Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

guitarist slot opening, how do the digital auditions work anyways?..

Dayne Nobody IV wrote:guitarist slot opening, how do the digital auditions work anyways?..

i think you take and submit a snapshot of your middle finger???? is that right???? or does any finger work?

I think the band is from up around you Planetguy.. Camdenton?

Dayne Nobody IV wrote:I think the band is from up around you Planetguy.. Camdenton?

yeah, that's what we refer to as "at the lake". it's on the south side of Lake of The Ozarks. about an hr south of me.

I never figured out what the 'digital audition' is supposed to be. Guess you can just send a message back if you're interested.

if it's anything like a digital examination....i'd take a pass, dayne!

I get asked to do 'digital auditions' every now and then. They typically don't provide anything they've recorded, no charts/scores, just a few tunes they want me to record and submit. My response is always the same: "Y'know that page where you found me? It has music on it--where I'm actually playing the piano, etc. Might wanna listen to that."

I also get offers for 'blind' auditions--again, no music, scores/charts, not even a playlist. Apparently I'm supposed to know every tune ever written and be prepared to play them on demand. I've heard Bob Dylan can do that, but I'm not quite at that level. Sure, I'd love to haul my hefty rig all over the Bay area on the chance I might be suitable to play little fills in, say, a CCR tribute band. The cynic in me sometimes suspects they want me to show up w/ my gear so they can rob me. While I never specify 'working bands only,' I do require they at least provide something so I can decide if a) I'm interested (and prepare), or b) I would be wasting my time/energy. Guess I'm just difficult that way...

DP...i have a good buddy of mine that i used to play music with back when we both still lived in NYC. he's been down in Tampa for some time and i think maybe you and he might hit it off.

Desi is a fine musician, all around good guy, teaches physics at Hillsborough Community College, and plays tenor, keys, and gtr.

when i was down there visiting last yr we had a cpl of fun rehearsel studio jams w a happening drummer pal of his. (i'll look to see if i can find a tune or two to post)

desi's into all the "good stuff" and has played in afro cuban, jazz, and afro pop bands in the Tampa area.

if you're interested drop me a line and i'll get you his contact info.

I believe they have forgotten I was the one who they invited for a real "live audition" for guitar in Camdenton, I balked and di not go because of driving distance, but this time(they must have forgotten about me politely saying no) need a bassist, Whispers of October on BM if any bassists want to carry through with it.. right now I have given up music altogether due to a sprained left shoulder caused by loading heavy boxes in the back of my camper/topper, you have to load stuff, on your knees due to restrictions of the area back there in the bed of the Dodge Pup SE.. I will learn my lesson someday, I'm a slow learner or maybe just stubborn and don't want to give up "activities" better suited for a young guy.. maybe a shot of testosterone would help build up muscle mass again?

Displaced Pianist wrote:I get asked to do 'digital auditions' every now and then. They typically don't provide anything they've recorded, no charts/scores, just a few tunes they want me to record and submit. My response is always the same: "Y'know that page where you found me? It has music on it--where I'm actually playing the piano, etc. Might wanna listen to that."

I also get offers for 'blind' auditions--again, no music, scores/charts, not even a playlist. Apparently I'm supposed to know every tune ever written and be prepared to play them on demand. I've heard Bob Dylan can do that, but I'm not quite at that level. Sure, I'd love to haul my hefty rig all over the Bay area on the chance I might be suitable to play little fills in, say, a CCR tribute band. The cynic in me sometimes suspects they want me to show up w/ my gear so they can rob me. While I never specify 'working bands only,' I do require they at least provide something so I can decide if a) I'm interested (and prepare), or b) I would be wasting my time/energy. Guess I'm just difficult that way...

Displaced Pianist, I sure hope we can get together some time.. I think you would be a great asset..in person we could get a lot more accomplished rather than online collab.. and the fact it would mean something.. working on our goal of playing live for $$$$.. the online chart swapping and such would be ok if there was some sort of incentive? but what incentive is there? none for me... now Michael McDonald and Patti LaBelle recorded "On My Own" on opposite coasts but that is a different story.. they were getting paid..

Planetguy wrote:DP...i have a good buddy of mine that i used to play music with back when we both still lived in NYC. he's been down in Tampa for some time and i think maybe you and he might hit it off.

Desi is a fine musician, all around good guy, teaches physics at Hillsborough Community College, and plays tenor, keys, and gtr.

when i was down there visiting last yr we had a cpl of fun rehearsel studio jams w a happening drummer pal of his. (i'll look to see if i can find a tune or two to post)

desi's into all the "good stuff" and has played in afro cuban, jazz, and afro pop bands in the Tampa area.

I'd offer condolences for your stay in Tampa, but since it was temporary... At least we have some decent weather. And from what I've been told, we once had the greatest concentration, per capita, of nudie bars in the country. Guess it's good to be known for something...

If this fellow likes to play the same off-the-wall, jazz-oriented stuff you like (the "good stuff"? I really love that genre--ha!), I can see the value in that. It's always seemed odd that in a place nicknamed "little NYC," jazz has such a bad name. Ironic that he's @ HCC; I taught there for a year or so before moving over to USF. I'll get w/ you offline and we'll talk.

Dayne, online is about all I can do w/ anyone who isn't local. I recall you once mentioned you were hoping to find folks who would be willing to move up there, etc., but not working for me. I own property down here, and if I ever do sell, it'll be to go back overseas...and stay. If property values return to where they were pre-subprime, I'm off to Guangzhou, S'pore or some other foreign locale. Last time I was in G'zhou, the gf took me to this big hotel that had a piano bar (Steinway Grand) that opened into a massive lobby. I couldn't resist and did a 2-hr. set--it's not every day I get to play a Steinway. I drew quite a crowd (guess it's not every day some Anglo drops in and plays jazz)...and didn't get arrested. Not sure it would turn out that way here in Tampa.

Really, I'm nonplussed about the $$ aspect. I'll prob. get hammered for saying it (esp. given the thread re: making $$ in the music biz), but it just isn't that important to me. Back in the day I had to play 4-5 gigs/wk. to make rent and survive, and it took all the fun right outta it. These days it isn't an issue; I often tell folks I'll play for free, but if I gotta haul in my own stuff, they need to pay for cartage, load-in/out, set up, etc. I'm more about the music than the $$. And as I noted before, I do work mostly from charts/scores/lead sheets; guys might not like the minutiae, but it's part of the gig if you wanna work w/ trained musicians. Such is life.

Displaced Pianist wrote:I'd offer condolences for your stay in Tampa, but since it was temporary... At least we have some decent weather.

hehehe.

i appreciate the condolences but the mrs and i were renting a beach house for the month of December on Anna Maria Island to catch a break from our Mid Missouri weather! got to do some playing there and around Bradenton but nothing in Tampa outside of those studio jams.

I was offered a digital audition by a member who had a cover band consisting of just himself. He took selfies of himself (with phone in pic) in the bathroom mirror . He had one track on his player, a blazing rendition of the main riff from Bob Seger's Strut. I declined.
If someone can't tell if you are or aren't a good fit by the music on your player, let em slide.