Red flags? Should I run?

[DoctorZee]

Is it just me, or is this songwriter/BL showing me some red flags? Should I try to back out gracefully? This is a long story, but you might enjoy it.

BL is the female singer and songwriter. She has a guitarist and drummer and is just seeking a bassist to round out the group. Because we are all busy adults, she's realistic about time commitments (something I like!) and suggests a "virtual audition." I can record over two of the band's rehearsal tracks and send them back. Works for me.

So, I take a pass at the tracks and send them along. She is appreciative and complimentary but says she has a few "changes." She sends me a handful of sound clips: either her plunking out a bassline on the keyboard, or clips of her old bassist playing on the tune. ("I really like what he did here.") Mostly she's asking me to play less, which is not such a big deal.

But I asked her, "just so I'm clear, is this still part of the 'audition,' or are we collaborating on the songs now?" She says I should still come in later for an in-person audition, but she'd love it if I could re-record the samples. Okay, sure, I guess.

So, I do that. And because she didn't say it needed to be note for note, and honestly, I don't have the time for this crap, I don't learn all of her old bassist's parts precisely, but I cop the vibe of it. I send it back.

Now, I am asked to go back and study it again and resubmit. And she sends me some weirdly nitpicky notes. Like, if I played three quarter notes and two eighth notes, she sends me four straight quarter notes. I'm thinking: this is still an "audition?" Can we not just work this out in rehearsal? And she says---which I think is telling---"Don't feel bad, all the previous musicians have had trouble with this song."

Am I being a jerk, or is this BL going to be really difficult to work with?

 

[Stumbo]

...is this BL going to be really difficult to work with?

Not "going". Is!

One other thing, she's really not respectful of time commitments.

 

[JW56789]

I've given up trying to read people, they are just too surprising and outside any norms anymore, so you're on your own.

But if I listen to my intuition, I think two things: I think these 'online auditions' are actually finishing demos she needs, and her last reply was worded incorrectly: "Don't feel bad, all the previous musicians had trouble WITH ME" .

In any event, it strikes me as an un-professional way to do business. And . . . . . every songwriter I ever worked with was flaky as hell.

 

[Lesfunk]

The term “all the previous musicians...”. is very telling....

 

[StayLow]

Wow, I do believe I've never heard of this one. Thanks for that.

Now run, run, run fast and far, as you should've done at the suggestion of "virtual audition".

 

[Nashrakh]

The term “all the previous musicians...”. is very telling....

Plus, the sentence this phrase was used in makes OP look like a dunce.

I would think twice about this arrangement... Literally.

 

[Basshappi]

 

[RobTheRiot]

Weird, never heard of a “virtual” audition for a band. It doesn’t account for so many aspects that make or break a bandmate.

Also, what format are you sending these “virtual auditions” back and forth on, and does it leave her the ability to strip the bass part out?

To me it sounds like she just needs bass for a demo, but doesn’t want to pay for a session player.
You’ll go back and forth a few times, then all of a sudden, “thanks so much for trying but it’s not going to work” - but her demo will have some tasty, DoctorZee bass work on it.

That idea sounds even more bizarre than a virtual audition, but people never cease to amaze me...

 

[DoctorZee]

I will say, I don't get the sense she's trying to get a free demo. The recordings she sent me aren't demo quality by anyone's standards, and I'm sending her MP3s that she can't break apart.

 

[QORC]

she's asking you to write the bass parts to her music for free so she can use them. but maybe not use you to play them.

the "all the previous musicians had trouble with this song" comment is the clincher. Nobody sticks around with her. or she churns musicians.

I'd cut her off

 

[hrodbert696]

A slightly different angle: she doesn't understand how to run an audition. Your confusion is telling - by a third back-and-forth, are you still auditioning, or are you a member of the band she's giving notes to? The purpose of an audition is to see if the candidate can do the job. You have them play and see how they play... period. She doesn't get that, which makes me wonder what else she doesn't get. Unless the songs are amazing and she's clearly a huge talent you'd be honored to play with, I would say thanks and move on.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Have you met this person in actual (as opposed to virtual) reality? I’d suggest that as a necessary next step before you do any more work.

 

[RustyAxe]

I'd have asked after the first go-round "so, do I get the gig?". There's only one answer that would have even tempted me to pursue it further. And when she came back with her nit-picking suggestion to "go study it" and resubmit I'd have said "chart it out in standard notation and I'll play it". I'll bet that would have been the end of the "audition" (hopefully!). But if it didn't, the subject of compensation would probably have nixed it.

If some BL or songwriter wants me to work like I'm their employee, they gotta pay me like I'm an employee ... from day one.

 

[Taustin Powers]

Very strange behavior. I would insist on playing together in person, before you invest another second in this.

These recordings can be a viable way of checking if you have some chops and can keep time before inviting you to a rehearsal. Once that is verified, it's time to get together and jam. Having you resubmit multiple times with nitpicky changes is ridiculous and serves no sensical purpose.

 

[DoctorZee]

I'd have said "chart it out in standard notation and I'll play it".

Definitely considered this. I actually don't mind playing something note for note, if you give me notation and pay me. Neither one is happening here, so...

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I’d want to meet in person before doing anything else. Even if it’s just for a beer or whatever. If there are no personality flags, then continue. But if she can’t get a handful of people together for an audition, I’d pass.

 

[JonnnyC]

I could count the amount of BLs etc etc I've known who don't have quirks on one hand. In my experience anyway, it seems to attract them.
I'd go along with it, see how they are in a face to face type situation.

If you're starting with doubts though?!

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

Is it just me, or is this songwriter/BL showing me some red flags? Should I try to back out gracefully? This is a long story, but you might enjoy it.

BL is the female singer and songwriter. She has a guitarist and drummer and is just seeking a bassist to round out the group. Because we are all busy adults, she's realistic about time commitments (something I like!) and suggests a "virtual audition." I can record over two of the band's rehearsal tracks and send them back. Works for me.

So, I take a pass at the tracks and send them along. She is appreciative and complimentary but says she has a few "changes." She sends me a handful of sound clips: either her plunking out a bassline on the keyboard, or clips of her old bassist playing on the tune. ("I really like what he did here.") Mostly she's asking me to play less, which is not such a big deal.

But I asked her, "just so I'm clear, is this still part of the 'audition,' or are we collaborating on the songs now?" She says I should still come in later for an in-person audition, but she'd love it if I could re-record the samples. Okay, sure, I guess.

So, I do that. And because she didn't say it needed to be note for note, and honestly, I don't have the time for this crap, I don't learn all of her old bassist's parts precisely, but I cop the vibe of it. I send it back.

Now, I am asked to go back and study it again and resubmit. And she sends me some weirdly nitpicky notes. Like, if I played three quarter notes and two eighth notes, she sends me four straight quarter notes. I'm thinking: this is still an "audition?" Can we not just work this out in rehearsal? And she says---which I think is telling---"Don't feel bad, all the previous musicians have had trouble with this song."

Am I being a jerk, or is this BL going to be really difficult to work with?

She sounds annoying af. I would pass.

 

[Turbo Sparky]

Is it just me, or is this songwriter/BL showing me some red flags? Should I try to back out gracefully? This is a long story, but you might enjoy it.

BL is the female singer and songwriter. She has a guitarist and drummer and is just seeking a bassist to round out the group. Because we are all busy adults, she's realistic about time commitments (something I like!) and suggests a "virtual audition." I can record over two of the band's rehearsal tracks and send them back. Works for me.

So, I take a pass at the tracks and send them along. She is appreciative and complimentary but says she has a few "changes." She sends me a handful of sound clips: either her plunking out a bassline on the keyboard, or clips of her old bassist playing on the tune. ("I really like what he did here.") Mostly she's asking me to play less, which is not such a big deal.

But I asked her, "just so I'm clear, is this still part of the 'audition,' or are we collaborating on the songs now?" She says I should still come in later for an in-person audition, but she'd love it if I could re-record the samples. Okay, sure, I guess.

So, I do that. And because she didn't say it needed to be note for note, and honestly, I don't have the time for this crap, I don't learn all of her old bassist's parts precisely, but I cop the vibe of it. I send it back.

Now, I am asked to go back and study it again and resubmit. And she sends me some weirdly nitpicky notes. Like, if I played three quarter notes and two eighth notes, she sends me four straight quarter notes. I'm thinking: this is still an "audition?" Can we not just work this out in rehearsal? And she says---which I think is telling---"Don't feel bad, all the previous musicians have had trouble with this song."

Am I being a jerk, or is this BL going to be really difficult to work with?

IMO; unless you really really need money and or exposure, bail. Gracefully of course.
I get the whole vibe of receiving guidance/suggestions etc., to include getting pushed to play/interpret better, but IMO the BL should score it, print it, and say, Here's the sheet for the song(s).
Bail IMO.
Good luck.

 

[mark roberts]

There are a lot of red flags in what has been chronicled by the OP. Most people who have replied have pointed to them. However, the one that stands out to me is what some folks describe as nit-picking. What I read surpasses nit-picking. Some folks can work with folks like her, I would have bowed out after her first reply. She is not leaving really any room for “you”...she seems to want to have control over everything about it.