JUST BRING ANOTHER GUITAR

[Bruce]

Sat in with a real pro recently and when asked if he’s tuned down his reply was if he needs to tune down he Just’s plays everything one fret lower.

The world instantly made more sense.

 

[AuntieDiluvian]

Sat in with a real pro recently and when asked if he’s tuned down his reply was if he needs to tune down he Just’s plays everything one fret lower.

The world instantly made more sense.

This, precisely.

If you've ever done any Broadway-style theater work, you know that they toss seemingly random keys at you on a continual basis. Here's an example, from a musical produced by a well-known children's entertainment company with a rodent as a mascot. We were playing along just fine then turned the page and found this key signature:

Yeah, I chuffed it at the read-through. It's not hard to play, but what sort of sadistic copy editor decided to score it in Cb instead of B?

 

[Bruce]

This, precisely.

If you've ever done any Broadway-style theater work, you know that they toss seemingly random keys at you on a continual basis. Here's an example, from a musical produced by a well-known children's entertainment company with a rodent as a mascot. We were playing along just fine then turned the page and found this key signature:

View attachment 336

Yeah, I chuffed it at the read-through. It's not hard to play, but what sort of sadistic copy editor decided to score it in Cb instead of B?

Did my first pit gig for the regional high school production of the wedding singer. Sad to say I’ve seen this key. Not really sure why they write it this way. Tons of modulation in the guitar one book. Got way more confident by the end with my reading. I was asked back to do Shrek next year so that’s cool.

Also I was told broadway will think nothing of flipping the key on you day of the show if they have an understudy singing or something.

 

[AuntieDiluvian]

Did my first pit gig for the regional high school production of the wedding singer. Sad to say I’ve seen this key. Not really sure why they write it this way. Tons of modulation in the guitar one book. Got way more confident by the end with my reading. I was asked back to do Shrek next year so that’s cool.

Also I was told broadway will think nothing of flipping the key on you day of the show if they have an understudy singing or something.

Yes, and yes. Shrek is a fun book - will you have two players, or will you try to cover both parts on one guitar?

As for why they arrange in Cb, I think that it has to do with the horn books. B natural is 5 sharps, which would translate to 8 sharps for Alto sax and Clarinet (Eb instruments).

The only shows I've done where the keys are generally rational for guitar are Jesus Christ Superstar and We Will Rock You. On second thought, We Will Rock You wasn't rational....but it was in the original keys as Brian May wrote the parts. Lots of Eb, but that's the way he wrote it.

I'll be doing Rock of Ages in February next year....looking forward to finally playing some hair metal in a pit gig!

 

[Bruce]

Yes, and yes. Shrek is a fun book - will you have two players, or will you try to cover both parts on one guitar?

As for why they arrange in Cb, I think that it has to do with the horn books. B natural is 5 sharps, which would translate to 8 sharps for Alto sax and Clarinet (Eb instruments).

The only shows I've done where the keys are generally rational for guitar are Jesus Christ Superstar and We Will Rock You. On second thought, We Will Rock You wasn't rational....but it was in the original keys as Brian May wrote the parts. Lots of Eb, but that's the way he wrote it.

I'll be doing Rock of Ages in February next year....looking forward to finally playing some hair metal in a pit gig!

I bet ROA will be a blast. I played a few gigs with Joel (he played with my band a few times). World class chops and nice guy.

We had 2 guitars for the wedding singer. Hoping to have the same guy back again for Shrek. He was really easy to work with and made me comfortable and not feel like the outsider I was (am).