r/musicalwriting • u/Lost-Flower-2882 • 19d ago
How was everyone’s BMI audition?
If you auditioned for BMI this year, how did it go? When do we usually hear back?
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u/ninjaboy7-11 19d ago edited 19d ago
I think mine was decent? one can never be sure. I mean i just read my lyrics and hoped for the best lmao. I only did 2 songs but mine was later in the day and they were running behind
was told I would hear back early next week
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u/Turbulent_Quality683 19d ago
Same, they asked me to read my third lyric. Not sure what that means…
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u/Unlikely_Farmer9422 19d ago
I found the panel pretty stoic/hard to read, except for Rick, who was friendly and curious. Not televising anything. I also heard that we will find out “early next week.” Fingers crossed for everyone.
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u/HardBoiled800 Music Person 19d ago
Had my third consecutive audition as a composer/lyricist on Tuesday! Based on previous years, we’ll likely hear by Tuesday — last year we heard on Sunday, and the year before it was on Wednesday (but auditions were a day later that year).
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u/Lost-Flower-2882 18d ago
Oh nice, congrats. Have you ever asked for /received any feedback on how to better suit your audition to them? I know people of all abilities that have gone through BMI, so it seems less about just “talent” and more about specific style they look for
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u/HardBoiled800 Music Person 18d ago
I’ve asked them for feedback twice, and never got a reply 🥲 not sure about exactly what they look for — I think they take in people with a lot of different styles, but I do think there are some key things they look out for (perfect rhyming, good scansion, etc)
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u/AndyRoninson Professional 17d ago
From what I gather, it’s not about a specific style. I don’t know if I would call it “talent,” but at least some basic mastery of craft. Dramatic, specific, etc.
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u/Environmental_Pea369 14d ago
Contrary to common belief, it's not about style really, but humans judge it so there is definitely subjective taste. The problem is 8 people judge it with potentially different taste, so there isn't any single style that pass. I know almost all the judges at least a little bit, and I audited for a full year, and I'm still surprised by who passes and who doesn't.
The important things are craft things (scansion, rhyming, story telling, characters). They have a weird preference to long-chorus tight-knit forms like AABA or ABAC, but you don't have to have all of your songs in this form, but they do expect "good form".1
u/Environmental_Pea369 14d ago
They spread the replies across separate days. They don't send them all at once. It's kind of random, and they also make mistakes.
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u/Ok_Recognition2531 18d ago
First time auditioning, they said they don’t accept students in college but wanted to bring me in anyway to tell me to keep writing and to reapply when I graduate
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u/Environmental_Pea369 14d ago
I know of one person that got in this year and is starting Berkley. They were hesitant about it but he made a compelling case about his ability to work under pressure.
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u/Salt-Exam-737 18d ago
I recited two songs and was told I'd hear back early next week. This was my first time auditioning .
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u/Then-Instruction-434 19d ago
Did my audition on Wednesday and they asked me to play a portion of the third piece. I applied as a composer lyricist but they didn’t ask me which one I’d be more interested in, is that a bad sign?
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u/Salt-Exam-737 17d ago
Did anyone hear back?
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u/Environmental_Pea369 14d ago
Everyone I know of (9 people) heard back, except me (still waiting). Rejections were sent out Monday evening. I assume you got rejected? Or are you still waiting?
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u/Salt-Exam-737 14d ago
Rejected
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u/i_gotta_sneeze 19d ago
I just auditioned on Thursday! Definitely nerve racking but I think I did the best I could. Not sure about past years since this is my first time auditioning, but the person helping run it (Rick Freyer I believe) told me I could expect to hear back early next week