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"You sounded great, BUT...."


wades_keys

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Here is an email response I received after an audition for one of the local "top tier" working bands around here. Ya gotta love these types of deals LOL. Definitely no hard feelings: I figure if nothing else my name is still out there as at least a competent player, but I sure would have appreciated knowing about the vocal requirement up front. Oh well. I CAN sing lead but not up to the standards I set for myself and more importantly, not for the variety/pop that the bandleader favors. Oh well....

 

Hi Wade,

 

Sounded great the other night. We did not audition the other guy last night. XXXX had to work late. We are auditioning the other guy tomorrow. The only thing that will make a difference is vocals. XXXX needs someone that knows and can sing 2-3 songs per set if we can find such a person.

 

Anyway, I will get in touch tomorrow.

 

Thank you,

 

XXXXXX

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Doesn't sound like a requirement so much as a desire. They way I read that is that he doesn't think the other guy will possibly play any BETTER than you, just that he might play as well AND also sing. And, all other things being equal---yeah, you probably go with the guy that can also sing.

 

Do they know about/have a need for your keyboard playing?

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Yeah, the keyboard thing seemed to become more of a hindrance than an asset, as they had the guitarist/contact person asking me was I sure I really wanted to play bass and NOT keys, since they have a fulltime keyboard player in the band, plus the female singer also plays the boards. It was kind of odd how it ended up: I never got a definitive rejection per se.....But then i got a call from another band, one that's a little less polished and ready BUT plays a music I'm better versed in, perhaps? I actually saw them at the benefit show this Monday, we said "Hi" but not much else. Now the guys in ShineRunner want me to play keys too. I just have to make sure it gets done the right way with preparation and that the songs work for the style of the band and that there are at least 2 keyboard songs per set, or I'm basically hauling 2 rigs around for not much benefit, and I don't want to burn out or get sore....

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Dude. Exactly. That guy they have in there is the same guy from almost 2 years ago when they tried to get me to try out after series of open mic sitins. I kinda feel for him. Not to say anything is underhanded or anything, it's just...I dunno. He's got to know they aren't entirely satisfied with some aspect of his place in the band? Heck, I've seen him play, met him: great guy and real solid pro player that I learn a thing or two off of. Anyway....that's the biz right?

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Here is an email response I received after an audition for one of the local "top tier" working bands around here. Ya gotta love these types of deals LOL. Definitely no hard feelings: I figure if nothing else my name is still out there as at least a competent player, but I sure would have appreciated knowing about the vocal requirement up front. Oh well. I CAN sing lead but not up to the standards I set for myself and more importantly, not for the variety/pop that the bandleader favors. Oh well....

 

Hi Wade,

 

Sounded great the other night. We did not audition the other guy last night. XXXX had to work late. We are auditioning the other guy tomorrow. The only thing that will make a difference is vocals. XXXX needs someone that knows and can sing 2-3 songs per set if we can find such a person.

 

Anyway, I will get in touch tomorrow.

 

Thank you,

 

XXXXXX

 

Hard to say how it will go. If you cut it on back up harmony , I think that's a bigger game changer than being able to sing lead on a few songs. Its the real deal maker for a lot of bands.

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Hard to say how it will go. If you cut it on back up harmony , I think that's a bigger game changer than being able to sing lead on a few songs. Its the real deal maker for a lot of bands.

 

As a general rule (well, in my experience anyway) anyone that can sing solid back up harmony is usually good enough to sing lead on a couple songs a set. Not necessarily so much the other way around.

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I have some kind of vocal cord damage that keeps me from hitting certain notes, but I can do some decent harmonies within my range, with a little rehearsal. We had a really good vocal practice tonight and I will be doing a lot of harmonies in this band it looks like. Still not sold on the lead vocal thing: I just don't have the right tone for it - not happy with my voice at all.

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Similiar situation going on in a band I play with currently. We're auditioning for a rhythm guitarist/ back-up singer, and the vocal harmony ability is really big. The guys coming through the door are doing okay, but no one is delivering what we're quite hoping for yet. I think vocal harmonies can make you wildly good for your band!

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Be careful not to allow someones repertoire or lack thereof on harmonies to influence your decision. Or: try and sing the low parts for the guy first and see if he/she can hit them, verses just seeing how they "step up" on a tune that they may already know. Unless it's a fillin situation....I guess what I am saying is consider how you are running the audition and be open to emphasizing vocals by having band play with dynamics so the vocals can be worked out....Only takes a second to do it this way and I can tell ya from experience it pays off.

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