How to Audition a Bassist

If you are looking to hire a bass player for your band, you need to know what to look and listen for in his or her playing. If you haven't found one yet, consult "How to Find a Bassist." Here are some guidelines for auditioning.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bass Guitars
• Music Stands
• Sheet Music
• Bass Amplifiers
• Microphones
• Music Keyboards
• Music

1. Set up a time with your prospective bassist to quiz him on his experience and skill level. Is he an amateur or professional player? Has he played with other bands before and, if so, for how long?

2. Make sure he understands what style and level of music you want to play. You need to be certain that both of you have the same goals musically and - if you want to make money playing music - financially.

3. Invite him, if you believe him to be a good match, to your next band rehearsal or, if you are looking for a duo situation, to join you in your practice room.

4. Give your candidate some time to relax before going into the audition; he will probably be nervous. It will probably help his playing if he feels comfortable around your band.

5. Present your musical material. Ask him what tune he would be able to play along with.

6. Let your band start into a song and have the bass player join in when he is ready instead of telling him to play in front of you.

7. Listen if he can pick up the rhythm of the song and keep time.

8. Listen to how well the bass line fits into the song. Is it appropriate to the genre, style, tempo and mood of the song?

9. Most important, pay attention to if he can hold down the structure of the song. The main function of the bassist is to make sure the song doesn't fall apart because some band members are "losing it." He needs to give the rest of the band a solid foundation rhythmically for taking off on their inspired riffs and solos.

10. Listen if he is in sync with the drummer, if you have one, and has musical rapport with him. (If not, it's not always the bass player's fault.)

11. Play different tempos and styles to see if the bassist can adapt to both slow, lyrical ballads and fast, rocking songs.

12. After the audition, relax with your candidate for a while. Tell him you will call him as soon as possible. Listen to the band's opinion, then make up your mind.

Tips & Warnings

• It's important that you feel you will have personal, as well as musical, rapport with your musicians. If the chemistry is right, you will probably get closer musically, too; if not, you will most likely have problems, no matter how good he or she might be musically.

[simonw]

on 9/7/2009 When auditioning someone, always remember it is a 2way street... Especially when it is someone who is in high demand, like a drummer or bassist... You may have 3 people showing up for an audition... They may have 10 people trying to snag them up... Be just as professional as you would expect them to be... ALWAYS make sure to hear the talent level of the person you are auditioning and provide a means for them to hear you prior to the "big event"... Otherwise you run the risk of someone wasting someone elses time and energy... DON'T throw curve balls: try to give all the info about the band which would pertain to the requirements of "the new guy"... If you transpose a song because of your singers' range, make sure to pass that info on before the audition... and don't expect someone to be happy when you say " oh by the way, we play everything tuned down a half-step".

on 8/19/2006 Don't make the auditioning bassist feel as if he/she is subservient to the rest of the group. If there is something you like about the player, say so. Don't act all unimpressed for the sake of acting like a rock star if the audition went great. You may just let the right bassist slip through your fingers if you let your ego get in the way. Take it from a bassist who has auditioned many times. When I got a call back telling me the gig was mine if I wanted it, I told the band they couldn't pay me enough to deal with their ego's on a daily basis.
They let the best man for the job get away and had to settle
for second best. I know they're kicking themselves for it.

on 8/8/2006 Most bassists like beer. I know I do. Give him a beer before the audition, and be sure to let him know that there is more where that came from. That way, you can keep him coming back. If he brings his own beer to the audition, you know you have a winner (but don't expect him to share). It's also a good idea to find out what kind of beer he drinks. If you are a Guinness guzzling band and your bassist-to-be is more of a Miller Lite kinda guy, you may want to keep looking.

on 11/22/2005 Know the material and the drummer's style prior to the audition. My band was not looking for flashy popping and slapping. What we looked for was how well I could adapt to the drummer's unique playing style. The band provided me with a CD. The audition went well a few weeks later. The rest is history.

on 11/22/2005 Find out if this is a person who excels at everything. My bass player has only been playing for a year, and I'm the reason he started! He is now a better bass player that 99% of famous ones and it's because he's just awesome. Even though he had no musical experience, I could tell he would be good because he loves music, and he works his butt off when it comes to anything. A person's character is very important.