Sean Posted Monday at 19:27 Posted Monday at 19:27 (edited) We've just come back from seeing Jack & the Beanstalk at The Hippodrome in Bristol. We had cracking seats and I sat just in front of where the bass player was in the pit (under the stage). How does it all work? Can the musicians in the pit see the stage performance on a monitor? I couldn't see any? I guess it's all IEM and that the musical director (the chap at the keyboard in front of the stage) speaks to the band through his mic? He also used what looked like a proper old fashioned phone handset. How on earth do they get their cues? Panto format deviates from script a lot, so I guess that you have to really pay attention. It's worlds apart from anything I've ever done and I'm fascinated to understand how it works. And in case he's on here, the chap on the SR5 did a cracking job and, guessing again, that he plays an SR5 because it just does what it does in that environment with 100% reliability. It would be great if some Basschatters that have done or do this could give some insight as it's so different from what most of us are familiar with. Edited Monday at 19:31 by Sean Quote
Stub Mandrel Posted Monday at 19:31 Posted Monday at 19:31 3 minutes ago, Sean said: it just does what it does in that environment with 100% reliability. Oh no it doesn't! 😁 6 Quote
Sean Posted Monday at 19:33 Author Posted Monday at 19:33 1 minute ago, Stub Mandrel said: Oh no it doesn't! 😁 Oooooh, yes it does! 1 Quote
knirirr Posted Monday at 22:01 Posted Monday at 22:01 Having volunteered for the pit orchestra for a show in May in the local theatre I will find out some of this, though it won't be a panto. More of this sort of thing. Quote
Mrbigstuff Posted Monday at 22:04 Posted Monday at 22:04 2 hours ago, Sean said: We've just come back from seeing Jack & the Beanstalk at The Hippodrome in Bristol. We had cracking seats and I sat just in front of where the bass player was in the pit (under the stage). How does it all work? Can the musicians in the pit see the stage performance on a monitor? I couldn't see any? I guess it's all IEM and that the musical director (the chap at the keyboard in front of the stage) speaks to the band through his mic? He also used what looked like a proper old fashioned phone handset. How on earth do they get their cues? Panto format deviates from script a lot, so I guess that you have to really pay attention. It's worlds apart from anything I've ever done and I'm fascinated to understand how it works. And in case he's on here, the chap on the SR5 did a cracking job and, guessing again, that he plays an SR5 because it just does what it does in that environment with 100% reliability. It would be great if some Basschatters that have done or do this could give some insight as it's so different from what most of us are familiar with. Here you go… 1 1 Quote
Burns-bass Posted Monday at 22:09 Posted Monday at 22:09 I sometimes gig with the guys in the pit at Bristol. They’re absolutely incredible players and lovely people. 1 Quote
lozkerr Posted Monday at 22:15 Posted Monday at 22:15 2 hours ago, Sean said: We've just come back from seeing Jack & the Beanstalk at The Hippodrome in Bristol. We had cracking seats and I sat just in front of where the bass player was in the pit (under the stage). How does it all work? Can the musicians in the pit see the stage performance on a monitor? I couldn't see any? I guess it's all IEM and that the musical director (the chap at the keyboard in front of the stage) speaks to the band through his mic? He also used what looked like a proper old fashioned phone handset. How on earth do they get their cues? Panto format deviates from script a lot, so I guess that you have to really pay attention. It's worlds apart from anything I've ever done and I'm fascinated to understand how it works. And in case he's on here, the chap on the SR5 did a cracking job and, guessing again, that he plays an SR5 because it just does what it does in that environment with 100% reliability. It would be great if some Basschatters that have done or do this could give some insight as it's so different from what most of us are familiar with. I've not done pit work, but I have done stage management and lighting design, so I think I can answer some of this. The phone handset isn't for talking to the band. It'll be hooked up to a talk-back circuit - essentially a closed-circuit intercom system - that allows the stage manager, conductor, lighting and sound operators to talk to each other. If the show uses follow-spots, their operators will be on the talk-back too. Music rehearsals will include lengthening parts of songs, cues to play riffs at odd places and repeat some parts. Those will be agreed between the music director and the show director, and be rehearsed seperately. It's not unknown for the actors not to encounter the band until the first technical rehearsal. They'll have been working with backing tracks up to then. When a show does go off-piste - and you're right, pantos do do that - the people who keep it on track are the stage manager, the conductor and the lighting and sound people. The band will have rehearsed what might go off-script and be able to respond accordingly. 1 1 Quote
fretmeister Posted Monday at 22:18 Posted Monday at 22:18 Here you go ian goes through how it works as well as his rig. 4 1 Quote
Stub Mandrel Posted Monday at 22:45 Posted Monday at 22:45 (edited) 48 minutes ago, Mrbigstuff said: Here you go… Good god! Makes spaceflight look simple. That was awesome... I hate musicals but I'd love to see that! Edited Monday at 22:53 by Stub Mandrel Quote
tauzero Posted Monday at 23:09 Posted Monday at 23:09 3 hours ago, Sean said: We've just come back from seeing Jack & the Beanstalk at The Hippodrome in Bristol. We had cracking seats and I sat just in front of where the bass player was in the pit (under the stage). So he was behind you? 1 Quote
Mrbigstuff Posted Monday at 23:41 Posted Monday at 23:41 52 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said: Good god! Makes spaceflight look simple. That was awesome... I hate musicals but I'd love to see that! It’s very impressive. I sat in with Daf on Wicked a few times and depped on bass in a few small productions. It’s a little different from a band because you need to read a pad and follow the conductor at the same time (normally via a screen). As has been mentioned sometimes what is in the pad changes on the night (queue fumbling to find your spot)! Quote
acidbass Posted Tuesday at 01:05 Posted Tuesday at 01:05 (edited) I've just finished a theatre run for 'Come From Away'. We didn't have sight of the cast for the show, though the MD did. The MD cued all parts and counted in some sections for band where necessary. Their headset mic was mixed into our IEMs, of which we had full control ourselves in the pit (a god send) The guys at the top level could pretty much do a whole show with their eyes never leaving the pad - I was just happy to get through it as a previous non-reader! I found the experience very challenging but hugely rewarding. Edited Tuesday at 01:06 by acidbass 5 Quote
TimR Posted Tuesday at 21:50 Posted Tuesday at 21:50 23 hours ago, lozkerr said: The band will have rehearsed what might go off-script and be able to respond accordingly. After 1 or 2 shows the 'vamp' bits become pretty obvious. 1 Quote
lozkerr Posted Tuesday at 22:00 Posted Tuesday at 22:00 7 minutes ago, TimR said: After 1 or 2 shows the 'vamp' bits become pretty obvious. They do indeed. Sometimes it's possible to anticipate them too. Preview shows can be very educational. Quote
TimR Posted Tuesday at 22:08 Posted Tuesday at 22:08 7 minutes ago, lozkerr said: They do indeed. Sometimes it's possible to anticipate them too. Preview shows can be very educational. It's almost as if the MDs know what they're doing. 🤣 2 Quote
lozkerr Posted Tuesday at 22:10 Posted Tuesday at 22:10 1 minute ago, TimR said: It's almost as if the MDs know what they're doing. 🤣 What an outrageous suggestion! 😉 Quote
Dom in Dorset Posted Wednesday at 06:57 Posted Wednesday at 06:57 (edited) I used to do panto every year. The set up varied but the md ( on piano) and drummer could see the stage. I was underneath to their right. Other musicians on the opposite side of drummer and md or sat with their backs to the stage. The songs and musical interludes were set pieces so any deviation from the script was in between and so didn't affect the band. We all had a cue sheet with our music and you learned when things were coming during the band call ( rehearsal for band only ) and usually the technical rehearsal held on the same day. The songs came thick and fast so generally you just kept your eye on the md. View from the stage looking out. Id be under the stage to the left. View from inside the pit. Edited Wednesday at 06:59 by Dom in Dorset 1 1 Quote
ryan0583 Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago (edited) I've done quite a few high level amateur theatre productions. The exact arrangements have varied from show to show, but the most common setup is that the MD is positioned so that they can see the stage and see what's going on. The cast can also obviously see the MD too, and there's usually also a large TV screen somewhere visible from the stage so that everyone on stage can easily see the MD. The band normally have in ears, and each person gets a mini mixer so they can configure their own mix as they want. The MD normally has a talkback mic so that they can let the band know when the cue is coming up. In general, the tunes are played as written, but there will often be vamp sections which are open repeats to cover stuff happening on stage which might take longer than expected. These are agreed with the band during the band call/dress rehearsal. Sometimes there's click tracks too - if stuff goes wrong while there's a click track happening things can get... interesting! Edited 2 hours ago by ryan0583 1 Quote
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