Misc

Jams

Hamilton Cuts

How to write an opening number for the Tony Awards:
1) Have Tom Kitt write a fiendishly simple and catchy melody.
2) Listen to this mp3 loop 100K times until you know what words to put to it.
3) Have Neil Patrick Harris give you 50 notes to make it funnier.
4) And you're done!

Bigger Demo Tony Opening 2013

Before Laurens and Lafayette came along, my first draft of My Shot was just Hamilton and an extended 2nd verse from Hercules Mulligan. Here is that demo.

My Shot First Draft

You Got What You Wanted

Where do the light-speed raps of Freestyle Love Supreme come from? The composer/star of “In the Heights” shares his secrets – and offers a backstage look at writing Tony numbers for Neil Patrick Harris as well as his views on Sondheim, He-Man underwear, and the MCs who belong on the Mount Rushmore of Rap.

Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Mind of a Freestyle MC

I write songs all the time but I'm a use this thing to play you old demos. Don't steal 'em. I love you.

My Shot First Draft

Lin_Manuel