Instruments associated with one specific musical
Instruments associated with one specific musical
Instruments associated with one specific musical#1
Posted: 7/2/15 at 10:26pm
What are some instruments overwhelmingly associated with a single musical- or perhaps used EXCLUSIVELY in that one musical? I'm playing around with writing and orchestrating some music, so the idea is kind of stuck in my head.
Les Miserables- the Yamaha DX-7 (especially the "crummy piano" sound)
Applause- electric trumpet
Company (original)- the RocksiChord electric piano (rock opera fans and prog-rockers know this one as the "Genesis" electric piano from "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway")
Wicked- guitar through Ebow and Seek-Wah effects.
Instruments associated with one specific musical#2
Posted: 7/2/15 at 10:29pm
What's that psychadelic "DEWWWEEEOOOWOOOUOFUOWOOWWWOOOOOOO" sound near the beginning of some versions of the Jesus Christ Superstar overture? Theramin?
Factory whistle - Sweeney?
Instruments associated with one specific musical#3
Posted: 7/2/15 at 10:35pm
I just did a production that used a sitar there, but the psychedelic sound you hear at the beginning of some versions of JCS is, typically, a chord played on the bass guitar, with heavy reverb and some tremolo.
I thought of some more, but they're all keyboard-based.
Cirque du Soleil shows from their early classic era- the Fairlight CMI
Smile- the E-Mu Emulator II (aka the really fat, warm, cheesy synthesizer you hear on the "cast recording")
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/05
Instruments associated with one specific musical#4
Posted: 7/2/15 at 10:51pm
Not nearly as iconic as Mis' DX-7, but Once may be the only musical that uses a cajon.
Instruments associated with one specific musical#5
Posted: 7/2/15 at 11:14pm
With the eBow on Wicked, what songs can you hear it being clearly used cause I've never noticed it before. Nevertheless, Wicked has some of the best orchestrations ever in my opinion. It didn't even win Orchestrations either... (Sondheim score lol)
Updated On: 7/2/15 at 11:14 PMInstruments associated with one specific musical#6
Posted: 7/2/15 at 11:34pm
darquegk - i don't think we're talking about the same psychedelic sound. I'm talking about the sound that starts here at about 1:06.
Instruments associated with one specific musical#7
Posted: 7/3/15 at 12:32amUkuleles in No, No, Nanette. Prominent in the the 1970's revival orchestrated by Ralph Burns during I Want To Be Happy. I'd enjoy hearing about any other show in which they've been used.
Instruments associated with one specific musical#8
Posted: 7/3/15 at 12:55am
I can't think of many shows that use the banjo. Offhand, Show Boat, Hello, Dolly! and I Love My Wife. Maybe Weill?
Dolly also uses a cow bell. I don't know any other works other than Mahler's Sixth and his Seventh that use that.
Updated On: 7/3/15 at 12:55 AM
Instruments associated with one specific musical#9
Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:05am
I think I read here or elsewhere there is a zither in The Visit. (I have yet to see or hear The Visit. My bad, as I love Kander and Ebb.) Any other shows? Again, maybe Weill somewhere?
Featured Actor Joined: 2/15/15
Instruments associated with one specific musical#10
Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:49amWhatever that synth sound is in The Rink
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
Instruments associated with one specific musical#11
Posted: 7/3/15 at 8:11am
Kazoos in HOW TO SUCCEED...
Instruments associated with one specific musical#12
Posted: 7/3/15 at 10:48am
Horsetears: that Superstar sound is just a very old, 1960s era synthesizer. It was somewhat out of date even by the time of the film.
MattPorter: the seek wah sound is kind of all throughout Wicked- the rhythm guitar part kind of "bubbles" is the best way to describe it. Listen to the bridge in "The Wizard and I." During the "unlimited" section, the rhythm guitar begins to bubble and at one point just devolves into this pitched but undulating mass of sound. As for the Ebow, listen to "Defying Gravity." That eerie, theremin-type sound under "hurt your cause forever, I hope you think it's clever" is the Ebow on the rhythm guitar. When the song proper begins, at "something has changed within me," the Ebow gets a lead. It's a long, fluid sound that is recognizably a guitar but sounds nothing like a guitar being played by conventional means. You'll recognize it immediately if you're a Wicked fan- it's a major part of the musical texture of the piece.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/05
Instruments associated with one specific musical#13
Posted: 7/3/15 at 11:05am
The banjo is actually used quite frequently in musical theatre - more often than not, when there is a guitar book, the player also doubles on banjo at some point. A quick perusal of MTI's catalog from the beginning on the alphabet finds banjo used in: Annie, Assassins, Avenue Q, Bonnie and Clyde, The Boy Friend, Bridges/County, Catch Me If You Can, Company, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels... (I think y'all get the point)... and of course it's a staple of the sound and feel of Ragtime.
Cowbell is frequently used as well, though perhaps not prominently featured very often.
Instruments associated with one specific musical#14
Posted: 7/3/15 at 12:56pm
"Ukuleles in No, No, Nanette. Prominent in the the 1970's revival orchestrated by Ralph Burns during I Want To Be Happy. I'd enjoy hearing about any other show in which they've been used."
IIRC, in the GODSPELL revival, they use the uke for the beginning of "Learn Your Lessons Well."
Stand-by Joined: 9/11/12
Instruments associated with one specific musical#15
Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:05pm
"Kazoos in HOW TO SUCCEED..."
Or in You're A Good Man Charlie Brown.
Instruments associated with one specific musical#16
Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:15pm
Banjo is extremely common in MT, especially jazz-based MT. The overtures to Mame and Chicago have famous banjo runs in them.
When I music-directed High School Musical 2, a score which has only a vague resemblance to the movie's music, the guitarist had to play electric guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo and ukulele during the same number, switching madly. It was entertaining to watch in the pit.
Instruments associated with one specific musical#17
Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:18pm
In The Gay Life Don Walker orchestrated beautifully around the Cimbalom (a wonderful Hungarian instrument).
Instruments associated with one specific musical#18
Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:39pm
It's not the only musical to use it, but for me SHE LOVES ME is associated with the sound of the accordion.
And naturally there are balalaikas in TOVARICH and ANYA. And bouzoukis and mandolins in ZORBA and ILLYA DARLING.
The quintessential banjo score is ROBBER BRIDEGROOM.
I'm not sure of the exact name but there is a baroque-sounding high trumpet in THE ROTHSCHILDS.
Updated On: 7/3/15 at 01:39 PM
Instruments associated with one specific musical#19
Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:40pm
The Clarinet in Caroline, or Change. I understand that a lot of shows use the clarinet, but I've never heard it used so prominently.
Instruments associated with one specific musical#20
Posted: 7/3/15 at 2:41pm
Man of La Mancha uses flamenco guitar as its central instrument, and Shockheaded Peter does the same with accordion.
Instruments associated with one specific musical#21
Posted: 7/3/15 at 3:14pm
I always think of A Weekend in the Country when someone mentions the french horn.
As for the banjo, the ultimate number must be Money to Burn from Half a Sixpence. As I understand Tommy Steele was an expert banjo player so they wrote him a specialty number to show off his skills. The number is pure delight on the OBCR.
Instruments associated with one specific musical#22
Posted: 7/3/15 at 5:53pm
Organ in the phantom of the opera
Instruments associated with one specific musical#23
Posted: 7/3/15 at 6:08pm
Pacific Overtures probably had a lot of instruments not seen typically on Broadway, at least the Shamisen
Instruments associated with one specific musical#24
Posted: 7/3/15 at 6:54pm
Slide whistle in the Gypsy overture.
Chorus Member Joined: 6/19/06
Instruments associated with one specific musical#25
Posted: 3/11/19 at 3:11pm
The Band's Visit has an oud played onstage. I only knew it as a crossword puzzle word.
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