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Lost in the Audition Jungle
- Thread starter Bunk McNulty
- Start date
I started to post something and realized I was whining in public. Bad idea. Or maybe I'm still whining. Whatevs. So:
Five auditions since December. #1: Guitarist I met a few years ago wants to start an instrumental surf band. No idea where the project is going, but I got nothing else to do, so I join up. #2 Good reception, but way too far to drive. #3: Pleasant audition. Then I went to see them with the bass player who was leaving. He decided not to leave. #4: Never had a full-band audition. Played one two hour gig with them. Whoa! Kind of a mess. Not my scene at all. #5: The morning after, they sent me a note praising me for being easygoing and "a top notch" player. And that it was a tough decision but they were hiring the singer's boyfriend. It's true: It ain't what you know, it's who you know. All my good contacts are an hour away in Connecticut, I don't really know much about my local scene other than the surf guy.
If nothing else, I've greatly expanded my musical knowledge, learning other peoples' set lists. "I can't go on. I go on." Etc.
Dang, you lost marks for not being the singer's boyfriend! But now you know what sort of band it is and what their priorities are.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
I find that most "bands" just don't have the talent to make it enjoyable for me, and are gigging far too frequently for far too little money (got an offer to join a band that was playing almost weekly, for $250-300 per gig, including paying a sound person).
Mostly I just play jazz now. Not my Forte, but tends to be better musicians.
Mostly I just play jazz now. Not my Forte, but tends to be better musicians.
Sounds like dating again after you've been married 25 years.
I'm already in a band but was looking for a side gig. Woman singer contacts me and I go check out the situation. No keyboardist. Guitar drums and congas. Guys my age (60's) They ain't ready. So far behind I don't think they'll ever be ready to gig. Spoke to the woman later that evening and told her I pass.
My theory is every experience is worth something. Even if you don’t get a gig, the more auditions the better you feel doing them. Eventually you’ll find the right situation.
Probably doesn't help much, but thinking about auditions makes me appreciate my bands. 
I really dislike auditioning; Not necessarily because of the audition experience, but rather, the seeming implications of auditioning.
IME bands that don't audition, but rather rely on references, videos and networking to bring someone new in running and ready to go, are the most efficient, lowest hassle-factor and least likely to fail.
YMMV; To be clear, I prefer bands that work enough to not have time for auditions - Hire me as a sub and see what you think.
Also, bands in my area that work every Fri Sat usually don't rehearse or don't rehearse as often; Driving distance isn't as much of an issue - I'll drive an hour to a decent paying gig. Regular rehearsals an hour away? Different story.
To your point, what's the local gigging scene like within an hour of where you live?
Are you active on FB and IG? In my area, they're necessary-evil for working players.
Are there any weekly jams in your area that attract higher level working players? Maybe consider becoming a regular and doing some networking?
IME bands that don't audition, but rather rely on references, videos and networking to bring someone new in running and ready to go, are the most efficient, lowest hassle-factor and least likely to fail.
YMMV; To be clear, I prefer bands that work enough to not have time for auditions - Hire me as a sub and see what you think.
Also, bands in my area that work every Fri Sat usually don't rehearse or don't rehearse as often; Driving distance isn't as much of an issue - I'll drive an hour to a decent paying gig. Regular rehearsals an hour away? Different story.
To your point, what's the local gigging scene like within an hour of where you live?
Are you active on FB and IG? In my area, they're necessary-evil for working players.
Are there any weekly jams in your area that attract higher level working players? Maybe consider becoming a regular and doing some networking?
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I agree with this train of thought.
There are "rarefied" players (Not me, alas) that due to their history, bypass the audition process and get calls.
Working bands need a sub or regular member who will learn the material and arrangements and be ready to nail it from the downbeat.
Audition be damned!
Of course aspiring bands, usually trying to perform originals, must try to find the right fit, personality and looks included.
I have had auditions where I NAILED it musically, I mean really drove the whole band...
But I was not chosen, because I did not fit the image they were going for. I get it... One time a project told me (in a nice enough way) that I was too old - and my reply was-(They were a soul/R&B flavored band)-"Well, I guess its a good thing for him that Chuck Rainey didn't schedule an audition".
Ha-Ha.
Cut right down on sub calls...too much work for the money and I want to see video live gigs. However, by that time, its kind of too late, so either the references and recommendations are good or I'm not available. Far far better to network and this can take 6months to feed through.
You might make contact and swap details first off...this is often just being polite..but either people remember you or they dont. And just as important, you remember them.
Auditions from a unknown..50/50 or worse.
If everyone can play...not a given..its the chemistry that clinches it.
You might make contact and swap details first off...this is often just being polite..but either people remember you or they dont. And just as important, you remember them.
Auditions from a unknown..50/50 or worse.
If everyone can play...not a given..its the chemistry that clinches it.
I'm definitely not rarified; I've just been around the block a few times in my local market and have friends who will vouch. I've also been doing the pickup, sub and jam host thing long enough that I know how many times and how long I need to sit down with new music to learn it, transpose its key, etc., and just budget time accordingly. It also helps that I've probably played and already know a lot of these motown, blues, classic rock, '60s protest and outlaw country songs people like to call out, plus jam standards like "Mr Magic" & "The Cissy Strut". I'm not special - There are tone of guys around here like me.
And there are still those rare pickup gigs with rehearsals that I guess double as auditions, though nobody probably thinks of them as such. We did a 35-year reunion show for band that was kind of a big deal where I was one of the guitarists. After the 1st of two planned rehearsals, it was obvious the drummer, a replacement for the original who was unavailable, hadn't spent time with the material. We had a short conversation with the BL, a local jazz orchestra BL and horn player with a no-nonsense approach, and the drummer was out. New drummer showed up to rehearsal #2 with a good working knowledge of the material.
Age is a thing in sub gigs too, BTW. I'm guessing I've missed some calls due to it. That's fine. Let the young guys have first crack at those gigs. I was young once, in bands with people my age; Not sure I'd have been comfortable bringing in some bald-headed grandpa to gig with ('wished I had been).
Funny you mention Chuck R; He's a local here in DFW, and I had a chance to play with him at a jam where he was special guest. One of the nicest, most chill guys I ever met. I was singing/playing guitar, and turned around and asked him if he could play Kid Charlemagne. He smiled and shook his head; I immediately realized what an idiot request it was - The guy played on thousands of hit tracks, often multiples the same day. As soon as he was done with one, he was on to the next. Talk about the most rarified of players.
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Yes fer sure. He & Mr. Nathan East as another example. They both are Rare-FRIED!
#3 happened to me once. The only difference was they never actually told me. They gave me a list of songs to work on and said they would reach out in a week or two to schedule a first rehearsal. Then they ghosted me. Just totally ignored my calls/texts. Jokes on them. The band I ended up in about a year and a half later gets bigger gigs and makes more money.
I'm sure everyone gets calls on spec because someone passed on your name. This is kind of good if you want that...but conversely, we need to spec them out too so ramp up that filter.
Do you know them, know of them, know any mutual people that have played with them.
Where are their gigs, do you know those gigs.
What past bands were they in.
At 17, no band experience or references is understandable.
At 25 and counting, not so much
Said it before but do these guys inhabit the same type of work you do.
Is it a step up or down?
Do you need or want to make that step?
Ime, new guys on the block can probably be 80% filtered out, but generally a chat rather than SM will tell you a lot you need to know.
Thats not to say it isn't possible a pleasant surprise will turn up once in a blue moon.
We picked up a soloist from Cruises...she obviously has that all covered, but rock chick is new to her and she wants to do it. Doesn't take much to see the wood from the trees.
Do you know them, know of them, know any mutual people that have played with them.
Where are their gigs, do you know those gigs.
What past bands were they in.
At 17, no band experience or references is understandable.
At 25 and counting, not so much
Said it before but do these guys inhabit the same type of work you do.
Is it a step up or down?
Do you need or want to make that step?
Ime, new guys on the block can probably be 80% filtered out, but generally a chat rather than SM will tell you a lot you need to know.
Thats not to say it isn't possible a pleasant surprise will turn up once in a blue moon.
We picked up a soloist from Cruises...she obviously has that all covered, but rock chick is new to her and she wants to do it. Doesn't take much to see the wood from the trees.
I’ve subbed some gigs lately with a group who rehearses and plays on my end of town. This is not nothing because I live on one extreme edge of the Denver metro and if I take a gig with a band in, say, Boulder, it’s a 90 minute drive each way.
This band is a good hang, the book they play is really well chosen, and they have relationships with people who book bands at the correct venues on that side of the city.
But they’re one of those bands where there’s two minutes of dead space after every tune, lots of noodling on stage, kinda rough fundamentals and at least one of the guitar players is always out of tune. Their regular bass player isn’t going anywhere, so that remains a few-times-a-year sub gig and is fine as far as it goes. But that bandleader keeps telling me he’d like to start an additional project and I’m just not sure I’d want to put a ring on that.
My point being that there’s always tension between the musical situation, the hang, and the money. Decisions not easy.
This band is a good hang, the book they play is really well chosen, and they have relationships with people who book bands at the correct venues on that side of the city.
But they’re one of those bands where there’s two minutes of dead space after every tune, lots of noodling on stage, kinda rough fundamentals and at least one of the guitar players is always out of tune. Their regular bass player isn’t going anywhere, so that remains a few-times-a-year sub gig and is fine as far as it goes. But that bandleader keeps telling me he’d like to start an additional project and I’m just not sure I’d want to put a ring on that.
My point being that there’s always tension between the musical situation, the hang, and the money. Decisions not easy.
What is the BL good at?
I'd listen if it was along the lines of improving this other band with a better gtr in a new unit.
He might himself be mindful of same shortfalls and this is one way to achieve that without tearing those walls down. Maybe a cop out, or may be someone who doesn't want to upset anyone without real need.
And if he achieves that it might sort out the other band. They might shape up or split up...which kinda works.
I'd listen if it was along the lines of improving this other band with a better gtr in a new unit.
He might himself be mindful of same shortfalls and this is one way to achieve that without tearing those walls down. Maybe a cop out, or may be someone who doesn't want to upset anyone without real need.
And if he achieves that it might sort out the other band. They might shape up or split up...which kinda works.
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