One of the terrific things about playing keyboard for shows these days is the introduction of Apple’s Mainstage product. Through the use of very inexpensive software and a Mac laptop, players can use their keyboards to generate hundreds of unique instrument sounds, particularly when budget limits the size of the pit one can hire. (On a more controversial note, programmed keyboard parts have become the norm in newer Broadway shows, which has led to the hiring of few professional musicians – not a great development.)

I’ve been integrating Mainstage into my shows as needed, often doing the programming and handing off the playing to another pit member. However, recently I had a need to play my own programming while also conducting my small but mighty pit. And of course, near-disaster stuck. Somehow, in the middle of a song, the programming simply stopped working, and no sound came out of my keyboard. (You have to shut off your keyboard’s local control in order to generate the sounds via the Mainstage setup.) I managed to somehow quickly switch my keyboard back to piano mode so I could continue playing, while also trying to check the connections at the same time. Turns out it was human error after all. My power adapter cable simply wasn’t fully plugged in, and the laptop’s battery was fully drained. Intermission was just around the corner, so I was able to discover and remedy the problem.

What pit pitfalls have you encountered? Feel free to comment below!