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My Band was Auditioned and ...
- Thread starter 5andFretless
- Start date
@LBS-bass ,
You are being extremely presumptuous about what happened and how it happened.
You are being extremely presumptuous about what happened and how it happened.
Hahaha... Remember when you thumbed your nose at your parents because you wanted to play rock and roll, and not "Goodnight Irene?" Well, if you think it can't happen to you...
A 19 year old? Who is the MD? If anyone is at fault, it's the MD for bringing you guys in for someone who needs a look as much as the talent. And really, it's pretty odd looking to have a 19 year old singer being backed up by a bunch of 40-60 year-olds. When I have done that sort of thing, (and I'm 45) our band is either off to the side, or in some kind of "Pit" and the focus is ultimately on that star, and not the band. A few times, we even had to play "in-shadow" yup... no lighting on us, just a couple point lights so we didn't trip over our own gear.
If her management decides to really invest in her, there are plenty of young musicians ready to go who likely have WAY more musical chops than we do - they're already so far removed from the music you grew up with, it's just dots on a page to them.
A 19 year old? Who is the MD? If anyone is at fault, it's the MD for bringing you guys in for someone who needs a look as much as the talent. And really, it's pretty odd looking to have a 19 year old singer being backed up by a bunch of 40-60 year-olds. When I have done that sort of thing, (and I'm 45) our band is either off to the side, or in some kind of "Pit" and the focus is ultimately on that star, and not the band. A few times, we even had to play "in-shadow" yup... no lighting on us, just a couple point lights so we didn't trip over our own gear.
If her management decides to really invest in her, there are plenty of young musicians ready to go who likely have WAY more musical chops than we do - they're already so far removed from the music you grew up with, it's just dots on a page to them.
Maybe. I know there’s a right way and a wrong way to coach someone who is inexperienced and sweeping the floor with them doesn’t usually work. Giving them pointers can happen without knocking a song out of the park.
I’m just remembering how it felt to be 19 and how lucky I was that people were kind to me in those days.
Credit to the management who knew this would be a problem. This is part of shaking out the talent.
Lots of folks her age can’t even handle an uncomfortable conversation in person, and no, it wasn’t always this way.
edit: also, I think the band did what they were asked to do, which was to audition. And, if she had kept a cool head, mentorship could follow. I’m willing to bet they required the singer to go first, but I could be wrong!!
Lots of folks her age can’t even handle an uncomfortable conversation in person, and no, it wasn’t always this way.
edit: also, I think the band did what they were asked to do, which was to audition. And, if she had kept a cool head, mentorship could follow. I’m willing to bet they required the singer to go first, but I could be wrong!!
I’m playing with a karaoke veteran. Nice voice, easy to get along with…just expects the music to somehow “ be there” without much work, as in, “ Don’t you guys have this down yet”, at the second rehearsal he/she was kind enough to attend.
It reminds me of playing to “ Music Minus One” records 50 years ago. Vocalists can be difficult, at best, especially if they are really karaoke stars and think tight band work just “ materializes” for their convenience.
I don’t mind working and rehearsing, and am a veteran of several 3 and 4 part harmony bands, so it’s frustrating to hear potential that will never happen because a capable singer wants to cruise in and play drop-the-needle/instant-rockstar.
It reminds me of playing to “ Music Minus One” records 50 years ago. Vocalists can be difficult, at best, especially if they are really karaoke stars and think tight band work just “ materializes” for their convenience.
I don’t mind working and rehearsing, and am a veteran of several 3 and 4 part harmony bands, so it’s frustrating to hear potential that will never happen because a capable singer wants to cruise in and play drop-the-needle/instant-rockstar.
Yeah, but if you're hired to back a singer - a singer that is a solo act and not a "band" then yes, they are absolutely correct to ask you if you have the music down yet. If you're backing up a solo artist, it's not a band. Your job is to make them sound good and to provide a predictable platform, which means you need to know the material and do whatever it takes to match whatever sound they're going for - including having rehearsals without the singer for as long as you need to work out whatever you can't intuitively produce so the singer hears what they expect. Or you don't get called back.
I'm not sure what they're supposed to do, though. Are they supposed to do something besides be ready to sing their songs? They don't understand how the sausage is made, which I get, and that can be annoying, but I think it's sensible to not expect a dedicated singer who isn't an instrumentalist to be at every rehearsal. Maybe just have them out every third week or something? There's not a lot of point to them being there if the band doesn't know their parts yet.
At 65 yoa, I am clear about the role of backing a singer. My comment was directed at the probable psychological differences/difficulties between working with a singer for and with a band vs. a possible karaoke diva.
I’ve had my shot at comment re this topic: make of it what you will.
I’ve had my shot at comment re this topic: make of it what you will.
lol 19yr old "instagram star."...i heard enuf!
...not knocking young artists, but wow.
...not knocking young artists, but wow.
Maybe some of us older / uglier / overweight bass players are just jealous that we'll never be 'Instagram stars'?? 
No - the opposite. I'm implying that the Instagram "star" didn't/doesn't know what she is doing.We were told to play the songs as close to the recordings a possible. That is what we did. If you are implying we don't know what we are doing on stage you are off base. The core group has been together for 15 years. If her rep had told us she wanted something different they would have gotten what they asked for. If she wanted to cover Mustang Sally we would have done it
…19?
Don’t sweat it, give the kid a break.
18-25 are not easy years - lots on their plate at that age.
Don’t sweat it, give the kid a break.
18-25 are not easy years - lots on their plate at that age.
Frankly, I'm ok with that attitude so long as someone is paying the band for it, and at a reasonable rate which includes dealing with the attitude.
^^^^LOL!
It's only true because Boomers cut funding for music education in schools.
So don't make it sound like it's the kid's fault... ;-)
There's not a lot of point to ANYONE being there if people don't know their parts. It wastes the time of both the people who know and don't know their parts.
