Hey folks!

I'm going to have an audition in 2 months but I need a little help with song suggestions.
There will be a bassist, drummer, a guitarist/pianist (he could play one of those), a singer and me as lead (and rhythm if my teacher plays piano).

I need your help to pick a song. I'd like to play something with a slow blues feel in which there will be time for lyrics and then improvising starting really quiet and slow, finishing loud a fast.

What is your suggestion?

Thanks!

Hi Rod.
The usual way this goes in my part of the world is that the band you are auditioning for give you a few songs to play. Five seems to be the favourite.

So learn all the parts of those songs. Guitar rhythm, guitar melody and guitar lead.
Become so accustomed to those songs that they are second nature. You've eight weeks to do so, you can easily do it in that time. Listen to them in the car going to work and coming home. Play along when you get home.

Only when you fully know the songs inside out think of how you can make them better. In my experience less is a lot more as a guitarist unless told otherwise. Then improvise. You know the structure of the song at this point so it's just a matter of scales and taste.

Look up the band, judge them on their performance because that is what they'll be weighing up about you. Seeing if you fit.
If they dress up smart, go to the audition looking smart, not over the top just smart. They want to see someone who visually fits as well as hear someone who sonically fits. That is a clincher. However they dress hint at that style.

Keep your mouth shut until spoken to. They are a clique they'll open to you if they want you.

Don't be afraid to ask for chord sheets if it's a band playing originals. They are judging you on your playing not how well you can work out how to play songs.

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No no and no

If their just doing covers ask for keys and transpose the songs yourself

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No no and no

Oh, man! I didn't express myself very well.

The audition I'm speaking of is a music school one.

After some months of lessons I have to pick 5 songs and then I'll play one or two of them for the people from around town (mainly parents from the children in the school).

The band members are the ones I first spoke of. I'm going to play with my teacher too so I wanted to do some kind of guitar duet just like the 5 minutes improvisation ones where two guitars speak (Eric Clapton & B.B. King / Buddy Guy & B.B. King - you know what I speak of).

After looking for a while, I made up my mind that I want something along the lines of Stormy Monday the way SRV and Albert King played it in the "In Session" album. If you could suggest some slow blues in that area, it'd be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Rod

(PS: I'm very sorry if what I'm writing is not making much sense. I'm so sleepy my mind can't think well. )

Go with "Siberian Khatru" from the Yessongs album.

That'll sure impress the hell out of your audience!



Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

For a slow burn minor-key blues song, SRV's "Dirty Pool" or Otis Rush's "Double Trouble" absolutely smoke...

For the same type of song in a major key, Tab Benoit's "Nice and Warm" or SRV's version of "The Sky Is Crying" (we always play it in B flat) fit very well.

Because Texas-style players have dominated the slow blues genre for so long, you light go back and listen to some of John Lee Hooker's slow ones, like "Serves Me Right To Suffer", or maybe something like that, just to stand out a bit more.

Last of all, just go uP there, make sure you're in tune, set your switches and play. Too many younger players think they need to show that they know how to work their toggle switch or tone knobs all throughout a song and it makes their performance awkward.

I wish you well...let us know what happens.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

Blue jean blues by ZZ Top. Great tune to improvise over.

+1000000
Except the fact that BFG's sound and style is so distinct and hard to nail...and people always compare your performance to the original. Very few people come out of that comparison favorably. Jeff Healey did admirably on that tune...as has Buddy Whittington.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

Totally agree.
But I think it's the sort of song that you can make your own without destroying the feel. Cos it is a song that you have to feel and this in turn improves your phrasing and touch without the need to widdly woo all over the neck.

The Thrill is Gone - B.B. King (for a minor key tune)

How Blue Can You Get - B.B. King (for a major key tune)

Good luck with the audition!

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!