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The (nearly) Unspeakable Enemy: Music Stands

#83
Isn't TB the BESTEST!!!!
I do a solo during the holidays playing guitar and singing with backing tracks. I use midis and fill as much as I can with guitar. No backing vocals.
For years I've used 3 ring binders, and all the lyrics are encased double sided in plastic sleeves. I have a backup binder and the lyrics are alphabetical, with tabbed for alphabetical letters.
So, if the binder drops, nothing scatters. Only need to make it to the end of the song! LOL

I like the idea of an iPad, or maybe a Microsoft Surface. People mentioned that they're worried about dropping their iPad. I support a bunch of iPads used by engineers at work. I always buy them ruggedized cases to idiot-proof them in the field. You'd be amazed at some of the horror stories of what they can endure in the field. So for those of you worried, go to Amazon or somewhere and get an iPad case. Guaranteed to survive a drop from several feet.

I was looking for a solution like this, and I'm glad I dropped by today... got the old noodle twirling.... Thanks TB'ers! :thumbsup:
 
#84
Use it friend, don't worry about it. With time you may not need it at all shows, but for now rock it out. We use them in church, with my buddies, or whenever. Been really interested in one of those AirTurn pedals and a tablet of some kind; just need one large enough to not make it too difficult to read.
 
#85
Stands are not the enemy - people who are glued to some aid, and therefore do not interact with the crowd - that's the enemy with live rock music. I'd rather have someone with a stand off to the side who makes eye contact with and involves the audience over someone with no stand who spends the evening looking at his left hand (or the floor) any time.
 
#86
I just did some gigs with a 'pro' band. They claimed to know hundreds of songs. Come to find out they had ipads with tab/lyrics in front of them all night. Gave me grief for not learning all of the material (set list would change literally a day before the event). No thanks, that's not knowing a song anymore than reading a book is learning a speech. I quit.
 
#87
azureblue said:
This is the evilst of all music stands. Guaranteed to dump all your music on the floor in the middle of the most critical part of the song

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...my absolute pet peeve, I have a guitarist that shows up with one of these from time to time... anything that is not black, and completely hides what is on it, is not acceptable under any conditions IMHO ...

I will seldom use it, but I have one of these Peak folding models (mentioned earlier), and the way the top section 'folds' it is possible to minimize the width of it to one or two strips ... probably the least noticable of full size stand out there ...

Peak Music Stands Portable Music Stand
 
#89
denhou1974 said:
I just did some gigs with a 'pro' band. They claimed to know hundreds of songs. Come to find out they had ipads with tab/lyrics in front of them all night. Gave me grief for not learning all of the material (set list would change literally a day before the event). No thanks, that's not knowing a song anymore than reading a book is learning a speech. I quit.
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Knowing a song and being able to play it are different------
and apply to different situations. A party band with a 1500 song repertoire has a different market than a show band.
 
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#90
SirMjac28 said:
Nobody seems to care about this and these folks spend more than the average amount of time perfecting their craft. I don't know what type of music you play but at my age I much rather see a band that sounds good versus one that looks good.

Orchestra-overhead.jpg
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Great pic, however, classical musicians are trained to always use sheet music on a stand. They are unable to go 'off-script'.
 
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#94
Obviously, a well rehearsed group may not need charts & stands - and sure, stands can sometimes look out of place on a rocking stage show. However, if you're a sub, or new to a group has a large repertoire, than a stand is an honorable accessory. I'm doing a pick up gig with an old time swing band this weekend and their book has several hundred tunes. I'd rather have a quick look at the changes and play like a boss - than try to fake each song and sound like a hoss.
 
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#95
I've never used a music stand, it does stand in the way of the viewing audience. What I have done however on occasion is to just write a brief but to the point chord chart after the songs on the setlist. Noone in the audience can see your setlist taped to the floor behind your pedals, and if you look down at it they just think you are looking at your pedals or frets. And really I only ever had to glance at it between songs as I read the next song on the list, just enough to jog my memory.
 
#98
Coolhandjjl said:
Great pic, however, classical musicians are trained to always use sheet music on a stand. They are unable to go 'off-script'.
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Do they even need them? I've always been curious about that? and I've been to concerts where they don't even look up at the conductor once it really is a complex and difficult world they live in.
 
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#99
arbiterusa said:
I will never understand this mentality and I have run into it at every single online music forum I've found. Pros use music stands, period. If you think it will mess with your precious image, get a tablet mount and use it instead.

The thing that will ruin a show for your audience is getting lost in a song, or forgetting a lyric, because you didn't bring your music stand.
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I spent 2 years working as a musician on cruise ships, playing in a party band where we had at least 12 hours of non-repeating material that we played every week. (FYI, paying taxes on money I was paid for playing music, even if only on cruise ships, makes me consider myself PRO even if I'm not Stevie Wonder, who doesn't use charts and sounds just fine.) I used charts to make sure I didn't screw up for the first 5 weeks of being on the ship, but after that I no longer needed my charts and no longer took them on stage. If I got lost, I referenced my brain so I didn't have to look for what repeat bar or coda sign I missed, but could use my memory and my ears to fix the problem by turning my mistake into an intentional musical choice and navigating back to the rest of the band. Getting rid of my music stand freed me to listen, to communicate with my bandmates, improvise more tastefully, adjust my tone, dance, and have more fun doing my job.

I'm a musician, which make me consider myself an entertainer. I play music as my living and and part of my passion. Even though it is my passion, I expect people to pay me to do my job. Why would I expect people give me money to do what I love? Hopefully because they enjoy their entire experience with my bands, my smile and dance included. This is the reason that my bands perform on stages and not orchestra pits, so that people can watch them too. If you neglect the visual aspect of a performance, you limit the quality of a product you provide people. Yes, get your notes right first, but don't try to cheat people of their money by stopping there, try to look like you are having fun up there, keep your eyes and ears open so you can be free to make your product even better.

I purchased the music stand as a tool, to help me in the process of memorizing songs so I can give my profession 100% on and off stage. I not trying to knock anyone using a music stand, but I will say this: if you want to entertain people even more then you already do and make better music, know your music by heart so it can ooze out of you, music stand or not.
 
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