Double Bass Sightreading in front of an audience

[bejoyous]

So, I'm already to crack a beer and watch the latest episode of LOST when the phone rings...

It's a musical acquaintance in a panic because the show in which she's playing flute is 20 minutes to curtain and the bassist has called in sick...

I change in a flash and dash downtown. They held the show for 7 minutes but, "the show must go on." I arrive back stage just as someone is changing their outfit and I have to enter the pit in full view of the audience while there's dancers on the stage doing their thing. The conductor/pianist whispers, "Number 3," and we're off to the races.

Fortunately, the sick bassist clearly labeled the cuts, etc. so there weren't to many flubs.

The show was "Nine" by Maury Yeston.

It was an interesting experience to be sightreading in front of 4-500 people! Years ago I would have been panicking but with all the recent experiences of playing with various ensembles, various styles of music and I think all the supply teaching I do helped too, I stayed pretty calm throughout. It was nice to have praise heaped on by a bunch of people as well.

 

[Bijoux]

yeah, that's cool!
I've been in a few situations like that too. About 2 or 3 shows and then a few Big bands, and for some reason I generally miss the first orchestra rehearsal, so when I get there on the second one, I haven't had a chance to look at the music, and/or take notes.
But, it's sure fun! I love the rush, and a little bit of pressure. It's like "I have to get it done!"
Being able to play music for a living, and experience all these different things it's sure a blessing!
thanks for sharing.

 

[Marcus Johnson]

I played Yeston's "Phantom".... there was some nicely written bass stuff in there.

Sometimes I read stuff better if I don't have enough time to think about steppin' on my own thang.....

 

[Bijoux]

AH!! funny you mentioned that. I usually sightread better on the first night. On the second night I assume that I know what's going on, and I've done it before, so I end up making a bunch of stupid mistakes. I've being able to do better since becoming aware of that fact. lol

 

[Hoover]

About 20 years I got a similar call; albeit it wasn't downtown, it was halfway around the world in Germany, and I had slightly more than 20 minutes to get there (5 days from phonecall to first downbeat in the pit...I think the keyboard player did left hand DX-7 for the week that they were bass-less). Show was ALW's "Jesus Christ Superstar"

The funny thing was, I show up, meet the producer & MD, start to pull out my instrument, they're like "Do you want to watch the show from out front tonight, get an idea of what we're doing?"

I asked "You're going to pay me just to watch your show?"

They said "No, of course not, we'll pay you for the nights that you're actually performing."

I said "Then I'm performing tonight." Set up and sight-read the show. Was that arrogant, cocky, over-confident of me? Hell yeah! Was I quaking in my shoes watching the notes fly by? Hell yeah! But, y'know, we're professional musicians, that's what we do.

In some ways that was one of the best gigs of my life.

 

[SplitNick]

Similar situation, but probably a lot less pressure...

I was scheduled to play at a New Music Festival at the local university. My piece was a new duet with the bassoonist of the symphony. The piece required for me to detune my E to a C, as I do not have an extender installed.

When I got there the conductor of another new piece of music frantically asked me if I could play in their ensemble as the other bass did not show (I am not sure if he even called). I knew I could not bring my E back up to pitch then down again. I had been letting it settle there for a few days. I agreed to play anyway and nervously played the piece.

It was pretty easy overall, all movements totaling about 15 minutes, and I was pleased that I could competently sightread and transpose the part for the one string when necessary.

 

[James Gibson]

I'm so happy to be able to relate.

This year I got a Facebook message from a bassist in town with more seniority whom I sub for often. He tells me there's a gig opportunity in a town 2 hours from me with an out-of-state ensemble who's bassist couldn't make the trip. He couldn't do it, so it was up for grabs. I got the message Tuesday night and called the number I was given Wednesday morning on the way to class. I get in touch with the man in charge of the high school where the concert would be and he tells me the gig is in 4 days (Saturday), I would be playing with a university orchestra, and the pay would be around $300. I make the rookie mistake of immediately agreeing to the gig, THEN asking what the repertoire would be. In my defense, I really needed the money, I haven't done much section work but had always wanted to. The rep was the Overture to Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte, a simple medley of tunes from The Wizard of Oz, and... Beethoven's 5th Symphony. My body shuddered when I heard that last one, but I love that piece, and I wanted this experience. I started shedding the Beethoven only for 3 days, mostly that unison figure with the celli in the 3rd mvt. After hacking at it with minimal results, I called the director of the university orchestra and he laughs at me for a second then says the Symphony was removed from the program, much to my relief. I show up to the gig and the conductor's assistant begins to hand me sheet music for pieces I wasn't told about. I was already there, what was I going to do, run with my tail between my legs? So I sightread Mendelssohn, Purcell, and Strauss(AND the first mvt. of the Beethoven Symphony was on the program) at the rehearsal. The auditorium was locked between the morning rehearsal and the evening concert so I enjoyed the downtown area and sightread the pieces with a little more prep at the concert. It wasn't all %100 perfect, but I played what I could and came out at the end of the concert with a performance that I felt proud of. I apologize for this long-winded post, but it was definitely a great experience for me, and one I won't forget too soon! I'd agree it's definitely a rush, but not one I plan on getting in the habit of!