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.
Pay To Audition?
- Thread starter MrBassman17
- Start date
Actually, this BL is pretty clever here. Whoever is trusting enough to come to this audition and pay their $12 for the “opportunity” to play in his band will likely be the perfect people that he can manipulate and coerce into playing whatever shows he wants to for whatever pittance he’s willing to pay them. The OP would be wise to avoid this guy at all costs.
Red flag #1 - texting back and forth for weeks
Red flag #2 - being charged for an audition
Red flag #2 - being charged for an audition
I have never heard of anyone doing an audition at a studio to begin with, much less charging someone to audition for a band! Unless you are guaranteed a spot in a very good band that will be doing a lot of good paying gigs, I would say no way!
Tell the band that your rate is 12 bucks and now it's cool because everyone is even. Or tell the guys that if you get the job, they can take the 12 dollars from the first gig you all play.
If you don't have a place to rehearse, where DO you audition people?
I was second for an audition at a rehearsal studio last month. I could listen through the door to the guy before me. I had been there before so it wasn't like going to some guy's house only to want to escape.
I think it's a great idea actually.
Even after all the warnings you`re still going ahead with this and paying him?
I am magnanimous, so nothing. They don’t even have to bring me beer.How much?
There are lots of bands that rehearse in rented space so it doesn't bother me so much that they're auditioning in rented space.
What bothers me is that two out of the three drummers who show up for this are guaranteed to be out $12.00 with no gig to show for it, and it appears no one was told about this fee up front. I assume that everyone has put some preparation into this (if that wasn't requested, it's another red flag) and not everyone is going to walk away from this with a gig.
That being said, the OP has decided to do it anyway, so there's no point continuing to give him our input. I hope it works out well.
What bothers me is that two out of the three drummers who show up for this are guaranteed to be out $12.00 with no gig to show for it, and it appears no one was told about this fee up front. I assume that everyone has put some preparation into this (if that wasn't requested, it's another red flag) and not everyone is going to walk away from this with a gig.
That being said, the OP has decided to do it anyway, so there's no point continuing to give him our input. I hope it works out well.
I have been in more bands then I can remember over the years and all of them had rehearsals in a band member's basement or garage. It just seems to me that having a space would be part having a band. I can't imagine having to pay to rent a rehearsal space but maybe it's different in other parts of the country/world.
Tell him you decided not to audition but if he gives you his address you'll send him the 12 bucks. 
I guess it’s an honest request, even if odd... thanks for the response. Have a good one, and play well! I hope it works out.
pay to Jam in a group.. Paid audition in a establish orchestra.. Paying for studio time.. Are all different things. If a bandleader wants to get musicians to audition.. He pays for the rehearsal space.. Period.. The only thing I'd ever do is tell them if they want gain favor with the group.. Offer to Buy beers after.. Lol
Just part of the beauty of living in an area where you can buy a three bedroom/two bath house with a finished basement for well under $200K.
Just part of the beauty of living in an area where you can buy a three bedroom/two bath house with a finished basement for well under $200K.
Where I live there are a lot of townhouses and people I assume live in apartments. Young people live in the city, I have no idea where they rehearse.
The band I auditioned for used a studio. 2 of the guys were older than me so I assumed they had houses with basements, who knows? But in the discussion ahead of time, they said they rented space so didn't have time to fart around during rehearsal. That appealed to me coming from a band where people would cancel for not so good reasons.
Anyhow, as it turned out, I was sort of on the fence about the band anyhow. It was the first nice Sunday in a while and I had the windows down on the way over. I get there and step into a dark windowless room with 5 other guys. It was hot and humid in there.
The thought of spending every Sunday in that room was part of my not being further interested.
About rehearsal studios: I lived in Moscow 2001-2012, and we rehearsed the group (up to 9 members at one point, I was the BL) all wearing in-ears: electronic kit, guitars thru tone-labs, etc. Always in the drummer's APARTMENT right downtown (he had sumptuous, palatial digs paid for by his employer). Not the best soundproofing, his neighbors could still hear a lot of vocals and the thump of his electronic kick pad. But nothing more than a loud stereo, and we only played during decent normal hours (never later than 10 PM), so no complaints or ill-will ever.
But Moscow IS 99% APARTMENTS, and so 99% of the local bands we knew there always rented underground rehearsal studios for their stacks and real drum kits. Except for the oligarch-bands, who rehearsed at their splendid villas just outside of town (behind ten foot stone walls with razor-wire on top...)
But Moscow IS 99% APARTMENTS, and so 99% of the local bands we knew there always rented underground rehearsal studios for their stacks and real drum kits. Except for the oligarch-bands, who rehearsed at their splendid villas just outside of town (behind ten foot stone walls with razor-wire on top...)
