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Pay To Audition?
- Thread starter MrBassman17
- Start date
NOOOOOOPE!
Seriously, that’s some next level BS. I can’t imagine being in a band with that guy, and then getting paid for a gig and he wants extra cuts because he sang backup on 3 songs while playing guitar, and also the band uses his mic stands and lights and a fog machine that no one wanted but he insisted the band use. Then he hires his friend to run sound, agrees to pay him $500 from band fund, the band makes only $400 for the gig, and then have to take up a collection to cover the extra $100 owed - to which he gives the sound guy $200 and pockets $300 himself, because that was the real agreement.
Anyone charging to try out for the band - I don’t put anything past them. By the way, if you want to learn how to make money online, send me $449.99 for a starter pack which includes my book “How To Scam Idiots Out Of $449.99”, as well as a bumper sticker that says “I just got scammed - ask me how you can too!”. Or just come to my seminar, for only $249.99 - which is a 2 hour long hard sell for you to buy my starter pack. But to make real money, you’ll want the full advanced pack which includes some random items I got from the Dollar Store. That’s only $749.99. Well worth the investment. Think of it as an investment in yourself!
Hey, if you’re giving out free money, figured I’d get in line!
Seriously, that’s some next level BS. I can’t imagine being in a band with that guy, and then getting paid for a gig and he wants extra cuts because he sang backup on 3 songs while playing guitar, and also the band uses his mic stands and lights and a fog machine that no one wanted but he insisted the band use. Then he hires his friend to run sound, agrees to pay him $500 from band fund, the band makes only $400 for the gig, and then have to take up a collection to cover the extra $100 owed - to which he gives the sound guy $200 and pockets $300 himself, because that was the real agreement.
Anyone charging to try out for the band - I don’t put anything past them. By the way, if you want to learn how to make money online, send me $449.99 for a starter pack which includes my book “How To Scam Idiots Out Of $449.99”, as well as a bumper sticker that says “I just got scammed - ask me how you can too!”. Or just come to my seminar, for only $249.99 - which is a 2 hour long hard sell for you to buy my starter pack. But to make real money, you’ll want the full advanced pack which includes some random items I got from the Dollar Store. That’s only $749.99. Well worth the investment. Think of it as an investment in yourself!
Hey, if you’re giving out free money, figured I’d get in line!
You'd think the other guys could split the measly $12, as they're actually IN the band...
The only way I'd pay is if this were some sort of thing where we're all meeting to see how it goes together, which is different from a single player audition.
The only way I'd pay is if this were some sort of thing where we're all meeting to see how it goes together, which is different from a single player audition.
Good lord, NO!
Now it's pay-to-play-to-play?
Driving another nail into the coffin of the concept of Professional Musician.
Now it's pay-to-play-to-play?
Driving another nail into the coffin of the concept of Professional Musician.
I will offer an opposing view. It sounds like the "BL" isn't really a BL because there is no B. It's just getting folks together to jam and see if it works as a band.
So, the OP describes it as an audition, which it's more like the old "getting coffee to see if we click" but instead of $5 at SBUX it's $12 and you get to jam a bit. Clueless, yeah I supposed.
If he was truly auditioning for that missing pieces, this would be wrong.
I auditioned for a band at a studio, I didn't expect to pay anything and I didn't. I also "jammed' with a clueless drummer guy that gathered me and 3 others together. He was terrible. The keys guy "went to load up his car" and never even came back in! We gathered in the lobby and chatted a bit and he said "this one is on me" but the studio fee is $50 for two hours next time. I get that.....BUT.....what about if a few are into it and are then paying and jamming and waiting on the last piece? Is this a merger of equals where everyone pays or does the clueless drummer/organizer keep fronting the dough? Do the other players keep fronting their part and have more say in the last piece? All this needs to be discussed of course.
I used to play blues jams and spend $10 in beer, so the money isn't the big deal. I have thought of organizing something at a studio for my next project. Everyone ponies up a little and that will guage interests/commitment and keep the real losers away. Once I have a solid feel for folks, move it to my house. (I'll probably never do this of course).
My first thought was "Heck No" on paying to audition...but maybe this is a smart move on the bands part, it will help weed out the people who aren't serious and if a few dollars is invested people might take it more seriously. Almost every orchestra makes you pay an audition fee so why not a band....I'm sure everyone here has auditioned band members and been stood up... How serious are you about joining this band? serious enough to invest $12? All that said he should have brought up the audition fee from the beginning.
I had this come up at an audition a while back. BL wanted a backing band to play his music, his vision and his way. At the end of rehearsal he says " that was great, love to have you join the band. You owe me $10 for the rehearsal space. We do this twice a week."
If I would have stayed with him, it would have cost me a $1000+ before we even had our first low paying gig. Guy was pissed off when I declined to the point of going off on the drummer and I on Facebook for waisting his time. A year later, he is still trying to find people to play in his band.
If I would have stayed with him, it would have cost me a $1000+ before we even had our first low paying gig. Guy was pissed off when I declined to the point of going off on the drummer and I on Facebook for waisting his time. A year later, he is still trying to find people to play in his band.
jdthebassman
play to live live to play
Seems like I have seen posts here of people trying to charge the band members for rehearsal space at their house. 
I’ve never heard of such a thing. The only way I would agree is if I were to get my money back if I did not pass the audition or if I decided to decline.
NO.
This is not simply a bunch of peers in the same situation jamming to see if the pieces fit. There is at least one person whom we know is already in the band, and that's the guy who called the audition and presumably approves or rejects auditioners. Therefore, he's the "established band," and he should pay for the whole thing. If you pass the audition and join the band, that may, or may not, be different for subsequent purchases of rehearsal time, depending on how that particular band is structured (eg, democracy vs autocracy).
This is not simply a bunch of peers in the same situation jamming to see if the pieces fit. There is at least one person whom we know is already in the band, and that's the guy who called the audition and presumably approves or rejects auditioners. Therefore, he's the "established band," and he should pay for the whole thing. If you pass the audition and join the band, that may, or may not, be different for subsequent purchases of rehearsal time, depending on how that particular band is structured (eg, democracy vs autocracy).
