Berklee Audition

[got_a_matchgrip]

If I'm not mistaken, Tombo, & perhaps Blake, two of the longtime wise veterans here at HODhb, know a thing or 2 about the Drmr's Coll...

I've also heard many good things about LAMA [Los Angeles Music[ians'] Academy] here. Do a net search...

Some local big colleges have fine music programs for a fraction of those "prestigious ones'" costs...

For ex; in my orig hometown area of central / west-coast FL, there is USF college in Tampa, & Jeff Berlin's Player's School of Music right across the bridge from there in Clearwater/Largo, for example...

Also, do a "search" here in this site of "Berklee" & check the topics...

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ June 15, 2005 02:48 PM: Message edited by: got_a_match_grip? ]</font>

[Paraflam]

I suggest going to Steve Hass' board and asking him about this.
He left Berklee in '97 according to his site.
Also, I do believe there's no other school in the world other than North Texas, that offers the unique music business like atmosphere that Berklee does. Students at Berklee play real gigs everyday and get tons of playing experience. In LAMA classes you have to wait in line to play just like The Collective. And you play 1-3 tunes infront of everyone else and that's it. That's not a real experience. Berklee offers the real deal. Exactly what you'll be doing when you come out. It also doesn't hurt that everyone from Vinnie to Jeff Watts, Smitty, Steve Smith, Will Calhoun, Billy Kilson,..EVERYONE...went there. Well almost.
I say go and don't listen to people who have had a negative experience. School is what you make of it. And there's no better place to learn about contemporary music.

[got_a_matchgrip]

School is what you make of it

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">THIS, of course, is "it in a nutshell" on this subject.

But as tuition, living, & travel cost [AWA possibly location] is a large factor for many of your average folks, it is good to hear & weigh the pros AWA cons. Esp pertaining to access of practice facitlities AWA 1-on-1 lessons...

But still..."what you said." [img]wink.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ June 15, 2005 04:16 PM: Message edited by: got_a_match_grip? ]</font>

[tombo74]

Some discussion on LAMA and The Collective here:
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ult...609/t/3470/p/1

Apart from me, I know that HOD members jgadd, BryanV, cjbdrm and shockediddle (just last week) went to DC.

[palmerlouie]

for my scholarship audition i just went in and played a solo that showed some chops and ability to create dynamics etc and weaved through all styles that were on the sheet....latin styles, jazz, rock, funk etc.

the audition was very short - sight reading was very easy, the guys were very nice and i had a quick jam with one of them who was a guitarist - we jammed to one of the bass lines on "turn it up and lay it down" which had some drum breaks.

the main thing i thought at berklee was they wanted to know your reading but mainly stylistic capability. i played quite badly in my placement audition but got a high score due to me simply being able to go thru the motions

[Cameron_Mahoney]

Originally posted by mAnOfMaNyKiTs:
When I was at Berklee 93-97, I went on a U.S Scholarship. I'm not sure if this is the same thing or not though. It sounds very similar. This "tour" made stops all around the country for auditions. I auditioned at Berklee because I'm in CT. I recorded a tape with 4 tunes on it and sent it in to get a chance to aydition. Funk tune, straight ahead tune, brush tune and tune that went between styles. Sent the tape in, got asked to come in and for an audition. I played live with the Bass chair (Rich appleman) and the guitar chair (who's name escapes me) We played segments of the same tunes. I solo'd over the forms of all of them. they put some figures in front me too. Sight reading stuff. then I did the ear training thing too. I earned myself a good chunk of change which always helps!! Just be ready when you go in and just play. They are not looking for people to come in and blow chops over everything. They would rather hear music!!!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Were the tunes you played from a play along, or with a group of your own? Was the ear training playing rhythms or recognizing tones and harmonies? I have basic ear training down, but nowhere near the perfect pitch type of people. I can replicate most rhythms, though, by ear. Sight reading is a strength for me, too, but I'll be sure to prepare just in case. Thanks.

[Cameron_Mahoney]

Thanks for the help and experiences, guys. [img]biggrin.gif[/img]