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Things any good bassist should be able to do.
- Thread starter Waytootrue
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- bassist good great what makes
Be on time, keep good time, practice ahead of time, don't waste anybodies time.
I would think that a school would have the audition requirements/expectations posted in advance. If they don't, I would contact them and ask... If no info is available, this is my general policy:
Show up on time and sober.
Tune before the audition officially starts. If there is a fixed pitch instrument like a piano, tune to it, not a tuner.
Be respectful to everyone and look them in the eye when meeting them.
Play with consistent time.
Accept feedback if given.
Thank everyone at the end.
Show up on time and sober.
Tune before the audition officially starts. If there is a fixed pitch instrument like a piano, tune to it, not a tuner.
Be respectful to everyone and look them in the eye when meeting them.
Play with consistent time.
Accept feedback if given.
Thank everyone at the end.
For a college audition???
- Know the audition piece.
- Solid sight reading
- Understanding some basic theory (or advanced, depending on the school)
- Playing in context / dynamics
- the ability to pay tuition, fees, room & board without incurring staggering student loan debt.
- Know the audition piece.
- Solid sight reading
- Understanding some basic theory (or advanced, depending on the school)
- Playing in context / dynamics
- the ability to pay tuition, fees, room & board without incurring staggering student loan debt.
honestly, there's a weird piece of advice i heard once. I'll pass it along.
Sprint for a bit (maybe 60 seconds), then run inside and immediately play your piece(s). Get used to playing smoothly and steadily with your heart racing in your ears.
Sprint for a bit (maybe 60 seconds), then run inside and immediately play your piece(s). Get used to playing smoothly and steadily with your heart racing in your ears.
Maybe it's more of a general skill level assessment /ensemble placement audition at a regular university, rather than an advanced performance program acceptance audition at somewhere like Julliard. I remember back in college having to take various different skill assessment tests to determine what theory level classes, which jazz ensemble, private lesson instructor, etc I would end up with.
Nope. You are starting college. I have gone to college, taught college, and performed professionally. There are many, many players who are concerned with originality and creativity, who have oodles of technique and "stage presence."
You are starting college. The basics are what matters.
1. Know your instrument. Hopefully it is a P-Bass. Know every note, every position. Be comfortable in any register. Build clean technique. Have control over how your notes sound, the tone, volume, and most importantly, all ththe beginnings and endings of every note.
2. Know music. How chord progressions work and how different note choices affect the song. Learn songs by ear and emulate the tone and style of the bass lines and even the melodies. Learn a ton of songs by ear. Learn to read both notation and chord charts well. Listen to all the others you are playing with. Play the right style, volume, and groove all the time. You dont need flash or "creativity."
3. Be cool and together. Hang out with and befriend other musicians, especially other bassists. Go to the gigs of other musicians. Wear clean clothes. Be on time and prepared, wearing the right clothes and don't be annoying. People will call you for the gig if they can trust you to get there on time and organized and if they like being around you. Whenever it is on me to hire a drummer or whatever, the last guy I ran into or talked to is the one I think of first. Make interactions with others a positive experience for them.
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Bodeanly: That advice is certainly helpful, however I think the OP is looking for more specific recommendations.
What *kind* of pizza?
Sometimes all ya need is to double up on the pepperonis to get the gig!
Yeah, but it's generally not up to the delivery driv- errrr... Bassist to decide what kind of pizza to deliver.Bodeanly: That advice is certainly helpful, however I think the OP is looking for more specific recommendations.
What *kind* of pizza?
Sometimes all ya need is to double up on the pepperonis to get the gig!
This.
I don't have Timmy-Watts experience, but I have plenty of experience interviewing. What will make you stand out is doing what they have told you they want to see, but well.
I'm a total noob but I hear a ton of guys on YouTube that have "chops" but their timing is all shaged up. No matter how good they are technically if their timing is off for all purposes other than them playing alone at home they suck. My teacher doesn't compliment me on much but he does compliment me on my timing.
Ric5
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- Jan 29, 2008
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Good advice (except for the P-bass comment.... play what you want and ignore the trolls)
Nice post, and good advice. If I may: why is it important the instrument be a p-bass? I can understand not showing up with something radical, like a space bass, or maybe even a thunderbird, but not why a p is preferable to any "normal looking bass" such as a j or even something like a sound gear. Just curious.
b/c the trolls like P-basses with flats. lol
Please, Don't feed the trolls.
Playing what the music calls for. No more, and no less. If it is written out, play the ink.
In a professional context (which ideally a college should be trying to instill), I'd say:
1. Time feel. Lock in with, or always play off of the drummer.
2. Musical "control-" AKA being restrained and tasteful in your playing and musical choices. This applies to everyone that aspires to be good but, I think it applies especially to us bassists. No one wants you blowing your load on a song.
3. Harmonic creativity- Instead of trying to impress by playing fast lines, tactfully throw some inversions in there, play some nice lines with extensions, or even match the primary melody line at times when it does not hinder your ability to hold down the chord. I have found that this goes a long way in impressing other, more mature, instrumentalists rather than shredding. I find that a lot of bassists don't know harmony as well as say, keyboardists, simply because of our role in music (playing mostly root notes).
1. Time feel. Lock in with, or always play off of the drummer.
2. Musical "control-" AKA being restrained and tasteful in your playing and musical choices. This applies to everyone that aspires to be good but, I think it applies especially to us bassists. No one wants you blowing your load on a song.
3. Harmonic creativity- Instead of trying to impress by playing fast lines, tactfully throw some inversions in there, play some nice lines with extensions, or even match the primary melody line at times when it does not hinder your ability to hold down the chord. I have found that this goes a long way in impressing other, more mature, instrumentalists rather than shredding. I find that a lot of bassists don't know harmony as well as say, keyboardists, simply because of our role in music (playing mostly root notes).
