Marvin Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 ...don't they get 'umpy?!?!? I'm sort drifting between bands at the moment and have turned down a few 'bands', 'projects', call them what you will. Anybody would have thought I'd pee'd in someone's beer the response from a few people. Got to laugh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Chose not to go with a 'project' I was looking at a few weeks ago and was totally blanked. No texts, emails, nothing. Bit childish if you ask me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted November 23, 2014 Author Share Posted November 23, 2014 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1416768282' post='2613386'] Chose not to go with a 'project' I was looking at a few weeks ago and was totally blanked. No texts, emails, nothing. Bit childish if you ask me. [/quote] Na, na, ne, na, naaaaa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1416768420' post='2613388'] Na, na, ne, na, naaaaa [/quote] I told my mum on them anyway. Edited November 23, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 If people are so @rsey just because you decline an invitation then it sounds like it was the right decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 i find the whole thing is a bit awkward.. i've had the arsey responses from people when i have turned them down and on the other hand, ive also had people respond in an arsey way when i've approached them with them saying i'm not what they are after..... before even talking to me or auditioning me... its all very odd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japhet Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Please remember that you are, after all, a mere bass player. You should be overjoyed that proper musicians have deemed you worthy to prop up their egos. Get a grip man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Ebs freak sent a dep my way last week, all smiles and I know the guy and he is sound, I declined the offer, didn't even get a text back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 It is good to get asked... but it also depends on who is asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 musicians egos are odd things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacey Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 A good test of the water is if they let you walk out of the audition with the line "we have others to see" That usually means one of two things: They don't think you were good enough and hope someone better turns up. OR They are about as organised as a wet sponge, no decent band lets someone walk out who they think can do the job and ticks all boxes, you stop it there and pull the bod in and ask them if they want the job. You do not take the chance they will also be looking for a job and will walk out and get one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 A friend of mine got a very high profile gig after the second track of the audition and they opened a bottle of scotch on the deal whilst the other guys were still on the plane from London for it... so, yes, I agree, if they have more people to see, they aren't that convinced Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacey Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1416825219' post='2613841'] A friend of mine got a very high profile gig after the second track of the audition and they opened a bottle of scotch on the deal whilst the other guys were still on the plane from London for it... so, yes, I agree, if they have more people to see, they aren't that convinced [/quote] The last audition I held a few years back, we needed a vocalist, one after another they came.... Then in walked one guy and nailed it ! I went and bought him a drink and asked him politely if he thought this was his band, he said yes 100% I asked would he just sit in whilst we saw the last two people and would then get back up for some more. We dispensed the other two after one track each, got our man back up, never even told him "you have got the job" funny enough, we just said welcome mate, lets crack on with he set. You have to be ready to pounce when it happens, never let them walk out, it is disregardful in my opinion. That aside, I have also had those bands and ideas where nobody walks in, who hasn't ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1416825219' post='2613841'] A friend of mine got a very high profile gig after the second track of the audition and they opened a bottle of scotch on the deal whilst the other guys were still on the plane from London for it... so, yes, I agree, if they have more people to see, they aren't that convinced [/quote] I can understand 'a bird in the hand' and all that, but it seems a bit harsh on the guys still on the plane . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1416827063' post='2613875'] I can understand 'a bird in the hand' and all that, but it seems a bit harsh on the guys still on the plane . . . [/quote] Yes one of the guys on the plane could have been even better... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 In my opinion and practice, both at my day job and with bands, if I agree to audition X people for a job, I will go through X auditions before I make a decision. I will try to give everybody a fair chance, by giving the same task to everybody, and assessing their work. Naturally, I will begin to form my opinion, but the answer for everybody is that we need to finish the auditions before we can make a decision, and that's what I do. If I find someone suitable in one round of auditions, I will close the job and politely refuse anyone else. A little dry perhaps, yet my experience says it's the right thing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1416827063' post='2613875'] I can understand 'a bird in the hand' and all that, but it seems a bit harsh on the guys still on the plane . . . [/quote] That is the deal at that level... and my friend knew the London guys were onto the gig so it was often a case of who got there first. He also knew there was NO WAY they were getting the gig as he knew the players. I don't know how they dealt with the other guys who were mid travel... but those are the risks you take. My friend was at a trade show in Manchester so as soon as the word went out...everyone got in gear. The London guys must have known the urgency as they decide to get the plane upto Scotland.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1416827142' post='2613877'] Yes one of the guys on the plane could have been even better... [/quote] My mate knew who was on the audition trail and he didn't think they'd get the gig over him... but if they'd got there first, maybe they would have done enough. The standard was such that the London session scene was after this gig, so none of them were bad players... so I can see why getting there first would be desirable..??? Everyone was responsible for their own travel costs.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 [quote name='razze06' timestamp='1416828046' post='2613892'] In my opinion and practice, both at my day job and with bands, if I agree to audition X people for a job, I will go through X auditions before I make a decision. I will try to give everybody a fair chance, by giving the same task to everybody, and assessing their work. Naturally, I will begin to form my opinion, but the answer for everybody is that we need to finish the auditions before we can make a decision, and that's what I do. If I find someone suitable in one round of auditions, I will close the job and politely refuse anyone else. A little dry perhaps, yet my experience says it's the right thing to do. [/quote] That's the way I've always done it too. The only time I've offered someone a place on the spot was with a singer who was the last of several to audition. I could have offered it to one of the others who was good enough and missed out on the best one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I've only had to turn down one invitation to join. I hummed and hawed about it for a while then ended up declining and being quite honest about my reasons why not (the humming and hawing was about whether or not to be honest or to come up with some flimsy excuse). I was thanked for my candour. Guess I've been lucky so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I always like to sleep on a decision like this, whether I am auditioner or auditionee, and the other party has always been happy to accept this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I know from when I last auditioned, good bass players are rare. I know of three local bands who are using guitarists as bass players. The band I'm in, auditioned three guys before I came along and they had been dismissed fairly quickly. It's quite a tough job to find and audition new players so when one comes along and then, after all the work, decides they're not interested, it can be a pain. There are loads of obvious steps to take before the auditionee has even started to learn parts for the audition (on both sides) so if someone has actually turned up for the audition they, and you, must be reasonably happy that they're going to be considered/consider the band. People not communicating after the fact may seem rude but I'd say that a lot of musicians are flakey at best and this is just the way they behave. Unless they're actually rude to you, I wouldn't worry too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 There's a guy locally who has asked me a number of times to play with his projects. He seems a nice guy and his music is very accomplished but just not really up my street. After the third time, it's started to get awkward when I bump into him at other peoples gigs, and with Edinburgh being quite a small scene this happens regularly. There have been times I've told him that I'm too busy, but I'm not that busy at the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1416830488' post='2613928'] That is the deal at that level... and my friend knew the London guys were onto the gig so it was often a case of who got there first. He also knew there was NO WAY they were getting the gig as he knew the players. I don't know how they dealt with the other guys who were mid travel... but those are the risks you take. My friend was at a trade show in Manchester so as soon as the word went out...everyone got in gear. The London guys must have known the urgency as they decide to get the plane upto Scotland.. [/quote] Fair enough if everyone knew the deal, but it sounds a bit of a desperate business. Still, kudos to your friend for 'stealing' the gig - he must have certainly impressed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirky Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Years ago I got a very shirty response from a band who wanted me to play cello on a recording. Despite me telling them I didn't own a cello and had never played one, they seemed to take it as a personal slight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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