Improve Your Music

M.G. beat me to the punchline on this one, but here’s my tilt on it.

Having just Launched a new band myself, the audition process is still very fresh in my mind. The biggest single area that let alot of the candidates down was preparation. Especially the auditions for lead vocalist.

The first point of contact is always the telephone. You need to come across like someone who really has it all together. Have your personal biography handy. You will be asked about your experience. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to gain some background on a candidate and listening to “Ummmm…Errrrrrr…Ahhhhhh”. To me it reaks of a great line of B.S. about to come my way, or someone who has a short term memory problem. Neither of them bode well for the candidate.
In other words, you are fast losing my interest. Think about what you are trying to get across to me. That you are the answer to all my problems. You’re sharp, focussed, and on the ball. That’s what will get you the audition.

A bass player left a message on my answering machine a few years back, and I’ll never forget it. She said, ” Hi Mark, I read your add in Drum Media that you were looking for me, my number is ………. and I look forward to working with you. When do we start rehearsal?”.

She got the job.

Lines of singers passed through my door for Inner Secrets. All of them were given a complete run down of the song list and sufficient time to learn 3 or 4 of them of their choosing before their audition. On arrival for their big audition, some would say, “Sorry, I’ve been really busy and haven’t had time to really get into any of the stuff”. Next candidate please. As an employer, I see someone who has serious time management issues and will ultimately hold up the whole project because they don’t appear to have the time for it.

The next one is nerves. Some showed up and I could literally see their hands shaking. Straight away I’m wary. Nerves are usually the result of a lack of self confidence, largely due again to a lack of preparation. Not a good trait in a potential frontman. If you can’t sing or play just for me in my music room, how the hell are you going to do it in front of 1000 people? Next candidate please.

Now, in contrast to that, the singer who actually got the job just knocked on my door, shook my hand and followed me to my music room. He grabbed my guitar and launched straight into O ye como va before I even had time to get settled in. Then he just ripped into two more songs straight after. He was at the next rehearsal.

That may seem like he was cocky, but I saw someone that was in complete control of what was going on, and someone that I wouldn’t have to worry about having their shit together.

So there it is. Auditions…be ye prepared !

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