KeyComp - software to replace theatre musicians

[Reezekeys]

I'll admit I haven't spent hours searching google for the exact methodology used by this software, but it sounds like short sampled phrases of instrumental sections of a score that have a flexible playback tempo based on a musician's input - maybe by looking at a "master" melody track a keyboardist plays? I'm curious because to me the whole idea of samples augmenting musicians in a theatre production is old news. Is this not what Dave Weiser has been doing for a long time, maybe extrapolated to a further degree?

 

https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/music/technology-in-s-f-s-frozen-reduces-musicians-in-live-performances-but-at-what-cost-to-audiences

 

(Apologies if this is blocked anywhere - I have no paid subscription and it loaded fine for me besides an ad I needed to dismiss).

 

I could be remembering wrong but wasn't there a device made a long, long time ago, the "Russian Dragon", that use a live player's note input to output a midi clock signal that "followed" the player? I haven't heard of a device or app that does that today. Then again I don't get out much, and my world is far removed from the musical theatre world – except for the time many years ago when I replaced a string section in the Liza Minnelli band, but that was a much different level of samples & software - an OBXa, then an Ensoniq Mirage!

[ElmerJFudd]

I haven’t seen KeyComp specifically, but OrchExtra and software like it has been in development and in use for a very long time.  Yes the conductor can trigger start and stop and manipulate tempo. And you can choose to play just parts that you haven’t musicians to cover. 
 

https://www.mtishows.com/marketplace/resource/performance/orchextra

 

https://www.theatricalrights.com/resource/stagetracks-performance-tracks/

 

MainStage and other platforms for custom show specific patches is also a very big thing in recent years.  

 

https://www.mtishows.com/marketplace/resource/performance/keyboardtek

 

https://www.theatricalrights.com/resource/keyboardtek-electronic-instrument-programming/

[stoken6]

I've just been to see English National Opera's performance of Yeomen of the Guard at the Coliseum. Alongside the 50+ cast was a superb orchestra of at least 30-40 musicians. The ENO have recently been hit with funding cuts - I wonder if the dark days of software replacing human musicians in opera may come sooner rather than later.

 

Cheers, Mike.

[Reezekeys]

26 minutes ago, ElmerJFudd said:

MainStage and other platforms for custom show specific patches is also a very big thing in recent years.  

 

All it took was two minutes reading the description of this one show to know that I'm not the guy for this gig! 🙂 

 

https://keyboardtek.com/shows/addamsfamily/

 

This sounds like the opposite of fun. "Be forewarned that the Keyboard 1 book is very difficult and very busy and has over 200 patch changes so you will need a very experienced player who can navigate everything required to play, change patches, and conduct."

 

"Keyboard 2 has close to 300 patches and also requires a talented player who is extremely comfortable and experienced with densely programmed shows with very fast patch changes. This book is also difficult and not for the faint of heart."

 

Really, this makes a gig seem more about pushing buttons at the right time than playing music. Not my cup of tea but I suppose very much hope the folks doing this are well-paid (especially since they're saving a production a shit-ton of money otherwise spent on actual humans!).

 

So I wonder, does this "KeyComp" software actually bring something new to the table in this space, or is it just another flavor of the software that's already out there for replacing musicians?

[ElmerJFudd]

1 hour ago, Reezekeys said:

 

All it took was two minutes reading the description of this to know that I am not the guy for this gig:

https://keyboardtek.com/shows/addamsfamily/

 

This sounds like the opposite of fun. "Be forewarned that the Keyboard 1 book is very difficult and very busy and has over 200 patch changes so you will need a very experienced player who can navigate everything required to play, change patches, and conduct."

 

"Keyboard 2 has close to 300 patches and also requires a talented player who is extremely comfortable and experienced with densely programmed shows with very fast patch changes. This book is also difficult and not for the faint of heart."

 

Really, this makes a gig seem more about pushing buttons at the right time than playing music. Not my cup of tea but I suppose the folks doing this are well-paid (especially since they're saving a production a shit-ton of money otherwise spent on actual humans!).

 

So I wonder, does this "KeyComp" software actually bring something new to the table in this space, or is it just another flavor of the software that's already out there for replacing musicians?

Pit work in general can be very stressful, with and without the tech changes that have appeared  throughout the years.  As with everything else, it gets easier with repetition.  
 

Typically the patch changes are sequential in time and just go forward.  But you can use your assigned keys (or pedal) to go both forward and backward during rehearsals.  If all things are going well during performance, ideally you’re just going forward.  In many cases, you don’t even need to do that - if all the laptops are linked, or you’re running the whole show on one computer, the changes can happen automatically.  
 

Depending on a PC to be there without redundancy (community theatre, college and high school) can be risky.  But think of all that patch work you didn’t have to do on your PC4 or Kronos or what have you.  It pays to keep a clean laptop just for this sort of job.  Playing is still playing, same as it always has been, it’s just the timbre keeps changing.  
 

On the upside, It’s a great feeling to be even a small sound making part of a show at any tier. Spending one’s time working harmoniously with others to make the theater magic happen.  
 

——

 

i haven’t seen or used KeyComp.  The article suggests what is new about it… 

 

“The innovative aspect of KeyComp, he said, is that a single musician can play one or two of the most important musical lines, and the technology adds subsidiary lines in a way that matches the player’s tempo, articulation and dynamics. The result is a fuller and more varied musical texture than a single keyboardist can generally muster.”

 

It sounds like real time tempo analysis of the Conductor’s Score/Keyboard I book.  When you play those parts the rest of the arrangement follows.  That’s my guess. 

 

 

[Reezekeys]

3 hours ago, stoken6 said:

I wonder if the dark days of software replacing human musicians in opera may come sooner rather than later.

 

Here in New York, as far as the Broadway theatre scene goes it's a continuous battle between the producers and the musician's union. While I'm not in the union anymore and don't keep up on details, my general impression is that everytime the union contract comes up for renewal, the union gives up a little more. AFAIK there are clauses that exempt a production from the proscribed "minimums" if the score can be shown to legitimately not need the number of musicians originally designated for that theatre.

 

Having said this, I'm skeptical that a full blown classical concert with a world-class orchestra like the opera you describe is going to see software replacing humans. Those are different from musical theatre productions  - many of those bands aren't even on the premises, they're in a basement with the music being piped into a PA system in the theatre. Given that, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between live players and samples, assuming the quality of the samples and the way they're triggered can do the score justice. I'm afraid that string & brass players may see less opportunities for work there, but I guess they'll definitely need keyboardists that can keep the machinery humming!

[Reezekeys]

3 hours ago, ElmerJFudd said:

I haven’t seen or used KeyComp.  The article suggests what is new about it… 

 

“The innovative aspect of KeyComp, he said, is that a single musician can play one or two of the most important musical lines, and the technology adds subsidiary lines in a way that matches the player’s tempo, articulation and dynamics. The result is a fuller and more varied musical texture than a single keyboardist can generally muster.”

 

It sounds like real time tempo analysis of the Conductor’s Score/Keyboard I book.  When you play those parts the rest of the arrangement follows.  That’s my guess. 

 

Yea I read that too but you know how these articles, written by and for laypersons, can sometimes oversimplify or get things wrong. If you're playing a line, there might be other parts that have to play exactly in parallel, which to me makes the idea of software "following" you problematic. That's why I was curious enough to post about it.

 

I can see this being used not only in musical theatre productions but possibly plain music touring shows as well, to augment a band so they can "sound like the record." Of course many bands do this now with tracks and a click the drummer listens to, but being able to lose those elements and have the extras "follow the band" sounds pretty nice if it's workable.

[Reezekeys]

3 hours ago, ElmerJFudd said:

Pit work in general can be very stressful, with and without the tech changes that have appeared  throughout the years.  As with everything else, it gets easier with repetition.

 

You're right of course. I'm not putting this work down, but it might sound a little like that given how I worded my post. I truly meant that my own weaknesses (mostly being a crappy sight-reader) would discourage me from doing it - never mind hitting a patch-change pedal, I'd be shedding the book for hours on end just to get the notes right. I have nothing but admiration (and some jealousy!) for the people that do this well.

[ElmerJFudd]

Tricky to find examples of KeyComp in use.   I did run into this on Google, no video… 

 

“KeyComp­—a machine developed by a German software developer named Christoph Buskies, who has worked at Apple Computer since 2000. Using technology developed by Buskies and recorded input of real acoustic instruments played by musicians, parts are broken down into individual beats, which in turn allow the KeyComp operator to make changes in tempo without altering pitch. The result is a flexible performance, using sounds that are remarkably close to the real acoustic instrument because they are recordings of real acoustic instruments. An entire musical score can be loaded onto KeyComp, and played by a few keyboardists.”

 

so, ya.  this is definitely pre-recorded orchestral parts getting tempo stretched in real time.  a step up in realism to multiple keyboardists playing samples (even with key switching and expression pedals).  so, a reduction in acoustic instrumentalists, and now a reduction in controller keyboard players, I don’t see the need for a conductor either.  one keyboardist with good accompanying skills. 

[Reezekeys]

26 minutes ago, ElmerJFudd said:

this is definitely pre-recorded orchestral parts getting tempo stretched in real time.  a step up in realism to multiple keyboardists playing samples (even with key switching and expression pedals).

 

Yes I said the same thing in a reply that just disappeared when my internet went down for a second. I originally thought they might be "slicing" the performance into individual phrases a la Recycle's .REX files, but maybe it combines slicing with real-time sample stretching (I don't think .REX slices are stretched, just triggered at different points to stay in the correct tempo).

 

I might nitpick a little and say this is a bit more of a cheat than multiple keyboards playing samples - those folks are still playing, not simply triggering a recording to be played along with. A little sad in a way, but that's progress, right? 😞 

[BluMunk]

6 hours ago, Reezekeys said:

 

"Keyboard 2 has close to 300 patches and also requires a talented player who is extremely comfortable and experienced with densely programmed shows with very fast patch changes. This book is also difficult and not for the faint of heart."

I’ve played this key 2 book (and in fact rented the very solid Mainstage programming from keyboardtek).

 

Yes, it can often be hard in books like this to get into feeling “musical” as opposed to just executing precise button/switch combinations, some of which just happen to be notes on a keyboard.  It’s fun, to a point, but gets old quickly. And, I used to enjoy programming my own patches for shows, but many modern books call for so much/complicated programming that it’s usually not worth the time and stress to do it on my own anymore. Particularly when sfx or ill-described synth/sounds are part of the score. 
 

I’m in a MD facebook group that was discussing this- I’ll copy/paste what I wrote there:

 

I think it’s valuable to consider the endpoint of this sort of tech: a single-operator system that responds to a conductor/player to give a responsive and dynamic orchestral performance that is even better (and more well mixed) than a live orchestra.

 

I have no doubt that this is possible, the question is, what do we (audiences and creators alike) value in a “live” experience. Are we willing to accept full automation in this aspect of theatre? How many musicians do you need to meet the live music aesthetic?

 

Technology can get us to equal or better audience experiences with a pit of one MD. So what then, in this brave new world, is the need for an orchestra at all? Just to provide the “feeling” of live performance, or of getting one’s money’s worth?

[ElmerJFudd]

I wonder how Christoph Buskies’ programming and support fees compare to having 4-5 players for a show’s run?  I assume they hired players for the recording sessions?  
 

This sort of thing is dead in the water at Lincoln Center.  I can’t imagine the ballet or opera going this route.  Not that management doesn’t dream about it.  But the audience tends to be arts lovers who wouldn’t want to see it done any other way.  Or I’d like to think so at least. 
 

It’s very Disney to be first to embrace an automation technology to maximize profits.  In other industries we might see prices come down making the product more accessible to a greater number of consumers. But in Disney’s case they seem to be able to charge almost any fee and people will come.  

 

I know their little theatrical productions on stages throughout the parks have long been almost entirely canned.  That includes the vocals and dialogue, so following the performers isn’t even a thing, the performers follow the recording - everything is the same every time.  
 

I guess the market will decide.  We’ll probably continue to have a hodge podge of live and canned elements for many shows.  Some will surely jump on KeyComp.  Maybe productions like revivals that are doing it in real time have a selling/marketing point they should be making.   
 

 

[Reezekeys]

10 hours ago, BluMunk said:

I’ve played this key 2 book (and in fact rented the very solid Mainstage programming from keyboardtek).

 

You have my respect and admiration!

 

I have no doubt theatre musicians (who aren't keyboardists!) aren't looking kindly at this latest technical "innovation." To summarize: smaller productions use a cut-down band with keyboardists playing samples to make a bigger sound, while this new software plays actual recordings of the "real" full-size band that play in sync with whoever is actually in the pit. Is this right? I am curious as to the exact mechanisms for synchronizing everything, since we're talking about a conducted performance with stops & starts, tempo & meter changes, etc. Is the conductor/MD tapping beats on a pedal? Does KeyComp "listen" to the band and thus know which recordings to trigger and the correct tempos to play them? I'm wondering how much extra work the conductor/MD has to do to keep this software on track. From what you've said, the Mainstage "augmented" shows are primarily about advancing through patch changes at the right time, which seems – to me, someone completely ignorant of this scene – easier.

 

1 hour ago, ElmerJFudd said:

This sort of thing is dead in the water at Lincoln Center.  I can’t imagine the ballet or opera going this route.  Not that management doesn’t dream about it.  But the audience tends to be arts lovers who wouldn’t want to see it done any other way.  Or I’d like to think so at least.

 

I agree, the high end – and especially the classical world – is safe, for now at least! As far as mom & dad taking the kids to a Disney show, I'm sure they could give a rat's ass as to where the music is coming from, as long as the staging does its job. As far as the smaller regional theatres, it will probably be KeyComp's pricing that will decide. I'm guessing the work to make a finished show in KeyComp is considerable, and expensive.

[Adam Burgess]

I had a (long) rehearsal yesterday for Les Miserables (School Edition).
It's a 2016 arrangement that's different to the older one with lots of DX7 stuff.

Took a full day's programming to get basic sounds, splits and stuff sorted in MainStage.
Tweaked as I went thru the show. Not that there's much chance - again there's around 300 changes, and that's cheating slightly. I did miss a few out as I didn't feel it was worth changing patch to a 'similar' sound for 1 bar. All live band with 1x Vln., 2x brass and 1x flutes/recorder, 2x keys, plus the rehearsal pianist filling in missing cello/oboe bits, and drums n bass (played by students(!))

Definitely a stressful thing the first time around. Everything including the kitchen sink is on keyboards (including Electric Guitars, and I hate playing electric parts on keys! Can just about articulate acoustic guitar picky stuff). But, then again, it's a challenge and quite fun all in all. 

I can see why those MainStage files exist for all these shows - although I can't help but wonder if the arrangements could be better spread between players - some very awkward stuff that's only possible with seamless patch changes and a patch change finger/foot that has to be as precise as the actual playing. Suppose bringing 4 keyboards would make a difference, but pits aren't huge for a lot of these school/arts centre theatres. 

So, can definitely see why these 'auto' orchestra things are around. Never come across one in real life but the $$$ savings are obviously huge if you're having a long run and can save on anything from 3-10 and above players per night for years, and those savings are important for a short run where ticket sales are so limited to a few nights worth.
Lots of rehearsals are done with full backing tracks, but seems they're not permitted for the shows a lot of the time. Got to hire those scores and patch files out……!

Guess we're all doomed! Although - people DO love live music 😀 Much more than I thought after the plague. People who came out to see our covers band had REALLY missed the band, and that proper social experience! I honestly never thought we'd have that much impact on people's lives, but it's true.

 

[Threadslayer]

5 hours ago, Adam Burgess said:

 - people DO love live music 😀 Much more than I thought after the plague. People who came out to see our covers band had REALLY missed the band, and that proper social experience! I honestly never thought we'd have that much impact on people's lives, but it's true.

 

I remember back in the late 1970s I was given tickets to A Chorus Line at the Pantages theater in Los Angeles, and had seats close to the pit. I was looking forward to digging on the orchestra, so I was stunned when I arrived and saw nothing in the pit but a home stereo with speaker cables snaking out into the aisles. This was unheard of back in those days and I swore I would never attend another musical if that was going to be the new standard. And you know what? I haven't.

[Reezekeys]

Some interesting points here and I appreciate learning about how the issues of band sizes and budget are dealt with in the smaller theatres and school productions – thanks for that perspective Adam, it does sound like a lot of work. I've never done one of these, and may never do one if only because my reading skills are such that I'd be shedding any kind of book for many hours, never mind setting up patches on a synth rig. A good friend of mine, pianist Russ Kassoff, was a sub on the Broadway production of Les Mis and asked me if I'd like to check out the piano book and possibly get on the sub list. My "checking out the book" involved looking at the folder, which was around three inches thick. I didn't open it - just laughed and said "no thanks!" 

 

I was extremely fortunate to know the bass player with Liza Minnelli's band at the time (the great Chip Jackson, who's played with Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes and Al DiMeola among many others). He recommended me for the synth chair with her. At the time there was no synth book. My job was to be the string section replacement, and I improvised string parts using the piano/conductor reductions! I was reading chord symbols! Later in my run I got bored and started playing a brass patch along with the horns using my DX7's breath controller. I was a young inexperienced jazz player who had done nothing but $75 jazz gigs in the NY area up until then. This was my first "real" gig, playing with the top dogs of the NY studio and jazz world and making real money too (and it's all been downhill from there! 🙂 ).

 

The handwriting has been on the wall for a while now, and with this newer tech that promises the sound of a real orchestra rather than samples played by keyboardists (which of course sound pretty darn real anyway), it's probably a matter of time before the 1-person pit becomes a reality for anything smaller than a major city's theatrical production. The question I have now is, what will the AF of M do? What can they do?

[Rod S]

On 11/27/2022 at 1:32 AM, BluMunk said:

I have no doubt that this is possible, the question is, what do we (audiences and creators alike) value in a “live” experience. Are we willing to accept full automation in this aspect of theatre? How many musicians do you need to meet the live music aesthetic?

 

Technology can get us to equal or better audience experiences with a pit of one MD. So what then, in this brave new world, is the need for an orchestra at all? Just to provide the “feeling” of live performance, or of getting one’s money’s worth?

 

Cool discussion to follow.. thanks.  Great admiration for the folks who pull the kind of performance needed for musicals.  

 

I always wonder what a typical audience values, focusing on a typical Broadway/west-end type production environment.   In September took my daughter (tad over 4 years old then)  to a local production of Little Mermaid (on par quality-wise with NY/London productions I've seen over the years), and before the musical started, I took my daughter to see the musicians in the pit (wish i had taken a picture; I was trying to be respectful, but I think I remember seeing seats / instruments for about 12-14 musicians).  I was trying to be as discrete as possible , only two keyboards players were there at this point, but they looked genuinely delighted that I was taking an interest and waved at my daughter.    After we sat I kept looking whether anybody else was going to do the same thing (nobody did), and wondered if people figured there were musicians there at all, and what they expect from a 'live performance'.    Reminder to keep engaging her to different types of live music as she gets older, and also get my wife's reactions (non-musician, but generally interested in live music in different forms) next time around.  

 

My daughter is switching schools next semester which has a great music program overall.    Would like to see if I can get involved one way or another if possible.  

[ElmerJFudd]

47 minutes ago, Rod S said:

 

Cool discussion to follow.. thanks.  Great admiration for the folks who pull the kind of performance needed for musicals.  

 

I always wonder what a typical audience values, focusing on a typical Broadway/west-end type production environment.   In September took my daughter (tad over 4 years old then)  to a local production of Little Mermaid (on par quality-wise with NY/London productions I've seen over the years), and before the musical started, I took my daughter to see the musicians in the pit (wish i had taken a picture; I was trying to be respectful, but I think I remember seeing seats / instruments for about 12-14 musicians).  I was trying to be as discrete as possible , only two keyboards players were there at this point, but they looked genuinely delighted that I was taking an interest and waved at my daughter.    After we sat I kept looking whether anybody else was going to do the same thing (nobody did), and wondered if people figured there were musicians there at all, and what they expect from a 'live performance'.    Reminder to keep engaging her to different types of live music as she gets older, and also get my wife's reactions (non-musician, but generally interested in live music in different forms) next time around.  

 

My daughter is switching schools next semester which has a great music program overall.    Would like to see if I can get involved one way or another if possible.  

Very nice.  I've always done the same - walk down to the pit before the show starts to get a look at how they're doing it.  Live concerts, live musical theater productions... any of these types of events is going to attract artistic, dramatic, musical, creative people.  I'm sure most of the people sitting around us in the audience play, sing, act, paint, etc. at some level.  And because we bring them, our children will too. 

[RABid]

Didn't we have this conversation 10 to 15 years ago about ROMplers replacing pit musicians? Honestly I think the middle ground is in the most danger. Big shows will always have a full pit. Budget shows will evolve to meticulous control of recordings.

[bfields]

That article has a lot of "could" and "potentially" and "promises", no clear description of how the software is being used in "Frozen" (just that it is), and the reporters' only source for the software's capabilities seems to be the guy selling it.

 

No knock on him, I suppose I'd take any opportunity to demo my software to reporters too.  No knock on them, either, it's an appealing hook for an interesting story about an ongoing trend.  The marketing claims about this specific software just sound a little over the top to me.  ("Unprecedented flexibility"!)

 

Economics and technology have always been big drivers of musical change.  Creative people keep finding ways to respond that we didn't anticipate.

[Dr. Paul]

Regarding KeyComp, is there some way one can see a video of the thing in action, or talk to someone who has actually used/played it?

[Adam Burgess]

On 11/29/2022 at 1:30 AM, Rod S said:

… only two keyboards players were there at this point, but they looked genuinely delighted that I was taking an interest…

I've been in pit bands where the tuba player, for example, plays about 5 bars in each act, and they are sooooooo disinterested 😝 Quite happy to read the news or do a crossword until the fight scene or Finale, play their 10 notes and go to the pub.

Don't think I could do the West End or Broadway thing full time for years, but people do! Maybe machines are better for that true consistency? It would drive me batty doing the same gig every night for 10 years!

[Tusker]

On 11/28/2022 at 4:30 PM, Rod S said:

I always wonder what a typical audience values, focusing on a typical Broadway/west-end type production environment. 

 

There is increasing variety in audience taste. It's hard to generalize and you'd rather see a particular show succeed than fail. We are all on the same side. Still when traditionally big-budget productions cut back, it's a signal to the rest of the industry I think.

 

My daughter has always loved the Phantom so I've taken her places to see it. I generally enjoy the West End production a little more than Broadway and a lot more than the traveling shows, partly because the visual design is perfectly calibrated to that theater but also because they managed to stuff almost 30 great musicians into the pit. You can feel it. I last caught it in London before the pandemic, then they halved the orchestra. 

 

https://www.classicfm.com/composers/lloyd-webber/west-end-phantom-of-the-opera-cuts-orchestra-in-half/

 

The last Phantom production on Broadway was scheduled to be on February 18th next year but demand spiked so they've extended it out through April.

 

Meanwhile the Metropolitan Opera's streaming service now allows you to enjoy their lavish productions at home. That's a great orchestra. I love it. Also, Hamilton seemed very impactful on Disney+.  So maybe there are other business models for Broadway too?

 

The aforementioned daughter is now in college and enjoys KPOP concerts. She and maybe 12,000 young people screamed their lungs out at Prudential center in Newark a couple of nights ago. This Ateez show had 8 cast members who dance and actually sing well. Tons of lights, hard-working subwoofers and magnificent sound-design. There was not one instrumental musician. Nobody seemed to notice.

 

Good luck to your daughter. Some rivers will dry up. Others will emerge. Keep the music flowing. 👍

[Reezekeys]

8 hours ago, Adam Burgess said:

I've been in pit bands where the tuba player, for example, plays about 5 bars in each act, and they are sooooooo disinterested 😝 Quite happy to read the news or do a crossword until the fight scene or Finale, play their 10 notes and go to the pub.

Don't think I could do the West End or Broadway thing full time for years, but people do! Maybe machines are better for that true consistency? It would drive me batty doing the same gig every night for 10 years!

 

Most Broadway musicians I know would kill to get a show that runs for ten years! If you were lucky enough to get a show like Cats (for example), right now you're sitting back enjoying a six-figure pension. The truth is for every Cats there are probably 100 shows that don't last six months. When a musical closes, that's a healthy number of musicians out of work at one time. Sure, a hit show becomes routine and I hear lots of stories of guys listening to the ball game in the pit. Lots of jobs are routine - like punching a clock to spend 8 hours a day stocking shelves or pumping gas! For many musicians, Broadway and (mostly disappeared) studio work is one of the last bastions of anything resembling a music "career" where one can make enough money to pay a mortgage and their kids' college. At least it was - technology is taking care of that part. I can understand how those with a regular job that pursue playing music as an avocation might not have this perspective.

 

As to the boredom aspect: Broadway has the "50% rule." Once you are "approved" for your chair, you can sub it half the time without losing your gig. Actually, you are encouraged (maybe required?) to have subs since emergencies happen and there needs to be a few players available for each chair. Subbing on Broadway is a way to break into that scene but it's difficult and thankless - you have to shed the book and if you're lucky you get called once in six weeks - then have to shed the book all over again! Point is, if you get bored playing your five bars a night you can easily take other gigs that come up. You can also ask for a leave of absence if you're lucky enough to be called to do a tour that might break the 50% rule.

 

Another perc? If you're a drummer or keyboard player you schlep nothing!

[Reezekeys]

22 hours ago, bfields said:

That article has a lot of "could" and "potentially" and "promises", no clear description of how the software is being used in "Frozen" (just that it is), and the reporters' only source for the software's capabilities seems to be the guy selling it.

 

Exactly, which I why I started this thread. The article was obviously written by someone without the insight to describe the how of this software. We can only guess as to what it does. I was wondering if anyone actually knew. Maybe we'll find out at some point.