# Crew music



## soundop (May 30, 2008)

Ok guys, every crew has diffrent styles of music they play when working, list your crews fave styles/bands

Some of ours are
When building-classic rock/metal/techno/rock (ac dc, darude, alestorm, showdown, dracula from houstin, great big sea, okgo)
when on break we play jhon mayer/eagle eyed cherry, more laid back styles


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## derekleffew (May 30, 2008)

soundop said:


> Ok guys, every crew has diffrent styles of music they play when working, list your crews fave styles/bands...


Silence is golden. No music of any kind, unless played by the band or to check the PA. This industry is too dangerous to permit aural distractions. An old stagehand says he can tell if something is wrong with a counterweight system just by listening to the arbor run the T-tracks, or the winch motors.


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## Footer (May 30, 2008)

When I am in a shop, I have to have music on. If I am working a hang, I usually turn on music while the pipes are still buried. The carps here tend to do the rotating ipod thing, personally, you will never see me in my shop without my headphones in listening to podcasts. Just got the last 300 or so episodes of This American Life, so it could be awhile till i run out of stuff to listen to.


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## soundlight (May 31, 2008)

When just doing a normal construction day, we have either someone's ipod or the TD's online radio stations or an FM station. For rig, no music, too much communication going on. For strike, no music, too much communication going on. But for regular build/work days during the week, it mainly depends on who asks for music first/who has their ipod/if the TD already had the radio or internet hooked up to the speakers.


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## rosabelle334 (May 31, 2008)

soundlight said:


> When just doing a normal construction day, we have either someone's ipod or the TD's online radio stations or an FM station. For rig, no music, too much communication going on. For strike, no music, too much communication going on. But for regular build/work days during the week, it mainly depends on who asks for music first/who has their ipod/if the TD already had the radio or internet hooked up to the speakers.



Basically same here, except no one really remembers to bring in their Ipod and speakers, so most of the time we go with no music. Also, poeple aren't really allowed to listen to their Ipods, its dangerous if their in thier own little world and we can't warn them, or tell them things.


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## PadawanGeek (May 31, 2008)

Music helps me think and makes boring things more enjoyable. We usually have some sort of CD or iPod playing when the band is not rehearsing, but when we have a CD or iPod its usually not on loud, just a little above store music volume.


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## len (May 31, 2008)

I agree with Derek, no music on. Too distracting. Shop time is different. I usually stream Last.fm bebop from my pc. Radio stations are too generic.


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## porkchop (May 31, 2008)

I am also going to agree with derek, music makes it harder to communicate, can distract from work, and personally just gets stuff stuck in my head once we turn it off. I prefer no music


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## gafftapegreenia (May 31, 2008)

The only time we play music is during a regular shop day, which normally consists of set construction and lighting. If it's focus, tech week, strike, or anything not just a normal day of building, we will not play music. 

That said, about the only rule we have for music in the shop is NO SHOWTUNES. If you want showtunes, go work in the costume shop.


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## mbandgeek (May 31, 2008)

gafftapegreenia said:


> The only time we play music is during a regular shop day, which normally consists of set construction and lighting. If it's focus, tech week, strike, or anything not just a normal day of building, we will not play music.
> 
> That said, about the only rule we have for music in the shop is NO SHOWTUNES. If you want showtunes, go work in the costume shop.



I like having music on whenever i work, even homework. I find that this will keep my creative side at bay, and keep me focused on what i am doing. I find that i get distracted by wanting to be creative. If i have to really pay attention to something, music has to be deafiningly loud, as to block out all other noises, or no music at all. I am a firm believer that ipods should be allowed in school.

and not to be rude, but using ipods in a shop?!?! That sounds crazy to me. I think that it requires more concentration to run a saw then any other situation in which you guys frown upon ipods.

rant over.

When I work at the local theater, it varies greatly from frank Sinatra, to heavy metal, to off the wall techno. oh, tfactech, I like all the music you play.


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## Hughesie (Jun 1, 2008)

nothing tests a sound system like a good freq sweep and some dire straits

one of the two normally clears a house quickly

Normally i use my ipod for alll our bump in music (load in)

which means last fm eats it

http://www.last.fm/user/hughesie89

so in short that is what we techs listen to


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## meghan (Jun 1, 2008)

On weekends or crew hanging out and getting things done for a show we always put on wild 94.9 a hiphop station cause thats how we roll. But if it was tech class or something no music except for the couple of us on crew, we were allowed to listened to our ipods.


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## propmonkey (Jun 1, 2008)

first thing i do when im working is get some music going. i usually have a few cds or my ipod. most of the stuff ive done recently has been small, mainly just been me so music doesnt really matter. in high school we had music playing for construction but no music for strike for safety.


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## Clifford (Jun 1, 2008)

We don't play music a lot, usually only on Saturdays, but when we do, we have a few standards:

It's Raining Men
Monkeys in the Basement
Convoy

After those, anything that's not heavy rock (or worse), some alternative rock,and techno. And then there are some of the random things that get put on occasionally.


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## Logos (Jun 2, 2008)

No music, need to concentrate and anyway since nobody lets me play my Bhangra and Desi CD's no-one can play anything else.

Think of Black Sabbath covers played in Bhangra.


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## Hughesie (Jun 2, 2008)

Logos said:


> Think of Black Sabbath covers played in Bhangra.



Most of us would prefer not to


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## icewolf08 (Jun 11, 2008)

Due to some issues with music in the past, our shop does not play any music during work time. Almost everyone in the shop has headphones in or some of those fancy sound dampening headphones. This way no one argues over taste in music.

During my hang and strike calls, if I can find a boom box (as they roam around the building) I'll put on some music, but as soon as we get into any rigging or other work that requires more communication than following a hang tape the music goes off. I have found that some good music makes my crews a little more efficient, and it spares me from having to listen to them attempt to sing or hum or whatnot.


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## samsathebug (Nov 9, 2009)

My old high school plays a lot of Floater. They're a local band, from Eugene but they live up in Portland now, and we have a tradition of playing their awesome song Cinema at every cast party. 
At my college though, we usually just put someone's ipod on shuffle and see what happens. Usually end up with dance music or folk rock...or a weird combination of the two....

****, wish I remembered that band's name D:


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## Fred (Nov 9, 2009)

General shuffle when I am running pre-show lists (pre-call, generally alone due to the magic of community theater). Mostly country. Once people show up I entirely agree that there are distractions enough without music-or bickering over music.


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## shiben (Nov 10, 2009)

When I am working by myself, I tend to pop on some serious punk/hardcore music, just loud enough that I can hear it, but not loud enough that if I am speaking, others cant hear. When I am working with others who want different music, I pop on lady gaga until they ask me to turn it off. Its usually fairly effective. I hate it when during strike, people come in with their ipods and headphones, figuring its fine, nothing will fall on me. Those tend to be the people who sit under my ladder, it seems.


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## Jeroen (Nov 10, 2009)

In reply -> we certainly do not use i-pods or such during load-in/load-out or strike. You need to be able to hear eachother and easily communicate.

In our theater, for the above reason, we do not play music, (if we do it's at a very low level), when rigging/hang/focus of lights. When working together, it's easier to turn the music down and not having to yell to eachother.

We do play music when we are only cleaning up, placing things away. Then it's mostly 80's/90's


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## edmedmoped (Nov 11, 2009)

I'm lucky that our teacher likes funky music, so he plays that sometimes. If it's not that it's hip-hop and stuff.


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## ptero (Nov 11, 2009)

I am STRONGLY agreed w/the no music camp. It does not belong and causes problems. I love music but there's a time and a place and working in the theatre space is not one of them. 

There are too many things going on and it gets in the way of safety, concentration, communication, and simple awareness of others. Especially annoying are those with ipods/headphones. They are in their own world and have NO awareness of what else is going on while they circulate around the deck taking care of their own things. Can't hear questions aimed at them and it adds a layer of "'scuse me, pardon me" shuffling every time anyone gets near them. Pyro safety especially requires absolute quiet. Actors offstage, backstage conversations stop or go elsewhere - all distractions go away.

When Sound has a reason to run signal, test speakers and levels, of course that's fine. But he is very aware of everyone and just great about being sensitive to what's going on before he'll do it. If he has extended needs for making noise, he'll try to schedule it during breaks/lunch for others. 

The above is about being in the 'space' working onstage and in it's environs. Back when I was in the shop we had low level radio or CD's on at a low level - people rotated their preferences so all were ok. Saws would drown it out but when no power tools were running it'd be there in the background. Problem was the level would quickly rise (people would inch it up) until we'd have to just kill it due to the same issues. 

Cell phones are another issue. I am close to just collecting all of them during electrics calls. You can have 'em back during breaks and afterwards. I've lost count of the times I've found crew sitting on their butt, OR UP IN A BUCKET) futzing with a phone while they are getting nothing done. Time and a Place. Of course, I am the hypocrite and mine stays close to me. It's essential to the job I am on payroll to take care of. My personal stuff gets ignored til later, but it's the lifeline to other dept heads, SM's, late arriving crew. I was gonna say 'don't get me started' on phones but I guess that didn't exactly work out!!!!


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## zuixro (Nov 11, 2009)

For lighting? Rush. I heard the DVD of their "Snakes and Arrows" concert at least twenty times this summer. What is nifty is having a computer with iTunes playing music up in the booth, and an iPod Touch with the remote app, so you can control playback and volume from the stage or wherever you are in the building. That along with speakers all over the building makes for a great system. We also listened to Sky.FM and WCBS (via internet radio from New York). I didn't like Sky.FM, but WCBS is pretty good.

At school we mostly listen to show tunes (not my first choice). "The Rocky Horror Show" soundtrack is popular)). Also "The Color Purple" (). But when anything potentially dangerous is going on (pretty much anything that has to do with the flys), the music goes off.


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## tabonerb285 (Nov 14, 2009)

I tend to agree with a lot of the statements made here, as SM myself. I generally tend to not allow music to be played during any set builds/workshops, Rig up /strike.. purely for the fact like most have said, it's far far too dangerous to have distractions, such as music, headphones, mobiles etc etc.. 

and above all that communication is key. I have rules in place that nobody carries anything like mobiles, except SM, LT or TD.. for commuication during the get in and setting up safely.


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## shiben (Nov 14, 2009)

We allow people to carry cell phones. If they manage to get signal, they even get to use them! Something about 3-4 feet of concrete and steel and dirt kind of keep any cell service out of out theater space. I dont think we have had a problem with people using cell phones in our theater, or techs using them, ever. I agree with the music being just loud enough that a saw will drown it out. Thats a fairly good measure, imo.


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## Irish (Nov 14, 2009)

In a shop setting putting on music can assist with work, if managed correctly. In my old shop we swapped off who got to put on a CD, or when they started coming around somebody could plug in an IPod. We kept the level low enough that you could hear someone if they were calling you from across the shop or talk to you normally if they were standing next to you. Usually I find paddy rock/punk to be the best to work to as the beat keeps me going but that is a personal choice.

That being said the idea of music playing in a theater during a load in, strike, or really any other time is amazing to me. Who in their right mind would cut off their own ability to communicate while heavy scenery or lighting equipment is above your head? 
"We are very sorry Mrs. ****** we tried to warn you husband, but that great solo from 'November Rain' came on. We think he died happy." 

Cell phones are another great way to get hurt. Exceptions made for expecting partents, or somebody with a family emergency they let me know about before the day begins. Other wise leave it with your gear.


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## edmedmoped (Nov 14, 2009)

Yeah we only have music on when painting or working on some lights on ground level.


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## Drmafreek (Nov 15, 2009)

I'm in agreement with the no music during load-ins, load-outs, strikes, and electric calls. When communication is a key there should be nothing to distract you. I've noticed that the music has become less of a problem and cell phone usage is on the rise. Especially in an academic setting. I've banned cell phones in my shop unless you have prior approval through me or if you're a supervisor on duty while I'm out shopping. Otherwise, don't even bring them into my shop. 

During shop hours it's a little different. It really depends on what we are doing. Paint calls can have music going on as much as they want. In fact, if it's just painters I'm fine with them wearing headphones. But building is another thing entirely. Low level music where communication can still occur is fine, but if it gets too loud it goes off. I hate having to repeat myself.


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## mstaylor (Nov 19, 2009)

I don't mind low level music in some stuations such as paintingm, I will not allow headphones in any situation. I find headphones to be rude and terribly distracking. I would rather have louder music than headphones. Cellphones are a huge problem, I carry mine if I'm running the crew. If I'm a crew member then it stays in my bag and I check it at break.


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## ValleyTheaterKid (Jun 24, 2011)

TECHNO. So Much TECHNO. we usually play it over the sound system with all moniters possible and let it blast the theater will spine tingling bass drops and blood curdling dubsteps. ITS AMAZING. and we mess with the lights and make a light show( as you can tell me dont get much done, but its enough to get a show running lol). But since actors are haters we usually only play it during tech calls....Personally i dont listen to the actors and i tend to turn it up louder.


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## Les (Jun 24, 2011)

ValleyTheaterKid said:


> TECHNO. So Much TECHNO. we usually play it over the sound system with all moniters possible and let it blast the theater will spine tingling bass drops and blood curdling dubsteps. ITS AMAZING. and we mess with the lights and make a light show( as you can tell me dont get much done, but its enough to get a show running lol). But since actors are haters we usually only play it during tech calls....Personally i dont listen to the actors and i tend to turn it up louder.


 
Lol, that sounds awful. Oh, to be in high school again.


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## DuckJordan (Jun 24, 2011)

ValleyTheaterKid said:


> TECHNO. So Much TECHNO. we usually play it over the sound system with all moniters possible and let it blast the theater will spine tingling bass drops and blood curdling dubsteps. ITS AMAZING. and we mess with the lights and make a light show( as you can tell me dont get much done, but its enough to get a show running lol). But since actors are haters we usually only play it during tech calls....Personally i dont listen to the actors and i tend to turn it up louder.


 

Not to be a downer but this is how systems get damaged...


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## chausman (Jun 24, 2011)

DuckJordan said:


> Not to be a downer but this is how systems get damaged...


 
To light bulbs(or whatever is the Derek-approved word is), to speakers, to amps, to those who don't like techno(like me), your actors respect, your teachers respect, and your productivity. But, your in vegas and I'm in Washington so...do what you want!

I personally like listening to music when working, except the only time I listen to music in the theater is when I don't have anything better to do, and that doesn't happen a lot. Don't ask what kind of music. It's pretty random, and just things I like...that I didn't have to pay for on iTunes!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Esoteric (Jun 24, 2011)

I am with Footer. There is always music (or a game) on the in shop. As long as everything is decked on a hang then music is okay while we hang/circuit. I always listen to music when I am programming.

No music for rigging, weighting, or focus.

Scenery guys always have music going unless they are rigging.

Music is chosen by the most senior member of the crew, who can pass that honor along to any other crew member they would like.


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## josh88 (Jun 26, 2011)

most of the times on hangs/focus (since for the past few years it has been only myself in the theatre after regular hours. Often it's tom waits. it is a requirement now that every focus I have to play "what's he building in there" YouTube - ‪What's he building in there?‬&rlm;
going back to an old friend's ritual that came out of him walking in on his old TD during a focus, with a dark theatre, just one light on, that playing and just the knowledge that somebody is in there somewhere, but he had no idea where the guy was. so it has just become a thing now.

during crowded hangs or strikes, its silent, if we're painting, classic rock or anything at random (no show tunes) it all depends on the space and whats going on.


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## mstaylor (Jun 26, 2011)

I don't have a big problem with music while working, within reason, meaning volume and content. What does not happen is headphones or buds or music when guys are in the air. I don't have flys in any of the theatres that I work in but I would extend that to guys throwing weight.


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## NHSTechCrew (Jul 9, 2011)

-When my crew comes in early all we listen to is Frank Sinatra.
-During building we either listen to Pandora or last.fm.
-Definitely no music during focus, hanging, or weighting.
and definitely NO SHOWMUSIC


-Patrick


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## RFazz15 (Jul 10, 2011)

This year, one of our stage managers made a set of stage crew CD's. It was pretty much a balance of classic rock and showtunes. Other than that, our set designer/adviser sets his stereo up everyday and we either listen to a rock station on the radio, or he'll play cast recording of various shows. It's definitely an interesting mix of music.


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## techieman33 (Jul 11, 2011)

We listen to pandora during light hangs, room setups, etc. But as soon as anything overhead starts happening the music is turned off.


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## StarbucksAndRedBull (Jul 18, 2011)

We usually only listen to music when we're cleaning out the shop or when we have free time. The person who controls the music in the booth really likes country music, so we really don't have a choice of what to listen to.  Thankfully, almost everyone likes country, so no one really complains.


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## Pie4Weebl (Jul 19, 2011)

on my last tour we had a few "every day" songs. "Give it to me baby" by Rick James and "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel were the songs I most enjoyed played daily.

//Of course I'd focus my ML's during lunch and when it was a house line array I'd make the room shake with some Deadmau5 or Justice...


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## TheGuruat12 (Jul 20, 2011)

Whenever I'm working alone, I keep all music off, because I need to hear if anybody knocks on the door (or if somebody sneaks in who is not supposed to be in there).

With full crew, we listen to all of the music from previous dance shows, and tons of classic rock and dubstep.

However, as has been discussed, there is no music when rigging or focusing.


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## MarshallPope (Jul 21, 2011)

TheGuruat12 said:


> (or if somebody sneaks in who is not supposed to be in there).



Off-topic story, but we had a movie night in our college theatre at the end of last semester for those of us who are paid crew. There were only three or four of us there, and we had all the lights off, the movie up loud, projected on the cyc. Maybe half an hour in, we hear a noise behind us. Of course, none of us had a torch on us, so by the time my TD found one we had seen four or five shadows sneaking out of the PAC. Needless to say, the doors were then locked. How they knew we were in there, I have no idea.

Now back to your regularly scheduled discussion.


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## TheGuruat12 (Jul 21, 2011)

MarshallPope said:


> we had seen four or five shadows sneaking out of the PAC.


 
I've had this happen too many times to count. That's why I generally have the auditorium silent when I'm there, ESPECIALLY after school, because for me it's easier to tell who it is by their voices than actually having to see them


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## museav (Jul 29, 2011)

From experience, a) any music in a performance venue is probably still going to be considered a public performance even if it is only two people listening, so all rights issues probably still apply and b) be careful of what you play when others are around. I've seen the latter be an issue more than once in venues where there may be other users, clients, etc. present at times. The company I worked for some years ago almost lost a major client when when of their female executives walked in and took exception with some of the video used during the system adjustments. The images were scenes on a beach from a test and setup disc that Sony provided and were hardly controversial, but all that mattered was that she took personal offense at being 'subjected' to them.


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## chausman (Jul 30, 2011)

museav said:


> From experience, a) any music in a performance venue is probably still going to be considered a public performance even if it is only two people listening, so all rights issues probably still apply and b) be careful of what you play when others are around. I've seen the latter be an issue more than once in venues where there may be other users, clients, etc. present at times. The company I worked for some years ago almost lost a major client when when of their female executives walked in and took exception with some of the video used during the system adjustments. The images were scenes on a beach from a test and setup disc that Sony provided and were hardly controversial, but all that mattered was that she took personal offense at being 'subjected' to them.


 
And be careful where that music is going in the building. I was in a large community building that had a theater, and we weren't listening to music, but the mics we were using to talk to each other were being played into the "lobby"(hallway that connecter two sides of the building) and a cafe, and I believe a community room, as well as the orchestra rehearsing.


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## Hairkid (Jan 18, 2012)

Electronic, Techno, Industrial, Rock, Classic rock and such.
Personally, i recommend VNV Nation to anybody who is open to a new form of music. Their rhythms ad synthesis give me chills when i listen to them.


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## chausman (Jan 19, 2012)

Another source for music would be our Spotify Playlist!

http://goo.gl/BPemk


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## DomLauria (Mar 13, 2013)

*Shop Music*

What shop music motivates your work?

I'm partial to anything Built to Spill.


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## gafftapegreenia (Mar 13, 2013)

*Re: Shop Music*

Depends on the occasion. 

For carpentry I've always enjoyed 80's music, but while drafting I find Drum 'n' Bass to be strangely motivating. Other times I generally just prefer no music at all, especially on load outs, and lighting hangs.


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## Dustincoc (Mar 13, 2013)

*Re: Shop Music*

This almost always makes it in: Lord I was Born a Stagehand


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## PezUnion (Mar 13, 2013)

Metallica for welding
Daft Punk for electrical work
Good old Rock n Roll for build days
Focus is LD's Choice
Hang is ME's Choice
Rigging and Loading is the golden sound of silence


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## Dustincoc (Mar 13, 2013)

Albannach usually makes an appearance when I'm working alone.


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## bishopthomas (Mar 18, 2013)

I feel like I'm definitely in the minority in saying that I enjoy silence. Most people I think feel uncomfortable without a million things appealing to their senses. I take advantage in the silence before a stage full of musicians show up and start clanging around on their instruments. When I'm driving home I tend to ride in silence too, unless I'm tired and need to stay awake by steering wheel drumming.


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## howlingwolf487 (Mar 19, 2013)

Agreed, wholeheartedly.


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## chausman (Mar 19, 2013)

When we're doing things, I'm ok with no music. If I'm just waiting for actors to arrive, I'll usually find something to play. I'll play just about anything if someone specifically requests it, I don't have any personal preference.


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## DrPinto (Mar 19, 2013)

For safety reasons, I like no music at all when working on stage. For the next show, I'm pushing for a no phone policy too. During last strike, I caught someone holding a flat with one hand and texting with the other.

And I have a piano policy too. Anyone who wanders away from their task to start playing with the piano gets the dirtiest job I can come up with. I swear I'm going to put a lock on that %@##%@%# thing.


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## MarshallPope (Mar 19, 2013)

For me, it really depends on what is going on. For a paint call, or if I'm focusing or working alone, I'll almost always play something. It tends to keep things moving. However, if anything is happening overhead or anything that could be remotely dangerous is underway, I won't allow music. Our shop favorites tend to be modern show music or 90s-early 2000s pop.


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