Here’s a quick video from the pit for a Dolly-tastic production of 9 to 5.
My rig was based around the Line 6 Helix, running direct into Front of House, with a small powered cab for monitoring. The main sound was based on the Mesa Lonestar model, with boost and drive, a bit of chorus and delay. I added a wah-wah for the 335 version (see below).
My main guitar was my Variax (JTV-59P), mostly using a Telecaster model, with a couple of things on a 335 (“Heart to Hart”, and with some top rolled off for “One of the Boys”). I set a new patch for acoustics, using snapshots on the Helix to switch Variax models between 6- and 12-strings, and also the Dobro for slide on Hart’s sleazy number (forgot the name, oops!).
This show was also the debut for my gorgeous new Godin Multiac nylon-string. Again, I built a separate patch on the Helix, which muted the Variax input (all the Variax patches muted the guitar input).
The part was suitably “country” with lovely faux pedal steel licks under the vocal on “Backwoods Barbie” and a hot picking solo for the bows.
There’s one important error to flag in the part. While I played Guitar 1 for most of the show (there was no Guitar 2), I played the Guitar 2 part for “Change It” – the acoustic strumming that drives the song. In the part, it says to use a capo on the 1st fret, but in fact you need to start with the capo on the 2nd fret for the first 20 bars or so and then move it down. That said, the notation for the capo was pretty good, making it clear what chords to play and what key they’re meant to sound.
I really enjoyed playing this show, and was surrounded by excellent musicians – particularly, a horn section who were spot on! It seems pretty fashionable right now: some friends of mine did it last year, and I’ve seen at least 3 other productions in the London area in the past few weeks!