Percussion Setups for Broadway Shows-The Setup for Wicked-

Here is a video explaining how I plan my percussion setups for the touring Broadway musicals I play. This particular setup is for the show "Wicked".
I have played this show over 100 times (4 separate tours, soon to be 5) and I am very familiar with it.
I talk about my concept for placing the large instruments as well as the mechanics of setting up for the most successful outcome.
In later videos I will play the entire show for you in 11 separate parts. To find these go to the Wicked Playlist on this channel.

[@spadds]

This was great, thanks for posting. It opened up my eyes to the variety of rolls the percussionist plays (and is taken for granted!) during a live show! Oh the pressure! Looks like it could be great fun though!!!!!

[@williamkleitsch1153]

Thanks for sharing. I have sat in the pit as a guest for a professional show and as a drummer in high school. Quite the experience. As always Rick, your videos are the best.

[@tannerhall588]

My senior year of concert band, near the end of the overture we were playing there was a single fortissimo open chime note to end the song. My chimes at the school where dampened when you pressed the pedal. I didn't realize the chimes where we were playing were the opposite. I was ready to go and the director queued that final note. CLUNK! Let that be a lesson kids, check our ALL of your equipment before you start that it works as you expect!

[@azaleajanemusic]

I never did anything this complicated in percussion ensemble or wind band, but damn, this is getting me nostalgic for college!

[@dizzolve]

as always Rick, great content. This was fun to glimpse into some of the finer details of a pit set up

[@Negative_Positron]

Excellent demonstration and I appreciate the play-through / explanations! What is your opinion on using a midi keyboard (malletstation or other) in lieu of actual instruments? Low-tuned kick drum in like of a concert bass? They obviously won't have the same sorority, but they take up a fraction of the space and are an even smaller fraction of the cost.

[@jamesconnors5653]

Thank you much.

[@alanduncan1980]

I just show up with a crash, ride, hats, snare, pedal and a pair of sticks. This is like Terry Bozzio level setup.

[@josephnewton9075]

Wow! This is a dream. I would absolutely love to be able to just play pits for a quarter of my income. How did you find out about this? I live near a fairly big city and wonder if after college I can find opportunities to do this.

[@rblackw0611]

@rickdior - GREAT STUFF, brother!! Thank you for all the hard work you've put into this!! I'm playing Wicked soon - did you get through the show ok with one tam-tam? Trying to get a second one in the setup looks to be an ordeal.....got to put it somewhere next to the kitchen sink, I'd reckon!!!🤔

[@mixedstaples8030]

Hi Rick, bit late but figured this was the right place to ask.

[@thomasluttermanndjeventtec3003]

Hi Rick,

[@DrummerMike86]

#snaredrumheaven

[@SNDRDRUMS]

Hey Rick, what’s the name of the triangular/pyramid suspended instrument? Regards, Sander

[@thomasluttermanndjeventtec3003]

Hi Rick,

[@irawong]

Is there any other show that you’ve played that comes remotely close to “Wicked” in terms of the complexity of the instrument set-up and musical difficulty?

[@johannesbowman2194]

What trap tables did you end up using?

[@bobbyjayjohnson3460]

Why did they cross out the congas and replace them with bongos, what kind of difference does it make between the two?

[@thomp9054]

It's crazy you're expected to own all the instruments. Talk about gatekeeping

[@TrainerMysticNC]

I live in Charlotte nc