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Music Stands on Stage

#141
bluewine said:
Good point, and like many other topics and issues some opinions are going to be generational.

I came out of the mid 60s to early 70s. I don't expect anyone under 40 to agree or understand many of my positions.

Blue
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True.

As a teenager, my ordinary apparel was bellbottoms, hiking boots, thermal shirts, with an army shirt over it, very long hair, etc. Led Zeppelin, Rush, Yes, etc. were the bands I was into. That would have been what I wore on stage with my first band as well. By the time Nirvana hit most kids my age were yearning for something new and different and I took to it pretty quickly.

So I guess I am multi-generational, with a healthy understanding of both. lol
 
#142
Never use cheat sheets when I'm playing with my regular bands.

Tonight I have a sub job playing at a seniors dance club. It's an easy fun gig because the dance floor is full all night and they are very appreciative of the music. I'll be playing 40 songs I've never heard prior to a quick run through Wednesday night and another 20 or so from my previous sub gig with them. So yes, I'll have a music stand with charts in my peculiar form of short hand and I'll play each style of music as honestly as I can.

The people at this gig won't care if I'm a sit in player with a music stand but they sure will care if they can't dance to the song because I don't know what the heck I'm doing.
 
#143
SpecialBlender said:
Never use cheat sheets when I'm playing with my regular bands.

Tonight I have a sub job playing at a seniors dance club. It's an easy fun gig because the dance floor is full all night and they are very appreciative of the music. I'll be playing 40 songs I've never heard prior to a quick run through Wednesday night and another 20 or so from my previous sub gig with them. So yes, I'll have a music stand with charts in my peculiar form of short hand and I'll play each style of music as honestly as I can.

The people at this gig won't care if I'm a sit in player with a music stand but they sure will care if they can't dance to the song because I don't know what the heck I'm doing.
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Perfectly understandable to use a music stand in that situation.

Am I the only TBer that plays in 1 band in dirty, small rock clubs and biker bars where a music stand would be unnecessary and out of place?

Blue
 
#145
Floyd Eye said:
First of all, I did no name calling.
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Yes, technically it was the imaginary audience you made up inside your head that was the puppet calling your fellow TBers unprepared, bedroom-hack douches. Around here, we attribute a quote like that to the puppeteer, not the puppet. You can either be a big man and own it, or not. Honestly, I don't care. I'm not personally offended; I'm just kindly suggesting you could dial down the rhetoric.

Floyd Eye said:
You can justify it if you want to I guess, but when you are in a bar watching a local band, covers or originals, and there is a guy with a music stand in front of him, the vast majority of people in the audience are at a minimum thinking the guy is unprepared and more often than not they are thinking the guy is a douche. Fight it all you want here on TB, but that's the cold hard reality of it. Most cover bands know anywhere from 70-300 songs. I am no rocket scientist but I don't need any crib notes for the 70 or so currently in our rotation. If you do then maybe you either need a lot more practice or maybe you should just stay in your bedroom.
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#147
derrico1 said:
Yes, technically it was the imaginary audience you made up inside your head that was the puppet calling your fellow TBers unprepared, bedroom-hack douches. Around here, we attribute a quote like that to the puppeteer, not the puppet. You can either be a big man and own it, or not. Honestly, I don't care. I'm not personally offended; I'm just kindly suggesting you could dial down the rhetoric.
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Hey, all I did was point out the reality of it.

If I have offended anyone though, I apologize.
 
#151
Floyd Eye said:
And dude, if you are in a bar band and you need a music stand, there is NO DOUBT that you need more practice. That is also some reality for you.
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Yeah, no. If you think that, it's fine...but no necessarily what everyone in a bar thinks. Most of the really good musicians around here play with a music stand on stage.

Ever try to play The Beatles A-Z? Every musician on the stage has a book. With all VERY well rehearsed musicians.
 
#152
bassgod0dmw said:
Yeah, no. If you think that, it's fine...but no necessarily what everyone in a bar thinks. Most of the really good musicians around here play with a music stand on stage.

Ever try to play The Beatles A-Z? Every musician on the stage has a book. With all VERY well rehearsed musicians.
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To play The Beatles A-Z, you would be talking about a 12 hour gig. Also, I know quite a few guys who can play damn near anything by The Beatles and don't rely on a book.

But hey, if you have no problem being on stage, in a bar, playing covers with a book in front of you, knock yourself out brother. Makes no difference to me.
 
#154
Floyd Eye said:
It's amazing how people on this thread are still confusing rock/bar bands with other types of bands. You can justify it if you want to I guess, but when you are in a bar watching a local band, covers or originals, and there is a guy with a music stand in front of him, the vast majority of people in the audience are at a minimum thinking the guy is unprepared and more often than not they are thinking the guy is a douche. Fight it all you want here on TB, but that's the cold hard reality of it. Most cover bands know anywhere from 70-300 songs. I am no rocket scientist but I don't need any crib notes for the 70 or so currently in our rotation. If you do then maybe you either need a lot more practice or maybe you should just stay in your bedroom.
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No, the *vast* majority don't even notice. They're dancing, drinking or trying to make time with the opposite sex. As long as the band is grooving, the overwhelming majority doesn't even notice. However, if the band is screwing up, THEN they notice.


Want to put odds on which of the two methods leaves the most room to screw up?
 
#155
Whatever dude. Do your homework and you don't need a stand. I know you're a pro or whatever, but I have been gigging for 20 years and have been surrounded by bars and musicians my whole life. Most people DO think cover band/bar guys with music stands are rank amateurs, regardless of what YOU think.
 
#156
Floyd Eye said:
Whatever dude. Do your homework and you don't need a stand. I know you're a pro or whatever, but I have been gigging for 20 years and have been surrounded by bars and musicians my whole life. Most people DO think cover band/bar guys with music stands are rank amateurs, regardless of what YOU think.
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I know quite a few pro level players that show up at gigs with music stands.
...hell, Ive been to shows put on by national touring acts that use music stands. double hell, I saw stanley clarke in a small theatre a few years back and while he did not have a music stand at least one of the band members did.

I really fail to see how this is any kind of an issue at all unless you are "image conscious", and if that is the case it is not really about the music, but about how you want people to perceive you.
 
#158
You can SAY that, but it doesn't make it true. Most people don't notice unless they can't dance or someone's screwing up.
 
#159
Floyd Eye said:
So I guess all those bands who work so hard on their "Show" are just wasting their time, since only accurate reproduction of the music counts. lol
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thats what i go to shows for...to hear good music...anything else is secondary to me.

honestly, it sounds like you may be coming more from the showmanship side of things which is fine, but is not what all of us are into..
 

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