Horizontalste Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Yesterday we auditioned three drummers for our trio, it all went really well in terms of they all turned up & were really competent players. The first chap was an older guy (not a problem in the slightest) who's mostly been a blues player in some really successfull outfits, bags of experience & a really nice style but a little rusty as it's been a while since he played. I'm sure given a rehearsal or two he'd really come into his own. The second fellow (about our age, 40ish) was again very competent with an extensive CV in rock & glam rock bands. He was an incredibly hard hitter to the point that I had to dig in quite a bit & during the audition I thought maybe he'd be to loud for us but he recorded the whole thing & when he sent the files last night I was quite surprised at just how balanced we sounded. He also had the gear & ability to load loops into one of those thingies, an advantage in a trio for sure. The third chap was much younger & seemed very nervous to the point where he struggled to set up his gear, he wasn't as experienced as the other guys but his playing was on point & he did take the audition at the last minute. I know it shouldn't be relevant but I'm not convinced his personality is a perfect match. Gigs would be fine but we do like a laugh, I'd be hoping that this was just a nerves thing & with a couple of rehearsals he'd be out of his shell. I guess what I'm getting at is how would you decide? Obviously I'm not asking the BC massive to choose for us but what factors should we take into account to ensure that we move forward with no regrets! It's a conundrum for sure! (Maybe another round of longer auditions?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oZZma Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Horizontalste said: (Maybe another round of longer auditions?) Yes, especially with guys who seem "rusty" or "nervous" one single audition could not mean much about how good they can be after they "acclimatize" a bit. Edited January 27, 2019 by oZZma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 From the description guy no 2 - the recording isn`t going to lie, sounds like he fitted very well. Maybe his hard-hitting made everyones attack on their instruments that little bit sharper/harder, hence the nice balanced sound. Plus his experience is a big factor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 If all are a decent fit then its simply down to personalities. Better to get on well with a good band member than put up with a great musician who is difficult. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Nice position to be in, a choice of three! Just a few thoughts. Are they in any other bands? Commitment issues. Are they likely to stick around if you invest your time in them ? Some people never seem to stick a band for more than 6 months. Any transport issues? The carless drummer is an annoying sub-species. Depending on the kind of venues you may play at, can they play quietly when it's required? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 I'd check the hard hitter can be subtle when the occasion requires. Dynamics can be the difference between a good and a great band imho. All things being equal otherwise, it comes down to personality and whether they are looking to do the same number/locations of gigs as you and same level of commitment. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 5 hours ago, Lozz196 said: From the description guy no 2 - the recording isn`t going to lie, sounds like he fitted very well. Maybe his hard-hitting made everyones attack on their instruments that little bit sharper/harder, hence the nice balanced sound. Plus his experience is a big factor. I think that's probably how it went Lozz, my only concern is that he might lack dynamics. We did Englishman in NY as one of the tracks & he played hard on that too, but again, the recording sounds good! 5 hours ago, mikel said: If all are a decent fit then its simply down to personalities. Better to get on well with a good band member than put up with a great musician who is difficult. Absolutely, we like to think we're quite steady & would like the new member to compliment the dynamic & not detract from it! 5 hours ago, Len_derby said: Nice position to be in, a choice of three! Just a few thoughts. Are they in any other bands? Commitment issues. Are they likely to stick around if you invest your time in them ? Some people never seem to stick a band for more than 6 months. Any transport issues? The carless drummer is an annoying sub-species. Depending on the kind of venues you may play at, can they play quietly when it's required? Drummer number two occasionally deps for a band but was firm in saying that he'd commit fully to our trio, he wore in ears with a vocal trickle & I'm thinking that may be partly why he hits so hard. I've never used them so wouldn't know if they massively quieten things down? 5 hours ago, Norris said: I'd check the hard hitter can be subtle when the occasion requires. Dynamics can be the difference between a good and a great band imho. All things being equal otherwise, it comes down to personality and whether they are looking to do the same number/locations of gigs as you and same level of commitment. Agreed, we've been open in saying that we'd like to continue with one or two gigs a month with rehearsals only when required! A friend of mine said we should go for the one that's works somewhere cool & can get us free sh!t 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 Thanks for all the input chaps, I think we're going to get them all back for a longer session! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 My general advice for this (and job interviews) - don't employ an a***hole. A decent person will put in the effort and learn as required. I've auditioned plenty of people who have been great players but, let's say, lack a certain humility... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 I'd check what other bands they are playing with. Nothing worse than having a great drummer in the band who can never commit to gigs because they're too busy with other outfits. Let the other guys down easy, because you may need their services in the future. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 (edited) You guys have heard me say a million times, only audition when you have clearly defined what you expect from and are looking for in a band experience. I'd pay attention to the guy that knows what he's looking for. I'll throw this out there,if your band has a heavy gigging schedule I'd be careful about bringing a drummer in with little to no gigging experience. Drummers with traditional full time jobs, a wife and young family can be problematic with bands that gig 2-3 times a week. Bring in the best person for the band not the best drummer. Blue Edited January 27, 2019 by Bluewine 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 25 minutes ago, gjones said: I'd check what other bands they are playing with. Nothing worse than having a great drummer in the band who can never commit to gigs because they're too busy with other outfits. Let the other guys down easy, because you may need their services in the future. Agreed! Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 All good input guys thank you. Part of me wants to give "contestant number three" a chance because I think he has some potential even though he's the least experienced I think he might sit in well if he can come out of his shell. Number one is a safe bet once he gets into playing again & has no other commitments. But then there's just something about number twos style that I like. We'll be discussing at length tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Number two wears in ears at a rehearsal/audition? Why? He records it and sends you the files? Why? Sounds to me like he would cause you to lose any dynamic you have in the band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Only one way to settle it. Fight! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Seriously my instinct from your post is number 1. The questions you need to ask around commitment etc are already in the thread but I'd like to know how they react to on stage pink torpedo ups. A good band needs to recover if one member misses a cue or forgets their place. I had a disastrous gig the other week but we all know how to pull each other out of it whereas I've known people whose attitude is that they carry on regardless because they didn't mess up, which spoils things even more. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Take them all out for a beer individually for an "informal chat" as a kind of second interview. If there's nothing in it to separate their drumming then how you get along with them outside the band is the most important factor. In fact to me, that would be the primary factor and the drumming secondary. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Steve Browning said: Number two wears in ears at a rehearsal/audition? Why? He records it and sends you the files? Why? Sounds to me like he would cause you to lose any dynamic you have in the band. I agree with this. It sounds like he is very experienced, and maybe set in his ways, which might clash with someone else’s ways. I record all our rehearsals, and they can sound good and tight, but there definitely don’t replicate what i hear in the room. If you have to dig in more this will effect your playing. Recordings will compress things and can make it all sound smoother, but if you are struggling to play with him, and he cant hit softer I’d say he might not be ideal. Its whats happening in the room at the time you need to worry about. So I’d go with No1, but I’d also agree with the others that maybe a longer one each will give a better indication of how the future may go. Getting on with others is a huge part of being in a band. We just got rid of our drummer because he kept winding us up and just wasnt on our level. There was always an atmosphere and it just wasn’t enjoyable anymore. We got out old drummer back and although he isnt any better, we all get on so much better that it’s completely trdanformed the band and atmosphere. Counts for a lot IME. Edited January 28, 2019 by dave_bass5 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldslapper Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 It's always a punt when it comes to adding a new band member. You can only put in place so many measures that you hope someone will meet. Some people are great at "interviews" but not so good when it comes to the long term grind of band life (rehearsal, new material, managing gig admin, etc). Enthusiasm can wane, or unforeseen & conflicting expectations can surface down the road. You and your band mate need to decide what the most important criteria are, and make a decision based on who's the closest to meeting them. If it works out in the long run, then great. If not, then you've done your best. Sounds clinical, but it's easy to get bogged down in over thinking. Best wishes in your decision making. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 How about a bit of 'Out of the Box' thinking..? Innovate with a three-drummer band..! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Allegedly I got my spot in my band based on my handshake. Hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 3 minutes ago, uk_lefty said: Allegedly I got my spot in my band based on my handshake. Hope that helps Bloody Freemasons! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Just now, Newfoundfreedom said: Bloody Freemasons! Ha! Not really... The lad auditioning before me was about seventeen, handshake like a wet fish (immediately BL mouthed to the drummer "no") but he played everything note perfect. Then his dad picked him up. He was a good player but wanted regular functions... And a lift to them all! I have a firm handshake and was sat in reception warming up playing scales on my bass... I also didn't learn the songs note for note but played them my own way. The band liked that. I'm not a freemason. But then again, a freemason would say that...! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 The hard hitter will be a pain,your ears will bleed in small pubs. the hang is half of it, you have to be relaxed in each others company. Audition the nervous younger dude. Maybe meet for a drink around the corner BEFORE the audition. See if he is better when relaxed. The older guy may indeed be rusty, but it doesn't take long to get back into it I'd audition him again too. You're the bassist,you need to be able to trust his playing and gel with him, your opinion carries more weight thatn the others imho ymmv 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Drummer 2 should have been quietening down to accommodate you, rather than you getting louder to match him. It does seem that you have an embarrassment of riches all the same. I was going to suggest exactly what NFF has, go out for a drink with them individually and see how you all get on. Also, if you're getting them back for a second audition, dig out the songs with the biggest dynamic shifts in them to see how drummer 2 gets on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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