but I'm confident that I can get them down by Saturday. As far as the Gerry & the Pacemakers song, thank the various gods that I got Ed Friedland's walking bass line book a while back.

Tomorrow I'll probably focus on getting 1 - 2 songs perfect, then add another 1 - 2 each day after that. If I can't get all 7, I should be able to follow EddiePlaysBass's advice and make a good show.

I spoke with the drummer today. The band is actually newly formed and consists of a group of people that have played together in various incarnations in the past, who now want to knock off the rust and start things up again. The only downside is they can't find a bassist with the free time.

Enter me.
 
#17
Them needing to 'knock the rust off' sounds like it's to your advantage. They may not expect all of the material to be note perfect, or perhaps not notice if you don't get a fill just right.

I find just writing out a simple chart for a song I'm not intimately familiar with helps a great deal, and also obviously will help you to remember the changes and fills for each following practice session.

Sometimes I like to add some personal coded fill references to my charts.
Even just an arrow up or down if I have trouble remembering which particular fill ascends or descends, that sort of thing, or fill 1, fill 2, etc. with a separate fill chart written out if need be.

Nail the timing, changes, and signature riffs/fills, and progress as far as you can with the rest in as much time as you can manage.
I also find that if I'm tempted to skip my least favorite song of the selections one day thinking I know it well enough for now, I really need to resist that urge.
 
#18
subject42 said:
I spoke with the drummer today. The band is actually newly formed and consists of a group of people that have played together in various incarnations in the past, who now want to knock off the rust and start things up again. The only downside is they can't find a bassist with the free time.
Click to expand...

Your approach sounds fine, go in there and do your best.

Just a word of caution, I initially thought this was an established working band. Anything can happen at the audition, including members not knowing the material.

This is actually what I would consider a start up project.

Depending on what your looking for ask questions if they show interest in you or after they offer the spot to you.;

  • What is the mission of the band, recording or gigging?

  • Ask if they are auditioning any players that are already friends with any of the members. (they usually get the offer first regardless of skill level or any other criteria) It's screwed up, but anyone who has been around a while know there is some truth to my position.

  • If the focus of the band is gigging, how will bookings work? Will they work with an agency, does someone in the band have contacts or booking experience. When do they expect to start playing out.

  • How long has the rust been on, a year, 2 years, 5 years, 20 years?

blue
 
#20
I auditioned for a "knocking the rust off" band after playing only 5 months, never playing with a band before, really only knowing 4 or 5 songs with any level of mediocrity, and having a 15 year age gap (I'm the baby of the bunch), and got the gig. My BL and the drummer have both been around the music biz for 20+ years and played together here and there along the way. 85% of the stuff we do is classic rock from the 60's, 70's, with some stuff thrown in from other decades.

Secrets to my success:

* Have a good attitude - "I'll figure that out by next week." "If you have an extra hour this week, can we work on this together to nail the ....?"
* Be willing to try the stuff you weren't expecting (and might not know) with a smile and positive approach.
* Be honest about your abilities.

It also helped that I love the music we're playing and that I can laugh at my own flubs and self-correct at least 50% of the time.
 

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