This is karaoke, isn't it?

[SteveCS]

They didn't. It was paper notebooks before those devices came out, which looks even worse.

IME, the thing with the paper notebooks, be they for lyrics, chord charts, lead sheets or standard notation, is if you write them out for yourself there is a massive reduction in learning and memorisation time and an extension of accurate long-term recall. If you download the text all pre-formatted and presentable, that 'effective learning' step is bypassed and the tool is in danger of becoming the crutch.

YMMV

 

[LBS-bass]

IME, the thing with the paper notebooks, be they for lyrics, chord charts, lead sheets or standard notation, is if you write them out for yourself there is a massive reduction in learning and memorisation time and an extension of accurate long-term recall. If you download the text all pre-formatted and presentable, that 'effective learning' step is bypassed and the tool is in danger of becoming the crutch.

YMMV

Most people I know still using paper are printing charts from the internet. Agreed back in the day there was only one way to do it, but needing the charts at all after doing all that, for me was just superfluous. Once I’d done that and then played it a few times I had it down, and I never needed a stand or book.

We also played a lot, so many more opportunities to get it under your fingers quickly.

 

[SteveCS]

...
needing the charts at all after doing all that, for me was just superfluous. Once I’d done that and then played it a few times I had it down, and I never needed a stand or book.
....

Exactly my.point.

 

[LBS-bass]

Exactly my.point.

But my point was that, back then, when we first learned something we almost always had the opportunity to take it to the stage with a cheat sheet the following night, and then play in on stage a couple more times while learning it was still fresh. Then you threw away your cheat sheet and played it three or five times a week, every week, until you dropped it from your set list.

Nothing will sear something into your memory banks like trial by fire, and if you did make a mistake under those circumstances, you remembered it.

Nowadays people learn a song, play it twice in rehearsal, and don't play it again for a month.

 

[Cave Puppy]

But my point was that, back then, when we first learned something we almost always had the opportunity to take it to the stage with a cheat sheet the following night, and then play in on stage a couple more times while learning it was still fresh. Then you threw away your cheat sheet and played it three or five times a week, every week, until you dropped it from your set list.

Nothing will sear something into your memory banks like trial by fire, and if you did make a mistake under those circumstances, you remembered it.

Nowadays people learn a song, play it twice in rehearsal, and don't play it again for a month.

If I ever have to learn Don't Stop Believing again and not play it at a gig - I won't!

 

[Nashrakh]

I'm beginning to wonder how singers would feel if we read the music off a tablet all night, as if we were sightreading. Who am I kidding, we are bassists -- nobody would notice.

(And for the record, the singers in my band -- a total of 3 including harmonies -- all use tablets to read basically everything... and we play 50s/60s Rock and Roll. Talk about lazy.)

 

[LBS-bass]

I'm beginning to wonder how singers would feel if we read the music off a tablet all night, as if we were sightreading. Who am I kidding, we are bassists -- nobody would notice.

(And for the record, the singers in my band -- a total of 3 including harmonies -- all use tablets to read basically everything... and we play 50s/60s Rock and Roll. Talk about lazy.)

Lots of subs do exactly this. A friend of mine who just moved to a different state premiered a new band and his video shows both him and the guitar player with stands in front of them. The guitarist in one of my bands who is the best guitarist I've worked with in this town always has notation in front of him. The guitarist in one of my other bands has a tablet. One thing all of these people have in common is a background as serious pros. It's turning into quite a normalized thing.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Lots of subs do exactly this. A friend of mine who just moved to a different state premiered a new band and his video shows both him and the guitar player with stands in front of them. The guitarist in one of my bands who is the best guitarist I've worked with in this town always has notation in front of him. The guitarist in one of my other bands has a tablet. One thing all of these people have in common is a background as serious pros. It's turning into quite a normalized thing.

Maybe these will come into fashion with rock bands.

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[gln1955]

Maybe these will come into fashion with rock bands.

Welcome to Big Band Stands.com : The UK's Leading Manufacturer of Big Band Music Stands : School Bands : Dance Bands : Concert Bands : Lightweight Music Stands made from Specialist Professional Polypropylene Board

Even Duck used one.

 

[Nashrakh]

Lots of subs do exactly this. A friend of mine who just moved to a different state premiered a new band and his video shows both him and the guitar player with stands in front of them. The guitarist in one of my bands who is the best guitarist I've worked with in this town always has notation in front of him. The guitarist in one of my other bands has a tablet. One thing all of these people have in common is a background as serious pros. It's turning into quite a normalized thing.

Ironically, two out of three bands have me reading dots (big bands). I can get why subs would want to show up with paper or digital charts too, it's a great way to condense prep time.

If you need the words in front of you for two sets worth of 12 bar blues like my peeps however, now then it's a crutch.

 

[LBS-bass]

Ironically, two out of three bands have me reading dots (big bands). I can get why subs would want to show up with paper or digital charts too, it's a great way to condense prep time.

If you need the words in front of you for two sets worth of 12 bar blues like my peeps however, now then it's a crutch.

My husband was in a swing band that practiced here. For SIX YEARS those guys showed up every week and played the same three sets of songs, and they always brought books and charts. I was flabbergasted that nobody in that band could play through that material without their charts after that much time of playing them. They still can't. My husband was the drummer, and he had notes and charts early on, but I encouraged him to drop that stuff as soon as he could.