Mickeyboro Posted Monday at 12:16 Share Posted Monday at 12:16 Our singer used to use a music stand despite having sung the same repertoire all his performing life. Ā He cleverly got round my dislike by building one that housed his harmonicas. Then we sacked him š Ā We now have a new singer who, while an upgrade vocally, insists on a music stand andā¦ gulp ā¦ a reading light! Ā Am I wrong in having this prejudice - and how can you wean a singer off this mental crutch? Advice, please! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted Monday at 12:27 Share Posted Monday at 12:27 Bowie used one openly. Many well known artists use prompters that look like monitors. I donāt have an issue with them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted Monday at 12:29 Share Posted Monday at 12:29 Why would it bother you..? Does anyone remark on your 'need' for pedals, or the colour of your bass..? He's the Front Man; he does what he thinks he 'needs' or wants for that role. Roll wit it, it's all Good.Ā Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted Monday at 12:31 Share Posted Monday at 12:31 Bothers me hugely, probably shouldnāt, but does š¤ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted Monday at 12:36 Share Posted Monday at 12:36 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted Monday at 12:39 Share Posted Monday at 12:39 (edited) I donāt mind using a music stand for prompts when Iām singing - I donāt need words for every song, Ā but a few sketched notes needed for some (off to one side rather than bang in front of me).Ā Ā What did annoy me was the frontman of a band I used to play with who had all the lyrics on an iPad and would stop between every song to scroll through to different songs (they werenāt arranged in a set list or anything for easy access).Ā Ā It was very effective at killing any momentum there might have been and emptying the dance floor in one fell swoop. Ā Ā Iād have rather just busked it and fluffed the words! Ā Edited Monday at 15:09 by bassbiscuits Extra info 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted Monday at 12:42 Share Posted Monday at 12:42 I use a music stand sometimes, when I'm depping. Most top touring acts have monitors. Ā As said above, David Bowie used one and came unstuck when he announced the wrong song. They started to play and he discovered he was looking at the wrong words, but also the drummers click track was on the wrong song!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveK Posted Monday at 12:46 Share Posted Monday at 12:46 Unless you're banging tympani drums, blowing a tuba or got a violin under your chin music stands shouldn't be anywhere near the stage. It simply looks "naff"! Do your job and learn the lyrics and music. "Appearance" is hugely important in rock/pop music. If you went to see Sir Ian McKellen in a play would you be happy if the actors were clinging to, and referring to their scripts? 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted Monday at 12:48 Share Posted Monday at 12:48 1 minute ago, SteveK said: Unless you're banging tympani drums, blowing a tuba or got a violin under your chin music stands shouldn't be anywhere near the stage. It simply looks "naff"! Do your job and learn the lyrics and music. "Appearance" is hugely important to some people in rock/pop music. If you went to see Sir Ian McKellen in a play would you be happy if the actors were clinging to, and referring to their scripts? Ā Fixed.Ā 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted Monday at 12:50 Author Share Posted Monday at 12:50 (edited) Excellent stuff, keep it coming! Ā One reason I hate music stands is they seem to make it to the foreground of every stage photo. If I see that in another band my eyebrows go upā¦ Ā Mind you, I dont like seeing people play bass with clip-on tuners still attached. Small minded, me?š Edited Monday at 12:51 by Mickeyboro 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted Monday at 12:56 Share Posted Monday at 12:56 Personally I regard it as unprofessional, no matter who is wielding the stand/iPad. Ā It's fine if you have music on it (orchestra, brass band, etc.) but not for words - IMHO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted Monday at 13:01 Share Posted Monday at 13:01 5 minutes ago, Mickeyboro said: One reason I hate music stands is they seem to make it to the foreground of every stage photo. If I see that in another band my eyebrows go upā¦ Ā This. If they can be placed somewhere discrete rather than front and centre that's much better. Ā I suppose if your band has a repertoire of 50+ songs that will be chosen as the gig progresses and some are only played occasionally then it's probably necessary. However if you are doing a 10 song, 45 minute long set then get of your lazy ass and learn the songs, so you don't need any prompts.Ā Ā When I was gigging in the 80s and 90s we didn't even bother with set lists. We knew the songs inside out and we knew the order we were going to play them without crib notes. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted Monday at 13:09 Author Share Posted Monday at 13:09 4 minutes ago, BigRedX said: Ā This. If they can be placed somewhere discrete rather than front and centre that's much better. But if the singerās out front, so is the standā¦ Ā Re the use of iPads/tablets, I didnāt use mine last week but had to squint at a written setlist. Ā Would have made more sense to have had this on the clamped iPad, but I didnāt want to look as if I needed the words. What an idiot! (And yes, I know glasses would help) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zbd1960 Posted Monday at 13:20 Share Posted Monday at 13:20 Some people - I'm one of them - do not find memorising music very easy. Admittedly I mostly play in orchestras or bands, and I sing in choirs, where you play/sing from music. I can sight read reasonably well.Ā 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted Monday at 13:24 Share Posted Monday at 13:24 If I'm using a crib sheet, it's on the floor and in big letters.Ā 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted Monday at 13:27 Share Posted Monday at 13:27 Iām not keen on them purely for the visuals, but for singists doing 40 plus songs in a night I can understand the need for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted Monday at 13:35 Share Posted Monday at 13:35 6 minutes ago, Steve Browning said: If I'm using a crib sheet, it's on the floor and in big letters.Ā For the learning phase, big letters and gaffa taped to the PA cab, or even get a punter to hold them upĀ š Ā 30 minutes ago, BigRedX said: When I was gigging in the 80s and 90s we didn't even bother with set lists. We knew the songs inside out and we knew the order we were going to play them without crib notes. We still do this, but without a fixed running order. Some get announced, others are just launched into. Some we've never actually played before! (Thankfully not too often) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted Monday at 13:44 Share Posted Monday at 13:44 22 minutes ago, zbd1960 said: Some people - I'm one of them - do not find memorising music very easy. Admittedly I mostly play in orchestras or bands, and I sing in choirs, where you play/sing from music. I can sight read reasonably well.Ā Ā Correct me if I'm wrong but you're not playing the same pieces week in week out are you? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted Monday at 13:52 Share Posted Monday at 13:52 2 minutes ago, BigRedX said: Ā Correct me if I'm wrong but you're not playing the same pieces week in week out are you? Ā When you play/sing arranged music it's very important you stick exactly to the arrangement.Ā Ā The human brain is very good at interpreting and misremembering things. No matter how good you think you are and how closely you think you're playing a song to how you originally learned it, it will morph over time. That's especially relevant to bands who are playing covers as everyone slightly adapts their arrangements to fit the instrumentation lineup and the ability of the players.Ā Ā Don't position a music stand between you and the audience is my only rule. You're creating a physical and visual barrier between you and them. It's only really obvious from photos because you're peering over the stand, and can see the whole audience. The reverse is not true.Ā Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted Monday at 13:53 Share Posted Monday at 13:53 Context is everything. Big band / orchestra / any large band sitting down to play - absolutely fine. Last minute dep gig - also absolutely fine. Ā Non-sitting /Ā high energy / intimate, personal show where the singer absolutely has to connect with the audience - then NO NO NO!Ā It ruins the connection. Even a singer closing their eyes and really feeling the music (or at least faking feeling the music) keeps that connection. Reading lyrics, and even worse - page flipping during a tune - ruins that for me completely.Ā Ā In that sort of show all the other musicians have learned their parts. The singer should do the same. Ā There is nothing more lame than the crowd knowing the words better than the singer.Ā 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted Monday at 14:11 Share Posted Monday at 14:11 17 minutes ago, fretmeister said: In that sort of show all the other musicians have learned their parts. The singer should do the same. Ā Agreed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted Monday at 14:15 Share Posted Monday at 14:15 Vocalist in one band I work with has a tablet on stage with lyrics, doesn't bother me at all.Ā Its out of sight and quite discrete.Ā It would probably bother me more if it was fully visible in an ugly way to the audience, from a looking professional point of view, but its not a big deal.Ā I'd much rather they do that than forget lyrics mid set, one certainly looks worse than the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diskwave Posted Monday at 14:34 Share Posted Monday at 14:34 As above, context. Whats the deal, whats the image? Real R&R/Pop is a young mans game.. where we didn't use music, or word prompts or anything, we rocked up so to speak, got up there and did it. But yes this thing where older "R&R" performers need prompters all over the stage to my mind just ain't R&R... kinda the musical equivalent of "Dad Jeans or Dad Dancing".Ā Pit work, show work however is a whole nuther thing where because of the complexity and precision needed, charts and to a lesser extent word prompts is mandatory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted Monday at 14:34 Share Posted Monday at 14:34 Are we specifically on music stands (which I hate) or an iPad on a microphone stand (which I have). I mean mainly as I only sing a few songs, the iPad is for the 'where are we on the setlist', so I know what changes are needed on the PA, and to make sure the singer is going to start the right song, and also control the mixer (although I have a surface to do that now that I tend to use more for quick setups). Having said that, when I am singing I tend to have it there as a crutch in case of panic - if I am singing and I have problems remember the words, the bass goes away, and if I am having problem with the bass, the words go away - if any of them require though the other suffers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted Monday at 14:38 Share Posted Monday at 14:38 16 minutes ago, BigRedX said: When I was gigging in the 80s and 90s we didn't even bother with set lists. We knew the songs inside out and we knew the order we were going to play them without crib notes. In the 80ās Iām not sure I was always sure what song we were actually playing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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