A Rock Group Plays With Music Stands (Page 1 of 2)

Personally, I would want to know the song before I got on a stage to perform in front of people. That's what I'm doing right now. In the next few weeks I plan on doing an open mic night and I refuse to have a book or other crutch in front of me. I hope to have at least a dozen songs to choose from. It's been nearly 30 years since I've been on a stage so I'm doing a lot of practicing in the evenings.

Hey Bill I have  a memory  like  a  sieve ,I  have  played at  festivals  with  a  stand  on stage  Ive  seen this  more  and  more  recently  ,sure  40 yrs ago  I  might  have  remembered  the  full  set  but  now  I  haven't  a  chance  so  I use the  stand .It  is  a  thing  I  would  love  to  get away  from ,but  for me  and many  others  its  not  gonna happen .
Last  weekend  I  played in  Lancaster at  a  blues  club and  started off with  Ghost  blues  which I  do  know  all  the  way  with  out  a  promt  ,then I  started   my  second  number  Walkin my  blues away  an old  Sonny  Terry  /Brownie  Magee song which  I've  sung  for   what  feels  like  a hundred  years  ,guess what?  I  forgot  the  first  line ,Moral of the  story  ,if  you need  an aid  don't  be  afraid  to  use it, its  like  a  tuner  a tool of the trade. I  saw Peter Green a couple of  years  ago  use  a stand ,If its  ok  for  him its  ok  for  me . I  certainly  cant  remember  the  words  to  35 songs these days .

Hey, thanks, you two and great answers!:). I never thought of it that way, so I'm glad I have you "youngsters" to set me straight!

Caveat: If I did that (on guitar) I'd have to have extra large print. I have double vision and my depth perception is for doo-doo (which means that every time I tried to turn to a new page, I'm likely to turn stand and all over.   )

Thanks for the opinions!

Bill

I used to have 5 hours of songs I could play off the top of my head. I just had a list and what key I did the song in and if I used a capo. Now I do 3 different types of gigs. With so much material I need to have music for two of them, mostly as a crutch because I go from guitar to mandolin to lap guitar. I don't need it for all the songs but I still need it. Oh yeah I'm not as young as I once was. Sometimes I think  I have too much on my plate. I never had anyone complain about it.
One other thing. I have songs that I bring just in case someone requests something  I don't normally play. I make it a challenge to myself. It makes me step up my game. I've been playing for years and take my music very serious for my audience. I want the best for them and I've played years for the same people.
The last thing I can say is if you bring music along or you don't, just do your best and have as much fun as you can and no one will care . Your audience will love you either way.

   Joe

A comeback after 30 years and no one offering to record it? Not totally sure, but it can be done with a cellphone or tablet and get reasonable, if not great quality, Joe. If we lived closer together, I'd be there with bells on!

Your Pal

Bill

Q How do you get a rock guitarist to stop playing?
A Put sheet music in front of him.

like tyson i have around 5 hours of songs that i can call upon if needed. trouble is over the years i've got lazy and do mainly the same songs each gig. i have to vary them for different audiences of course. my wife keeps telling me i should learn new songs! but i cant seem to remember the words like i used to. so a music stand would be a god send i suppose, but my eyes are failing too and wearing bifocals is a road i don't want to travel down if i can help it. i know of a lot of acts around south wales who do use stands, i've got one for my studio.

one question bill, do they sit down to play as well? that would be the big sin for me, sitting down reading dots from a music sheet. it would remind me of those dance bands you used to get in ballrooms. showing my age now.....:)

Phill,

No, they don't sit down and I agree. Peter is 50 and very active otherwise, so neither he nor his bandmates have an excuse to sit.

You're from Wales?

Maybe you've heard this joke?
=========================

In an airport bar a guy was sitting next to a small group of ladies speaking in what he thought was a Scottish accent, so he leaned over and asked, "Excuse me, are you ladies from Scotland?"

One of them, obviously a bit miffed, replied, "Wales!"

"Oh, I do beg your pardon! Are you whales from Scotland?"

Bill

The fellow that I get together with occasionally has one of those. He loves it.

Just to be clear, I would NOT look down on anyone for having their music in front of them. For most orchestras, that's the norm. I just prefer not to.

nice one bill, from my experience we welsh don't mind being mistaken for scots (jocks) but not english 

i saw  chap use one of those clips in tenerife. he also had a couple of beautiful guitars, must pay well

I have an IPad stand. It's great

Tom Petty