Sure. Quite often asked to play on something I've never heard. Sometimes I ask the guitarist to run through a couple of parts or the drummer for the pattern... Just 30 second worth either way.
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Oh, he can take it alright! He loves the challenge of new stuff, I just have to rein him in the vocals a bit. We have a great working relationship
This pretty well describes my audition tonight.
I had recordings for 2 songs, and a chord chart for a 3rd. Didn't get the material until late Friday, so not really much time. I nailed the 2 I had recordings for, managed the 3rd well. Then we walked through 7 others. Got a skeleton chart before the song, and other changes called out. It was a lot of fun, and very "seat of the pants" playing. Drummer was quite good, which helped a lot.
When I got home I had a text offering me the position. There's a lot of work to do to learn the material. Bring it on!
I had recordings for 2 songs, and a chord chart for a 3rd. Didn't get the material until late Friday, so not really much time. I nailed the 2 I had recordings for, managed the 3rd well. Then we walked through 7 others. Got a skeleton chart before the song, and other changes called out. It was a lot of fun, and very "seat of the pants" playing. Drummer was quite good, which helped a lot.
When I got home I had a text offering me the position. There's a lot of work to do to learn the material. Bring it on!
some musicians can fake their way through a song they don't know. I can't. And I won't. for an audition, I should be told the songs we are going to play together in advance. Anything else is a red flag to me
If the candidate has a bad ear, then that really needs to be sussed out at the audition. The band deserves to know, if the candidate is lacking in this skill. For some bands it won't matter, but for other bands, it matters a lot.
My last audition went well, but they are taking back on the old bassist. That is a bigger aggravation that having to play songs I do not know or rehearsed. I am actually significantly bummed about this. The band seemed to be a good group of people, we clicked well and the original tunes were cool.
For what it's worth I have another audition for an original band this weekend. It will be another little to no prep with songs I have never heard go around. This time I do have charts and demos to work with, but they just contacted me late yesterday.
For what it's worth I have another audition for an original band this weekend. It will be another little to no prep with songs I have never heard go around. This time I do have charts and demos to work with, but they just contacted me late yesterday.
My pet peeve is not only being put on the the spot, but hearing "play us something!", all positive...sooo, I and my Flying V, played them Foghat's " I Just Got To Get To Know You" (it was '73...all the way thru...only to find their a '40s-style banjo wielding straw hat, striped-vest, white pants Lawrence Welk stage act..."iuuummm, I'm sorry, but I don't think you fit our style..."
Does ya t'ink?
Thank you God...I'm still cringing...not my style either...I should've played "12/8 Blues"...
Does ya t'ink?
Thank you God...I'm still cringing...not my style either...I should've played "12/8 Blues"...
Arrrgh!
You’d think they could have worked that out before putting you through the hassle.Pro tip for the next time you get asked "play something!"
Play a song by the band you are auditioning for, that isn't on the list of songs they asked you to learn. If you can find a video on YouTube of the band's live show, do they have a high-energy set opener, or encore song? Learn that (even though they didn't ask you to) and if they ask you to "play something" blow them away by playing one of their own songs. They will be seriously impressed if you tell them "I started learning your set list, so I can hit the ground running if you offer me the job."
Commentary...
This will come as a shock to many, but, there are a lot of crap bands out there!
If you have a time slot at an audition and tracks provided, with people before and after you. This band doesn't have time for it!
I'm just happy when the drummer knows where they're going....
Oddly, in the world of music performance. The band's that seem to suffer from this are predominantly staffed with rockstar guitar players.
I'm in an audition process right now and no one has even plugged in an Instrument yet!
This will come as a shock to many, but, there are a lot of crap bands out there!
If you have a time slot at an audition and tracks provided, with people before and after you. This band doesn't have time for it!
I'm just happy when the drummer knows where they're going....
Oddly, in the world of music performance. The band's that seem to suffer from this are predominantly staffed with rockstar guitar players.
I'm in an audition process right now and no one has even plugged in an Instrument yet!
If jamming out unfamiliar tunes on the fly is part of the gig, I would want to know that well in advance so that nobody would have to waste their time. Improvisation with unfamiliar players is absolutely not part of my musical interests.
I don't audition much but I have been to jams and you get to learn on the fly. The band I just left I always recommended roughing in some songs to see if we liked them, or the singer could do them. The rest of the players could do that, the BL could not and and made it known. (This was obviously with people who already were known to each other). It actually inhibited a lot of progress in the group and one of the many reasons I left.
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
I've auditioned lots and I can't say I ever remember that happening, but if it did, I would do something along the lines of what you said. A simple "Sorry folks, but I have somewhere else I really need to get to," would work also. With an added, "I'll be happy to learn any other songs you want."
Truth be told, I think if you wow people enough with the audition songs they provide, they won't dare do that. Wowwing them for me means knowing the songs upside down, inside out and beyond perfect. No charts or cheat notes, just a feeling of joy to be playing the songs with real musicians. Really nailing the material is something that IME very few musicians do. I've been on the other end of the audition room many times too, and whenever anyone nailed a few songs and played them with confidence, we knew we were in good shape.
Well. I need to network since I have been out of circulation for so long. It was a fun outing so nothing lost.Arrrgh!
Two ways to go about this situation, which is inevitable.
1) Bring a notebook and be prepared to jot down a song structure so you can have a decent shot and following your way thru. Also be prepared with a phone and Bluetooth speaker so you can lookup the song and give it a listen. Also, have a tablet where you can use Ultimate Tabs to look up the chord changes. Be nimble and flexible.
2) Be prepared to turn the tables on them. You show up with printed chord charts for a couple of songs not on their setlist and ask them to give it a shot. Something that let's you rip, like Higher Ground. Or, a finger and time teaser like The Ocean by Zeppelin.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
1) Bring a notebook and be prepared to jot down a song structure so you can have a decent shot and following your way thru. Also be prepared with a phone and Bluetooth speaker so you can lookup the song and give it a listen. Also, have a tablet where you can use Ultimate Tabs to look up the chord changes. Be nimble and flexible.
2) Be prepared to turn the tables on them. You show up with printed chord charts for a couple of songs not on their setlist and ask them to give it a shot. Something that let's you rip, like Higher Ground. Or, a finger and time teaser like The Ocean by Zeppelin.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
- Apr 1, 2000
- 17,402
- 9,834
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Roscoe Guitars, DR Strings, Aguilar Amplification
Except the goose has the gig, and presumably, the gander doesn't. I wouldn't recommend this approach.
That’s assuming they even have a gig. But I see your point. You could make them look like stumbling fools.
Bring a note book with you. If you get asked to play a song you are not familiar with ask for some guidance and make notes, then fake your way through it. No harm in being honest and saying you do not know the song, but will give it a shot with a little guidance.
I know a lot of people are not ok with winging it, but that is how a grew up playing. As a kid I spent many weekends with my dad and his buddies playing bass for them. No charts and a bunch of songs that I never played but also never heard. At first my dad would show me the progression real quick before the song. After a while all I needed was the key. Line of sight to a rhythm players fret hand is nice in case I get lost.
Yesterday I worked though a 2 hour audition of originals on 3 days prep. I got charts and recordings for most of the tunes, but the recording were the songwriter's scratch tracks and none of the charts matched the way they played them. There were a few not included in the info they sent me. I just asked for the rundown of the song before we gave it a go. I will be playing with them on 4-Dec.
I know a lot of people are not ok with winging it, but that is how a grew up playing. As a kid I spent many weekends with my dad and his buddies playing bass for them. No charts and a bunch of songs that I never played but also never heard. At first my dad would show me the progression real quick before the song. After a while all I needed was the key. Line of sight to a rhythm players fret hand is nice in case I get lost.
Yesterday I worked though a 2 hour audition of originals on 3 days prep. I got charts and recordings for most of the tunes, but the recording were the songwriter's scratch tracks and none of the charts matched the way they played them. There were a few not included in the info they sent me. I just asked for the rundown of the song before we gave it a go. I will be playing with them on 4-Dec.
