I spent most of today in the air-conditioned comfort of Studio C of the Actor's Equity Association audition center playing auditions for two of the shows in the upcoming NYMF. I played for some good people. I played for some bad people. I played for some so-so people.
And I played for one guy who, after I attempted to play his song for him for the third time, I felt was going to come behind the piano and punch me. Well, maybe not punch me, but at least get very mad at me. I stopped "us" the first time when I realized I was not with him. The he stopped me the second time... Then a third...
"It's
just a ballad!"
-Are you backphrasing?
"No, I am not. I could go ahead and sing something else, something easier."
-That's not necessary. Would you just like me to chord your song for you?
And that seemed to do the trick.
It was one of those cases where he had paid someone to write out an accompaniment - and probably paid whoever good money to do so - but the piano part in no way reflected the way the singer was singing it. He was singing a ballad, and the accompaniment part appeared to be an up-tempo. Even the composer of one of the shows who sitting behind me was a bit confused by the music that was put in front of me on the piano. Needless to say, there was a bit of tension in the room after he left, but we all eventually laughed it off. Sort of.
Sadly, he actually sang the song rather well, but after the amount of "attitude" that was shown in the room, his picture and resume was moved right to the "No" pile.
-And I so wanted to tell him what was wrong with his music, but something told me that that was probably not the right time to do so.
