It looks like my role in an upcoming musical is going to end up being less music and more tech. There were some issues around the need to use some backing tracks for a demanding score, causing a key person to step back for the sake of their own well-being. As a result, instead of bassing, I’m turning up to the tech rehearsal next weekend to see what I can fill in as an extra pair of hands to help at the sound and lighting end of things.

I’m not too bothered as I’ve learned a lot from the experience of preparing. Doing the performances would have been fun but the skill development has already been had. If I sign up for a similar project in future though, I think a key lesson is that early decisions need to be made on orchestration. Since the theatre group in question is unlikely to be fielding a 15-20 piece pit band able to cope with the full score, live music needs some early work to work out a way through that is feasible and which, in turn, the performers on stage can rehearse with. At this point, I can pretty much do all the bass parts but, even if there was room to bring my upright bass, I wouldn’t have been able to cover the full string section range, let alone the brass and other orchestral instrument parts which often have vital roles.