CALLING: Musical number where I can't hear....countdown software?

[CraigF]

You guys were an enormous help in the past....so a new question.  I'm calling a combined musical/drama Christmas festival near Atlanta.  Let's just say we have an "untraditional" Little Drummer Boy number where the cast/orchestra is suddenly supplemented by a local university drum line.  You've never had fun until you suddenly have a full drum line in the room....including multiple huge bass drums within about 10 feet of me.  I'm usually calling from a marked up score....but in this number due to the proximity of the bass drums my hearing is reduced to BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM and it can be impossible to follow.

Is anyone using any software for situations like this that could give me countdowns based on rehearsal cue timing?  I guess I can always call from a stopwatch program if I can't find anything better.

[KMC]

I've been a fan of Multitrack Stopwatch as a stopwatch application in the past; I'm not sure I understand the exact software you're looking for.  This program has 10 independent stopwatches and each can count up or down from pre-specified time.  Calling from a stopwatch with live music is risky, if they're slighty ahead of or slightly behind tempo your stopwatch is useless.

I'm glad you've found SMNet usefull in the past - I encourage you to make visits during times other than when you need our help, maybe you can share the wealth!

[CraigF]

Normally, working with the calls noted on my score plus visual I can get very precise.  The problem on this number is that if I glance away from the score (let's face it....I've gotta watch) it's really hard for me to quickly regain my spot since I can't hear any of the music other than the bass drums.  I'm thinking that I'll just stopwatch the timing for "approximate" placement and then use visual (dance moves or conductor motions) to get back on track.  I guess I could even mark every 5-10 measures with a time.  I was just curious as to whether there was anything that would allow me to time the cues in rehearsal and then countdown to each in sequence.  I can always try one of the apps like Q-manager.....

[Maribeth]

Have you thought of writing the beats of the drums you can hear into your score? My instinct is to see if there is a way to either use visual cues or count the music based on the drums. (or a combination)

I'm thinking that I'll just stopwatch the timing for "approximate" placement and then use visual (dance moves or conductor motions) to get back on track.  I guess I could even mark every 5-10 measures with a time.

I do know of a stopwatch program that has a countdown option: http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/Stopwatch/?version=1.6.0-oem&browser=Mozilla&vendor=Sun_Microsystems_Inc. You can make the timer fairly large on the screen as well, which is nice. You can also "record" timings on this one- click the "record" button and it marks out what times your record in a box below. So in theory you could start it when the band started, click any "landmark times" that help you find where you are in the music, and then write them into your book. Multitrack stopwatch is also good.

Hope this helps- let us know what you end up doing.

[Scott]

? Just curious as to the perceived advantage of a stopwatch "program" as opposed to a stopwatch.

[CraigF]

I could probably manage either way.  I tend (due to IT background) to be somewhat of a tech geek.  This number for me is a little involved, with a lot of calls intermixed with the drum line entry and, yes, flying drummers.  (OK...maybe not flying....we've got a few rigged into harnesses....more like "lifted" than flying.  Flying would be cool look....would give me a stroke however.  We did have a cast member literally "break a leg" on stage last year and leave by ambulance....but that's a different story.  Let's just say there is a reason we tape steps and edges but it does no good if cast members exit in the dark without looking down.)

Anyway....my thinking was if I'm away from the score for more than 10-15 secs then keeping count by bass drum beat and recovering position in the score would be pretty tough...especially if I was away from the score resolving a problem.  With a stopwatch I'd have to get time from stopwatch, find nearest timing point in score, figure out exact spot.  Not hard, just not extremely fast.  With software, I could have both a running digital stopwatch to get back to the score and a countdown timer to next cue.  So worst case the software might be off a beat or so (due to conductor timing) and I can visually call the cue as long as the software gets me "close".

I should mention....most of what I've learned about stage management I've learned from this website.  You guys have been a HUGE HUGE HUGE help.  This is an annual church musical/drama production with a cast/crew/choir of about 250, an audience approaching 20,000, and a budget for a pro stage manager of zero.  I usually direct on Sundays so get drafted to do this each year.  Live video direction is quite a different world and I probably would have been in completely over my head without some of the pointers and help from posters here.

[hbelden]

Can you see the conductor, or get a monitor shot of the conductor?  Ask him or her to give the camera a fingerpoint a measure before your cue, and then you don't need to count all the bass drum beats.

[Candy0081]

I have been in a situation where I could hear what was going on, but my feed was 2-3 seconds behind, which was awful for calling precise cues, I was late on every cue.  To fix it I wore one of the hearing assistance devices the theatre had.  It kept me much closer to the actual time.  I don't know if the place you are working has that as an option, but it would be worth looking into.  It might help cut through the drum line.

Best of luck and let us know how it goes! 

[SMrose]

I called an opera once w/ so many precise cues that looking away from the score was not a good idea.  The director got me a "reader"--much like a concert pianist has a page turner, this individuals eyes never left the page and he had a pencil/pointer that ticked off each system/measure/note. He stayed next to me at the SM desk. I was able to look up and keep an eye on the stage and then quickly find my place in the score.
As far as your proximity to the drums, can you relocated where you call the show from?  Like away from the BOOM, BOOM, BOOM?

[BlantonRK]

You may need to simply memorize this section of the number. Invent lyrics to read to yourself to fill in the sections between the calls to insure that you are always exactly in sync.

Also, please be very careful about adding additional audio feeds into an already loud situation, especially in-ear types. You may even want to add earplugs during the drumline section to protect yourself. (Gosh, I sound like my mother!)

[ScooterSM]

Also, please be very careful about adding additional audio feeds into an already loud situation, especially in-ear types. You may even want to add earplugs during the drumline section to protect yourself. (Gosh, I sound like my mother!)

I would second this, especially the ear plugs.  The damage that loud noise causes to your hearing is irreparable.  Besides protecting your hearing, having ear plugs may end up helping you call the show, because they will reduce the overall volume but you will still be able to hear the main beat.  Think about when you are a loud concert and you plug your ears to hear someone next to you say something or to hear your favorite song a little better.  It is the same thing.  (If there is someone more knowledgeable about the science of sound that could expound on why this is true, that would be great!)

Good luck!