# Berklee Audition Tips



## Najka (Jun 7, 2012)

Hello! 

I'm travling to Berklee College of music to audition in mid August. I will be using my guitar. Does anyone with Berklee experience have any advice on what to study/ practice to prepare? What kind of questions will they ask? I cannot read music. My advisor told me this will not disqualify me. I plan to focus on ear training and a prepared piece. I have not decided what the prepared piece will be yet. I have been brain storming when I can- I work for the military 14+ hours a day so brainstorming ideas has been a headache. Right now I am planning on compossing something of my own. 

Applying to major in Sound Engineering and Production
Minor in Music Business

Any tips/ advice on what to expect and how to prepare will be extremley appreciated. 


Thankyou in advance! This is a great community


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Jun 7, 2012)

When is your audition? You should definitely get some basic sightreading down. You don't want to have your audition shot down because you can't read a few lousy notes. I recommend this website for self-teaching the basics: musictheory.net

If at all possible, grab a copy of the Real Book (PM me and I can hook you up) and go sightread a melody or two as part of your practice routine. If you need help finding the notes on the fretboard, then we can help you out here. I will say this: intervals are the most important consideration when you're dealing with reading. When I look at notes on a page, I see "major sixth" before I see G-E. Use that website, drill them intervals, and get those reading chops up.

What is your prepared piece? I don't know how Berklee operates, but make sure that you're doing the requirement. In every music program that I've auditioned for, the requirement has always been two or three pieces in contrasting styles.

Regardless of what you've got going for yourself, you want to convince your committee that they want you in their program. In other words, play well, be polite, and have an idea of what you want to be doing in five years' time.


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## Najka (Jun 7, 2012)

SchecterWhore said:


> When is your audition? You should definitely get some basic sightreading down. You don't want to have your audition shot down because you can't read a few lousy notes. I recommend this website for self-teaching the basics: musictheory.net
> 
> If at all possible, grab a copy of the Real Book (PM me and I can hook you up) and go sightread a melody or two as part of your practice routine. If you need help finding the notes on the fretboard, then we can help you out here. I will say this: intervals are the most important consideration when you're dealing with reading. When I look at notes on a page, I see "major sixth" before I see G-E. Use that website, drill them intervals, and get those reading chops up.
> 
> ...


 
I have no peice picked out in particular yet for the prepared section. I know Berklee is particular to Jazz. Thankyou for taking the time to respond, good solid advice.


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## Guitarchitect (Jun 7, 2012)

I auditioned to get in to Berklee years ago (before they made auditions mandatory). They had already accepted too many guitar players and so I had to audition.

Contact the admissions office and find out what the audition consists of. They should have a specific sheet that they're working from.

Count on them asking you for:

C-A-G-E-D forms
triads (any inversions) - multiple string sets (e, b, g - b, g, d, etc)

7th chords (any inversions) - multiple string sets

Have at least A and E rooted root position voicings for:

9th, min9, 11, min11, & 13

Expect reading. Usually 8 - 16 bar phrases at around 80 or 100. work on reading in the keys of: C, G, D, A, F, Bb, Eb

They're usually REALLY open for the prepared piece. Don't play something that you think they want to hear if you're not into it.

They want to hear what you can do. If you're not passionate about playing a piece - they're going to think you're not passionate in general.

They like chord solos in general. If you can find one of those - great. The Bill Leavitt pick etudes for guitar also has some longer pieces that should be fine.

Write out a whole list of these things and get friends to drill you - in real time for 15-20 minute increments. If you do that consistently for the month of July (in addition to practicing) you should be fine.

Just remember - every school wants students to succeed. They want you to go there if at all possible. So lean heavily on the admissions department and get the information you need. Feel free to contact the guitar department as well.

You can pm me if you have other questions - but there's probably someone on here who went through the audition process more recently.

I hope that helps!


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## ArrowHead (Jun 7, 2012)

I see how it is, take your thread to Music Theory and leave me getting yelled at by the angry guy that doesn't know what sight reading is back in general discussion?


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## niffnoff (Jun 7, 2012)

SchecterWhore said:


> What is your prepared piece? I don't know how Berklee operates, but make sure that you're doing the requirement. In every music program that I've auditioned for, the requirement has always been two or three pieces in contrasting styles.




I'm curious as to how other schools construct their pieces.

My college's audition had to be one classical and a contrasting piece, but always almost always didn't care about the contrasting one. Classical > other music bar Jazz, apparently that shit is good shit too.


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## Najka (Jun 7, 2012)

ArrowHead said:


> I see how it is, take your thread to Music Theory and leave me getting yelled at by the angry guy that doesn't know what sight reading is back in general discussion?


 
haha! Just though it might get more exposure here


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## ArrowHead (Jun 8, 2012)

Najka said:


> haha! Just though it might get more exposure here




You're actually in great hands. These guys are one of the best things about this forum.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Jun 8, 2012)

niffnoff said:


> I'm curious as to how other schools construct their pieces.
> 
> My college's audition had to be one classical and a contrasting piece, but always almost always didn't care about the contrasting one. Classical > other music bar Jazz, apparently that shit is good shit too.


 
My school has a different audition than yours. We have both a classical guitar program and a jazz guitar program, though, so that makes sense. For classical, I think it's Segovia scales, two prepared pieces (contrasting, probably; all classical guitar music sounds the same to me, though), and sight reading. For jazz, it's three standards in contrasting styles (ballad, blues, and something else), one of those pieces can be performed solo, scales (major, natural, harmonic, and melodic minor), and sight reading. There's always an interview, but it's separate from the audition. Versatility is always something that works to your advantage in music schools, since half of core music classes are basically there to hammer the idea into your head of the history and language of different musical periods.


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## niffnoff (Jun 8, 2012)

SchecterWhore said:


> My school has a different audition than yours. We have both a classical guitar program and a jazz guitar program, though, so that makes sense. For classical, I think it's Segovia scales, two prepared pieces (contrasting, probably; all classical guitar music sounds the same to me, though), and sight reading. For jazz, it's three standards in contrasting styles (ballad, blues, and something else), one of those pieces can be performed solo, scales (major, natural, harmonic, and melodic minor), and sight reading. There's always an interview, but it's separate from the audition. Versatility is always something that works to your advantage in music schools, since half of core music classes are basically there to hammer the idea into your head of the history and language of different musical periods.



Interesting, the only programs of a sort here is classical guitar. There is some (albeit minimal) Jazz programs but it's minor. The jazz orchestra is directed by Paul Smoker if you've heard of him such a hard ass teacher by the way people talk about his classes and such. My program is Music/Business so I can kinda get the overview rather than solid parts. 

The audition I had to do was similar for the classical program you mentioned, the Segovia scales and the pieces were the strong points for me, since my sight reading is very below par at that point in time. Still not amazing at it now mind but it's once more the common phrase of PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!


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## barfarkas (Jun 9, 2012)

this book really helped out my sight reading:
Amazon.com: Melodic Rhythms for Guitar (0073999494501): William Leavitt: Books
It might also be used as a performance piece. I harmonized the melody of Beautiful Love, and after I was done playing it one of the teacher's played rhythm and let me solo over it. Feel free to contact me with any other questions.


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