Prep for audition/first meet

[Bluewine]

2 hours ago, yorks5stringer said:

Don't forget to ask them if they intend to do any gigs without you,  as a duo or trio.....😪

Are they're a gigging band?

Great question, because it could be a conflict of interest.

How many of you guys have found out that several gigs for your band were turned down because an internal duo had booked those dates?

Blue

[peteb]

2 hours ago, Bluewine said:

Many talented Musicians are introverted and not really good candidates for a band.

 

That maybe true, but even more talented musicians tend to be pretty extroverted - some outrageously so...!  

A mix of personalities can be good, but if someone is too shy they are going to struggle to cut it in a band. 

Edited September 18, 2018 by peteb

[Maude]

Sometimes you just can't tell either, introverted extrovert. 

I can be quite quiet at rehearsals and such like but come alive when gigging. 

[Bluewine]

51 minutes ago, Maude said:

Sometimes you just can't tell either, introverted extrovert. 

I can be quite quiet at rehearsals and such like but come alive when gigging. 

That's a good thing. 

I'm not naturally likeable or personable. When I'm on stage it's something I have to work hard at.

Blue

[Bluewine]

1 hour ago, peteb said:

That maybe true, but even more talented musicians tend to be pretty extroverted - some outrageously so...!  

A mix of personalities can be good, but if someone is too shy they are going to struggle to cut it in a band. 

Agreed 100% Pete.

Daryl

[Woodinblack]

On 17/09/2018 at 17:49, Bluewine said:

In my area most publically advertised opportunities are " for fun" bands.

Bands that are gigging a lot and making money don't advertise to the public.

Funny, I was listening to a thing on Genesis the other day, when Gabriel left they left an advert in Melody Maker with 'Wanted singer for Genesis type band'.

I guess some bands do!

[Bluewine]

2 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Funny, I was listening to a thing on Genesis the other day, when Gabriel left they left an advert in Melody Maker with 'Wanted singer for Genesis type band'.

I guess some bands do!

Yes, even in my area  a solid gigging band will advertise publically to fill a position.It can happen, but not often.

Blue

[peteb]

28 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

That's a good thing. 

I'm not naturally likeable or personable. When I'm on stage it's something I have to work hard at.

Blue

You don't come across as someone who is unlikable, but it maybe something you need to work on. Being able to get on with people is a big help in being a successful musician (at whatever level), just as it is in all other areas of life. 

Developing a stage persona is just part of the gig - something most of us develop over time (of course some are naturals). Usually it's just an extension of being yourself, only more so! Often the difference between getting the right gigs or not... 

[Guest aDx]

I got my first audition on Thursday. It has been many years since I did one and the first time ever I have played covers   they are rock covers so all good. 

Onward and upward!  Lol. 

[Happy Jack]

On 16/09/2018 at 10:16, lowlandtrees said:

Ok. I know all the stuff about relax, be yourself and enjoy but other than these, what prep would you do prior to auditioning for a new band? It is an originals only set and they have sent a song that I will learn but other than that....just do the usual? Been years/decades since I auditioned and they appear pretty good technically and I feel a bit out of my depth. 

So when is this much-anticipated audition actually happening?

[Bluewine]

On 19/09/2018 at 01:54, aDx said:

I got my first audition on Thursday. It has been many years since I did one and the first time ever I have played covers   they are rock covers so all good. 

Onward and upward!  Lol. 

Seems like there's this pre-conceived notion that rock covers are easy with easy bass lines.

I say be careful going into an audition with that notion.

Blue

[paul_5]

Mrs_5 and I have a piece of advice that we give to each other when going for important meetings/interviews etc...

”try not to be a twät”. 

Works every time.

[Count Bassy]

On 17/09/2018 at 17:43, skankdelvar said:

Just in case they turn nasty, stuff a couple of snooker balls into a sock. Knot the end and - Hey! Presto! - you've got yourself a serviceable cosh.

Sounds very uncomfortable. Do you have to have special shoes?  ..... Oh I see

[Monkey Steve]

On 17/09/2018 at 17:53, discreet said:

Depressingly familiar. I'm always confused when people can't make it. What could they possibly be doing that's even close in importance to rehearsing, recording or gigging?

My life revolves around those three things. The rest is waiting to do those three things. I suppose it's unreasonable to expect four or five other people to have the same attitude...

Exactly, family life apart, what do people have to do that is better than playing their instrument all evening?  Fine if you have a reasonable answer, but lying on the sofa watching Big Brother, or "I've had a long week, I don't want to spend the evening in the studio" don't make sense to me. YMMV

I once had a guitarist who took the attitude that there was an exact amount of effort to be expended on each band and a maximum amount of time he would spend playing the guitar each week.  If he had used up that allotted time then he wasn't going to practice, or play a possibly under-attended midweek gig, etc.  Fortunately we had a second guitarist who's attitude was "brilliant - more solos for me" so it never held us back.  Possibly it would have come to a head if the band hadn't split up for other reasons, but there was a lot of discussion between me and guitarist #2 on the issue and whether, at some point, we were going to have to look for someone else, because it felt like we were doing the hard yards in getting the band up and running while guitarist #1 was picking and choosing to only do the bits he fancied

[discreet]

6 minutes ago, Monkey Steve said:

Exactly, family life apart, what do people have to do that is better than playing their instrument all evening?  Fine if you have a reasonable answer, but lying on the sofa watching Big Brother, or "I've had a long week, I don't want to spend the evening in the studio" don't make sense to me.

I don't even let family life get in the way of my playing. Feck 'em! They swan around doing exactly what they want to do, so why should I stay at home pretending to be a responsible father/partner/householder?  It's always been the same for me, I'm not really happy unless I'm playing the bass and anything else is just annoying crap to be got out of the way as quickly as possible so I can play the bass.*

*Posting threads about playing the bass on a forum and looking at basses for sale on the internet is also valid.

[Monkey Steve]

5 minutes ago, discreet said:

I don't even let family life get in the way of my playing. Feck 'em! They swan around doing exactly what they want to do, so why should I stay at home pretending to be a responsible father/partner/householder?  It's always been the same for me, I'm not really happy unless I'm playing the bass and anything else is just annoying crap to be got out of the way as quickly as possible so I can play the bass.*

*Posting threads about playing the bass on a forum and looking at basses for sale on the internet is also valid.

I've got a mate in a signed, touring band (big fish in a very small pond - not enough income for him to regard himself as a full time musician, but he's ready to drop everything else for the band at a moment's notice) who's attitude is that any girlfriend he has will know one thing about him, which is that he is the guitarist in a band.  If she wants to go out with him then she will be left in no doubt that practicing, recording and playing gigs will always have first call on his time.  His current band rehears three times a week and his girlfriend has to find other things to fill her time on those nights - she knows not to complain about not being able to do something with him on a rehearsal night.

[discreet]

2 minutes ago, Monkey Steve said:

His band rehearse three times a week and his girlfriend has to find other things to fill her time on those nights...

The current mrs discreet is delighted when I'm rehearsing or gigging, because she can then watch all the terrible crap she's recorded on TV. Occasionally she'll come to a gig, but she tends to drink too much then stand at the back and shout 'Fùck Off!!' Which can cause friction later...

[No. 8 Wire]

9 minutes ago, Monkey Steve said:

His current band rehears three times a week and his girlfriend has to find other things to fill her time on those nights

Let me guess, the bass player never turns up for band practice.....

[dmccombe7]

Bass is important to me and now that i have no work to worry about its probably my main focus in life but i like to balance it with other things i enjoy. Playing in the band will always take priority over the other things but i don't spend every waking minute playing or practicing. Its a hobby for me and i would like to keep it at that level. I don't want it to become a job that takes up all my time or brings in all the stresses that a job entails.

I probably practice at home about 1-2 hrs a day, rehearse once a week with the band and hopefuly when we are ready to gig we will be lookng at 2-3 gigs a month. I'm happy with that.

For many yrs up until i retired couple yrs ago at 55 my work was the main thing in my life. It got to the stage it dictated everything about my life. I stopped playing in bands because of the "expected" commitment from the company i worked for who wanted me to be available whenever they called and i fell for that c**p. Enough was enough and i retired early at the first available chance i got. No regrets whatsoever.

I now believe in a better life balance and other hobbies like walking, cycling, gardening, Harley Davidson bikes, fast cars and sad to say model railways are just some of the other things i enjoy on a regular basis. Playing bass especially if i have songs to learn will take priority over any of them but not totally if that makes sense.

All that said and done i'll do what my wife tells me 

Dave

 

 

[Guest aDx]

18 hours ago, Bluewine said:

Seems like there's this pre-conceived notion that rock covers are easy with easy bass lines.

I say be careful going into an audition with that notion.

Blue

What I meant was that I like rock covers.  And I will put many hours into learning them. Walk this way in particular is f...ING hard to play!  Lol. 

 

[lowlandtrees]

Well I thought that the piece that they sent me to learn went ok. Had to go through it a couple of times...the vocalist wasn’t there so there was no vocal cues. I was nervous though and went to bits when we started jamming. Buggered that up. Thought they were very sound people and got on well but I felt very ...strange...not good...about being one of five people that they were auditioning that afternoon. Guess that is what the likes of actors do every day. Glad I don’t have to make a living from this. 

 

[steantval]

7 minutes ago, lowlandtrees said:

Well I thought that the piece that they sent me to learn went ok. Had to go through it a couple of times...the vocalist wasn’t there so there was no vocal cues. I was nervous though and went to bits when we started jamming. Buggered that up. Thought they were very sound people and got on well but I felt very ...strange...not good...about being one of five people that they were auditioning that afternoon. Guess that is what the likes of actors do every day. Glad I don’t have to make a living from this. 

 

IMO they are taking the p*ss getting musicians auditioning for a band and the vocalist can’t be ars*d to attend.

[dmccombe7]

9 hours ago, steantval said:

IMO they are taking the p*ss getting musicians auditioning for a band and the vocalist can’t be ars*d to attend.

For me that's ridiculous. Did they give any reason why singer wasn't there. I would have doubts about them if the singer didn't bother showing up. At the end of the day he's the frontman of any band and without vocals at a rehearsal it becomes a free for all instrumental jam session.

With reagards jamming i'm not a fan of that these days. Used to do it all the time when i was 18-20 yrs old but for me its a bit of a waste of time to me. Maybe on a rare occasion during a band rehearsal break i'll go off on a wee jam session with drummer or maybe in the Originals Prog band we might have done that but not at an audition.

5 or 6 people for an audition over a day is about usual i've been to.

For me i just learn the songs as best i can and even if i'm nervous i want to appear confident in front of them.

Hopefully you get the gig if its what you want altho i'm not sure about them with regards the singer not showing up. I've never heard that before.

Dave

 

[Bluewine]

16 hours ago, lowlandtrees said:

Well I thought that the piece that they sent me to learn went ok. Had to go through it a couple of times...the vocalist wasn’t there so there was no vocal cues. I was nervous though and went to bits when we started jamming. Buggered that up. Thought they were very sound people and got on well but I felt very ...strange...not good...about being one of five people that they were auditioning that afternoon. Guess that is what the likes of actors do every day. Glad I don’t have to make a living from this. 

 

Is this band going to provide you with whatever your looking for in a band?

The singer not participating in the audition is a red flag there could be other problems within the band.

Blue

[Bluewine]

On 21/09/2018 at 14:48, aDx said:

What I meant was that I like rock covers.  And I will put many hours into learning them. Walk this way in particular is f...ING hard to play!  Lol. 

 

Agreed "Walk This Way " could be tough. It certainly would be challenging for me.

The other members work have to be able to nail their parts. It's a very fast song and it's hard to hear exactly what the bass player is doing. I would need. YouTube bass tutorial for " Walk This Way"

 

Blue