I'm with Tony on this one - a singer's the most important member of the band, and a good one can probably sort their own band out - certainly, in the area I'm in, there aren't many singers sat around wishing there was a band they could join.Originally Posted by tonyteech02
While I can see you obviously want to get the right person, I'd be wary that making them jump through so many hoops is going to put off the really good ones, who could walk into most bands.
(Not quite the same, but I've personally told recruiters/companies that I wasn't going to do a generic "aptitude" test as the first stage of a job application - if they were interested in me, they could meet me.)
"Brilliant things instead of weeping will be for the person who comes to the truthful one. But a long period of darkness, foul food, and the word 'woe' - to such an existence your religious view will lead you, O deceitful ones, of your own actions." - 1000 years BCE, Zoroaster predicts the coming of Keanu.
Yeah I appreciate this. There's no arguing the singer will be the most important part of the band. We've decided from now on anyone who shows genuine interest can have a short audition, and we'll go from there. Also we're going to try to go to open mic nights as and when possible to scout for talent there. This thread has been really useful discussion wise to reach this point.
Ultimately this process is a compromise between four guys and not just my own views. We all want the same thing but the 'how' requires compromise from all sides.
The issue regarding the clip audition was purely intended as a time saving thing. We're all in separate projects and have jobs so really once or at most twice a week is all we can meet up at this point. Having people mail in a clip would save both us and the potential singer plenty of time if it was going to be a straight no. I'm fully aware of the 'in person' arguments, but without sharing some of the clips (would be unfair) you'll have to just take my word for it that some of the 'no' answers were very obvious from recordings, and that saved them the travel time as well as our own time.
The assumption was that most 'good' singers would have clips if they were already gigging/serious about music. The thought process makes sense, but bear in mind 3/4 members did music at University so are well used to a formalised approach. I'm the 1/4 who didn't study music at that level, but I've never batted an eyelid at clip requests from other bands in the past. In fact the only reason I found the other members was pimping out my own soundcloud/youtube accounts and networking at other musical events, but then again I'm a guitarist and there are plenty of others much better than I am. In fairness I have probed all my contacts and I do know some good singers, but they're all folk or at a push blues singers who either aren't interested in rock music or are unsuitable.
Likewise if a singer wants to walk in to a ready made band with gear/transport already, we are in the position to be just that band. I guess pride is part of the issue stopping us calling ourselves a 'backing band for hire', since everyone is more than competent at writing and producing their own material, just none of us were blessed with any proper vocal talent.
Last edited by guitarfishbay; 12th February 2013 at 04:32 PM.
I think instrumental power trio is the way forward, meself...
I'm waiting on a surf revival.
Breeding mammals with insects is my personal bugbear.
The Midlands will be the epicentre of it, for sure
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