Our drummer has a stand right in front of his kit and reads the music as we play as well. Sometimes when he's really flailing away the sheets of music start falling off the stand and get skewers by his drum sticks.
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It is a great thing to be able to sight read, but I feel that if you never take your nose out of the music, you will miss out on developing skills that a well rounded musician should have including an ear and a technique for breaking the music down into recognizable patterns rhat can be easily memorized.
If somebody has a tough tune in mind, call it and see what we can do
If somebody has a tough tune in mind, call it and see what we can do
You're all right, in context. Ipads and music stands are not going away. I use one for subbing, but I don't read on the fly, I pull up a song, and study it for 15-20 seconds, and rarely go back to it mid song.
I cannot help but get a laugh during the miriad county fairs/ribfests I've done FOH for, all afternoon, during the Dad Band segment, each band sets up their music stands, and while moving mics I take a peek- Charts for Honky Tonk Woman !!!!
That's just wrong.
I cannot help but get a laugh during the miriad county fairs/ribfests I've done FOH for, all afternoon, during the Dad Band segment, each band sets up their music stands, and while moving mics I take a peek- Charts for Honky Tonk Woman !!!!
That's just wrong.
I think people are just so afraid of screwing up that they take precaution by using charts. Or, they didn’t take the time to learn the basic chord structure at all, not even for a second.
There used to be this streaming chord site called “Riffstation” that was later bought by Fender. Now it’s gone, or, and I hope this is the case, is merely undergoing maintenance, but it would detect and stream chords to any song. I could sit and mindlessly play a song I’ve never heard just by watching the chords stream along.
Now, like I said, it’s gone. I’ve gone back to learning songs the old way....by charts and/or ear. Sigh, I must admit that there is a certain aspect of laziness that is oh so satisfying. But, after a year of using it, I’d say I committed maybe five songs to memory via Riffstation. The old way works better, but it’s work and we don’t like work anymore.
I don’t like charts on stage but a iPad is ok. I played a short stint with a country band who’s band leader insisted all players except the drummer used song charts on a music stand. It looked really bad. His reason was with charts there should be no mistakes 
But with keys players they get a pass. Almost looks weird to see a keyboard player without charts.
But with keys players they get a pass. Almost looks weird to see a keyboard player without charts.
Yeah, my dad did that to me once when I was 15 or 16. It was my first formal gig playing some barn church service, so I was so concerned with knowing all songs in advance. I practiced for hours. I still vividly remember him saying, “Songs in A, fellas.” This was the first song, that I’d never played before, or knew about. The guy also threw me in the pool at age 6, so I shoulda expected that. You can’t expect the unexpected 100% of the time, so you might as well be prepared to embarrass yourself, screw up, take the results, and move on with a sense of humor.
Hi
This is the first time I hear about the Suzuki method.
My grandpa was a violin teacher. He taught my dad to play by ear, when he was 4 years old.
Pa told me, he was not allowed to read notes, until he started playing the piano (two years later).
Funny thing: I could read notes before I picked up the bass...
I was always sitting on my dad' s lap, when he played the piano and I was a curious kid!
When I started playing the bass, I bought a "method" with TABs and a whole bunch of songbooks
(Beatles, Stones, Led Zep,...)
My dad saw them, burned them
and bought me a tape recorder! I had to promise him to learn by ear, playing along to my records!
Suzuki? Never heard of!
Back to OP: Free your keyboarders! Burn the charts!
Cheat sheets are cool, when you have to cope with hundreds of songs,
that change frequently.
But the standards, you have to know by heart!
And you should be able to play them in all keys! (IMO)
may the bass be with you
Wise(b)ass
I’m more likely to mess up with charts.I don’t like charts on stage but a iPad is ok. I played a short stint with a country band who’s band leader insisted all players except the drummer used song charts on a music stand. It looked really bad. His reason was with charts there should be no mistakes
But with keys players they get a pass. Almost looks weird to see a keyboard player without charts.
Take baseball, for example. If you’re afraid of striking out, you’ll be more likely to strike out. The worry is a pervasive disease that pulls on your abilities. Essentially, you do the work before you step up to the plate, be prepared for whatever the pitcher throws. Same concept can be applied to music.
there are no rules. what works for one may not work for another.
while this thread is mostly thoughtful, TB is full of: "the way i do things, see things, judge things is the way others ought to consider doing things, seeing things and judging things." we get to play that out on this forum with a fair amount of anonymity and a greater amount of bluster --- as in 'wannabe expert'. as soon as you consider yourself an expert in doing, seeing, and judging = you're stuck to the ideas you have to defend as 'the expert' =
there are no rules. what works for one may not work for another (if you disagree with this last statement: let me know!) thanks, jim
while this thread is mostly thoughtful, TB is full of: "the way i do things, see things, judge things is the way others ought to consider doing things, seeing things and judging things." we get to play that out on this forum with a fair amount of anonymity and a greater amount of bluster --- as in 'wannabe expert'. as soon as you consider yourself an expert in doing, seeing, and judging = you're stuck to the ideas you have to defend as 'the expert' =
there are no rules. what works for one may not work for another (if you disagree with this last statement: let me know!) thanks, jim
I don’t think anyone here is saying there is one way to do things, and I think most understand this concept of individual freedom of choice. I will always appreciate the opinions and experiences of others. I would not want to live in a world where I can’t offer my own independent experiences and opinions. I think people need to learn this at a young age....take it or leave it. It is not right to tell people their opinion and experiences are not valid.there are no rules. what works for one may not work for another.
while this thread is mostly thoughtful, TB is full of: "the way i do things, see things, judge things is the way others ought to consider doing things, seeing things and judging things." we get to play that out on this forum with a fair amount of anonymity and a greater amount of bluster --- as in 'wannabe expert'. as soon as you consider yourself an expert in doing, seeing, and judging = you're stuck to the ideas you have to defend as 'the expert' =
there are no rules. what works for one may not work for another (if you disagree with this last statement: let me know!) thanks, jim
there are no rules. what works for one may not work for another.
while this thread is mostly thoughtful, TB is full of: "the way i do things, see things, judge things is the way others ought to consider doing things, seeing things and judging things." we get to play that out on this forum with a fair amount of anonymity and a greater amount of bluster --- as in 'wannabe expert'. as soon as you consider yourself an expert in doing, seeing, and judging = you're stuck to the ideas you have to defend as 'the expert' =
there are no rules. what works for one may not work for another (if you disagree with this last statement: let me know!) thanks, jim
You sound like my wife. Are you German?
i agree with you. that was the point of my comment!
TB is full of: "the way i do things, see things, judge things is the way others ought toconsider doing things, seeing things and judging things."
Well, I can’t say that most members of TB think this way, but, I don’t know, looking at society, I suppose it may very well be true.
IMHO, charts belong in the rehearsal room or studio, not on stage. That said, for me, the fastest and most effective way of learning or memorising a new piece is, and always has been, to write out my own chart, which can range from a few chords or a cheat sheet to a note-for-note part on standard notation, but never tab!
OP: sorry for the derail!
well, i agree with you, respectfully! but i didn't really say that ("most")....., IMO!
I agree 100% and when I do read a chart I often mess up....kinda like chewing gum and walking. I do my homework ...no need for charts.
