Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Music Stands on Stage
- Thread starter PauFerro
- Start date
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,350
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
To all you music stand people, I've always wondered...does anyone buy one new or are the all purchased at yard sales or stolen from high school music departments.
I go to rock concerts and hope there will be music stands on stage. I then pick those stands up from the back alley where they are thrown away after the show. The musicians are so embarassed by the audience's reaction to the stands you see, they are mortified by the scorn from the audience, mortified I tell you.
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,350
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
On gig a ways back (ok ok early 90's) at a pretty famous club in NYC...our guitarist had his back up guitar stolen from the secure back stage gear storage. He was pretty angry that one of his old Kramers walked. So that night on stage in front of more than a thousand people our singer proceed to break about 6 mic stands and more than a couple vocal mics. He was trying to take out roughly the same value in their gear, since it was obviously one of their people who stole the guitar.
Not too rock to smash a music stand though.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
I sub for a lot of jazz bands and I couldn't do it without a stand and charts. Usually because I get a couple of day's notice -- "Hey, we have a gig Saturday, can you play?" kinda deal, and maybe one rehearsal beforehand if we're lucky.
I've played wit all these people in various combinations so we know each other well enough to watch each other for endings and things, but without the charts I'd get lost.
A well-rehearsed rock band shouldn't have stands though, and I didn't use them when I was doing that sort of gig with weekly rehearsals all year.
Diff'rent strokes ...
I've played wit all these people in various combinations so we know each other well enough to watch each other for endings and things, but without the charts I'd get lost.
A well-rehearsed rock band shouldn't have stands though, and I didn't use them when I was doing that sort of gig with weekly rehearsals all year.
Diff'rent strokes ...
BTW, people pointing out that classical players use stands as if that proves something. I think I speak for everyone: "no poopie, Sherlock". Classical music is, by and large, meant to be read. Especially larger ensemble pieces. I can't even conceive of an orchestral performance with no music stands.
The praise band guys in this thread have opened my eyes to the sheer volume of repertoire they work from and I suppose people aren't there to be entertained by the showmanship of the band in that setting.
A corporate jazz gig? Hell, nobody is even listening to the music (let alone looking at you), you can use a school blackboard with one of those 5 chalk staff thingies. But if I go to a jazz club on purpose (it could happen) to see jazz musicians play, that is supposed to be about improv and listening to each other.
The praise band guys in this thread have opened my eyes to the sheer volume of repertoire they work from and I suppose people aren't there to be entertained by the showmanship of the band in that setting.
A corporate jazz gig? Hell, nobody is even listening to the music (let alone looking at you), you can use a school blackboard with one of those 5 chalk staff thingies. But if I go to a jazz club on purpose (it could happen) to see jazz musicians play, that is supposed to be about improv and listening to each other.
Stolen from church. Pretty damn rock and roll.
Apparently, there are some here who think that classical musicians can "play their lines" with more "feel" if they memorize the music.
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits - Einstein.Apparently, there are some here who think that classical musicians can "play their lines" with more "feel" if they memorize the music.
Rebel Salute festival from a couple of years back: members of the house band were using music stands (RS is one of the biggest reggae festivals there is). I will sometimes use cheat sheets on reggae shows where I have to back several artists. As the guy who has to be there on the downbeat during shows where the band usually goes straight into the next tune with no pause I've never received any complaints from either the band or the artists.
I bought all three of my stands new although I know a plethora of people with stolen college music department stands.
I have several heavy duty orchestral stands, capable of holding two, ~200 page books at the same time. They were acquired in an innocent, rather benign deal involving the stands, an aging hooker and several well trained parrots.
I bought mine new, but ran over it in my garage by accident, so it's got some road rash.
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,350
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
Both good reputable music stand stories. Although extra points for a hooker who tricks with parrots.
If you're wearing Depends a music stand is OK for sure
.
I'm not sure how memorizing your parts somehow makes you a "better" musician.
Doesn't bother me to see a music stand on stage. Use one if you want. And, now that I'm starting to sing some lead vocals, I'm seriously considering starting to use one myself.
Doesn't bother me to see a music stand on stage. Use one if you want. And, now that I'm starting to sing some lead vocals, I'm seriously considering starting to use one myself.
I figure, if you object to music stands on stage, then you probably won't like the kind of music that I play. 
Jazz combo groups playing standards? Sure, I leave my stand at home for those gigs. Is some stuff performed with stands, that shouldn't be? Sure. I've noticed some players have the stand sitting there as a crutch, but never even have their books open to the tune that's being played.
When I play with a stand, do I engage with the audience? Sure. That's my job. Jazz may be have less physical and psychological "distance" from the audience anyway, because we tend to play with less gear in smaller venues, at lower volumes. And the nature of the audience interaction may be different. I play a lot of "sit down and listen" music, sometimes to sober audiences.
Classical? Most pro caliber classical players have memorized more music than the typical rock band will ever learn. And it's not just songs, but lengthy compositions, including modern stuff that has little or no melody or harmony. The way that classical is taught these days, kids start out playing by ear, and from memory, and learn to read later on. Sure, not all classical players are good ear players, but neither are all rock players.
When I was a kid, my mom caught me practicing my cello -- reading a catalog on the music stand while playing all of my lessons from memory.
Jazz combo groups playing standards? Sure, I leave my stand at home for those gigs. Is some stuff performed with stands, that shouldn't be? Sure. I've noticed some players have the stand sitting there as a crutch, but never even have their books open to the tune that's being played.
When I play with a stand, do I engage with the audience? Sure. That's my job. Jazz may be have less physical and psychological "distance" from the audience anyway, because we tend to play with less gear in smaller venues, at lower volumes. And the nature of the audience interaction may be different. I play a lot of "sit down and listen" music, sometimes to sober audiences.
Classical? Most pro caliber classical players have memorized more music than the typical rock band will ever learn. And it's not just songs, but lengthy compositions, including modern stuff that has little or no melody or harmony. The way that classical is taught these days, kids start out playing by ear, and from memory, and learn to read later on. Sure, not all classical players are good ear players, but neither are all rock players.
I don't know if it makes me better than other musicians, as I have plenty of limitations. I don't think that I ever decided that I would be good at memorizing. By ability to learn tunes -- that I hear or that I read from a page -- has expanded my musical vocabulary. For some of the charts that my band plays (again, recognizing that a better player might not have this limitation), I need to learn the part and read it, in order to perform it well.
When I was a kid, my mom caught me practicing my cello -- reading a catalog on the music stand while playing all of my lessons from memory.
