Gigging with a music stand.

[gatimberframer]

I absolutely refuse to use a music stand. Unless I think I might need it. Oh wait...

[Tonemaster]

Too many posts to read 'em all, so I'll just shoot my mouth off. If there is a stand on stage, then you are using it as a security blanket. You may or may not know the stuff, but to me, it signifies your not 100 % sure. Now, that sif you play with the same band all the time, so you may br excused, cuz your just a hired gun/pickup player. I;m not into that. I want to be part of a band, that knows each other, plays off each other, and kills it every night.
Some guys play with multiple bands, so its needed. But, if the guy is a rippin' pro, who cares? For me, if I flub a line, or forget, I just make it up. I single out someone in the crowd, and sing about them. If they catch on, they think its cool, and very crowd pleasing. However, if you have been playing these songs forever, and you STILL need the stand,,,,never mind.

T.

[Murky]

Me, I put what I need on a 3X5 card. Song name, key, lead lines, notes to kick Jim, etc. But My life is pretty simple and I'm not learning the quantities of songs I'm seeing here.

If I were to need more than my simple notes, I'd consider putting what I need on a single sheet per song, then stick all of them in a three-ring binder. I could adjust the order that way to match the set list. I'd make the letters big enough to read standing up with the binder on the floor next to my mic stand.

Since I don't walk with a cane, I wouldn't have one handy to flip the pages. I'd stop by the drug store and stock up on some big prophylactics, real big. Might do wonders for my reputation, but that's just a side effect. I'd slip one or two over the toe of my boot and use that to turn the pages. Kinda like those little finger rubbers that people handling paper and money used to use.

I think that would work OK and I wouldn't need a stand. The only problem I can foresee is if I got a little wobbly standing on one foot turning pages. Then, I'd probably have to lean on the guitar player beside me's music stand.

Sent from my gadget using TDPRI

[Mark W.]

I use a music stand and I just increased my post count.

[sax4blues]

Here is a good example. These guys have a music stand (spindly collapsible at that) so they are surely amateurs.

[brewwagon]

lyrics quoted from the video posted above .


..."where do we go now?"

[gpasq]

I use one often on fill-in gigs, but I don't like 'em. I figure it's better to look a bit out of place though, than to muff the songs.

[Skully]

I think it looks bad, but on the rare occasions when I've done something akin to "playing out," I've had to use a music stand. Most of the other the guys I'm playing with have decades of experience and great natural talent. I have neither. They'll throw stuff out there, songs that are imprinted in their brains, and I'm expected to wing it. I can't. I'd love to memorize everything, but then I'd love to have a set list, too.

I've just transferred a bunch of my chord/lyric sheets to my IPad, so it'll be less ungainly that giant binders and I won't need a music stand light in the dark.

[Twangmeister]

Cool. Now we can have a "Who gigs with an iPad" thread where people get criticized for being amateurs because they rely on technology instead of doing it the old fashioned way- with a 3-ring binder or the Real Book. Followed by the inevitable "I don't get reliced iPads" thread.

[Gnobuddy]

Originally Posted by Twangmeister

Playing music means being open to new ideas, sounds, approaches, criticism, growth. As soon as we say "never," I think we run the risk of closing ourselves off to possibilities.

Very nicely said. Thanks for the best post on this thread!

-Gnobuddy

[getbent]

Originally Posted by Tonemaster

Too many posts to read 'em all, so I'll just shoot my mouth off. If there is a stand on stage, then you are using it as a security blanket. You may or may not know the stuff, but to me, it signifies your not 100 % sure. Now, that sif you play with the same band all the time, so you may br excused, cuz your just a hired gun/pickup player. I;m not into that. I want to be part of a band, that knows each other, plays off each other, and kills it every night.
Some guys play with multiple bands, so its needed. But, if the guy is a rippin' pro, who cares? For me, if I flub a line, or forget, I just make it up. I single out someone in the crowd, and sing about them. If they catch on, they think its cool, and very crowd pleasing. However, if you have been playing these songs forever, and you STILL need the stand,,,,never mind.

T.

I didn't read all of your post because it looked really long and kind of run together...

but, yeah... people... what're ya gonna do!

[Tonemonkey]

Originally Posted by Skully

I've just transferred a bunch of my chord/lyric sheets to my IPad, so it'll be less ungainly that giant binders and I won't need a music stand light in the dark.

Just make sure it doesn't, go into "Standby" darkscreen mid-song/gig !

[Radspin]

After seeing a band last night where six out of the eight used music stands, I've come to think it's HOW the musicians use them that makes a big difference. The people in this band stared at the music stands the whole show and made absolutely no eye contact with the audience except for the two lead singers who did not use stands. The people with the music stands had absolutely no stage presence whatsoever. Even though the band sounded very good, the fact that they spent the whole performance staring at the stands absolutely ruined it for me.

If they would have just glanced at the stands from time to time it would have been a lot better. As it is they came off as a band that should have spent a few more months rehearsing before playing in front of people. Also, six music stands on stage just looked cluttered and intrusive.

[Twangmeister]

The people in this band stared at the music stands the whole show and made absolutely no eye contact with the audience

And the same would be true if the words "shoes" or "guitars" or "each other" were substituted for "music stands." If this were a big band or original gig, I can see the point. However, were this a classical recital, the focus would rightly be on the singers and not on the musicians, and the stands would not look remotely out of place.

Like any other element in a stage show, context is important for determining the necessity and/or utility of objects on stage.

[regularslinky]

I've used music stands on stage in bands where I've had to gig before I was completely ready.

Don't do it if you have a choice. I found that once I became dependent, I couldn't lose the cheat sheets - even long after I should have not needed them anymore.

[Jefe]

I'm using a stand with a 3 ring binder. One sheet per song, IF I need a cheat sheet. Some songs I get by just fine without it, though. And I really make an effort not to stare at the sheets too much, just glance here and there. I'm just doing cover band stuff, hoping to start playing out at bars sometime in the next few months.

Someday, I hope to memorize everything, but I'm not sure if it will happen. I just got in to this whole band thing, and just joined a second band, I'm learning to play the bass, I'm 42 with a wife and kids and a 40 hour/week job and a yard and home to maintain, etc, etc, etc. I may not have the best memory, and yes, I may be relying a bit to much on my music stand.. but I am anything but lazy, trust me.

I really doubt anyone in the audience will notice that I'm using a music stand, or that they'll care. If one or two musicians in the audience happen to notice, I really couldn't care less. At least I won't screw up the songs, which almost EVERYONE would notice.

[Colo Springs E]

Never used a stand back when I gigged... I think it looks very amateurish. Maybe it depends on what kind of band you're in. Rock 'n roll band? No way.

If I can't remember the song(s), then I shouldn't be playin' 'em. I missed a note or chord here or there, but I always knew the basic structure of the song.

[Jefe]

Originally Posted by Colo Springs E

... I think it looks very amateurish.

Only to (some) other musicians.

And I don't really care if I look like an amateur up there, because I am an amateur. But at least I'm not making many mistakes.

[basher]

Classical guitarists memorize everything. Your average set of rock & roll songs is nothing compared to Villa-Lobos.

[sax4blues]

This may be worse; What about those "professional" football quarterbacks who have the plays written on their arm pad? $20million a year full time job and they can't remember a slant play or student body left?