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I'm directing Big Fish - my first full musical! I've directed many shows with music, and I've always used live musicians. For Big Fish I've hired a band made up of professional musicians, but today my music director called and asked me to consider using recorded tracks instead. He said the songs are so complicated, and our student singer/actors are such novices, and though he's a musician he's never MDed a musical before .... so he'd like to use performance tracks so the students can be really familiar with the music and the cues, and he can focus on developing their voices.

What are your thoughts? do you love using recorded tracks? do they feel "canned" as opposed to live performers? does it feel like karaoke? can they feel alive and full and wonderful? would a full orchestration drown out or overwhelm the voices of novice singers?

Thank you!
Arden

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Arden Thomas
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
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I've never used pre-recorded tracks, so I'm not sure how flexible they are.  However, I have directed Big Fish and there is a ton of underscoring in the score.  I would be concerned about scene changes taking longer than usual, and what you do in that situation.  There were a lot of vamping sections, if I remember correctly, under dialogue and sometimes the kids had to hold longer than other nights due to audience reaction.  I don't know how much you can do that with the tracks because I've not used them.  Although if the tracks come with the underscoring, and you're running it through Q Lab, you might be able to put it on an infinite loop and then tell it when to go to the next cue.

That said, I would prefer recorded tracks to a poorly executed performance of the score by live musicians.  If the music surpasses the abilities of the musicians, that would likely be your better option.

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Laura Steenson
Theatre Director
Reynolds High School
Troutdale OR
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-25-2019 00:15
From: Arden Thomas
Subject: performance tracks vs. live music

I'm directing Big Fish - my first full musical! I've directed many shows with music, and I've always used live musicians. For Big Fish I've hired a band, but today my music director called and asked me to consider using recorded tracks instead. He said the songs are so complicated, and our students are such novices, and though he's a musician he's never MDed a musical before .... so he'd like to use performance tracks so the students can be really familiar with the music and the cues, and he can focus on developing their voices.

What are your thoughts? do you love using recorded tracks? do they feel "canned" as opposed to live performers? does it feel like karaoke? can they feel alive and full and wonderful?

Also: do you have any advice on how to work with performance tracks throughout the rehearsal process?

Also, Big Fish is licensed through TRW and they have StageTracks on their webpage - are they good?

Thank you!
Arden

------------------------------
Arden Thomas
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------

I have used tracks a number of times. If you use a good company (I am particularly fond of MT Pit) they don't sound like karaoke tracks. They are the full score- including the underscoring- played by a full orchestra in a recording studio and do not have that "canned music" sound. 

They are run  on an iPad and are set up with the vamps and everything and you control when it moves forward. Some companies software allows for tempo changes as well. 

While I prefer live music, tracks have their advantages as well. You get to practice with the tracks from the beginning. You know the music is played the way it is intended. You also teach a valuable skill. Singing with a track is different and many theatres do use tracks. 

Again, please pick a reputable company (there is a royalty involved). These companies are creating tracks with professional musicians (and paying them to do so) not crating midi tracks that are all electronic manipulated sounds like karaoke.

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Christina Myatt
Artistic Director
Center Stage Perfirming Arts Academy
LeClaire IA
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-25-2019 13:56
From: Laura Steenson
Subject: performance tracks vs. live music

I've never used pre-recorded tracks, so I'm not sure how flexible they are.  However, I have directed Big Fish and there is a ton of underscoring in the score.  I would be concerned about scene changes taking longer than usual, and what you do in that situation.  There were a lot of vamping sections, if I remember correctly, under dialogue and sometimes the kids had to hold longer than other nights due to audience reaction.  I don't know how much you can do that with the tracks because I've not used them.  Although if the tracks come with the underscoring, and you're running it through Q Lab, you might be able to put it on an infinite loop and then tell it when to go to the next cue.

That said, I would prefer recorded tracks to a poorly executed performance of the score by live musicians.  If the music surpasses the abilities of the musicians, that would likely be your better option.

------------------------------
Laura Steenson
Theatre Director
Reynolds High School
Troutdale OR

Original Message:
Sent: 02-25-2019 00:15
From: Arden Thomas
Subject: performance tracks vs. live music

I'm directing Big Fish - my first full musical! I've directed many shows with music, and I've always used live musicians. For Big Fish I've hired a band, but today my music director called and asked me to consider using recorded tracks instead. He said the songs are so complicated, and our students are such novices, and though he's a musician he's never MDed a musical before .... so he'd like to use performance tracks so the students can be really familiar with the music and the cues, and he can focus on developing their voices.

What are your thoughts? do you love using recorded tracks? do they feel "canned" as opposed to live performers? does it feel like karaoke? can they feel alive and full and wonderful?

Also: do you have any advice on how to work with performance tracks throughout the rehearsal process?

Also, Big Fish is licensed through TRW and they have StageTracks on their webpage - are they good?

Thank you!
Arden

------------------------------
Arden Thomas
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------

Hello,

We used MT Pit when we performed Big Fish a few years ago.  The rehearsal tracks do have a voice that comes on periodically and says "rehearsal track."  But my music director and I like MT Pit's rehearsal tracks and performance tracks.  The cast can listen to and rehearse with the lyrics in the rehearsal tracks before working with the actual performance tracks which is helpful.  No, I don't think they feel canned or karaoke.  The cast just needs to work with the tracks and get used to them.  I don't know that the music is too difficult for high school singers, but it will challenge them!

Hope this helps,

Ken Robinson

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Kenneth Robinson
Drama Club Sponsor
Wapahani High School
Selma IN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-25-2019 00:15
From: Arden Thomas
Subject: performance tracks vs. live music

I'm directing Big Fish - my first full musical! I've directed many shows with music, and I've always used live musicians. For Big Fish I've hired a band made up of professional musicians, but today my music director called and asked me to consider using recorded tracks instead. He said the songs are so complicated, and our student singer/actors are such novices, and though he's a musician he's never MDed a musical before .... so he'd like to use performance tracks so the students can be really familiar with the music and the cues, and he can focus on developing their voices.

What are your thoughts? do you love using recorded tracks? do they feel "canned" as opposed to live performers? does it feel like karaoke? can they feel alive and full and wonderful? would a full orchestration drown out or overwhelm the voices of novice singers?

Thank you!
Arden

------------------------------
Arden Thomas
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------

Right On Cue Services (rightoncueservices.com) provides the authorized and endorsed rehearsal software and performance tracks for Big Fish, as well as other titles licensed through TRW and many other licensing companies.  The tracks are recorded with live musicians, exactly as orchestrated in the score.  The included "StageTracks" software enables you to vamp, make cuts, tempo and key changes, and jump to a specific bar in case something goes wrong on stage, making the tracks much more flexible than traditional tracks.  For more information, contact TRW or rightoncueservices.com.

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Dave McDougal
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-25-2019 00:15
From: Arden Thomas
Subject: performance tracks vs. live music

I'm directing Big Fish - my first full musical! I've directed many shows with music, and I've always used live musicians. For Big Fish I've hired a band made up of professional musicians, but today my music director called and asked me to consider using recorded tracks instead. He said the songs are so complicated, and our student singer/actors are such novices, and though he's a musician he's never MDed a musical before .... so he'd like to use performance tracks so the students can be really familiar with the music and the cues, and he can focus on developing their voices.

What are your thoughts? do you love using recorded tracks? do they feel "canned" as opposed to live performers? does it feel like karaoke? can they feel alive and full and wonderful? would a full orchestration drown out or overwhelm the voices of novice singers?

Thank you!
Arden

------------------------------
Arden Thomas
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------

I've used tracks from various publishing companies for years.  We've also used live musicians and without a doubt, live is always better.  However, there is a lot to be said for rehearsing to the exact music with the exact tempos and cues that come with tracks.  We're currently using the MTI Player tracks for our show and we are learning to work out (or deal with) the kinks in that system.  It's not ideal, but when it works it's really good.  We're building in business (both tech crew and actors) for how to cover for late cues.

When using tracks, stay frosty.  Be sure that they match the score and be sure you are VERY familiar with the script and know how to cover.

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Josh Ruben, M. Ed.
Fine Arts Head
Northwest Whitfield HS (dba, The Northwest Theatre Co.)
Tunnel Hill, GA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-25-2019 00:15
From: Arden Thomas
Subject: performance tracks vs. live music

I'm directing Big Fish - my first full musical! I've directed many shows with music, and I've always used live musicians. For Big Fish I've hired a band made up of professional musicians, but today my music director called and asked me to consider using recorded tracks instead. He said the songs are so complicated, and our student singer/actors are such novices, and though he's a musician he's never MDed a musical before .... so he'd like to use performance tracks so the students can be really familiar with the music and the cues, and he can focus on developing their voices.

What are your thoughts? do you love using recorded tracks? do they feel "canned" as opposed to live performers? does it feel like karaoke? can they feel alive and full and wonderful? would a full orchestration drown out or overwhelm the voices of novice singers?

Thank you!
Arden

------------------------------
Arden Thomas
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------

We have used ROCS Stage Tracks for several years now. I am very happy with the tracks and the customer service. I highly recommend them.

---------------------------------
Susan Cates
Teacher/Theatre Director
Madison Southern High School
Berea KY
---------------------------------



Original Message:
Sent: 02-25-2019
From: Arden Thomas
Subject: performance tracks vs. live music

I'm directing Big Fish - my first full musical! I've directed many shows with music, and I've always used live musicians. For Big Fish I've hired a band made up of professional musicians, but today my music director called and asked me to consider using recorded tracks instead. He said the songs are so complicated, and our student singer/actors are such novices, and though he's a musician he's never MDed a musical before .... so he'd like to use performance tracks so the students can be really familiar with the music and the cues, and he can focus on developing their voices.

What are your thoughts? do you love using recorded tracks? do they feel "canned" as opposed to live performers? does it feel like karaoke? can they feel alive and full and wonderful? would a full orchestration drown out or overwhelm the voices of novice singers?

Thank you!
Arden

------------------------------
Arden Thomas
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------