Comment by gkoberger
3 years ago
This is so completely off topic, but if the idea of an improv musical about Spiderman's dating life sounds up your alley, you should check out this episode of Off Book: The Improvised Musical. The premise is Spiderman + MJ in couples therapy, and it's phenomenal.
https://podcasts.apple.com/my/podcast/marvel-sing-ematic-uni...
Logistically, how does the instrumental part of the music get improvised on the spot in a way that the actors can sing along? Do they have preexisting music determined that the actors can improvise lyrics to? Or do they just sing without musical backing and then music gets recorded to match it later?
In this particular podcast, they have a three-piece band they work with every episode (guitar, drums and piano). The music is improvised just like the singing. Usually either the piano or guitar will start, the other two will join in. And then they follow each other.
They definitely rely on musical tropes they all know, for example "rock song" or "broadway song". But overall, it's a combination of them all being insanely talented, having worked together a lot, and once in a while cue-ing each other.
Here's an episode of another podcast they guested on (Switched On Pop) where they walk through their process (AND do an improv musical at the same time): https://switchedonpop.com/episodes/switched-off-book-with-je...
Also, if you want a quick video of them doing it, here's an example with them, the band, and Jason Mantzoukas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCI0gD_K27M
Did you ever see the David Letterman show? Paul Schaffer, the keyboardist and bandleader on the show is a great example of that. Before Letterman, he played piano on Saturday Night Live.
Paul was an improviser, musically and comedically. Some word or concept Dave was riffing on would catch something in Paul and out would come related (often hilarious) music. On SNL, he and Bill Murray did a great lounge pianist/singer duo, playing off one another and obviously not entirely rehearsed.
I'll let you dig for links to that stuff. The digging is probably more fun than some presented example in this case.
Saw musical improve live in the 1990s. One keyboardist live to accompany. Not a musician so I can't say about expected chord changes vs. transposition, etc.