Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Learn 10 songs for an audition?
- Thread starter JimiLL
- Start date
FWIW... The band I'm in now texted me a picture of their set list... 3 total sets, roughly 30 songs , plus a couple of extra "just in case" songs..
Keep in mind that at the time I hadn't played in almost two years . .. very out of practice ...
They said no worries , see what you can do...
Literally about 30 mins later, the drummer texts and says... "by the way, we have a gig Friday "
IT WAS WEDNESDAY !!
No pressure at all
Still rocked the gig though
Keep in mind that at the time I hadn't played in almost two years . .. very out of practice ...
They said no worries , see what you can do...
Literally about 30 mins later, the drummer texts and says... "by the way, we have a gig Friday "
IT WAS WEDNESDAY !!
No pressure at all
Still rocked the gig though
jive1
Commercial User
It depends on what the songs are and the type of band. If it's standard bar band material, it shouldn't be difficult for an experienced cover band bassist to nail 10 or more songs cold. It's not like I'm going to have to learn 'Don't Stop Believing', 'Brown Eyed Girl', 'Play that Funky Music' or the plethora of overplayed standards. If I'm a busy cover band that doesn't rehearse often, I definitely want a guy who can jump in. I don't care whether it's because they already know the material or can learn it quickly and easily.
I would just take a look at the song list. Usually I can find 10 that I already know, or can learn quickly. And if not, it may not be a good fit.
I would just take a look at the song list. Usually I can find 10 that I already know, or can learn quickly. And if not, it may not be a good fit.
On the other hand...
I never let my audition candidates go through our entire working playlist and cherry pick songs they know or consider easy. I hand them an abbreviated audition playlist of around 12-15 of our more challenging songs that the majority of bass players either don't have the ear or the chops to figure out and play well, and then I ask them to pick around 6-7 off that list.
You can certainly tell if a candidate can play after three songs, but you learn more about a player with each additional song you play together. One reason to go beyond three songs is to get a feel for the musician as a person and performer. What kind of entertainer are they? It will take them a few songs to loosen up and feel more comfortable in a brand new environment. What are they like after that? You can tell if a musician can play after three songs, but you get a better feel for what kind of band mate they might be after 6 or 7.
madbass6
Inactive
- Jan 13, 2009
- 2,428
- 1,295
- Disclosures
- I do not give consent to use any of my photos ! please respect that. thank you.
well in my opinion that depends on the bands set list..
if its a band that plays a variety styles of music like
.latin
jazz
funk
rock
metal
soft rock
etc.
(you get the picture)
10 songs if its on different styles its not to much to ask for!
How ever if its a band that plays only one style of music
Yes !10 songs of the same style is way to much for an audition ! 3 songs should be fine! learn 2 more as a bonus just incase .
One thing I wonder about when I see ads that make demands of potential applicants: Could the band leader/band members meet these requirements? Are they on the same level as the person auditioning? They may talk a good band but suck when it actually comes to playing.
Which is why you insist on having a good conversation with the BL before any audition happens. No chat no audition.
Meh, just dreamers. I'm a little more annoyed with the Veterans hospital where I applied a bunch of times. They're a "little" behind the times with online job applications. I must have applied 5 times and only got one interview, which took up a lot of time with an additional hour of trying to find a parking spot in their grossly undersized lot. No matter the effort, each job was ear marked for someone and was a total waste of time and effort on my part.
High turnover in many bands would probably suggest otherwise. I hear ya on band leaders leaving a little to be desired, like LEADERSHIP and being reasonable. I've only known a few good ones. Too bad my favorite ones either moved away or died.
5th time was a charm.
At least I eventually learned my lesson. I miss the idea of having 1/3rd the work load compared to my current gig.
Timely question for me. I just learned 7 originals (1 was a 3 part medely - so really 9) for a tryout when I had yet to actually speak to anyone in person. However, like has been mentioned, these guys had a presence, had some video's, had past gigging, had done a tour, etc. So I was desperate enough to give it a shot.
If it was a CL ad for "hey, I want to start a band.." type thing 10 is crazy excessive to me.
If it was a CL ad for "hey, I want to start a band.." type thing 10 is crazy excessive to me.
He said I was the better bassist of all of them...
BUT, he decided to give the tour to the bassist for Skunk Anansie, since he had a higher profile. Afterwards he said "I should have given the gig to him (lil' ol' me..)...
I HATE that. Last time it was an email from the Mediterranean coast towards the end of the tour: "yeah, I should have hired you rather than the big name." Thanks...
I thought it was mild considering other stuff I've gone through or seen... I keep saying 1000 rejections mean less after 1 good offer...
After having the wife die of cancer, dealing with "The tour from Hell," and other stuff... IT puts getting turned down for a gig in a different perspective. All I/you can do is our best. The other crap is out of our hands...
I wouldn't say 10 is excessive at all... If I gave you a list of 10, I might expect you to nail 6. The player who gets closest to the 10, has the best groove and seems like the nicest guy wins the gig. It's not about how many mistakes you make, it's about how you fit in and how well you do compared to the other auditioners.
Then again, if I were auditioning I'd ask them to send me a full set list and ask which are priority. I don't want my audition to be over in 15 minutes. I'm also not going to audition for a band I don't think I'd be a good it for.
A few questions to ask beforehand:
Where do you practice? Is there money involved?
How much to you get paid?
Do you own all the gear? Truck?
How many gigs a year?
Not that age matters, but what's the age range?
What are the goals, if any?
How long you guys been a band? What's YOUR resume?
You guys don't suck, do you?
Do you guys where Klan regalia?
Then again, if I were auditioning I'd ask them to send me a full set list and ask which are priority. I don't want my audition to be over in 15 minutes. I'm also not going to audition for a band I don't think I'd be a good it for.
A few questions to ask beforehand:
Where do you practice? Is there money involved?
How much to you get paid?
Do you own all the gear? Truck?
How many gigs a year?
Not that age matters, but what's the age range?
What are the goals, if any?
How long you guys been a band? What's YOUR resume?
You guys don't suck, do you?
Do you guys where Klan regalia?
Last edited:
Audition today at 1pm.
Couple of things. Yes 10 songs. All basically the same genre, clsc rk/bar. I really haven't done anything but pound root note three to four chord punky stuff in almost 20 years. I'm thinking excessive to a degree, the particular songs aren't exactly uninvolved... Rock steady, all right now, we're an American band, rock n roll, long train running. But then there's rock this town, and smooth. Both way outside of my comfort zone.
The question I have is should I say something up front, or just lock down the chords and changes, do what licks I can that fit the key and timing, and rock on? BTW no experience beyond hearing these songs a bunch, and I got the list Tuesday late, so four actual days, and I do have a job (and worked Saturday too. Am i walking into a band that may be too demanding for where I am? Input?
Couple of things. Yes 10 songs. All basically the same genre, clsc rk/bar. I really haven't done anything but pound root note three to four chord punky stuff in almost 20 years. I'm thinking excessive to a degree, the particular songs aren't exactly uninvolved... Rock steady, all right now, we're an American band, rock n roll, long train running. But then there's rock this town, and smooth. Both way outside of my comfort zone.
The question I have is should I say something up front, or just lock down the chords and changes, do what licks I can that fit the key and timing, and rock on? BTW no experience beyond hearing these songs a bunch, and I got the list Tuesday late, so four actual days, and I do have a job (and worked Saturday too. Am i walking into a band that may be too demanding for where I am? Input?
If you only got the list Tuesday personally I'd try to nail down the ones I was already pretty familiar with so you're confident and comfortable with those at the audition. If they expect you to know all of them in 4 days and they're not in your normal wheelhouse this band may be out of your range. Ask for a 2nd audition next week if it's that big a deal to them to hear you play all 10 (assuming you nail what you can at the first audition of course).
Only you can answer that last question. If it were me I'd do what I can, and I'd probably try to fit the chord changes and learn whatever signature licks I could. For example, no way you can play "Rock This Town" without doing the walking bass line that goes D-F#-G-G#-A-G#-G-F#...
Have fun with it!
Last year, I learned close to 30 songs in a pretty short time period to prepare for an upcoming gig, & to get into the band I'm in now. But I knew I wanted to play bass for this bandleader, so where there's a will there's a way.
