Auditions

[Bass Viking]

Man, I would be very hesitant to leave my amp behind for others to audition on. I would be afraid I 'd never see my amp again.

Also, you’d think it would be in the band’s best interest to see what kind of rig the auditionee has. If he even has a rig.

 

[Al Rivera]

Funny you should ask this as we auditioned a new guitar player last night at rehearsal. One of ours had to bow out due to medical reasons. We gave him a list of 6 songs to learn a week ago. Plus, the BL gave him a couple of set lists to get a flavor for what we did overall. FYI, if you will.

He brought a weird rig set-up, more of a PA than anything else, no tuner, played out of tune all night and literally did not know one song all the way through from the list we sent him. Kept asking if we knew this song or that song from a list he had. Then he would fumble around for a bit.

To make matters worse, the BL asked me to give him a ride to rehearsal. On the ride home he kept asking how he did and musing about needing an image, preferably with a hat, and a sound. He felt he needed to find both. I told him to wear Alice Cooper make-up with a top hat. From there talk, his talk descended into Covid conspiracy theories.

Do the exact opposite of everything this fellow did and you should have a good path.

P.S. I did know this fellow from 20 years ago so that is why I agreed to give him a ride. That's the new band rule tho.... no more rides until after the first rehearsal. haha

P.S.S. The BL apologized to me today for asking me to transport him to rehearsal. All good.

He did the opposite of what a successful musician would do....the world is full of these types unfortunately.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

I went to an audition once (here, in Pennsylvania) about seven years ago.

My ad. said: " ... if you (they) want me to play bass, you (they) want me to sing, too. If I'm playing the bass, I have to sing."

Two days later, I got a call.

"Hey I saw your ad. we'd like you to come in and see if we gel ..."

"Oh! How many guitars (that's important to me)?"

"Two."

"Do you guys object to tuning down, if I'm having trouble singing certain notes?"

"I'm the singer."

(So clearly, he read the ad. past the "headline" LOL)

So, they want me to show up that night (roughly six hours).

"I can't do that. I don't have a song list."

"Nah. Don't worry about that. You'll figure it out."

Things are going great so far, no?

I get there. The guitar player (No.1) and drummer are father/son. Nice guys. The singer shows up, five minutes late, and has that smell alcoholics all get where the stink is oozing out of their pores and no amount of showering will help. Personal hygiene is not their issue. So, I'm literally fighting to not throw up, every time the guy comes near me.

He finished a six pack (cans) before the other guitar player even showed up.

I look at the list. Ten songs - three of which I have literally NEVER heard. The rest? Yeah. I've heard them (but usually turned the dial, when they came on)

We start doing a couple of things. The other guitar player (No. 2) is 45 minutes late, stinking of freshly-smoked weed.

He's playing a Les Paul style guitar. So, his G string is perpetually out of tune. His timing should be pronounced: Thai-Ming.

At one point, he's having trouble getting a riff. We stop and listen to the recording. Everyone's talking about what they hear and I say something like: "That's a pretty simple Em riff."

He says: "What do you know? You're just a bass player."

I look at No. 1, asking with my eyes to grab his guitar. He nods. I pick up his guitar and play the riff (almost flawlessly).

You could have fried an egg on No. 2's forehead.

Later on, they want to do one of the songs I've never heard. Sure. What the heck. I'll try to pick it up.

No. 2 is still out of tune. We stop mid-tune and I say: "I'm sorry. I'm just not able to get it (I didn't mention it was partially because of No.2)

No. 2 says: "It's G - D - G - Em - G. Can you handle that?"

I started breaking down and packing my gear. No. 2 inquires what I'm doing. I say: "I'm gonna go home and practice G - D - G - Em - G and I'll get back to you."

Sure enough, two days later, No. 1 calls and tells me they fired No. 2 and would I like to come back down.

"Oh! So I can play the guitar."

"No. We want you on the bass."

That was how I knew the audition was fine on my end.

 

[Charlie Tuna]

Never heard from them again, never saw them out.

Classic!

 

[ChrisB2]

That was how I knew the audition was fine on my end.

AND?!? You can't leave that story there like that!

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

AND?!? You can't leave that story there like that!

Sorry. I didn't know I'd left you hanging.

Because of their preferred song choices and that stink, wafting off the singer, I took a pass.

 

[Snarf]

Hi all,

I never successfully auditioned for a band before. I currently play in my church's praise team, but I didn't have to audition to join. I unsuccessfully auditioned for a band when I was ultra new to bass about 30 years ago, but bombed due to not knowing crap about anything. Since then I've learned a lot songs and tuned my ear well enough to pick out the bass lines and know what notes are being played, but I have never taken time to learn to read notes, memorize all the scales, and the like.

Basically my question is, what are the paces you've been put through when applying/auditioning for a band as a bass player? Do people expect you to know all your scales, know triads, be able to read notes, or are most bands more interested if you can pick up and play songs to cover easily, and are generally more content with that?

I'm asking because I have been pondering on trying out for a rock/pop band vice playing in my church band. I am interested in what your experiences have been; whether, trying out for a band yourself, or putting other musicians through auditions to join your band. - THX!

This is entirely situational. It sounds like in your case, you will just need to know the songs and have good time and be chill.

I've been in situations where a complex piece of music is put in front of me and I have to sight read it with the band as perfectly as I can. I've also done one where the band (with another bass player) plays something, I listen to them play it, and I have to replicate it note for note. One other required me to perfect 8 pieces of music that they provided ahead of time with charts/notation, using double bass (pizz and arco), fretless electric, and 5-string electric (required for the gig).

I don't think you're going to have to deal with any of the crap above.

 

[Wesley R]

Man, I would be very hesitant to leave my amp behind for others to audition on. I would be afraid I 'd never see my amp again.

I did not leave it behind. It was basically observable that I was a bad fit.

 

[Egg250]

Years ago before my tail above. I answered an ad for an original music band. I asked what kind of music it was it be. They say its "original" music and can't describe it, I'll just have to hear it.

So I go by and they are all happy friendly people ready to show me their "original" music. They take off on one of their numbers, telling me if I can pick it up to join in but I probably wont get it, cause it's "original."

So I listen to what they got, it's a blues waltz. I don't know what the lyrics are about but it's blues chord changes in 3/4 time. So, I play along, in key and tempo. Fine no trouble at all. So the next one they show me the chords, it's in a different key but again 1-4-5 changes, so they ask if I need some time to absorb what they just showed me? I say no, lets go! I play it, thought I nailed it. The next one was more blues changes only minor this time. I play it and ask if they need me to play some fixed "original" bass patterns they had or if they were looking for something particular from me to play? They indicated what I was doing was fine but I could sense some tension in the room. We did a few more and called it a night.

Two days later I get the call that it won't work out. I asked if I didn't perform their songs well enough? No that wasn't it, it was they felt I didn't give their "original" songs the reverence they were due. I jumped in and played them without having trouble playing them or holding back in awe, because these were their "original" songs and I was playing them like they were common songs.

I tried to explain to them they were fine songs just that those chords changes are common but that's not to take away from their original melodies and lyrics. I immediately get "What do you mean common chord changes?" Oh no!


I try to explain a 1-4-5 chord change is common in a lot of songs and that is why I was able to jump in and play along. I asked if they preferred me not being able to play along. These are "original" songs I was told and I shouldn't be able to play them that fast. I told them there is nothing wrong with basing original songs on known chord changes, it's done all the time. It seemed at that point the person dealing with me thought differently and rather than belabor the point as if I was trying for the bass chair, I said, that's fine.

But warned them you would have to look far and wide to find a bass player that couldn't recognize 1-4-5 changes and if you did, you may not want to work with them

Maybe it was they felt you were not appropriately impressed by their originals.

 

[logdrum]

Well...

View attachment 5014633

I did ask if they have a chance to listen to other music. They said no, did not want it to influence their "original" music.

I have met folks like that, that have little musical training or understanding and stumble on a chord shape they have never played or heard before and think it's something new and undiscovered.

It seem at the time they were better players than that and had heard those chord changes before. I guess I was wrong.

It was not so bad for me, as after I heard both situations I didn't want to get involved.

How about from Eugene? When we went to Eugene 9 years ago for a Equestrian Vaulting competition with my kids, the Fairy Festival was on. We gave a "fox" and his dog a ride. We did go to the festival briefly. Also before bend saw a guy pushing a cart and found out he was doing that across America. I like Eugene.

 

[ChrisB2]

Sorry. I didn't know I'd left you hanging.

Because of their preferred song choices and that stink, wafting off the singer, I took a pass.

I kind of figured, but just imagine the stories you would be able to tell after that if you had joined... I guess I was hoping?

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

I kind of figured, but just imagine the stories you would be able to tell after that if you had joined... I guess I was hoping?

LOL! I lived through enough mistakes and I'm a writer (of sorts). I could tell stories ...

 

[dbsfgyd1]

i went in thinking it would be really easy. I walked out having barely passed, but with a lot of really good constructive criticism. It was a great experience.

I ended up leaving the army instead of joining the band, but it was a time I can point to and say definitively that I am a good bass player. It’s good for my ego.

My the biggest complement as a bassist was while my son was a small ensemble leader. I asked him if he’d recruit me. He said sure, but we’d have to fix a bunch of stuff..LOL!!!

BTW, this guy below became a sax player in the Army after the movie wrapped up. He was in a band with a couple of guys I went to high school with.

 

[DJ Bebop]

How about from Eugene? When we went to Eugene 9 years ago for a Equestrian Vaulting competition with my kids, the Fairy Festival was on. We gave a "fox" and his dog a ride. We did go to the festival briefly. Also before bend saw a guy pushing a cart and found out he was doing that across America. I like Eugene.

It's state wide!

 

[DJ Bebop]

Maybe it was they felt you were not appropriately impressed by their originals.

That was it.
I did tell them I liked the melodies and lyrics.
It was that old 1-4-5 thing. I can hear it in my sleep. I guess they thought even though that's a common chord progression, I would be so overwhelmed with the originalness of their tunes I would not be able to follow a 1-4-5 chord progression when I heard it.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Sorry I would never ever do that. Back in the day my band use to do this two day fair up in Oyster Bay. The band leader would ask me and the drummer if the other band could use my amp and his drums. For the first few years I said yes but every year it was the same. I would tell the bass play, please before you unplug your bass turn the volume down on the amp. You would think that's simple right? Ever year it was the same, loud pop and guess what, the bass player just pulled the cable out of his bass. After that never again. The band leader came to me one year and said "the bass player showed up with a little practices amp can he use yours?" Nope, too bad maybe he'll learn a lesson.

I was subbing for a band. Learned 3 sets in two weeks. Got to the gig and the bass player I was subbing for was there. He didn't want me to play and wanted to use my gear to play the gig. Nope, homie don't play that. That was the quickest load out I ever did.

 

[pepj]

I was subbing for a band. Learned 3 sets in two weeks. Got to the gig and the bass player I was subbing for was there. He didn't want me to play and wanted to use my gear to play the gig. That was the quickest load out I ever did.

Crazy....
Why was he there and how did the band allow that situation ....
And then the cheek of the guy who 'expected' you to donate gear ...
wth...???

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

I was subbing for a band. Learned 3 sets in two weeks. Got to the gig and the bass player I was subbing for was there. He didn't want me to play and wanted to use my gear to play the gig. Nope, homie don't play that. That was the quickest load out I ever did.

That takes a huge set of ... well ... that's nervey.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Crazy....
Why was he there and how did the band allow that situation ....
And then the cheek of the guy who 'expected' you to donate gear ...
wth...???

He was supposed to be on vacation but came back early.

I was the bands sound man and had played with some of the other guys in another band situation. There was some jealousy on his part I wasn't aware of.

He thought they were going to cancel the gig while he was on vacation, which they were. But I suggest I could play the gig if they still wanted to make it. It was not a big gig, house party but it paid a little money. He heard I was going to sub the gig so he cut his vacation short to rush back to play it.The rest of the band was shocked and understanding when I would not let him use my gear.

He thought I was going to replace him in the band. The thought had never crossed my mind. I was enjoying my sound and recording duties. The music was good just nothing I would want to play all the time.

 

[Pocket Dave]

Subbing sounds interesting. I never thought about that.

I started picking up sub dates in December with a BL who works constantly and is booked through 2024. About 6 weeks ago he called me early one Sunday morning to let me know his regular bassist had tendered his 2 week notice the night before, and he asked me if I wanted the gig full time.

I told him yes, under one condition. That he doesn't call me early Sunday morning ever again.

Seriously, my sub dates were my audition, and we're working steady right now, sometimes 4-in-a-row. This Friday and Saturday we're off for the first time because the BL's out of town at a tournament - he coaches high school pole vaulting - so I filled the dates with another bass and a guitar gig.