 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2004-02-01 15:14
Here's an interesting article from NYCs Local 802 magazine, ALLEGRO.
It addresses some of the questions posted on this BB:
http://www.local802afm.org/frames/fs_news.cfm?xPublication=79444841
An excerpt from the article:
"Broadway Subbing 101
Course description:
The fine art of filling in for a regular player in a Broadway pit, sometimes at a moment's notice.
Candidates must be:
1. Proficient in many styles.
2. Play many instruments within one's instrument family.
3. Have great reading chops.
4. Emulate the sound of the person one is subbing for.
5. Be able to accurately interpret a far-reaching assortment of conducting styles and techniques.
6. Possess the deference and diplomacy skills of a U.N. ambassador in order to interpret and deal with a far-reaching assortment of conductors' talents and temperaments.
7. Learn the book, know it cold, and go in and nail it with no rehearsal!"
Paul Molloy, the author, is a guitarist who has subbed on several Broadway and Off Broadway shows. Readers who want to get in touch with him with their comments about this article should e-mail him at 802broadwaysubs@optonline.net.
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-02-02 03:05
I notice that enjoyment is not featured on this list, John J.
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Author: paulwl
Date: 2004-02-02 07:54
If I may...This kind of work isn't really about enjoyment. It's about pride in one's craft and work ethic, and being able to deliver a fine product under pressure. Really great pit musicians are the police and firefighters of the music world. Not all of us want to or can do what they do, but we can all learn from their example.
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Author: William
Date: 2004-02-02 14:42
"isn't really about enjoyment. It's about pride in one's craft and work ethic, and being able to deliver a fine product under pressure."
And about money. After the "newness" of the music wears off and you have memorized all the diolog and lyrics and can play the book from memory, playing in the pit on any musical becomes "same old, same old" and the paycheck is your only true goal. It is the true musician (pit player or actor/vocalist) who can perform the same book, month after month and still make it seem fresh and musical for the audience. But the true "motivator" may be the fear of declining performance resulting in the loss of the gig--and the money--rather than pure artistic pleasure and the perfection of ones musical craft.
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Author: allencole
Date: 2004-02-02 18:21
Very aptly put. What most of the public doesn't understand about the working musician is that he or she is required to produce an emotionally effective product no matter what his or her personal feelings about the given materials.
Most listeners presume that any musician they see in action is playing exactly what he or she is actually into. It's more of a stretch to think of musicians PUTTING themselves into something as if it were their favorite thing.
My hat's off to pit musicians and studio musicians everywhere...
Allen Cole
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-02-03 03:38
If you think there is nothing really about enjoyment in your job, then sorry, sunshine - you are in the wrong one.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-02-03 14:47
There are two sides to this. Before films, and particularly before radio and TV, popular performers used a single act for a lifetime. A vaudeville performer went from town to town doing the same act. What "killed vaudeville" was that you could do your act on TV only once.
The vaudeville performers who made the transition got writers who could come up with something new, or who, like Jack Benny, could create a particular character and "work" it in many situations.
Nobody expected Bob Hope to tell new jokes (other than the obligatory "local" joke) at each army base.
The great material bears repetition. I'll watch A Night at the Opera any time. But for ordinary talents, coming up with something new every week is much more difficult than staying fresh with great material. I'm sure John Moses can keep fresh playing a wonderful musical like Oklahoma every night. I suppose he would rather do that than play something new but ordinary every week. Only composers like Bach and Mozart could make it new and worth doing every time.
Professional musicians play for the money as well as the pleasure. That's what you do to make your living. But the pleasure of playing great music doesn't go away.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2004-02-03 15:13
Well said, Ken:
I've played the good & not so good shows over the past 25+ years, but playing music has always been fun. I rarely call it "work."
The show scene every night can turn into drudgery, but one's own work ethic keeps the music making alive and fun.
My great playing colleagues, the good conductors, a responsive audience, and good music, all help to add to the nightly enjoyment.
Performing for a live audience every night, over 400 times a year, for many years, has never lost its kick for me!
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2004-02-03 16:30
Hi Everyone,
Let me put a little different spin on this thread and talk about subbing or giging in non-Broadway settings.
I can remember weekends where I might play a society wedding reception on Saturday afternoon, a jazz club date in the evening, a Sunday AM church orchestra/band pro bono job, and then an AFM Trust Fund dixieland gig in a city park on Sunday PM. There might even be a circus or Ice Folies job on an off-night during the week.
Same guy, same instruments, but all different styles. The key, as JJM can attest, is to be able to play all styles on demand/command and do it well time after time. Although all these kinds of jobs are always fun and challenging, the money was the bottom line and although doing it part-time, I depended on the flow of dollars and did what was required.
Private teaching is much the same. You have a variety of students, styles, and motives to deal with and always do your best job all the time. There is great plesure in that and perhaps what frames the situations best is the statement "and I get paid to do this, cool!"
Man, I'm glad I don't have to play in smoke-filled clubs and bars anymore (my choice as a senior citizen but I do miss it at times). Fortunately, I have found many different and more lucrative streams of revenue. Also, still playing in the local wind symphony or being on-call for the local professional concert band and associated symphony pops series calls when a sax section is needed still satisfies and challenges me!
HRL
Post Edited (2004-02-03 16:42)
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-02-03 21:56
Ken, there was an interesting documentary (American of course) on our national broadcaster last weekend about the demise of the "movie show orchestra". With the advent of sound ... many hundreds of musicians lost their jobs because the orchestras disappeared from the film theatres. Surely there must be vast archives of orchestral music written (er, stolen) for the movies sitting in some dusty archive.
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