Audition on thursday!

B

Big_Philly

Guest
Hey everyone,

Next thursday I am going to audition for the Dutch IFES-band. IFES stands for International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, and being in that band means going to their conferences (4 per year, most of them a weekend long, one of them 5 days) and playing during worship, at day openings etc. Their current drummer is absolutely great, I've seen him perform at two of these conferences, totalling about 5 hours of playing time (rough estimate) and his performance was entirely flawless. So I've got some Big shoes to Phil if I am hired. If I make it that means I'll be that band's drummer for the next two years to come. It doesn't pay, but all the expenses are covered and it's a very valuable learning experience. And playing these conferences rocks! Drumming to a couple hundred (anywhere between 250 and 600 people will attend) people is always great.

I am auditioning in the private studio of the current drummer, who is most definitely a better drummer than myself. I tend to get nervous when a better drummer than myself watches me. I'm gonna listen to a metronome all the way to the audition (2hr journey) so my timing is rock solid.

There is one other drummer auditioning for that band (someone who has the nerve to apply for MY future job!! ;-) ), so I have a little competition.

Wish me luck!
 
Update: turns out I am the only drummer auditioning (the other drummer cancelled). I dont really see the point of an audition anymore but that choice is not mine. I'll let you know if I make it.
 
I for one am looking forward to hearing how it turns out. I hope you get the spot.
 
I too am looking forward to what took place...Keep us posted and congrats for getting to the point of an audition. I hope that it all goes well.
 
Well the audition went well. The drummer I will be replacing is a very nice guy, we had fun doing the audition.
Funny story: I sent him a youtube video of me playing the worship song Kadosh with a band. The groove I was playing is based on a groove I heard him playing with that same song two years ago. So when I came in we got started with a cup of coffee first, and he mentioned the youtube video I linked him to: "I like the groove you were playing at Kadosh!" So I said: "...yeah, I can imagine, I stole that from you." :D

That youtube video is here, by the way. The quality is horrible and the vocals sound like crap somehow (they didn't at the gig itself, I promise). But you can hear the groove.

Anyway, he had me break out some grooves first and then play a couple of songs (with and without a backingtrack). He seemed pretty impressed, said he liked the power of my sound. He gave me some very useful tips on my playing, mentioning some very subtle flaws and sharing some things he learned in his experience of worship leading.

At the end he said I could go home "with a good feeling about the audition". Whether I will get the spot also depends on the other people they will get (there will be auditions for guitar, bass, keys, vocals etc. over the next two weeks); of course the new band as a whole needs to fit in with each other. He said he'd call me when the other auditions were over. But I am pretty sure I got the spot.

I will let you know as soon as I know.
 
I'm in. They want me to start in may! That's pretty cool, though a little sooner than I thought.
But i'm thrilled to be accepted; they seem to have some pretty high standards.
 
Thanks guys! I am looking forward to the first gig, which will be a 5-day conference.
 
Great to hear Big Philly. I hope it's a rewarding experience for you.
 
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