[Closed] Singletrack drummerss - my 1st audition!

I can offer no help, sorry, not a drummer or all that into music.

But.

Please have someone video this. Just in case of course, I'm sure you will be fine.

🙂
I knew I’d come to the right place...

I've got no advice, but what's the difference between a drummer and a drum machine?

You only have to punch the information in once into a drum machine! 😆

edit- but good luck tomorrow 🙂

Enjoy it mate.

You’re laying down the rhythm for them to follow, so you can’t go wrong. Ignore them and just play 😁

real kits are slightly different from e-kits - not massively, but the feel is subtly different. I'm no expert myself, but i would probably stay away from any twiddly doublestroke sextuplets just in case...

At least in the first half hour 😉

Oh, and make friends with the bassist!

Relax and if you’re unsure about any of the fills, just stick to the rhythm. Playing the rhythm part well and keeping time is more important than being all fancy fills

Work especially with the bass player - if he/she is laying down a good groove, go with it. The lower notes should drive your kick pedal, higher accent notes may match your snare playing.

Don’t put yourself down, but don’t big yourself up too much either. At the end of the day the other members of the band need to be your friends as well as band mates

Good luck, let us know how you get on

Ask whether they want you to replicate the last guy initially or play it your own way from the off.

Thanks for the tips! The bassist is one of the best around in folk rock music. I believe the previous drummer was sacked because he and the bassist weren’t gelling. “Don’t play it like he did- less is more!” Is the advice I got from their singer. So no need for any fancy fills.
I feel like I’ve been invited for a trial with Newcastle United after a few good results at table football!

I'm assuming that you have played with other people before...and not just in your bedroom alomg to CDs!??

Metronome in one ear? I'm guitar and bass, and when stressed start too fast. Which on numbers where it's the guitar that opens isn't good. Thankfully normally it's the drummer who sets the tempo - you in this case. And it's really annoying when the drummer raises it 5bpm and you're already as fast as you can reliably do the guitar solo.

Tpbiker - what on earth gives you that idea? 😀

I’ve played with all the greats though..

I'm not speaking from experience but if you're playing on a borrowed kit and your nervous maybe ask if you can have 5 or 10 minutes to get the kit set up and warm up, possibly without them in the room? Hopefully it'll get the initial nerves out of the way and allow you to position the drums just so.

I am taking the e-kit with me as that’s what I’ve been rehearsing on and I’ll have enough to contend with. If they like my playing then I’ll have a go at transferring it to the acoustic kit but I like the versatility of the e-kit and they might too.

Be this.

^ have you been eavesdropping on my practice?

Just relax. Treat it as a trial run for the next thing and enjoy yourself. I had an audition with a band for the first time in 11 years last springnand hadn't played an acoustic kit in that time, my audition was on a borrowed acoustic kit. I learned a couple of their songs before the practice and that was that. Still playing with them now.

🙂

Edit

Get out of that habit, you won't have an edit button on the day.

If you're not this guy, you're doing it wrong.

Be honest, tell them you are nervous! That’ll help settle everyone down, then see if the music flows

I hope it goes well, it’s a brilliant thing to do - regardless of the outcome.

Best of luck and let us know how it goes.

To clarify, you've never played an acoustic kit before? That might be a bit of an issue in the real world of gigging etc depending on what the nature of your gigs are.

My tips.....no one wants drum fills every other bar, I've played with some drummers that have incredible technical ability, but just can't cut it as working pros because there are fills played insanely loud right over the top of everything. Also, you'll be nervous....ime that will lead you to play faster....the band will lay that at your door so make sure that you know the tempos of the songs that you're playing.

Was in a band years ago. The drummer knew loads of stuff.

The one thing he couldn't do, having just practiced alone in the family conservatory for years without playing with anyone, was keep time.

It was like playing along to a record where people would press down on the platter. I'd be turning round and urging him to speed up or slow down.

If you can keep time, you're half way there.

Will you be playing along to a click?

Well, we’re about to find out... setting off in 5 minutes!

Good luck! Report back...

Break a leg 👍🏻

Hope it all goes well. If there are other drummers auditioning at the same time, try and listen to them and, in the meantime, get to know the songs as the band currently play, plus see if the other drummers overplay, try and be the great I am etc. Most bands just want you to fit in, musically and temperamentally. As others have said, makes friends with the bass player but also the rhythm guitarist if there is one. Feeding licks of them can really lock a band together. I would take your own kit if I were you. They should have a PA so plugging an electronic kit into the desk shouldn't be a problem. There's nothing worse than doing an audition on an unfamiliar kit; I've been there and it really isn't much fun. Final words of advice; try and enjoy yourself.

Reminds of the story I heard about a bassist that was so depressed about his inability to keep time, he threw himself behind a bus.

😀 😀

How do you know when you have a bassist knocking on your door?

He can't find the key and he doesn't know when to come in

...whereas the drummer tends to knock three times and come in late.

Anyway, audition shmaudition. It's only the drums ffs.😉

How long does an drumist audition take??

#prayingforNealTheWheel

He's probably just out celebrating.

Wants to know 2

I’m back!
It was good fun- they were lovely and made me feel at home and it was all pretty relaxed. We played through a few of the songs on their last album which I’d had a chance to practice and then they played me a couple of new songs they’re working on and let me try a few ideas and I thought we got a few good grooves going.
Then we went to the pub!
They thanked me for coming and said “nice to meet you “ but I didn’t get any hint that they were going to offer me the gig.
I think they still have another drummer to audition.
Thanks to everyone for the tips, they really did work.
I will let you all know asap

They took you to the pub? Nice guys!

Not knowing immediately is normal.

If they ask what’s your availability for next week’s practice, you’re in.

It’s great you had a good experience and that will give you confidence.

If something more happens as a result too - that’s a bonus.

The last thing I would want after an audition is to be taken to the pub, unless you already go to the pub all the time

Maybe they'll have two drummers?
Good luck.

Well, I didn’t get the gig 🙁
Sacked by text:
“Hi Neil, how are you? We all really enjoyed your company last week, we all agreed you are good fun, but we have found a drummer who is a bit closer to home and is already attached to the band. So I’m sorry to say we won’t be taking you as our drummer. But I hope you keep trying to find a band, you deserve the joy it can bring. I hope you aren’t too disappointed...”

Note no mention of my actual drumming 😀

Sorry to hear that, but at least it was communicated nicely and in fact they bothered to let you know...

Yeah fair play to them for coming back to you. I was going to audition for a signed bandany years ago, and was meant to be meeting them in Brum for an informal chat before actually auditioning but when I went to meet them them they didn't turn up and then ghosted me when I tried to find out where there were.

Musos can be right pricks 😂

Hats off to you for putting yourself out there in the first place, takes some balls. At least they seemed to like you anyway, I'd be happy enough being let down like that.

Shame, but don’t let it put you off, there are plenty of bands looking for a drummer.
You might want to buy an acoustic kit & cymbals, even if you don’t use them for practicing; some bands have a ‘thing’ about e-kits 🙁

At least they bothered to contact you, many don’t

Lower-mid price kit: https://www.drumshop.co.uk/collections/acoustic-drum-kits/products/yamaha-rydeen-22-usfusion-drumkit-hardware-burgandy-glitter

There are cheaper cymbal sets but these are very nice for the money: https://www.drumshop.co.uk/collections/cymbal-box-sets/products/istanbul-mehmet-radiant-box-set

...slight hijack. I just watched Whiplash on Netflix, that was fairly intense!
But of all of the drumming movies I’ve ever watched that’s got to be right up there in my top-one.

I tried watching Whiplash.

I guess i’m A ‘doer’ rather than a ‘watcher’, i’m like that with cycling too, can’t stand watching it

I met Mrs P when we were both in a band similar to the one in whiplash, just much smaller scale but watching it for us both was really uncomfortable. It was so intense, it brought back all of the stress. Horrible.

Great film though