 The Doublers BBoard
|
Author: rcnelson
Date: 2007-07-12 18:16
Is it really true that you do not get credit for a double for saxophone on Broadway? In other words, if I'm playing a Reed I book that calls for flute, piccolo, Bb clarinet, alto saxophone and soprano saxophone, that I would only get 2 doubles? But I had Bb Clarinet, Eb Clarinet and bass clarinet, even though all clarinets, that I would still get 2 doubles. Now, please don't misunderstand...I have more respect for Local 802 and the producers of Broadway productions that almost any other group of folks, but isn't that rule (if my interepretation is correct) a bit unfair? I do believe in a recording studio or a motion picture scoring session, each saxophone is a double and is compensated as such.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Ron
Selmer Mark VI tenor (1957), Selmer Mark VII alto (1975)
Buescher True Tone soprano (1924), Selmer CL210 Bb Clarinet, Gemeinhardt 3SHB Flute, Pearl PFP105 Piccolo
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2007-07-23 16:39
At the risk of getting told to get lost again...
The doubling scale is set by the local contract, and there may be differences between them. However, assuming that they are as standard as I have seen them in the past, this is how it works:
1) Clarinet/sax or clarinet/flute (including A clarinet) is not considered to be a double. Same for clarinet/alto or clarinet/tenor, or flute/alto or flute/tenor. No doubling there because these are considered to be a "normal" combination of horns.
(The A clarinet part comes from a long ago production of (I think) a G & S operetta, and the A clarinet was not considered one at that time. It may be now - I've not bothered to look that up in many years.)
2) Clarinet/bass clarinet, clarinet/Eb clarinet are considered as doubles
3) Baritone is a special case, as is contra-alto clarinet, bassoon, oboe and English horn, all primarily because they are not a "normal" expectation from most musicians. Piccolo/octave flute are not (if I recall it correctly).
Also, this is for the purposes of reembursement only. No one will deny it if you say you play alto, flute and clarinet doubles - you just won't get paid more for it.
The apparent reasons for 2) and 3) are that none of the horns are "common" with theater musicians, and that (in addition) there are cartage issues (with the baritone, bass clarinet and the like).
A malicious person would say it was because there are no Tray-pac cases for the baritone, but I think that is just wishful thinking on my part.
It's not just the woodwinds that get the extra spiffs for doubling and cartage. Tuba, bass trombone, marimba and harp players have these adjustments as well, at least in my local's contract (and when I was playing through the hall as a kid). It's one of the reasons why I've never been too disposed towards the harpists who are always asking for help hauling their bench and instrument around - after all, they are getting paid more for the hassle they encounter, so they should earn it themselves.
As long as you're working within the contract, you get to claim what the contract offers. You might have a bit of a fight on your hands, as I did back in the 1970's when I pointed out that the provisions of the contract at a given workplace allowed for cartage, but ultimately you will prevail.
Outside of the contract, you can get whatever you can negotiate with the employer. Try asking for the cartage fees for baritone or bass clarinet in a non-union workplace some time and see where it gets you.
Solidarity forever, baby...
And, there are differences between contracts, some of which may work to the advantage of the player (unlike the above). One of these was as egregious as the locomotive firemen that once rode around on Diesel-electric engines, sitting there and getting paid for (in effect) doing nothing.
802 had a provision in their agreements with the theaters (collectively or singly, I know not which) where a minimum number of slots were guaranteed for productions, regardless of actual instrumentation. So, when a non-traditional show like Hair came along, with fewer butts in the orchestra pit seats, there were "excess" musicians who were paid to be there, who had to be in attendance, but who did no playing for their union wage.
(It might only be a legend (I've never worked in NYC), but I have been told that each theater maintained a "musician's lounge", where the supernumeraries spent their time on the clock, playing cards and smoking cigars.)
There are no such provisions with the theatrical houses here in Houston, and I don't recall them up in Saint Louis back in the day.
Regardless of any "justice" or lack of same, these issues are more along the lines of labor/management relations (LMR) than they are artistic sensibilities. The unions won them through bargaining, and it may be that the clarinet/alto or tenor and flute/alto or tenor bumps were traded off for something else. Or, it could be something completely different. Without knowing the full history of the specific contract, it would be hard to tell just what happened.
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: rcnelson
Date: 2007-07-24 12:04
Thanks, Terry, as always for your insight. Maybe someone else will verify, but I do believe that in NYC clarinet and flute would be a double. And I also think that in the recording studios, and TV/movie scoring studios that even clarient/saxophone is a double. I guess my curiousity lies in why the saxophone is not.
I know in the Cleveland area, most paid gigs (and goodness knows there are enough community theater "no pay" opportunities) are flat fees, whether you have 1 or a dozen instruments with you.
Again, thanks for the info.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2007-07-24 19:18
Assuming that the contracts are more or less uniform, they are not. The contract here through Local 65-699 is consistent with the ones that I've worked under in the old days at Local 2. I would imagine that the 802 contract is similar in this regard.
However, I've not seen a copy of the 802 contract for many years. (I have employed 802 members in the past, but never thought to ask them about it, since I don't do union theatrical work any longer down here in Right To Work Land.)
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
