Lesson learned - poor audition vetting

[avvie]

Came here looking for a thread like this to vent in. Auditioned two guitarists tonight; the second one did not learn or even listen to a single song on the list. This is for a serious corporate event band, with the songs chosen specifically to audition a guitarist with because they have relatively challenging parts. I don't understand it...WHY would you show up entirely unprepared?? He even was offended that we cut the audition after stumbling through the first song. #psychopath
The first one pulled a PRS out of the case, and my immediate thought was the classic joke: "PRS?...he's either really good or really bad." The joke still has legs...he was not really good.

 

[Bullitt5135]

Also, 30 songs is about 5 times too many for an audition.

I never asked him to learn all 30 songs. He asked for our song list, and I sent him an abbreviated list of about 30 songs. He said he knew a bunch of the songs already, and nothing on the list would be difficult for him to learn -- that it was all the kind of music he liked to play. Based on our email exchanges, I was under the impression we had enough songs in common to make a jam session worthwhile. It's apparent that he didn't prepare at all. I'd say there were 3-4 songs he mostly knew, though he did not play them particularly well. We attempted a few others, but he never really got off the ground.

Edit: I'll add that I followed the exact same process with the drummer we auditioned. The emails exchanged (and confidence expressed by the candidate) were nearly identical. "Here's our list, let me know what you know." The drummer came in and breezed through 15+ songs with backing vocals, correctly and confidently.

 

[pudgychef]

I never asked him to learn all 30 songs. He asked for our song list, and I sent him an abbreviated list of about 30 songs. He said he knew a bunch of the songs already, and nothing on the list would be difficult for him to learn -- that it was all the kind of music he liked to play. Based on our email exchanges, I was under the impression we had enough songs in common to make a jam session worthwhile. It's apparent that he didn't prepare at all. I'd say there were 3-4 songs he mostly knew, though he did not play them particularly well. We attempted a few others, but he never really got off the ground.

Do you play any of them very different than originals?

I have found that often folks have played a song so
often (together), the feel etc changes to the point someone first sitting in could be put off....is this possible? Any key changes? I mean even born to be wild might be meh the first time through if you have all played it 1000 times in a different key with a different breakdown...
It is easy to forget how much we personalize tunes until a new person joins.


Just settle on 3 or 4 next time....send the keys/charts and notes on any changes to original....I would bet same guy likely nails that audition

 

[Bullitt5135]

Do you play any of them very different than originals?

Just settle on 3 or 4 next time....send the keys/charts and notes on any changes to original....I would bet same guy likely nails that audition

No, we play everything like the originals. Specifying 3-4 songs with no room for misunderstanding the expectations is a good idea.

 

[QORC]

all I can tell you is this: It happens. You have to wade through a lot posers, wanna-be's, losers and people simply wrong for what you're attempting to do before you find a good fit, whether a whole band or one member. We all have stories about auditions that didn't at all go the way we were led to believe they were.

I mean, I once auditioned for a band. They sent me a list of 6 songs. I learned them. but when I got there, it was quickly apparent that the BAND hadn't really learned the 6.....I said my "thanks" and left as soon as I finished song 6. unless it's a band you already are well aware of, it's always a crap-shoot. it's like speed-dating. You will have to go for drinks with a few fatties and ugs if you wanna find a good one that may turn out to be THE one. maybe lots of them. its often just luck and a numbers game. Stick with it. don't get discouraged

 

[3Liter]

Came here looking for a thread like this to vent in. Auditioned two guitarists tonight; the second one did not learn or even listen to a single song on the list. This is for a serious corporate event band, with the songs chosen specifically to audition a guitarist with because they have relatively challenging parts. I don't understand it...WHY would you show up entirely unprepared?? He even was offended that we cut the audition after stumbling through the first song. #psychopath
The first one pulled a PRS out of the case, and my immediate thought was the classic joke: "PRS?...he's either really good or really bad." The joke still has legs...he was not really good.

I auditioned (on guitar) for a band over the weekend. They gave me six songs to prepare and I did my best. I hate auditioning, it's like sensory overload. Lots of talk about meeting folks for coffee ahead of time. I would have preferred that. I did have a chat with the singer ahead of time and then the rest was handled by the real boss, the lead guitar player.

The studio was about 40 min from my house. They rehearse every Sunday. I saw them all play in public, but they didn't know I was there, so I knew they were decent. Somewhere along the way on the drive out, I was making excuses to myself to turn back (chicken out?). I got to the studio and they were auditioning someone before me so I listened through the door. (Again, almost left a note: "you all sound good with that guy...hire him") He was good, or competent, it was a rhythm part we were looking to fill.

I told him he sounded good as he was leaving. I came into a sweaty room, set up and they told me to pick 4 of the 6 songs. So I did pick one and fumbled a little with the opening riff as I was setting my levels. The lead guitar player, plays the riff and I joked, "ha, you guys are warmed up..." So we bust into some blues in A and then I picked a different song to start. As I played the riff for that, Lead Guitar says "that's how you play it?" and then plays it himself with more gain and little less involved. I didn't say a word, but yeah, I followed some lesson online...anyhow we jam through it and I picked another, easy one. The end masturbatory solo apparently runs over different chords than the main progression and the keys guy was trying to signal me. Now, I'd been playing along with a live version of the song in standard tuning and they must have been off the album (which we'd discussed ahead of time was in dropped D, so I never went back). Not a big deal? I don't know, they way it was treated, just put me off. I/nerves just started playing on song 3, and we launched in. We started in on another one and drummer took a little long to come in, some cues were missed or something. The rest went fine.

We determined it was 4 and I started breaking down my rig. And from the first song, I pretty much knew it was over. Maybe that guy was just messing with me, and I didn't take it well, but whatever. So they offered to do one more that I brought. I just picked one of the back up songs off the list since I knew I wouldn't likely play it with other folks. I started breaking it down again and they launch into something else. I gave a pleasant wave and they stopped for a minute and we all said goodbye. "We have a few other folks to talk to, we'll let you know either way..." (LD player told me they had all kinds of guys to talk to both in email and in person...)

Anyhow, I went home and realized that the lift on me, the drive, the Sunday rehearsals as the weather breaks, are all more than I want at this point in my life. I sent a nice note that it was fantastic playing with them but take me out of further consideration....and I think I already was out of further consideration....for the other hobbiests out there, if you've never been on an audition....it's like a thousand sensory overloads at once. These guys were clearly some of the best players I'd played with especially on non blues songs. I have played with the drummer before at a jam (he didn't recognize me and I didn't bring it up). But it was super cool to drop in a play stuff without explaining to people, "no, it's a G chord, next".

They mentioned to the guy before me, if you liked us, please follow us on FB and they were big on being good and well liked. For all that, when I sent my email, I heard nothing back. No, "nice to meet you too, we get it". No "thanks for wasting our time" No "you should have played better..." Nothing, and that's the weirdest part..