The Wiz

clockworkwar · #1 01-22-2009, 11:25 AM

So I have just been thrown in at the deep end I am not playing bass for my schools production of 'the Wiz' and I have 3 weeks to learn upto performance standard fairly complicated music.

Has anyone else done this? Any tips?

DudeistMonk · #2 01-22-2009, 04:23 PM

practice a heck off a lot...take liberties with the lines, just play with the changes if you can't keep up with the reading...I had to play Grease in HS...it was the most grueling experience of my bass life. I had to play some rehearsals with a pick because my fingers blistered from all the practices.

I remember there where some crazy fills I couldn't read fast enough...If I would have know what I know musically now I would have just made up my own instead of playing the written line really crappy.

yeah so:

1) Practice
2) Practice
3) Amend the music if you know it will take you too long to learn a part and you have the skill and confidence to make such changes. (assuming the director doesn't mind)

**Pacman** · #3 01-22-2009, 04:45 PM

Get a recording of the show, and when you're not practicing, listen to it.

JimK · #4 01-23-2009, 05:45 AM

Hopefully, your R&B chops are there.
There are some very cool tunes from that show (& movie).

Good luck.
"Everybody Rejoice" was thrown in my lap for a High School thing (1975?)...since I was too dumb & naive to know any better, I listened for the changes & pretty much did my version of 'funky R&B'.
Years later, I heard that tune again & thought, "My God, did I ever butcher that thing"!

clockworkwar · #5 01-23-2009, 06:58 AM

Thanks for the advice, I think I may just have to follow the chords and see what happens on some of the songs there are some beasty riffs in the music.

clockworkwar · #6 02-09-2009, 11:10 AM

Well it seems to be going well, first performance on wednesday night. We have run through the technical

Dr_Funkdamental · #7 02-11-2009, 06:39 AM

Good luck! I did this at a high school way back. It was my first gig on bass. "Ease On Down the Road" was my fav. No Bad News was fun to play as well. Just have fun with it.

clockworkwar · #8 02-13-2009, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr_Funkdamental

Good luck! I did this at a high school way back. It was my first gig on bass. "Ease On Down the Road" was my fav. No Bad News was fun to play as well. Just have fun with it.

It's my first gig to, last nights performance went perfectly. I love He's the Wiz amazing song.

RDUB · #9 02-13-2009, 05:44 AM

Hey Clock.. Congrats! After I quit playing for many years, I got drawn back in by a local kids' theatre company. I'm now doing 2-4 shows a year with them. It's always a real challenge to get my reading chops back together. Theatre stuff is a blast because it's always different, from Johnny Cash to Seussical.

Anyway... dig in, enjoy it, and be part of the show!

clockworkwar · #10 02-13-2009, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RDUB

Hey Clock.. Congrats! After I quit playing for many years, I got drawn back in by a local kids' theatre company. I'm now doing 2-4 shows a year with them. It's always a real challenge to get my reading chops back together. Theatre stuff is a blast because it's always different, from Johnny Cash to Seussical.

Anyway... dig in, enjoy it, and be part of the show!

Thanks

Yep, I was so out of reading music and doing anything with bass. Then they threw it on me my sight reading abilities and massive caluses have all come back. I hope I can do another show, it's hard work but it's good fun.

DudeistMonk · #11 02-13-2009, 09:19 AM

Congrats man, I'm glad it went well for ya.

T-MOST · #12 02-13-2009, 09:30 AM

Wait... are you playing bass or not playing bass?

clockworkwar · #13 02-13-2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-MOST

Wait... are you playing bass or not playing bass?

Playing bass :P

clockworkwar · #14 02-16-2009, 11:18 AM

It's all over, the last night went well standing ovation