So many threads about Auditions

[hrodbert696]

If anything, I think it's precisely because people DON'T have auditions every week that, when they do have one, they post questions about it. If the people posting were auditioning all the time, presumably they'd have made these decisions already. I've been in over a dozen different "bands" of some kind over the last ten years. It's been a couple of years since I actually auditioned for a place in one, more recent projects have been either me starting something or a friend asking me to play with them. But over those years I've had a number of auditions and I'm glad to share the experiences with TB if it helps people plan.

I think people are most likely to post with questions when the audition represents a shift for them; a new bassist auditioning for a band for the first time, a hobby player auditioning for their first gigging/professional band, someone auditioning for a group that's outside their normal genre or circle. It's perfectly normal, in those situations, to sound out the community about what's expected and what people's experiences have been.

Besides that, a lot of people don't HAVE a "#1" bass. I don't; I own half a dozen, and they're all great and have different personalities. So it doesn't help at all to say "bring your best." Looney Toon is a Carl Thompson-inspired boutique 5-string with a crazy extreme offset body. It's an amazing bass, and probably not the instrument to bring to a hard rock audition. I have a FrankenP, P body with J neck, which is a great bass, but it so happens that while the body is Fender, the neck is off a Squier. It looks and sounds great but there are brand snobs out there who would be turned off by the logo on the headstock.

Likewise with amps - you might put people off, thinking you're a gear prima donna, if you roll into an audition dragging an 8x10 stack. I usually bring a GK 2x10 combo, but I've had at least one audition where they played so crazy loud that the combo had a hard time keeping up. What the "best" amp, or pedalboard, or bass is, in any given situation, is going to vary. So it makes perfect sense that people seek feedback.

 

[socialleper]

I don't understand much of what goes on around here. I've only ever had to audition for 3 bands, and I got 2 of the 3 gigs. My bands generally last around 3-5 years. There has been some drama, and despite some serious alcohol and drug use in my early career, it was far less extreme than some of what I've read here.
I suppose if I was auditioning for the band of a real musician, like someone that people had actually heard of, I might get anxious about it. For a local band, I am not going to loose sleep over it. Of course I am going to bring my A game, that's the only game I have, but if some unsigned local doesn't want me, oh well.

 

[Nashrakh]

First - Is there so much demand for Bass players where I can audition every weekend?

There is actually so much demand that I don't even need to audition...

 

[3Liter]

A couple of days points from a public jam last night. Not an audition, but just the variability of people and such. I played guitar and sang....I don't know what the rather experienced bass player was playing. What amp, what bass...no idea. He was agreeable and nice but couldn't catch on to one of the I IV V songs I wanted to do. Just couldn't catch the groove. It was a live fire so no big deal. Also not an audition.

A young guy was setting up his guitar rig while I was playing. I went straight into my amp (not because I'm good, but because it was a jam and I wanted easy set up and to try it). Young guy had an elaborate pedal board and 3 or so loose pedals that he was chaing up. Couldn't catch on to most of the songs we were playing. Seemed like a nice guy though.

Instruments aisde, each of those guys would likely have a different audition experience/expectations.

 

[bassicmike]

2 thoughts

Plan your escape. Audition is at 8? Prearrange a phone call for 8:20. If music is good ignore the call. If music is bad, take it - "aw, crap, I gotta go, toilet/boiler/dog/wife just blew up" - make apologies, get out.

I've said this before - learn to read a guitarist's chording hand. It can be a big help if they start going off the arrangement you know.

 

[Tazziedevil]

Man, I wish I had the luxury of an audition every weekend!

 

[LBS-bass]

There is actually so much demand that I don't even need to audition...

True that. I got together tonight with some guys who needed a bass player for an upcoming show at the premier blues club in town. They invited me out to play; it was kind of an audition but more just a "let's make sure this works" kind of thing. I had enough confidence to know that I was not going to be the problem. Lucky for me they were also pretty decent players. If I wanted to be really busy I could probably do this several times a month. I don't want to be that busy, though. I wouldn't mind if gigs in this town were paying better, but they aren't.

 

[13bass]

I guess for us new players it’s a completely different ball game. I’ve been playing guitar for 10 years and playing bass for almost 3 weeks! So I’m not picky about anything.....yet!

I was supposedly going to play with some guys forming a band next Wednesday. Turns out the guy forming this band got mixed up and thought it was today, so he texts me last night asked me if we are still on tomorrow. I explain to him the mixup, (he went back and read the text again and saw it was his mistake) told him I only know 4 songs so far to where I am 90% comfortable (he sent me song list Sunday)and he said show up anyway.

now this morning I find out it’s only gonna be him, tells me not to even bring my amp, that he’s just gonna plug me straight into his computer so that we can record a few slow songs and see how we sound together, him playing guitar and singing and me on bass.

Huh?!?!
Well I’m new to this so I’m just rolling with it and going to see what happens!

 

[kevindahl]

The only audition where I din't get the gig was a few years ago. I had been playing many years in various genres. I hadn't been playing in a project for a couple of years. I was writing, recording, and working on my vocals. The band was a tribute to British pop/rock music, all pros. I nailed the audition, or at least I thought I did. However, just before we began playing I admitted to being nervous. I was and it was a few years since I had jammed with anyone. The BL phoned me that night and said it was very close between me and a another guy. He added that I didn't get the gig because I said I was nervous even though I played well. I was devastated. I ended up checking them out a few months later and still felt I would have been a better "fit".

So be confident out there and too cocky.

 

[mstillman]

He sent me twenty some songs, all over the place, from the Animals, to Elvis, Sinatra, Eagles, Beach Boys, etc.

I couldn't tell: Did he expect you to learn all 20 for an audition? How much time do you have? That's a tall order...which is one way of saying "that's ridiculous." Or did he say/suggest pick a few from this list?

If someone in a local bar band asked me to learn 20 songs for an audition in a few days, my first thought would be to decline. I've got a day job and a family life.

Okay, first look at the list. There's a good chance you might already know most of them; certainly enough for an audition. I'd likely say, "That's a cool list with a lot of variety. Just so we all make good use of our time, how about I'll prepare these 5.... Sound like a plan?"

Then nail those 5 so well that you can't play them badly.

Then learn the remainder as best you can.

On one audition I did my prepared half-dozen, then we all just played another 2 hours or so. But I've played many of those songs before and the remaining ones were pretty easy to figure out after a listen or two.

Assuming your audition hasn't happened yet, don't forget you're also auditioning them. It's like a job interview or a date. The relationship should work both ways.

Post other questions, even (especially!) if they seem noobie. Nobody was born knowing this stuff. Good luck and let us know how it went.

 

[TexasEdition]

I couldn't tell: Did he expect you to learn all 20 for an audition? How much time do you have? That's a tall order...which is one way of saying "that's ridiculous." Or did he say/suggest pick a few from this list?

Recently, I've had this, and I think it was their way of gauging how much material I already knew. Another one set me a list of 6 or so songs, then sent another list of 6 songs, half of which were different, and then again. Luckily I jut happened to know them all and just needed a few runs to polish them up.

 

[13bass]

I couldn't tell: Did he expect you to learn all 20 for an audition? How much time do you have? That's a tall order...which is one way of saying "that's ridiculous." Or did he say/suggest pick a few from this list?

If someone in a local bar band asked me to learn 20 songs for an audition in a few days, my first thought would be to decline. I've got a day job and a family life.

Okay, first look at the list. There's a good chance you might already know most of them; certainly enough for an audition. I'd likely say, "That's a cool list with a lot of variety. Just so we all make good use of our time, how about I'll prepare these 5.... Sound like a plan?"

Then nail those 5 so well that you can't play them badly.

Then learn the remainder as best you can.

On one audition I did my prepared half-dozen, then we all just played another 2 hours or so. But I've played many of those songs before and the remaining ones were pretty easy to figure out after a listen or two.

Assuming your audition hasn't happened yet, don't forget you're also auditioning them. It's like a job interview or a date. The relationship should work both ways.

Post other questions, even (especially!) if they seem noobie. Nobody was born knowing this stuff. Good luck and let us know how it went.

well it was supposed to happen next Wednesday and I had planned on trying to learn 6 to 8 songs really well and be familiar with the rest and take it from there. then he mixed up the dates and so it ended up being this afternoon.
on top of that it was only him so we ended up playing together for a couple hours and everything worked out well but now I’m finding out that the drummer and other guitarist are iffy.

in the end it was a two-man jam session for two hours, him singing and on guitar and me on bass

 

[sears]

If someone in a local bar band asked me to learn 20 songs for an audition in a few days, my first thought would be to decline. I've got a day job and a family life.

I'm not trying to argue -- and I agree it's ridiculous -- but all you have to do is learn those 20 songs better than anyone else they audition. Plus, thinking ahead, if they have a gig in a couple weeks, you're gonna have to learn those 20 songs at some point. Might as well start now.

I love auditioning. Love love love. I can't say a positive word about myself or ask for anything, which puts me at a disadvantage at interviewing for a job. But for some reason auditions agree with me. I just prepare as well as I can and show up and play and be myself. I am in my element at an audition. It's like being on stage except in front of people who speak your language.

 

[mstillman]

Two fantastic points, @sears!

@jt62 ugh! That's a downer. Reminds me of a job interview for a full time position in which they instead propose consulting. It may or may not work out, but one must first process the abrupt mindset change.

 

[Bass Viking]

I'm not trying to argue -- and I agree it's ridiculous -- but all you have to do is learn those 20 songs better than anyone else they audition. Plus, thinking ahead, if they have a gig in a couple weeks, you're gonna have to learn those 20 songs at some point. Might as well start now.

Before investing all that time I would want to hear the band first. Who knows, maybe they suck? Maybe they barely know the songs they expect you to learn!