Career

Broadway Show – Pianist

for my students (and anybody else interested) this is a modern setup for a pit orchestra keyboardist at a live Broadway show. Obviously, besides being a solid pianist, and ensemble player (and jazzer, too!) you have be technically proficient on a number of other skills. This Show is “Beautiful – The Carol King Musical” – full of 60’s and 70’s rock and ballads. I performed at — at Bass Concert Hall in Austin, TX.

Show Setup

The pit is below the stage, and all musicians have headphones, and video attached to their music stands. It’s a band, and an orchestra.

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The app MainStage, runs on a MacBook Pro, and manages all the pedals, sounds, keyboard, volumes, basically everything.

Show Setup

 

Above the music stands (wide enough to open up to 8 pages) are 2 video monitors. One lets you see the live conductor, the other is a video feed from the stage for synchronizing to the actors and singers.

footswitches

Smart Feet: You basically keep your left foot on the volume pedal, right foot between the Sustain and Patch forward. And occasionally to switch the Organ Leslie on/off. In case of error, you can Patch back (ex. if you press Patch forward accidentally)

Score ExampleCharts are very clear about exact volume levels, and when there are Patch Changes, and Leslie switches, and keytouches. Beside being a pianist and playing the music, you need to be a good navigator of all the extra-musical instructions.

keyswitchesSpecial setups for organ sounds to be dirty, glassy, tonal envelopes can be switched by touching a key. The very bottom key is orange, and acts as a Panic Key, if some notes gets stuck and you can’t stop anything, this key will clear all patches and stuck notes. (It happens!)

MainStage-ApplicationMainStage controls all keyboard sounds in a sequence for the show. Footpedals move forward or backwards one step at a time. Volume pedal goes from 0-127 on the right. Organ Leslie switches on/off. and Sustain pedal, all are connected.

PreShowPre show for “Beautiful: The Carol King Musical” — with Eric Johnson, Paul Deemer, John Mills and Paul Baker at Bass Concert Hall. These musicians are 1st call in every town for these road shows. A national tour can go on for 2 or more years.