Take a deep breathe . Plug in. Play. Seems easy , doesn’t it ? I assure you getting through your band audition is a bit more complicated than that. The first thing you need to do is prepare. If you are a guitar player , like me, then you may have a few exercises that you do to warm up. Make sure to arrive early and go to a secluded corner to do these exercises. The next tips can be used by any musician playing any instrument or style of music.
When applying for a band or group , make sure it is your style. Nothing says “see Ya” like a musician that tries out for a group who’s style he isn’t use to playing. make sure you know the material before showing up for the audition and make sure you are in tune ! Another audition-stopper is a group of people that have to wait for you to tune your instrument. You should also ask before arriving how the band or group tunes. Many groups these days have many alternate tunings and it would even be a great benefit if you had more than one instrument to change between.
Upon arrival approach each member and shake their hand and look them in the eyes. If you do not seem interested in the names and other players then they may think you feel you are a one-man show. Remember it is a collective effort and the more personal you can make the experience the more likely they are to hire you. If you give them a reason to remember you then they may overlook a few badly played notes or a missed passage.
You also have to remember that each group or member may play the same song or passage a bit differently , this is easily remedied during the audition and usually will not be held against you.
Be relaxed ! If you play stiff or rigid then the others can feel our stress and it will come out as fear , maybe like a stage fright . If the group you are auditioning for are active players in public then you need to not be afraid to play in front of them ; after all, if you are nervous in front of them , how will you be in the live scene?
Any musician can follow these basic “rules” when seeking a band or group to join. Always keep the music foremost in your mind but remember they are people like you. Try to look at yourself as they will and judge yourself as you think they would judge you. Also remember , they are seeking a member as badly as you are seeking the position. They are at a point in their career where they are at a stalemate and cant make music because they need someone. Yes, they have the absolute say in if you get the job, but the closer you follow these tips the easier you will find it to succeed.
