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Music Stands on Stage
- Thread starter lustersilk
- Start date
It's a judgment call, plain and simple. Music is just too diverse to accommodate hard-and-fast rules.
Use one if you need it. Sure some punk kids will probably hate but once they hear how good you sound all of there hate will turn into jealousy. The only time I use a stand is at church and in orchestra and jazz band everything else is just remeber the progressions.
and we have more offers for gigs than we can handle so somebody out there likes us.
in the end.........that's all that matters.
good for you!
- May 30, 2000
- 4,707
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- Disclosures
- Creator of: iGigBook Sheet Music Manager
There's always the argument made that music stands look unprofessional or give the impression that one is unprepared, however it takes a real professional to show up for a gig and play what's on paper sight un-seen and make it sound like they've been playing it all their lives.
so...... if someone wants to looks like a "real professional", they should have a music stand in front of them?
- May 30, 2000
- 4,707
- 257
- Disclosures
- Creator of: iGigBook Sheet Music Manager
My original point is this: If you say music stands look unprofessional or makes the player or band look unprepared that notion is coming from a place that doesn't take into consideration what professional prepared musicians are doing every day of the week.
put a stand-mounted drinkholder "beer coozie" on it. Now, if nothing else, it's indispensable.
Actually, I always wanted a giant-sized hamster water bottle, with bourbon. I don't know if I'd be able to read anything after the first set, nor play anything beginning after the break...
Actually, I always wanted a giant-sized hamster water bottle, with bourbon. I don't know if I'd be able to read anything after the first set, nor play anything beginning after the break...
I'm a hack when it comes to sight reading, I can get by with charts.
I just prefer to learn the tunes I play.
funny, I've seen plenty of professional shows (Stones, Flecktones, Willie Nelson to name a few) and I've never seen any of them playing with sheet music in front of them.
Maybe they ain't professionals after all.
- May 30, 2000
- 4,707
- 257
- Disclosures
- Creator of: iGigBook Sheet Music Manager
I saw of video of Herbie Hancock doing a show, performaing a tune he wrote and he had sheet music. In any event, I didn't say you weren't professional if you didn't use a music stand. There a professionals that can just hear or simply be told what the changes are and deliver a performance as if they "learned" the tune.
well, he must be a "real professional" then.
This discussion can go in indefinitely, I'll just concede - do whatever works for you.
BTDT: Music stands on stage?
Lots of past threads on the topic.
If the music is good, IME, the audience (except for some other musicians) doesn't care much if at all.
Lots of past threads on the topic.
If the music is good, IME, the audience (except for some other musicians) doesn't care much if at all.
- May 30, 2000
- 4,707
- 257
- Disclosures
- Creator of: iGigBook Sheet Music Manager
This is probably a good thing for you to do since you are arguing a point that I haven't made.
You make your money off of the people that take written music on stage with them.
I'm pretty sure I can guess what your position is on the topic.
Like I said..... do whatever works for you.
Committing the songs we play to memory is what works best for me.
- Apr 1, 2000
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- Endorsing Artist: Roscoe Guitars, DR Strings, Aguilar Amplification
The cover band I'm in, music stands are not used. It's a given, we don't use them, and if anyone wanted to it would be discouraged. Our singer knows all the songs by heart as well as the musicians. I've been told by audience members that they are impressed by the fact that we don't use stands "like those other guys."
I mean no disrespect, do whatever works for you, but personally I like the way we do it.
I was in a cover band once where the singer used a stand, I was a little embarrassed.
Whenever I see a cover band using stands, I think a little less of their professionalism/commitment/preparation.
Fill in, sub, orchestra, big name star.... different story. I think anyone being asked to play music they're not familiar with is going to use a stand. How could you not? Big stars can get away with anything.
But a cover band playing the same songs every night? Original band playing their own songs? Stands shouldn't be necessary. IMO
The praise band I'm in, everyone has a stand, BUT we're playing six songs pulled from a catalog of about 200 and some of those we haven't played in months. Even then, I almost never use mine simply because I remember the bass parts. But I undertand that the singers aren't going to remember lyrics to any random song among 200 songs they haven't sung for months.
I mean no disrespect, do whatever works for you, but personally I like the way we do it.
I was in a cover band once where the singer used a stand, I was a little embarrassed.
Whenever I see a cover band using stands, I think a little less of their professionalism/commitment/preparation.
Fill in, sub, orchestra, big name star.... different story. I think anyone being asked to play music they're not familiar with is going to use a stand. How could you not? Big stars can get away with anything.
But a cover band playing the same songs every night? Original band playing their own songs? Stands shouldn't be necessary. IMO
The praise band I'm in, everyone has a stand, BUT we're playing six songs pulled from a catalog of about 200 and some of those we haven't played in months. Even then, I almost never use mine simply because I remember the bass parts. But I undertand that the singers aren't going to remember lyrics to any random song among 200 songs they haven't sung for months.
I've been in bands (Cover) where someone has brought a music stand, but they moved it off to the side. You could see it if you looked for it, but only used it when he needed to glance at a chart. Our set list was predetermined, so the song order was there. I think in a cover band situation that is fine.
For me, I don't like to have one there just because I tend to use it too much, so rather than engaging with the crowd I'm staring at a chart. I typically will just write cheats (passages I have trouble remembering, first note, etc.) on my setlist on the floor.
For me, I don't like to have one there just because I tend to use it too much, so rather than engaging with the crowd I'm staring at a chart. I typically will just write cheats (passages I have trouble remembering, first note, etc.) on my setlist on the floor.
I sing lead, and play rythym guitar in my rock cover band. I play bass for fun and jam with friends on bass.
I've got everything memorized. Right now that's about 30 songs. I can play my guitar parts, most of the other guitar parts as well if needed, and I also play some keyboard parts on some tunes. Lyrics wise, I just memorize the tunes by listening to them over and over again during my commute and singing along. I was in a gigging band for a while on bass, and had around 50 songs memorized for that.
That being said, this is my choice. My band agrees there shouldn't be music stands so that's how we roll.
In my friends band, there are 4 big manhasset music stands on stage (singer, rythym guitar, bassist and lead guitar all have their own). I saw them live and they sounded good, but the problem was they stared at the stands... seemingly to avoid looking at the crowd. The problem was not the existence of the stands, but the staring at them. I mentioned it to him, and he has since ditched his stand to force himself to not stare at it. HOWEVER.. they get lots of gigs. People dance and sing along when they play. So who really gives a crap?
I've got everything memorized. Right now that's about 30 songs. I can play my guitar parts, most of the other guitar parts as well if needed, and I also play some keyboard parts on some tunes. Lyrics wise, I just memorize the tunes by listening to them over and over again during my commute and singing along. I was in a gigging band for a while on bass, and had around 50 songs memorized for that.
That being said, this is my choice. My band agrees there shouldn't be music stands so that's how we roll.
In my friends band, there are 4 big manhasset music stands on stage (singer, rythym guitar, bassist and lead guitar all have their own). I saw them live and they sounded good, but the problem was they stared at the stands... seemingly to avoid looking at the crowd. The problem was not the existence of the stands, but the staring at them. I mentioned it to him, and he has since ditched his stand to force himself to not stare at it. HOWEVER.. they get lots of gigs. People dance and sing along when they play. So who really gives a crap?
