The Official Audition Thread

[snipelfritz]

Talk about upcoming auditions, auditions past, tips/advice, what to expect...



Soooooo, I have an audition for a band next week. I just can't decide if I really want to be a part of this band. They're kind of corny, but I see somethings I like in them. They also said they're looking for a guitarist who will do more than just "more distortion."

I haven't really done much "professionally"(for lack of a better word), but I do want to be in a band that's serious about playing and I can't find anybody in the dumb ass town I live in. Therefore, this has become the best option, playing with a group of people who are all at least 10 years older than me in a band I'm not sure I even like. I've started learning a couple of their songs and need to know 3 by Wednesday. That shouldn't be hard, the former guitarist's approach is relatively similar to mine(blues-rock/70's hard rock derivative pentatonics). I'm just not good in auditions. Meeting new people terrifies me enough, not to mention having them judge me.

Oh, and I won't tell you the name of the band because I hate it and I know you'll make fun of me.

[SPACERITUAL]

I thought we were going to be talking about the movie soooooo nvm...

[SPACERITUAL]

Also show up drunk. If they turn you away youll know they are pussies and you dont want to havve anything to do with them anyway.

[snipelfritz]

lol. I was actually talking about this:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-ZNX1jqbOk[/youtube]

Four posts in and I've already derailed my own thread

I just reread their posting and realized they're looking for a rhythm player not lead. That's not a problem, in fact it makes learning the songs a shitton easier.

[kaboom]

I thought we were going to be talking about the movie soooooo nvm...

[SPACERITUAL]

I thought we were going to be talking about the movie soooooo nvm...

YES THIS VERY MUCH THIS LETS TALK ABOUT THIS

[SPACERITUAL]

lol. I was actually talking about this:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-ZNX1jqbOk[/youtube]

Four posts in and I've already derailed my own thread

I just reread their posting and realized they're looking for a rhythm player not lead. That's not a problem, in fact it makes learning the songs a shitton easier.

Soooo.....show up drunk and fart alot?????

[Achtane]

I thought we were going to be talking about the movie soooooo nvm...

YES THIS VERY MUCH THIS LETS TALK ABOUT THIS

[jfrey]

Don't sweat it. Just focus on learning the music. Also, learn a little bit of the lead-work as well. It's good to be able to demonstrate versatility.

[warwick.hoy]

Well,....my on topic comments are from a bassist's perspective. I always find myself more in control at auditions. I try not to be a dick about it,...but I find that I'll be the one directing the flow of the audition. It's not that I want to be in control,....I just want to prove that I can help with productivity and I don't want to be standing around staring at each other going WTF.

If it's an established band I try to get a hold of recordings and learn already written songs before showing up to the audition. Sometimes I'll chart out the chord progressions. When I get to the audition usually I'll have the band go through the songs I know,...try to learn one or two that I don't know to show that I can pick up quick and gauge whether or not the established players are able to communicate, either via scale degrees or actual notes. Auditions are as much of a feeling out process for the Auditionee as it is for the Auditioner.

Mecha Shiva was a little different. I just came in; set up; jammed; got the call to come jam again. Then the previous bassist got over some personal shit and they got back with him and I didn't hear from them again until I saw the guitar player in a guitar shop. I guess the previous bassist decided he wanted to go in a direction that the other two didn't or they just couldn't get any chemistry going; so the guitar player guitar shop encounter is when I was invited to come back a few months later.

I'll admit that I was really intimidated by the caliber of players but I knew I wanted to jam with these guys. We had a couple more jams,....there were some loose arrangements that we attempted to hash out that I couldn't get down and didn't really like all that much anyway,....and after a bit of frustration with those riffs and the arrangements not working out and just always turning into improvisations,....I said fuck it,...let's forget the arrangements all together and just be an all improvisational band. A year later and we are still kicking ass.

I've never botched an audition. I've always been asked to join whatever band I've auditioned for(bassist right),...I have declined to join a band or two.