Here’s what I did once… and what happened next

By Jon Liebman
January 2, 2025

It goes without saying that you should be sufficiently prepared for whatever you’re about to do.

And, naturally, that includes playing bass.

But is there such a thing as being too prepared?

In this week’s video, I describe how I broke into to the pit orchestra scene for playing Broadway musicals and the intense preparation I did in order to meet that challenge.

I’d been pursuing that kind of work for quite a while. Then one day, it paid off. I got the call to play Into the Woods. It was a big deal, especially for my first time out. 

Cleo Laine was the star. Stephen Sondheim came to the rehearsals. I really needed to be on my game.

Not knowing exactly what to expect, I practiced like crazy: scales, arpeggios, string crossings, bowings, pizz… You name it.

You’ll hear the story about what led up to it, how it all worked out, and what happened next.

There are some worthwhile takeaways I think you’ll find helpful. Give it a watch and let me know your thoughts. I look forward to hearing from you.

Let’s play bass!

Jon