audition advice

[Steve_nottm]

Guys,

I've been on the lookout for a new covers band. My previous one is on hold due to guitarist now living in Poland, but we did mainly classic rock, and modern indie type stuff.

I had a mail last night inviting me to an audition/practice with a new band tonight. They've thrown me a list of 5 songs they're working on.

20th Century Boy
Lets Stick Together
Sweet Child Of Mine
Walking on Sunshine
Mercy


The issue is, i've only ever played one of them before. 20th Century boy. The others I know, but not to play.

I'm going to grab some tab, listen to some MP3's and have a go. Anyone play any of those? any advice? I'm confident in my ability to learn, but not at this short notice!

[Dubs]

You'll be fine mate - just get stuck in and keep going over them. Explain that you've only just learnt them today and if all goes well then you should get some kudos from the band for learning them so quick.

I had to learn 25 songs in a week for a covers gig 2 weeks ago !

[razze06]

My band used to do cover versions of both mercy and walking on sunshine.
They are both really simple, but much depends on what kind of versions is this band going to do.
I found mercy to give its best if played with an almost motownesque laid back feel. You're likely to start the song off, so you can pick your own tempo and groove.
Walking on sunshine never really worked for us, it kept feeling like a poor relation to a The Jam song, possibly because we don't have keys or horns. all I could possibly suggest is to focus on a driving groove, it's a really simple song.
Hope this helps and doesn't sound patronizing...

[farmer61]

[quote name='Steve_nottm' post='763789' date='Mar 4 2010, 11:25 AM']Guys,

I've been on the lookout for a new covers band. My previous one is on hold due to guitarist now living in Poland, but we did mainly classic rock, and modern indie type stuff.

I had a mail last night inviting me to an audition/practice with a new band tonight. They've thrown me a list of 5 songs they're working on.

20th Century Boy
Lets Stick Together
Sweet Child Of Mine
Walking on Sunshine
Mercy


The issue is, i've only ever played one of them before. 20th Century boy. The others I know, but not to play.

I'm going to grab some tab, listen to some MP3's and have a go. Anyone play any of those? any advice? I'm confident in my ability to learn, but not at this short notice![/quote]

Only issue I can see is Sweet Child as I believe it's downtuned on the E?

[Steve_nottm]

Cheers,

I should add, I'm at work all day today so will not have any practice time at all (well.....30 mins when I get home at best).

I once learnt around 30 songs for a gig in a fortnight, but that was fine. 2 wks is plenty!

[Dubs]

[quote name='Steve_nottm' post='763822' date='Mar 4 2010, 12:01 PM']I should add, I'm at work all day today so will not have any practice time at all (well.....30 mins when I get home at best).[/quote]

daaammmmnn...

Best of luck with this then, can't really see how it can be done. Maybe explain the situation to the band and try to blag it, or offer them a load of songs that you could play instead in the hope that they know a couple?

[Steve_nottm]

i'm going down the "blag it" route for those songs that I can listen to enough to get a handle on, already said that Sweet Child is a non starter for tonight (that one will take a bit of learning!)

will also take the old band setlist and say "any of those you know?"

[BassBunny]

[quote name='Steve_nottm' post='763849' date='Mar 4 2010, 12:38 PM']i'm going down the "blag it" route for those songs that I can listen to enough to get a handle on, already said that Sweet Child is a non starter for tonight (that one will take a bit of learning!)

will also take the old band setlist and say "any of those you know?"[/quote]

I did an audition last week for a Jazz/Blues/Funk/Fusion band. Completely out of my Comfort Zone. Try and get hold of the Chord Charts for the numbers as at least you can follow the numbers with the tried and tested root, fifth, octave system. You will probably find you can then just make it up on the fly. It's amazing what you can come out with when you know the basic structure of a number.
Most of all just relax and enjoy it. Remember "they need you more than you need them" Taking an old set-list is a good idea.
Good Luck.

[Doddy]

You shouldn't have any trouble with those songs really. 'Mercy' and 'Let's stick together' are
basically slight variations on blues changes. Come to think of it-i think that 'Walking on
sunshine' is mostly a I-IV-V riff aswell.

[gerryk]

Hi Steve,

These songs are not really difficult if you have time to listen and get them "under your hands".

Since you don't have time, you should probably try to get say 2 of them off pretty good. This will show the guys what you can do, given a little time. I'd be up front about the songs I don't know; blagging through can give a bad impression. Best to come clean on what you've been able to cover in time. Walking on Sunshine is very simple and repetitive, so too is Let's stick together, which has a really great groove, so could be a good choice to impress them without wrecking your head trying to remember convoluted arrangements (several bands I've played with did Sweet Child in the most odd keys for sake of the singers, and I had to transpose the intro melody on the fly!!! )

One other easily overlooked thing is to focus and concentrate on what you're playing and not on the people watching you - this greatly helps to steady any nerves.
Focus on the drummer, and try to lock on to his feel - they all have their own subtleties and own take on songs, especially if they've been playing them a long time in a band. If you're playing a song bassline verbatim off the record, but the other four guys are doing something different that it doesn't fit with, they're right, even though they're wrong!

All above IMHO!

Best of look, most of all, have fun,

Gerryk.

[mep]

[quote name='farmer61' post='763818' date='Mar 4 2010, 11:57 AM']Only issue I can see is Sweet Child as I believe it's downtuned on the E?[/quote]

Good luck with that one at short notice. It's a great bass line, but not easy at first.

[NickH]

If you can master the intro (not tricky), Sweet Child is actually really easy to play. The original is indeed played downtuned a semitone, but if you have a 5-string (hurrah!) or don't mind going high for the Eb it's all good.

[Rich]

Given your lack of available practice time, I reckon the best thing to do is to get hold of those mp3s and listen to them over and over and over and over and over and over again.
Best of luck for tonight, we expect a full status report!

[gicut58]

How about google the chord seqences for each song to get an idea of where they go,(print them off) and
la-la (sing?) the basslines to the youtube video versions to get something going into your memory.
That should get you on the way until you can actually pick your bass up and by then you should have an idea.
Split Sweet Child into separate sections and go from there.
Keep it simple and lock in to the drummer's bass drum.

Use notes?

Good luck!

[tombboy]

Given the short notice and lack of practise time you have, I'd say be honest with them. Ask them to run through the songs and just jump in when you have the basics. As someone alse said, concentrate on keeping tight with the kick, and enjoy it.
Treat it as trying to masturbate to porn with the laptop held between your knees. As long as you concentrate, keep good balance and don't go mental, you'll reach a satisfying conclusion. No need for tissues and moisturising cream though.......

Good luck.

[josh3184]

[quote name='tombboy' post='764004' date='Mar 4 2010, 02:41 PM']Treat it as trying to masturbate to porn with the laptop held between your knees. As long as you concentrate, keep good balance and don't go mental, you'll reach a satisfying conclusion. No need for tissues and moisturising cream though....... [/quote]

What an odd yet accurate analogy.

Bravo.

[The Funk]

[quote name='Steve_nottm' post='763789' date='Mar 4 2010, 11:25 AM']Sweet Child Of Mine[/quote]

Learn the intro bass part and you'll get the gig.

[Marvin]

Best of, belatedly because you're probably in the midst.
Just to add, Mercy is a piece of you know. If I can play it so can a dog with mittens on

Hope it all goes well

[JTUK]

well, I hope it went ok..

In cases like these where a quick study is required you should try and train you ears to hear the changes.

You can then either listen to the song and know where it goes, or write down a chart for the format.
The changes ..if you can hear them ...should be easy. All these songs are buskable...
Sure, there are one or two riffs or licks you will want to play, but they can go out the window
if the timescale is short and you can nail them with more time.

You should be able to tell where the vocal or lead line is taking the next chord.
Simple intervals are easy to hear..or will be if you practise them.
In simple terms, there are only 11 notes you have to choose from at worst

An audition like this would rest on just one or two parts which point to whether you have the potential to be able to play with them.

[4-string-thing]

Hope it went ok for you, but I have my doubts about this... A couple of weeks ago I received an unsolicited email from a band in Nottingham thanking me for my interest in their band and inviting me to audition (I hadn't answered any adverts from any band in Nottingham, as far as I can remember)

I then received another one telling me the auditions had moved time and place, and yesterday received another one from some poor guy who had actually traveled to audition for them. I've cut and pasted the contents of said emails:


[color="#4169E1"]Hey, again sorry about last week's disasterous venue hire situation.

We are definitley on for this week however, and will be meeting at Magnet in Sneinton Thursday at 8pm. Please let me know if you are able to attend. Thank you

Vicky

0*********5

On Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 10:49 AM, Vicky Barnett <[email protected]> wrote:

Hi guys,

Thanks for your interest in the band. We are looking to get together a great set of party tunes and songs that will make people want to get up and dance or enjoy listening to. Our aims are to get gigs at weddings, Firday /Saturday night pub nights, private parties and corporate events.

We would like to invite you to come down for an audition on Thursday 25th Feb, the songs we are going to be running through are:

20th Century Boy
Lets Stick Together
Sweet Child Of Mine
Walking on Sunshine
Mercy

All songs will be in thier original keys, and we will be in touch nearer the date with a venue. If you have any queries or problems, feel free to email, text or ring. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Vicky
0*********5

[color="#000000"]Here is the email from Will.[/color]

[color="#4169E1"]Vicky and colleagues,

After loading two cabinets into a car, driving 15 miles into Nottingham, unloading at Magnet, waiting an hour, talking to the guy who runs Magnet about what a bunch of utter w***ers you are, loading up again, driving home and unloading again, I would respectively suggest that you can shove your f***ing band up your collective arses.[/color]

Thanks a bunch for wasting a whole load of my time.

Will [/color]

As you can see, Will was not impressed, and I can't say I would have been either!

I hope your experience with them was better.

Mark.

[josh3184]

Ooh-er :S

[thunderbird13]

[quote name='4-string-thing' post='765011' date='Mar 5 2010, 12:23 PM']Hope it went ok for you, but I have my doubts about this... A couple of weeks ago I received an unsolicited email from a band in Nottingham thanking me for my interest in their band and inviting me to audition (I hadn't answered any adverts from any band in Nottingham, as far as I can remember)

I then received another one telling me the auditions had moved time and place, and yesterday received another one from some poor guy who had actually traveled to audition for them. I've cut and pasted the contents of said emails:


[color="#4169E1"]Hey, again sorry about last week's disasterous venue hire situation.

We are definitley on for this week however, and will be meeting at Magnet in Sneinton Thursday at 8pm. Please let me know if you are able to attend. Thank you

Vicky

0*********5

On Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 10:49 AM, Vicky Barnett <[email protected]> wrote:

Hi guys,

Thanks for your interest in the band. We are looking to get together a great set of party tunes and songs that will make people want to get up and dance or enjoy listening to. Our aims are to get gigs at weddings, Firday /Saturday night pub nights, private parties and corporate events.

We would like to invite you to come down for an audition on Thursday 25th Feb, the songs we are going to be running through are:

20th Century Boy
Lets Stick Together
Sweet Child Of Mine
Walking on Sunshine
Mercy

All songs will be in thier original keys, and we will be in touch nearer the date with a venue. If you have any queries or problems, feel free to email, text or ring. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Vicky
0*********5

[color="#000000"]Here is the email from Will.[/color]

[color="#4169E1"]Vicky and colleagues,

After loading two cabinets into a car, driving 15 miles into Nottingham, unloading at Magnet, waiting an hour, talking to the guy who runs Magnet about what a bunch of utter w***ers you are, loading up again, driving home and unloading again, I would respectively suggest that you can shove your f***ing band up your collective arses.[/color]

Thanks a bunch for wasting a whole load of my time.

Will [/color]

As you can see, Will was not impressed, and I can't say I would have been either!

I hope your experience with them was better.

Mark.[/quote]

Bloody hell - why would they do that is it just to wind people up ?

[Steve_nottm]

Thanks everyone. As usual, basschatters prove to be mst helpful people. Well... I got home from work and had 30 mins so pretty much worked them all out. Turns out they're all pretty simple. Ok sweet child might take some more woke but basically I had all of them sussed.

Then the audition was cancelled!

Part of me thinks 'great, more time to work the songs out' but part thinks 'now no-one will know how good I am at learning quickly'

[Steve_nottm]

[quote name='4-string-thing' post='765011' date='Mar 5 2010, 12:23 PM']Hope it went ok for you, but I have my doubts about this... A couple of weeks ago I received an unsolicited email from a band in Nottingham thanking me for my interest in their band and inviting me to audition (I hadn't answered any adverts from any band in Nottingham, as far as I can remember)

I then received another one telling me the auditions had moved time and place, and yesterday received another one from some poor guy who had actually traveled to audition for them. I've cut and pasted the contents of said emails:


[color="#4169E1"]Hey, again sorry about last week's disasterous venue hire situation.

We are definitley on for this week however, and will be meeting at Magnet in Sneinton Thursday at 8pm. Please let me know if you are able to attend. Thank you

Vicky

0*********5

On Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 10:49 AM, Vicky Barnett <[email protected]> wrote:

Hi guys,

Thanks for your interest in the band. We are looking to get together a great set of party tunes and songs that will make people want to get up and dance or enjoy listening to. Our aims are to get gigs at weddings, Firday /Saturday night pub nights, private parties and corporate events.

We would like to invite you to come down for an audition on Thursday 25th Feb, the songs we are going to be running through are:

20th Century Boy
Lets Stick Together
Sweet Child Of Mine
Walking on Sunshine
Mercy

All songs will be in thier original keys, and we will be in touch nearer the date with a venue. If you have any queries or problems, feel free to email, text or ring. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Vicky
0*********5

[color="#000000"]Here is the email from Will.[/color]

[color="#4169E1"]Vicky and colleagues,

After loading two cabinets into a car, driving 15 miles into Nottingham, unloading at Magnet, waiting an hour, talking to the guy who runs Magnet about what a bunch of utter w***ers you are, loading up again, driving home and unloading again, I would respectively suggest that you can shove your f***ing band up your collective arses.[/color]

Thanks a bunch for wasting a whole load of my time.

Will [/color]

As you can see, Will was not impressed, and I can't say I would have been either!

I hope your experience with them was better.

Mark.[/quote]

Yup it's the same band. She actually called me to cancel at 7.30pm. This is a worrying development as I value reliability in a band. What are you going to do if you get another day/time? I'm only 10 mins away so not a massive issue for me, but a wasted trip would be a pain (as would a wasted session learning the songs properly!)

[Dubs]

[quote name='Steve_nottm' post='765267' date='Mar 5 2010, 03:30 PM']Yup it's the same band. She actually called me to cancel at 7.30pm. This is a worrying development as I value reliability in a band. What are you going to do if you get another day/time? I'm only 10 mins away so not a massive issue for me, but a wasted trip would be a pain (as would a wasted session learning the songs properly!)[/quote]

Sack this one off mate - they sound like a bunch of total time wasters.