PROGRAMMED INSTRUMENTS

Keyboard 1
Keyboard 2
Keyboard 3
Percussion/MalletKat (Keyboard 4)
Roland SPD Drum Programming
Foley Fish SFX

PROGRAMMING NOTES

The licensed orchestration is based on the 2017 Original Broadway Production.

This show is orchestrated to be keyboard-conducted from the Keyboard 3 book by the MD. This show has dedicated keyboard books Key 1 & Key 3/Conductor, both with lots of programming. To be noted before contracting musicians, Keyboard 2 is written as a double and is labelled Key 2/Guitar 3. This means you will need someone who can play both keyboard and guitar. KeyboardTEK can create a customized version for an additional fee that includes guitar patches in the event you do not have a player that can do both. Please email us if you need this.

Keyboard 1 is the primary piano book. It can be difficult in spots and will require a proficient player to navigate the part and the programming. Some of the sounds found in this book are various acoustic pianos, strings, synth elements (leads, pads, bass), brass, B3 organ, EP’s, mallet percussion, along with harp and celeste to name just a few.

As mentioned earlier, Keyboard 2 is a hybrid book to be played by the Guitar 3 player. This means the player must play both keys and guitar pretty well in order to navigate this book. Most of the keyboard sounds in this book are strings, however, there is also accordion, B3 organ, woodwinds, brass, and some synth elements. This player must also play a steel string acoustic guitar live. This book has lots of moving parts and often switches between keyboard and guitar quickly so you will really need someone special for this chair who is very comfortable navigating the programming. If you have the players, you could split this book up but that means there will be long sections where one of those players is not doing anything.

Keyboard 3 is the conductor book. Due to the size of the orchestra and the intricacy of the score, there are many moments and many songs where the MD is only conducting the orchestra and not playing. However, there is plenty of programming throughout with sounds such as harp, piano, percussion, strings, synth leads, and even kazoo!

In the original Broadway and touring productions, there was also a Percussion programming on a MalletKat. We have recreated this programming for those productions that don’t have room for all the mallet instruments and timpani. This is a MainStage file and can be played either on a MalletKat or some other MIDI percussion controller and can also be played on a regular MIDI keyboard.  Included in this file are 2 dozen basic sound effects that your percussionist can use alongside of the Foley Fish SFX that are also available. This file is listed as Keyboard 4 on the form below. If that wasn’t enough, we also have available Roland SPD drum programming that is played by the drummer alongside the acoustic kit. We are in the process of making this file available for the Yamaha DTX drum pad and the Alesis drum pad for those who do not have access to an SPD so please inquire for more details. This should be available by the end of September 2022.

This particular show also has drum programming that is highly recommended in order to get the same sounds as heard on the cast album. This is designed to be played by the drummer alongside of the acoustic kit. Many of the iconic sounds and hits come programmed in this file which is designed specifically for the Roland SPD-SX drum pad although we have recently programmed these to make them available on the Yamaha DTX and Alesis Strike as well. If you have one of the other drum pads listed, please indicate this in the customer notes at the time of checkout so we can make sure to send you the correct file. Although standard for many professional drummers and percussionists, if you do not have access to one of the drum pads, KeyboardTEK has a very limited supply of Roland SPD’s to rent with the programming already installed so please email us to inquire about adding this to your rental.

Lastly, the Foley-fish SFX were put together and created by KeyboardTEK and are specific to the effects in the script. These come as approximately 50 different Wav files that you can use and trigger in any program of your choice (iTunes, QLab, etc.) and do not require MainStage. You will need to go through the sounds to determine where they should occur in the scenes and for your particular production but are essential to this show.

KEYBOARD PROGRAMMER

Keyboard Programming by: Kevin Roland, Taylor Williams, and Ethan Deppe.

ORIGINAL MUSIC TEAM

Conceived by: Tina Landau
Book by: Kyle Jarrow
Based on the Series by: Stephen Hillenburg
Original Songs by: Yolanda Adams, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Domani, Derek Drymon, Mark Harrison, Stephen Hillenburg, Rob Hyman, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Lil’ C, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, Blaise Smith, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith, The Flaming Lips, They Might Be Giants and T.I.
Songs by: David Bowie, Brian Eno, Tom Kenny and Andy Paley
Additional music by: Tom Kitt
Additional lyrics by: Jonathan Coulton
Music orchestrated by: Tom Kitt
Music arranged by: Tom Kitt
Musical Director: Julie McBride
Musical Supervisor: Tom Kitt

Original 2017 Broadway Orchestra

Conducted by: Julie McBride
Associate Conductor: Marco Paguia
Keyboards: Julie McBride and Marco Paguia
Guitar: Nate Brown and Sean Driscoll
Guitar/Keyboard: Matt Hinkley
Bass: Randy Landau
Drums: Damien Bassman
Foley Artist/Percussion: Mike Dobson
Reeds: Aaron Heick and Dave Noland
Trumpet: John Chudoba
Trombone: Mike Davis
Concert Master: Sylvia D’Avanzo
Violin: Matt Lehmann and Katherine Livolsi-Landau
Viola: Rob Taylor and Orlando Wells
Cello: Emily Brausa
Musical Coordinator: Michael Aarons and Michael Keller
Music Preparation: Emily Grishman Music Preparation