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Things I’ve Learned Rehearsing in the Pit Orchestra of a High School Musical

10 Wednesday Apr 2013

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  • Playing a musical is HARD!  I expected it to be a musical challenge.  I didn’t expect it to be so physically demanding, until I calculated that I carry 80 lb of gear in and out of the school every day.  The bass guitar itself only weighs 15 lb, but have that slung around your neck for 6 hours of rehearsal and you’re going to feel it.  I felt almost as tired as when I rode century rides on Bike Virginia not too many years ago.
  • Life has a serious sense of humor.  Sitting next to me in the pit is the teacher I fired last year after she told me God told her husband I was Ted Bundy.  She looks scared to death and has yet to make eye contact with me.   (A bass teacher once tried to task me.  I ate her liver with fava beans and a nice Chianti…..).  I saw her walk in and inside of me let out a hearty Luciferian laugh.  Here’s hoping God doesn’t tell her husband to stop Ted Bundy…
  • I was never that young.  Even when I was- I was never that young.
  • I am very glad it’s not me having to herd all those kids around getting them to do what they’re supposed to.  I just come in and do my thing.  They’re somebody else’s problem.  (Even the kids making out backstage).
  • These kids are too young to have any concept of who the Beatles are.  I played the riff from “Come Together” while warming up, and kids come up to me and ask “That’s AWESOME!  Did you write that?”  (I did have great fun jamming on it with the ringer 1st trumpet last night.)
  • It’s a weird thing feeling all that energy and color going on behind you- and you can’t turn around and look!
  • Keys with 5 and 6 flats are no fun- even when you’ve practiced them until you can’t think anymore- until you can play them- then they’re great!
  • No matter how hard you work at it, in a show this big you are never going to play it perfectly.  Hell, it’s not even in the realm of possibility that you won’t get lost at some point.  Some times, the best you can do is just not play and find a landmark so you know where you are.
  • The music director is a terrific director but she’s a jinx.  She told me I have a beautiful singing voice- the next day I had laryngitis.
  • I am way cooler at 42 than I ever was in high school.  I have had a lot of these kids walk up to me and say “Are you the bass?  You’re AWESOME!!!!”  No I’m not, kid- I’ve just been playing guitar since before your parents were born.  
  • I can play.  No matter how many years I didn’t play seriously as a musician (about 25 years)- I still got it- and am unbelievably grateful I’m back and better than ever.

Opening night is tomorrow night.  The show is Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 7.  I’m ready to be done, but I really do love the experience and hope I get to do this again!