How To Blow Your Audition

[Smallmouth_Bass]

According to my current bandmates of the person who auditioned before me:
- Ask for a lift to and from the audition
- Wear a wig a lie about your age
- Only learn the easiest root-riding eighth note songs

 

[Core Creek]

It confuses me that people think asking about pay is call to lose an audition. Hell, I'm not prepping a damn thing until I know if we are on the same page regarding money. I know a few acts that like to sink all their pay "back into the band". In my experience that is code for band leader takes all the pay. If we are not on the same page about money then charting your music, listening or even reading your set list is a waste of my time.

Ditto… my current band, first phone call before even meeting I asked questions on pay per gig and overall pay for the year. It’s a job and I’m going to find out sooner or later… might as well make sure we’re all on the same page before wasting time traveling anywhere.

 

[Core Creek]

Consider that from the band’s perspective they’re not going to even going to get into discussing money before you convince them you can do the job. You don’t want to waste your time. But neither do they. (See previous comments in earlier posts about ego. )

FWIW, I never once ran into anyone who put the money question up front and didn’t turn out to be a major PITA down the road. Nobody admires a mercenary - or hires one if there’s an alternative. Just sayin’

Why is asking for pay synonymous with being a mercenary?

Current band, it was one of the first questions because they wanted someone for the long haul and I had to decide if it was worth walking away from my other projects and commit to one band. It was definitely worth it, but I’m no longer playing with anyone else.

 

[lordradish]

It confuses me that people think asking about pay is call to lose an audition. Hell, I'm not prepping a damn thing until I know if we are on the same page regarding money. I know a few acts that like to sink all their pay "back into the band". In my experience that is code for band leader takes all the pay. If we are not on the same page about money then charting your music, listening or even reading your set list is a waste of my time.

Exactly. I'm not wasting time on a band that plays for tips, nor, unless it's my freakin' band, am I sinking my pay back into the band. I'm past the teens/dads playing in the garage phase of my musical life. I can't send 'exposure' to my medical bills.

 

[Core Creek]

It’s just not customary to address pay before you’ve established mutual interest in a working relationship. I don’t know how it came to be that way and I can’t say whether it’s right or wrong, but maybe the nature of customs is that they transcend those two points.

Now I’ll play the other end -

I have played in bands where the guy who owns the PA takes an extra cut. I don’t get that. As someone else said, nobody paid for my rig. Also, in this particular band every player was expected to help pack out the PA, which was a nice one with IEMs, mixers, synchronized lights, etc. It took an hour to strike. I’m giving up a cut AND I have to pack the damn thing out?

I find it’s not customary to ask about pay upfront for bands operating at a non-working or weekend warrior level.

For people making a living dong this, my experience is pay is definitely discussed up front. It can go both ways, but what’s customary in your neck of the woods might not be the case in everyone’s neck of the woods.

 

[Core Creek]

How am I supposed to gauge my interest in a potential music BUSINESS relationship without addressing the business? Why would I waste my and their time with an audition when there could be a fundamental difference that could preclude us being able to work together. The only time I've seen people balk at talking about business is when they are playing for a hobby and expecting free labor. Doesn't compute.

Amen….

 

[Core Creek]

I don't audition anymore. Anyone who calls me already knows my work.

Bands that fail MY audition......did not hear from them after several days of them contacting me. Did not promptly supply me with a set or songlist after asking for one. Get to rehearsal spot and find out several cats can't make it. Not knowing the songs THEY gave me to learn. Endless rehearsing with no gigs in sight!

Buh Bye!!

Don’t get me started on bands not learning the very songs they ask you to learn…. I played with a band for a few months this summer, I’d drive over an hour each way for rehearsals only to find the BL didn’t learn the songs!! I didn’t last much longer after that.

 

[VeryTallBassist]

I once had a keyboard player audition and we did a quick 12 bar kinda stretch/warmup with all of us and he excused himself and came back inside with another dude carrying a saxophone. Never even got to any of the songs we gave him to learn. “This is Louie, he wants to be in the band too”.

To think that in this day and age people still think sax without consent is ok....

 

[DrayMiles]

If you're a better musician than the guitarist/singer. Even if all you did was plug in and play a scale to test the volume. The fear you can create in folks when they know you have the ability, whether you use it or not.

 

[lordradish]

The only time I've seen people balk at talking about business is when they are playing for a hobby and expecting free labor. Doesn't compute.

This X 1000. If you're a pro or even a semi-pro, it's important to get this stuff outa the way. It's not like being in some sorta dadband.

 

[lordradish]

Drummers-'I like to do quaaludes, lock myself in a hot garage and pound away'.
Another guy had a snare with clowns and horsies on it, then told us all about how Bill Bruford would do it.

Quaaludes? Was this the 70's?

 

[lordradish]

#Dadbands

THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE AS A MIDDLE-AGED DUDE. The seventh level of hell.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

As discussed previously - expose your foot fetish as you hit on the female singer.

Who told you about me?

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

Show up drunk or stoned.

Who wouldn't?

 

[Ekulati]

True story: played in a Clapton tribute band for six years. At one point auditioned for second guitarist. Dude comes in with attitude all over the place and while setting up mentions he knows a lot of tunes by Eric "Craptone."

 

[logdrum]

In the last three years I've been passed on twice because I'm gay. I guess to some people that somehow effects the music in an undesirable way.

Well their loss. It is surprising how much of the population is still stuck. Women's rights in certain locales have regressed. I do not know what's next and I dread to think about it. But I'll stop now before getting an infraction.

 

[richntiff]

Every time one of these threads pops up I can’t help but think that about 1/2 of the respondents wouldn’t have a shot in heck at getting into any band of mine, regardless of how good a player they are.

Also - and not necessarily related to my first point: the PA benefits the entire band. Full stop.

 

[stretch80]

Had a guy show for an audition for a jazz-funk band (horns, hammond, doing for example Galactic, Headhunters, Poncho Sanchez, etc.) he had a huge pedal board and a LOUD Van Halen style tone, and while he could play the parts the rest of the band couldn't be heard over the insane GUITAR. Wow. I can still hear that in my nightmares. The good news is the next week a truly amazing player and future friend showed up. That band no longer exists, but the friendships do.

 

[Pocket Dave]

Every time one of these threads pops up I can’t help but think that about 1/2 of the respondents wouldn’t have a shot in heck at getting into any band of mine, regardless of how good a player they are.

Also - and not necessarily related to my first point: the PA benefits the entire band. Full stop.

So does my bass and amp. Full stop.

BTW what WAS your first point, other than you don't agree with 50% of these responses?

Which 50%?

 

[gustobassman]

I prefer to audition 1 new musician at a time.

I prefer to audition that way too.

This was for a touring tribute act, the main core group has regional "players" located all over the US. It was more or less a live audition - faced with "we're playing at ___, at 'X' time, be ready", lol. Is what it is..