Short notice , note for note?

[taliesin]

Auditioned for a cover band a month or so ago - saw their ad online and emailed about it.

On the Friday he got back to me to see if I could come out on Tuesday - I was recording Monday night so wouldn't have much time to prep but he said that was fine.

A few songs on their list I know and a few others I've played in the past so I gave him that list.

Audition was fine with a few rough edges - I also made a couple of suggestions on arrangements which they liked. We also did a couple of songs not on their list that I knew.

Got the gig - they liked that I was solid and in the pocket, played well as well as saying when I'd forgotten an arrangement ("oh right that's where the bridge happens") and offered ideas.

That's my long way of saying I'm on the side of personality and fit is as important as knowing the exact notes.

 

[bassbully]

i hope this is in the right forum. Did a search and came up empty.
I responded to an ad for a bass player in a currently working cover band. Thursday afternoon. They gave me a list of 6 or so songs. Audition is this Saturday. Is common for them to expect note for note accuracy? Or would you think that being in the right key/ chord progression is close enough? As long as I have the "hook" of the song.
Thanks in advance.

Learn it as close to note to note as you can then find out how they want it played at the try out.

 

[addylewis]

If anyone expects note-for-note they can run IMO...especially if it's an originals band - once it becomes too rigid the enjoyment of playing disappears and it's more like work to me...

 

[lermgalieu]

Audition call on Thursday for a Saturday audition - unless we are talking about the Opportunity of a Lifetime, I would not learn note for note. It would take a big effort and the sheer memorization effort would suck the life out of my performance. I’m with those who say learn the signature parts note for note and on the other parts fake it to make it.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

You should try to do note for note, but, if they are like the guitarist that I played with for 25 years, they probably wouldn't know the difference. Recently, I played the bass line for a well know Beatles tune, note for note, (All My Loving) that we'd played for eons, and asked him what it was. He had no bloody idea.

 

[addylewis]

Recently, I played the bass line for a well know Beatles tune, note for note, (All My Loving) that we'd played for eons, and asked him what it was. He had no bloody idea.

Typical guitarists/BL's...I bet they wanted you to play the different-from-the-original bass from their usual karaoke track as well right?

 

[Handsome Dan]

Thanks for all of the advise. I'm just gonna go and have a jam and be myself. If they like they like it. If they don't no big deal.

 

[wesonbass]

If pressed for time, I would learn solid note for note intros and strong endings.
Don't forget knowing the bridge changes.
Bring a positive attitude. Good vibes are contagious. Groove and have fun.

 

[JRA]

there are fewer note-for-note demands in the 'jazz' genre but where they exist they're important. i think cats who are playing mostly rock/pop/funk/dance covers know how to recognize what's important (for the listener: audience and/or other band members!).

don't all of us have that ability? we can listen to just about any tune and determine what absolutely has to be there and what we can get away with...right?

 

[saabfender]

Thanks for all of the advise. I'm just gonna go and have a jam and be myself. If they like they like it. If they don't no big deal.

In my book, that's what it is. Sure, I prepare like a demon but once I pack the car, that's it. Going to go play music with strangers and see what happens.

 

[Joma3]

Sweet child o mine is played by GNR tunes half a step down. The BL told me they play it in the original key but do not tune down. Does that seem odd to anyone? It does to me. Same thing with SRV's "Rude Mood" I think I would have to tune down as there are plenty of low Eb's in both songs. (I play 4 string)

I could be wrong, but to me that sounds like you would tune down to learn it, assuming you're playing along with the recording...but when you actually go to play it live, you'd play it the same way in standard tuning and it would just sound a half step higher than the record.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Sweet child o mine is played by GNR tunes half a step down. The BL told me they play it in the original key but do not tune down. Does that seem odd to anyone? It does to me. Same thing with SRV's "Rude Mood" I think I would have to tune down as there are plenty of low Eb's in both songs. (I play 4 string)

That could mean two different things :

1) they’re playing in Eb on a standard tuned guitar

2) they’re playing the tunes as would be played in an Eb tuned guitar but they’re not switching instruments, effectively up a half step.

I would put money on #2.

 

[Standalone]

I auditioned for an originals outfit this week and got the gig. I went with my own interpretations and comfort zone. A covers band calls for something much more in the direction of note for note, but only to the extent that you are still within a reasonable comfort zone.

 

[Altitude]

Think about how much you want to get the gig. Then practice that much.

 

[jamro217]

This may be a subtle test of how well you think on your feet, not just how well you play the bass. If you can show up and nail the tunes on short notice that's proof you can do a pretty good job of learning a few new tunes for the next gig on similar short notice. You know, the requests that were promised at the last gig.

 

[Billy She-hands]

Does anybody play note for note? I don’t think I even play songs I recorded on note for note perfectly. Half the time when I leave a session I can’t even remember what I played. Just hit the important bits and make everything else sound good and you should be fine. They are probably concerned with look, tightness, ability to learn, personality and scheduling more than note for note replication.

 

[eddododo]

Err on the side of note for note but have a triage process, assuming you don’t have infinite tome to work them up.
Ask yourself : if it’s not an iconic line or riff, then is it something the guitarist or drummer would know note for note? That’s a good way to simplify what songs and bars you focus on transcribing 100%

 

[LBS-bass]

Audition call on Thursday for a Saturday audition - unless we are talking about the Opportunity of a Lifetime, I would not learn note for note. It would take a big effort and the sheer memorization effort would suck the life out of my performance. I’m with those who say learn the signature parts note for note and on the other parts fake it to make it.

This is what I would do. Learn the changes, learn the hooks, and practice as much as you have time for. It's an audition, it's short notice, and doing all the work to do everything note-for-note is probably a waste of time in this situation. If they wanted you to learn everything exactly as written, they would give you more time. As it is, you're going to be able to demonstrate that you can follow changes, play in time, include the parts that make the song what it is, and stay in the pocket. That should be enough. You can always tell them that you know you're not playing everything exactly as it was recorded because of time constraints, but that you'd be willing to do that if they hire you.

Odds are they won't know you aren't playing it note for note, anyway. Nobody really listens as closely to the bass parts as we do.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Sweet child o mine is played by GNR tunes half a step down. The BL told me they play it in the original key but do not tune down. Does that seem odd to anyone? It does to me. Same thing with SRV's "Rude Mood" I think I would have to tune down as there are plenty of low Eb's in both songs. (I play 4 string)

. Double-check. He probably means they play I in E (the actual key they play in), without downtuning. But doublecheck. I subbed for a band that did Black Velvet in E flat - didn't tell me until I got there. I have to use my de-tuner on the Setting to get the E flat, then transpose in my head really quickly.

 

[DrThumpenstein]

Break a leg, Dan!