Auditions and Homework

There are no job interviews in music. We don't prepare resumes. We don't write cover letters. We don't strap on the old suit and tie and head to our 9:45am appointment with the VP of HR to discuss our previous work experience, salary expectations, and 401K plans. Musicians don't 'do' job interviews. We audition.

Whether you're a classical oboist playing for a spot in a symphony orchestra, or a drummer trying for a spot in a marching band, or a bassist, ahem, trying to get a gig in the touring band of a famous country artist, the setup is basically the same. You show up, play what you're supposed to, and then you wait. It can be nerve wracking. You are pitted against other musicians for the prized gig. Often you are asked to audition by playing music with other musicians who you have never even met, under less than ideal sonic conditions, in front of 'decision makers' who sometimes aren't even musicians! The only way to counter the nerves, to get past that feeling of being judged, is to do your homework. Opportunity favors the prepared and if you are given the opportunity to get an audition you had better make sure you are prepared.

I have spent a large portion of my life learning to play the bass, developing my sound, collecting the 'right' gear, honing my chops in school and on the road. But none of that matters without proper preparation. I recently was given the chance to audition for a high-profile country artist - a gig that I would very much like to get. 4 songs singing and playing the bass. That's what I had to learn. I'm not a naturally gifted singer so I knew that the singing would be the hardest part for me. In order to concentrate on the singing the bass playing had to be automatic. I spent hours and hours just listening to the songs, visualizing the bass lines in my head. Then I spent hours and hours more actually playing along with the tracks. Learning to sing the parts took another large effort on my part. The final hours of preparation were spent on learning to play and sing at the same time. I practiced right up to the point at which I had to pack my gear and head to the audition, then on the way I listened to the songs in my car one last time. I was as prepared as I could have been and it paid off.

The audition went well. I would say extremely well. I played what I was supposed to and sang what I was supposed to. At the end of the audition they guys in the band told me I had done a good job and said "If we had to go do the gig tonight, we could."

But, even with a lifetime of learning, and many hours of preparation, even with a super-solid performance in the audition, I know that my chances of actually getting the gig are probably pretty slim. There were at least 15 or 20 other bassists who auditioned for the gig and I know that some of them did just as well as I did. Ultimately, who gets the gig, will probably be decided by intangibles like how I looked, or how easy I was to get along with, or how much I laughed at that joke the guitar player told.

For now, however, the preparation is done, the audition is over and I feel proud and secure in the knowledge that I did my homework and that, as the guys in the band told me, I could go and do the gig tonight. While I spend the next couple of days waiting to hear the results of the audition I'll keep those things in mind.