In some parts that's a plus, not a minus. Not mine, it ultimately depends on how good they play but most of the pros I play with tend to have better gear.
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How To Blow Your Audition
- Thread starter brianrost
- Start date
He managed to put a volume knob on the acoustic drums?
Yes, he did. The volume knob was on the PA. Except in the smallest venues, Drummy was always mic'd. Bill was a drummer himself (blow your mind maybe?) and, oddly enough, knew how to talk to Drummy about using bundles, etc. And as long as we're on the subject, he'd been some kind of global troubleshooter for Verizon. If you wanted to know how to get an Indonesian blowpipe through Moscow customs in a hurry, he was your man.
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Tell everyone that they are playing the music wrong and giving a music lesson . Playing on great/expensive gear and sucking , out of tune , playing too loud and bragging about your famous friends/people you have jammed with .
I was just reminded of one. My main group get together once a week just to make some good music in my studio and occasionally we'll agree to a gig to scratch that itch.... more for the others than me.
Our violinist/vocalist moved towns and so we were looking for someone who could play an instrument and sing. Don't have to be brilliant, just decent and get on with everyone.
Unless there is a gig coming up we're happy to play any song and see what happens.
Anyway, a guitarist/singer came along and we ran through one of the songs we know well which is a three chord wonder and he did OK. He then proceeded to name a song and just launch into it expecting us all to follow which we were able to do on the first couple. On the third song, which I know really well, he kept missing a chord on the chorus which really adds some flavour to the song, and when the song finished I mentioned it. He shot back with something along the lines of "I've been playing this song for over 10 years and I think I know how it goes, what makes you such an expert".
I simply responded "well, it's easy enough to hear it..... and I worked as a roadie for (the musician that wrote it) and he saw him play it night after night, I think I know how it goes".
Hi reply.... "well, I like the way I play it better". He then named another song and was about to launch into it when our guitarist said "how about we run through one on our set list".
I knew right then that he wouldn't be invited again.
Our violinist/vocalist moved towns and so we were looking for someone who could play an instrument and sing. Don't have to be brilliant, just decent and get on with everyone.
Unless there is a gig coming up we're happy to play any song and see what happens.
Anyway, a guitarist/singer came along and we ran through one of the songs we know well which is a three chord wonder and he did OK. He then proceeded to name a song and just launch into it expecting us all to follow which we were able to do on the first couple. On the third song, which I know really well, he kept missing a chord on the chorus which really adds some flavour to the song, and when the song finished I mentioned it. He shot back with something along the lines of "I've been playing this song for over 10 years and I think I know how it goes, what makes you such an expert".
I simply responded "well, it's easy enough to hear it..... and I worked as a roadie for (the musician that wrote it) and he saw him play it night after night, I think I know how it goes".
Hi reply.... "well, I like the way I play it better". He then named another song and was about to launch into it when our guitarist said "how about we run through one on our set list".
I knew right then that he wouldn't be invited again.
The way I used to be wired to respond to a "what makes you such an expert?" kind of wildly inappropriate reaction from an auditionee would've been to say,
"Uh, hold that thought for a minute while we confer amongst ourselves?"
Then I would have pulled the guys aside and said something like, "Can we all agree this guy's not going to fit in?" and if someone was on the fence, bullet point a quick 10-second case for showing this knucklehead the door.
Actually, I'd probably still do that. What's changed is, these days, I probably wouldn't follow that with, "Can I be the one to tell him? Please? Please let me be the one to tell him."
It can totally happen. I have a couple of modern Kustom heads that can light up a place.
“I’m sorry I’m late, I got here as soon as I wanted to.”
If it’s originals, show up with “improved” arrangements of their material.
