Audition advice

[rogue_drummer]

Hello All,

I'm just now getting ready to start audtioning for gigs and such, and need some advice on how to handle an audition. I feel fairly confident I can lay down a steady beat in jazz, rock, and county and western, without putting in too many fills or trying to show off. I'd best like to show I can provide time-keeping duties without having to do paradiddles around the kit or some complex something or such. This progressive c and w band is just getting off the ground and wants to start rehearsals soon or by late October at the latest.

Am I in the ballpark with this audtion philosophy, or waaaayyyy off? And is this what to expect?

How best to handle pre-audtion nerves and jitters? (I tend to be afraid of looking like a complete idiot)

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

RD

[mrchattr]

Hello All,

I'm just now getting ready to start audtioning for gigs and such, and need some advice on how to handle an audition. I feel fairly confident I can lay down a steady beat in jazz, rock, and county and western, without putting in too many fills or trying to show off. I'd best like to show I can provide time-keeping duties without having to do paradiddles around the kit or some complex something or such. This progressive c and w band is just getting off the ground and wants to start rehearsals soon or by late October at the latest.

Am I in the ballpark with this audtion philosophy, or waaaayyyy off? And is this what to expect?

How best to handle pre-audtion nerves and jitters? (I tend to be afraid of looking like a complete idiot)

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

RD

The best advice I can give you is to force yourself to calm down (deep breathing, whatever) and go in there and just be yourself, both musically and personality-wise. I have seen more people fail auditions because of their personality than because they couldn't hack the music. Go on in, get a feel for the band, joke around with them a bit as you set up, etc.

As far as the audition philosophy, go in and play how you will play. Otherwise, you will find yourself in an awkward position when you actually get the gig...if you go and just play time for most of your audition, and then get the gig and turn into Neil Peart on steroids, then you aren't going to be around for long, because you wouldn't have gotten the gig unless you auditioned in a style that they want.

Feel free to ask questions...don't feel like you NEED to know everything. "What tempo do you guys take that at?" "Who starts that song when you play it," stuff like that shows that you are able to listen to the band, and want to be a member, not just a "follow me" kind of guy.

Remember: everyone fails auditions, and it's not the end of the world. There was another thread about this not too long ago, and a few of us guys who are now playing professionally told stories about how we've all failed auditions. So there's no worries...there are always more gigs down the road.

[rogue_drummer]

Thank you, Mr. Chattr!

That was what I needed. Someone who has been there and has done it.

Your advice on asking the questions put me at ease, since I'm not sure what to expect. Many years ago when I was playing, I was always taught to not only know my part, but to listen to the individual band members and understand their parts as well. So I believe what you are saying fits into what I remember.

This particular band is just starting, so that fits into what I wanted as well...pretty much a project band trying to get off the ground and up and running playing gigs. But that's how I am professionally. I'd much rather be one of the ones putting something together, projects, a company, an organization with other like minded individuals, rather than coming on board AFTER all the preliminary work has already been done. Sounds crazy, but that's just me.

I'll let ya'll kow how the audition turns out. Thanks,

RD

[larryace]

Also I would add:
Get out of your own head. Don't be fake, but as an example, if you like the guitar players guitar, tell him that. Notice things about the bass player, the singer, maybe make comments, these guys might be your future buds, give them some respect. Don't ask a ton of questions, but a few genuine ones are OK. Make it more about them than you if you can.

[bermuda]

I feel fairly confident I can lay down a steady beat in jazz, rock, and county and western, without putting in too many fills or trying to show off. I'd best like to show I can provide time-keeping duties without having to do paradiddles around the kit or some complex something or such.

You absolutely want to keep things simple for a few reasons. First, it's what they want. But second, if you overplay, they will assume you don't have a concept of straight playing. And they won't ask you to simplify things... they shouldn't have to. They want a drummer who just knows.

Now, if they do happen to want a little more from you, they'll ask, and that's okay. They'll be glad you took the safe road, no matter how progressive they are. It's always better to remain understated unless you're told to cut loose a little.

As for nerves, I dunno. That's just something you'll conquer - or maybe get used to - over time. I think it stems from fear of the unknown, so go in knowing you're going to play 2&4 and that's half the battle. It's pretty hard to screw that up.

Good luck!

Bermuda

[Drumsword]

The pro's know..lol. awesome advice.......if I were to add my $0.02 I'd just reiterate, make it about them and also in your playing as well, your role at the moment is too support the music and make them sound good. Get a feel for what they are playing, and support it, frame the verses, build the choruses if needed and do your part as best you can to make the music flow.

as for jitters.........just be yourself, and have fun. play like the gig is already yours or pretend, your auditioning them. ;)

[Bruce M. Thomson]

Logical and solid advice from a real pro, Bermuda; and have proceeded that way for some time now myself. You are going to be playing with from what you say are competent musicians and since they are a C&W group it will always sound best when you stay in the pocket and play with feel rather than "fill". I'm off to an audition with a six piece band on Wednesday and I am looking forward to playing with a percussionist so I am glad for the reminder myself.

break a leg.

[rogue_drummer]

Thank you all. This is great advice I can use and apply immediately!

[mrchattr]

Thank you all. This is great advice I can use and apply immediately!

One other thing, don't listen to anyone in here who gives rude, unhelpful advice, such as Bruce Thomson. Break a leg? That would just hurt.

[riddim]

Just play the music. No more, no less.

Be early, be easy to be around, and be over prepared.

These qualities may differentiate you, in a good way, from other contenders.

[mrchattr]

Random story, since this thread is up here again, but it goes along with the "over-prepared" idea:

The main band I'm in has a songlist that we give out before the audition (I had to have it, too). It's about 60 songs. If you come in to audition for us, we tell you, "Here's the list of songs for your audition." It scares a lot of people away, having a list that big (we are a cover band, so a lot of it is stuff they have heard before), but we do it for a couple reasons...first, we feel that if you want to join our band, you should be willing to spend the time to learn the songs. Second, we want to know that you can learn music fairly easily, because we add new tunes all the time. Third, we want to know that you can join us and start gigging quickly with us, so that we don't have a "rehearsal band" and a "gig band" that sound different. Fourth, we want to make sure that someone auditions with all the styles we play, so that we're not blown away by an incredible metal guitarist who chokes when we play country.

But the main reason is that we want to see how people handle the list. If someone were to come in, say auditioning as a singer, and had all 60 songs memorized and nailed them, we be blown away. But if a person comes and says, "Hey, I learned like 30 of these songs, but I have the lyrics for all of them, and know them all well enough to try 'em all with you guys," we will be almost as impressed. When I walked into my audition, I had been given 60 songs to learn. I learned about 55 of them down to a science, but there were a few (one that I remember is "Dance Dance" by Fallout Boy, who I had never heard before the audition) that I just couldn't get through my head (I had four days from the time I got the list to the audition). When I walked into the audition, I told them what was up, I was up front about it, and said, "I learned these 55 tunes. I also made song charts for the ones I wasn't able to learn," and pulled out the charts I had made. Sure enough, they had me play Dance Dance, and by using my chart, I nailed it, and was offered the job, without a second audition, and despite the fact that they had three drummers already scheduled for second auditions.

[rogue_drummer]

Wow! That is great advice.

I missed the audition for the c and w band I was wanting to audtion for because I missed the email. It was sent late on a Friday for a Saturday audition and I didn't get the email until that Monday morning. They had already chosen someone.

However, I did audition for and got accepted for a praise band on the other side of the town where I live. Not sure how many drummers they had previously, (at least one I know of) but after about a two hour audition with the pianist, lead and bass guitars, 2 singers, and their main sound guy, I was invited to join the band if I wanted to. I wasn't about to give it up, so I accepted. The music minister is working on his masters, so I thought I could learn a thing or two from him in this genre. The two guitars players were good and it became obvious after the first hour they liked all styles of music: praise, jazz, rock, country etc. They even told stories about club gigs they've had.

Unknown to me at the time, but the church was set on buying an expensive Roland electronic set so they could handle the accustics without the drummer "bashing" and playing loud on every song. For the most part, the church sanctuary has brick walls. I come in and set up an old 5 piece accustic set with 2 crashes and a ride and hi-hats. After experimenting with the ride sound, I simply put a moon gel on the ride and moon gels on the 2 floor toms and the sound guy was satisfied. I didn't play loud and was actually complemented on my dynamic and volume control. After 2 Sundays of me playing they are actually considering not buying the Roland electric set and saving their money since they are satisfied with the volume and accustics.

I still have a ways to go and still need to practice with a metronome, but I'm happy so far. This gig is a good start.

It makes me wonder what the other drummer(s) did and how they played...I mean, these folks are quite easy and fun to work with.

[rogue_drummer]

One question I do have. I'm playing this gig with no music provided; they don't have it. I'm having to play everything by ear and make up the drum part with little instruction from the leader. After we play a song in rehearsal, we talk about it but usually I get only simple requests, like "maybe start with brushes then switch to sticks on this part..."

Is this a fairly common thing for drummers, playing by ear with little or no music, or is it this particular environment? Not really sure what to think at this point. I can read music and all, but I was also taught to play by ear and listen to the other musicians in the band. Any advice is great appreciated. Thanks!

[mrchattr]

One question I do have. I'm playing this gig with no music provided; they don't have it. I'm having to play everything by ear and make up the drum part with little instruction from the leader. After we play a song in rehearsal, we talk about it but usually I get only simple requests, like "maybe start with brushes then switch to sticks on this part..."

Is this a fairly common thing for drummers, playing by ear with little or no music, or is it this particular environment? Not really sure what to think at this point. I can read music and all, but I was also taught to play by ear and listen to the other musicians in the band. Any advice is great appreciated. Thanks!

Yup...that's very common. There are certain situations where you will never get written music in your entire life...church bands are one of the most common places for that. Congrats on landing the gig!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[larryace]

You do whatever you have to to learn the songs. Write them out, name each section like intro verse chorus bridge lead hook whatever and write out the beats you play to each section. If you can get a metronome and determine the tempo, that would be helpful.

[rogue_drummer]

Thank you! The information you all provided certainly helped me land that gig and will continue to help me. Thanks again!