solo4652 Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 [size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I have an audition for a covers band next week. Given that there are at least 7 songs on the band's setlist that I know, I thought that would suffice. So, I said that I'd prefer not to have to learn any new songs for the audition. This has not gone down well. Message from the band's keys player: [/font][/size] "[color="#000000"]The general consensus is that [i]we [/i](italics added by me) should choose the pieces we'd like auditionees to play"[/color] [size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][color="#000000"]They know which songs I already know but they've insisted I learn some new ones. In previous bands when auditioning, we've generally tried to be accomodating when people turn up for auditions and ask them which songs from the setlist they'd like to have a go at. [/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][color="#000000"]Am I being lazy and inflexible? Are they being unhelpful and over-controlling?[/color][/font][/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 They'll be learning new material as time goes on and they're going to want someone who's prepared to put the appropriate amount of effort in to make the exercise worthwhile. If you want to work with the band, now is not the time to be arguing over something you're going to be expected to do as a matter of course as a potential member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 (edited) I can see your point sort of about songs you know already but in my view, if you learn their choice of numbers, it will tell the band something about who you are. It will give them an idea of how thorough you are in learning material. Their choices may include particular numbers to see how you cope with different tempos, grooves etc, and will also show them how accomodating you are. If we were auditioning a new member, we would pick the numbers in order to see what the auditionee can cope with. I don't think they're being unhelpful at all. They just need to make sure they pick the right person for their band. Edited April 28, 2012 by leschirons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amnesia Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 The band should pick the tracks. The tracks you know might be really simple or not typical of their set. Asking you to learn new tracks is all part of the audition. Having said that, two or three should be enough for them to know if you can play or if you fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveK Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 [quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1335622688' post='1633854'] [size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I said that I'd prefer not to have to learn any new songs for the audition.[/font][/size] [/quote]Don't be surprised to get an email before the audition along the lines of, "Perhaps you would 'prefer' to not have to do the audition at all...good luck for the future!" The message comes across loud and clear that you're not really prepared to make much effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 (edited) I would have to tack against the prevailing wind here. If everybody who's going to be in the room knows 7 of the songs, why waste the auditionee's time asking them to learn new ones? It's a first audition, ffs, 7 songs is more than enough to see if he can play. And if they're getting into mind-games about assessing someone's commitment or 'we do the choosing', then they're being a bit previous, IMO. It's only a poxy covers band, fer chrissake. He's not applying for Head Of Surgery at Barts Suggesting they go with the 7 'common' songs seems quite reasonable to me. So I'd say new band = illogical, sniffy and controlling. Probably a bunch of nervous, amateur, wound-too-tight timewasters. Tell 'em to poke it or you'll be back here in a month telling us horror stories from the rehearsal room. [color=#ffffff].[/color] Edited April 28, 2012 by skankdelvar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 If you'd said that to me you would have failed the audition without even having to turn up. Knowing extra stuff is a bonus but, as has been said, demonstrating the committment to do some work for it is important. It's a bit like "what do you know about this company" in an interview. It shows you could be arsed putting some effort it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPS Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 To be fair in every audition for a covers band I've had the band have largely chosen the songs, with maybe a bit of compromise on a couple I already knew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1335625872' post='1633913'] If everybody who's going to be in the room knows 7 of the songs, why waste the auditionee's time asking them to learn new ones? [color=#ffffff].[/color] [/quote] Conformity and a level playing field? If everyone else has been asked to learn the same tracks for the audition (which they undoubtedly have) there's absolutely no point in giving someone the option of playing something different and using that as a measure of ability against the other auditionees. It'd be like me going to an interview prepared to discuss vmware and discovering they were judging technical ability by tie colour... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 [quote name='icastle' timestamp='1335628263' post='1633972'] ...going to an interview prepared to discuss vmware and discovering they were judging technical ability by tie colour... [/quote] I'd get that job. I've got some lovely ties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Seems odd to me unless the songs they have chosen are bass heavy or bass led tunes. Doesn't bode well if neither of you are being flexible. I would have gone back and said that you would learn one of their tunes and have a look at the others. Either you can play bass or you can't. If they can't tell whether you can or can't from the first tune you play then you probably want to avoid them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solo4652 Posted April 28, 2012 Author Share Posted April 28, 2012 Further emails between me and them have produced a compromise. They've given me a list of six songs and asked me to choose four from it. Two I know, so that means I'll need to learn two new ones. It's not a good start between us, is it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 What's the problem with learning new numbers, anyway? I enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 [quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1335629138' post='1633999'] It's not a good start between us, is it... [/quote] Nope. Arguing before you've even sat in the same room together isn't great. For this to even stand a chance of working, one side is going to have to take a deep breath and be the bigger man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1335628346' post='1633975'] I'd get that job. I've got some lovely ties. [/quote] That is truly worrying... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 The odd audition I have done I've always got in there first and said "let me know what songs you want me to learn". Would you rather be the keen guy offering to learn songs or the one that argued that he couldn't be bothered learning songs because he already knew some other ones? Depends how much you want the gig I suppose.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Every audition I`ve had, the band have told me what songs they`ve wanted me to learn and I`ve done so. With my current covers band, The Daves, I used to go to see them quite a lot before I joined, so knew which songs they played, so made sure I learned them all (I already had a good knowledge of most of them, to be fair). At the audition we went through the 7 songs they`d given me. After that, to their amazement, I suggested going through the rest of their set. I got the job - you have to show willingness, or the other guy/gal that has put the effort in gets the position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I'd say (before they did) 'what songs would you like me to play?' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1335631053' post='1634038'] ...you have to show willingness, or the other guy/gal that has put the effort in gets the position. [/quote][quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1335631483' post='1634047']I'd say (before they did) 'what songs would you like me to play?' [/quote] Yes! Competition is rife, as they say. Over the last few days I've learnt five numbers for an audition tomorrow morning. If I don't get the gig it won't be because I don't know the material. I know it inside out - I researched the tracks, listened to other versions besides the ones they gave me, looked at live versions on YouTube, found out the history of the bands and their bass players, what kit they use, what moves they make, and on and on, everything I could get my hands on. If you're not willing to go the full nine yards, you mustn't be surprised if someone else gets the gig. IMHO. Edited April 28, 2012 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1335631730' post='1634058'] Yes! Competition is rife, as they say. Over the last few days I've learnt five numbers for an audition tomorrow morning. If I don't get the gig it won't be because I don't know the material. I know it inside out - I researched the tracks, listened to other versions besides the ones they gave me, looked at live versions on YouTube, found out the history of the bands and their bass players, what kit they use, what moves they make, and on and on, everything I could get my hands on. If you're not willing to go the full nine yards, you mustn't be surprised if someone else gets the gig. IMHO. [/quote] In fact, you may go the full nine yards (what does that mean exactly?) and still not get the gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musophilr Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 An audition isn't just about how good your chops are, its about how much you're willing to work with the band. For a covers band they'll need to know how good you are at learning new stuff as well as how well you can play. I say (along with other posts) learn whatever they ask you to learn. You can always make suggestions for songs to cover (that you know and think would work) once you've got the gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Can see both sides on this one. Having said that if I was auditioning for a band I'd expect to be told what to learn. If I happened to know the material already then great but if not then I'd do my best to learn them (making sure that I was learning the same version that they play in the same key). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 There could be a multitude of valid reasons why they want you to play their selection of songs. If you can't be arsed to learn them they will quickly realise that you aren't the right person for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyBiskit Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 We recently Auditioned a new Drummer for our covers band, And let him pick 6 tracks to learn from the set... IMO its as much an audition for us as well as the drummer. LB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 (edited) [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1335632730' post='1634069'] the full nine yards (what does that mean exactly?) [/quote] Myth has it that 9 yards is the length of a Vickers machine gun ammo belt [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_whole_nine_yards"]http://en.wikipedia....hole_nine_yards[/url]. Hence to go the full nine yards means to fire everything off. Much as I am tempted to do at some of the very, [i]very [/i]slightly sanctimonious posts on this thread. If someone asks us a question, it should be possible to respond without casting nasturtiums on their assiduity or 'attitude'. For myself, I've always learnt [i]all[/i] the songs a band offers up for audition, irrespective of 'options'. But I would always see an audition as a two-way street, so I don't see the OP's position as being quite that reprehensible. It's all moot, anyway, because they'll certainly turn out to be just another bunch of wazzers. My spidey sense tells me so and it's never been wrong yet. [color=#ffffff].[/color] Edited April 28, 2012 by skankdelvar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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