♫ MITCHELL HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ BANDS
Audition material
Mitchell High School Jazz Bands

Jazz Band Auditions

Everything you record at home. Pick your instrument, play the Blue Bossa etude with the track, record your scale, and add 24 bars of improv if you want to be considered for solos.

Uploads due
Friday, October 2 · 11:59 PM
First rehearsal
To be announced
1Record the etude with the track
2Record your scale or your part
3Upload before the deadline
Step 1

Pick your instrument

Click your instrument above to open its audition material.
1
Recording 1 · Etude
Blue Bossa — E♭ parts

Play the etude along with the Blue Bossa backing track below. Play it like the melody.

Backing track for the etude
2
Recording 2 · Scale
Scale / mode exercise, ♩=160

Perform this scale unaccompanied.

Optional · 24 bars
Solo improvisation

Required only if you want to be considered for jazz solos. Improvise two choruses of F concert blues over the rhythm track below.

F blues rhythm track
1
Recording 1 · Etude
Blue Bossa — E♭ parts

Same E♭ material as alto. Play the etude along with the Blue Bossa backing track below.

Backing track for the etude
2
Recording 2 · Scale
Scale / mode exercise, ♩=160

Perform this scale unaccompanied.

Optional · 24 bars
Solo improvisation

Required only if you want to be considered for jazz solos. Improvise two choruses of F concert blues over the rhythm track below.

F blues rhythm track
1
Recording 1 · Etude
Blue Bossa — B♭ treble clef

Play the etude along with the Blue Bossa backing track below. Play the melody, and end by repeating the last four bars twice more.

Backing track for the etude
2
Recording 2 · Scale
Scale / mode exercise
Optional · 24 bars
Solo improvisation

Required only if you want to be considered for jazz solos. Improvise two choruses of F concert blues over the rhythm track below.

F blues rhythm track
1
Recording 1 · Etude
Blue Bossa — B♭ treble clef

Play the etude along with the Blue Bossa backing track below. Play the melody, and end by repeating the last four bars twice more.

Backing track for the etude
2
Recording 2 · Scale
All trumpets, ♩=116–120

Don't worry if you can't hit all the high notes — play as high as you can and then come back down.

Optional · 24 bars
Solo improvisation

Required only if you want to be considered for jazz solos. Improvise two choruses of F concert blues over the rhythm track below.

F blues rhythm track
1
Recording 1 · Etude
Blue Bossa — treble clef

Play the etude along with the Blue Bossa backing track below. Play the head twice, then stop. No coda.

Backing track for the etude
2
Recording 2 · Scales
B♭ Major & F Blues, ♩=132

Don't worry about hitting every note — do the best you can.

Optional · 24 bars
Solo improvisation

Required only if you want to be considered for jazz solos. Medium to fast tempo, your choice.

F blues rhythm track
1
Recording 1 · Etude
Blue Bossa — concert lead sheet

Play the melody along with the Blue Bossa backing track below, like a solo or the melody.

Backing track for the etude
2
Recording 2 · Comping
Comp through the same tune

Record yourself comping to Blue Bossa with the comping track below. Listen to a few examples online to get ideas for voicings and bossa feel.

Optional · 24 bars
Solo improvisation

Required only if you want to be considered for jazz solos. F blues changes, medium to fast tempo.

F blues rhythm track
1
Recording 1 · Etude
Blue Bossa — treble clef

Play the etude along with the Blue Bossa backing track below. Play it like a solo or the melody.

Backing track for the etude
2
Recording 2 · Bass line
Walk the same tune

Make a second recording of you playing the bass line to Blue Bossa over the walking bassline track. Listen to examples online to get ideas.

Optional · 24 bars
Solo improvisation

Required only if you want to be considered for jazz solos. F blues changes, medium to fast tempo.

F blues rhythm track
1
Recording 1 · Etude
Blue Bossa — concert lead sheet

Play the melody along with the Blue Bossa backing track below.

Backing track for the etude
2
Recording 2 · Comping
Comp through the same tune

Record yourself comping to Blue Bossa with the comping track below. Listen to some examples online for inspiration and ideas.

Optional · 24 bars
Solo improvisation

Required only if you want to be considered for jazz solos. F blues changes, medium to fast tempo.

F blues rhythm track
1
Recording 1 · Etude
Blue Bossa — concert lead sheet

Play the melody along with the Blue Bossa backing track below.

Backing track for the etude
2
Recording 2 · Comping
Comp through the same tune

Record yourself comping to Blue Bossa with the comping track below — light voicings, stay out of the piano's way.

Optional · 24 bars
Solo improvisation

Required only if you want to be considered for jazz solos. F blues changes, medium to fast tempo.

F blues rhythm track
1
Recording 1 · Etude
Drumset audition etude

Record the etude using this lead sheet. Shuffle, ♩=144. No backing track — play it unaccompanied.

2
Recording 2 · Time feels
One minute of each

Play about one minute of jazz swing time with only a few fills, ♩=200. Then about one minute of bossa nova time with only a few fills, ♩=120. Announce which one you are playing first.

Optional
Trading and soloing

If you want to be considered for solos, add 24 bars of trading over the F blues rhythm track.

F blues rhythm track
Step 3 · Upload
Send in your recordings
Due Friday, October 2 at 11:59 PM.
Upload audition →
Recordings & backing tracks

Play along with these

Record with the track that matches what you are playing. Headphones while you record, so the track doesn't bleed into your microphone.

For the etude · everyone
Blue Bossa

Play the etude along with this recording. Drum set is the exception — play your etude unaccompanied.

For improv
F blues rhythm track

Everyone recording the optional improv portion plays over this.

For bass
Walking bassline track

Record your bassline over the top of this one.

For piano & guitar
Comping track

Comp along with this for your second recording.

Printable sheets (PDF)
Don't stress

You don't need a perfect audition

You may not get every note of this material under your fingers before the deadline. Don't let that stop you from auditioning. Do your best and record it.

Need help?
Come find Mr. Stahle

Questions about your scale, the etude, or how to record and upload — ask any time before the deadline.

MITCHELL HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ BANDS
Eyes with Pride
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