Music stands - are they as common as I think?

[lowdowner]

I've been watching a few performances lately of pub and events covers bands and I've noticed in more that a couple of cases that the bass player is using a music stand.

I do this for fun, and I couldn't really care less whether anyone else uses a music stand when gigging but I've been playing most of these tracks so long it's all muscle memory now anyway so I don't, but I wondered how common it was. Do you use a music stand when gigging? Do you know others that do (or don't)?

Just wondering...

[T-Bay]

I don’t, our lead guitarist does when he hosts an open mic night, he has a book with a few hundred songs in so he can cover most things people may ask for which seems sensible.

[lowdowner]

2 minutes ago, T-Bay said:

I don’t, our lead guitarist does when he hosts an open mic night, he has a book with a few hundred songs in so he can cover most things people may ask for which seems sensible.

That seems completely sensible 

 

[grandad]

Yup + 2 folders of music - Jazz quartet.

[Staggering on]

1 hour ago, grandad said:

Yup + 2 folders of music - Jazz quartet.

Same thing in my jazz quartet(close to 180 songs) and septet(60+ songs).

[bonzodog]

I posted this question on here a couple of years ago and it turned into a very long thread with some strong opinions on both sides of the argument.

[oldslapper]

2 minutes ago, bonzodog said:

I posted this question on here a couple of years ago and it turned into a very long thread with some strong opinions on both sides of the musicstand

Fixed

[grandad]

This one, the very best I've ever owned.

https://produkte.k-m.de/en/product?info=48&x951e9=4f9c54bb1e5828cca7a7678db2318429

Perhaps a music stand thread with pictures might be in order - a controversial suggestion perhaps given that some BCers always express horror at their mention.

[Dood]

My music stand holds my IEM mixer, my iPad (which could also be an IEM mixer at times), my Zoom H2n for recording, my Ambient mics and sometimes my glasses. It may or may not be on stage. It rarely actually holds music - unless I was doing a Dep gig then the iPad would be there to help with changes etc.

[Dood]

4 minutes ago, grandad said:

This one, the very best I've ever owned.

https://produkte.k-m.de/en/product?info=48&x951e9=4f9c54bb1e5828cca7a7678db2318429

Perhaps a music stand thread with pictures might be in order - a controversial suggestion perhaps given that some BCers always express horror at their mention.

I really like K&M gear. I use their guitar stands, the ones that hold 5 instruments, I have 2 side by side. Now, I'm not exactly stylish, but I did buy them because they matched the colour scheme in my studio. After that I realised how well made they were ha ha!!

Edited December 27, 2017 by dood

[lowdowner]

24 minutes ago, bonzodog said:

I posted this question on here a couple of years ago and it turned into a very long thread with some strong opinions on both sides of the argument.

I did a search but obviously couldn't find the right term to get a result 

[Cato]

How am I supposed to look at my fretting hand and a music stand at the same time?

[ambient]

I use one if I'm playing jazz. The band I play for has a repertoire of well over 100 songs. They use 3 different vocalists, each singing in a different key. My book for this gig is something like 250 sheets. 

It very much depends on the genre and the gig. I spent a summer a few years ago playing on a cruise ship, just pop and party tunes, the usual awful stuff. That was all reading from supplied charts. There were four books, two red and two blue. The singer just called out blue 21, or red 14 etc.

A pub rock gig I'm guessing would look a little odd.

Edited December 27, 2017 by ambient

[Bilbo]

I have three gigs next week with three bands, two of which I have never played with. Estimated 50+ tunes over three nights, most of which I don't know, and no time for rehearsals. Of course I use a music stand :-D 

[Bluewine]

Depends on the type of band and gigs.

Your not going to see many music stands on stage with rock bar bands in the States.

Blue

[chris_b]

I've done 60 deps this year. 3 of the bands were "one offs" so 2 sets of previously unknown songs so stand was in use. 3 bands were regulars but 2 were throwing new numbers in until the afternoon of the gig, so stand in use there as well.

Music stands are like windscreen wipers. You use them if you need to.

[EssentialTension]

Depends on the material, depends on the gig.

More and more big touring bands have autocues on iPads. Elton John has one on his piano and one at front of stage so he can see it wherever he is looking.

[MB1]

MB1.

Stevie Wonder....

"ain't gonna stand for a thing!"

 

sorry...

ill get me coat!

[bonzodog]

I think it comes down to how good your memory is. In our 3 piece band where we share vocals I don't use one as I can remember lyrics and notes fairly well. On the other hand our guitarist can't remember lyrics no matter how many times he sings them so uses a music stand. He is a very good guitarist and singer so don't think he should be deprived of being in a band just because he has an awful memory.

However I do admit if I am putting live photos of us up on our media sites I do try and edit out his music stand from the photo.

[drTStingray]

Singers, in my experience, always seem to me to use them. 

Ive heard of musicians using them to pretend to musos watching that they can read music - I've even known them have fake logos on their instrument headstocks, though these are the exception in my experience. 

No seriously (I was just watching a Frankie Howard show) I use one when I need to refer to chord sheets more than say half a dozen times in a dep gig or with a new band - otherwise I place the sheet on the floor. 

I'm surprised none of the more well heeled amongst us haven't investigated the use of autocue on a screen set as per a wedge monitor. 

 

Edited December 28, 2017 by drTStingray
Erm - autospell got me again....

[dmccombe7]

If i'm depping at short notice i'll have some discrete notes somewhere but generally speaking i wouldn't use a music stand. I've been in few bands where singers have been using them tho but not too fussed about it in certain types of bands but i don't like to see rock bands using them as looks out of place.

I was watching a live concert of ELO few days ago and their wedge monitors at Wembley were actually screens showning lyrics. They were using IEM.

So even lng term professionals like ELO use lyrics sheets in disguise LOL

Dave

[bazzbass]

It took me a long time to memorise our 14 originals, but that was mainly because our songwriter uses lots of different chords and chord types in each song. Whilst I was trying to come up with good basslines, it helped to have the chords in front of me so I could play the right chord tones for each chord. Once I had come up with a bassline I was happy with it became easier to memorise them. I still improvise a lot at gigs, keeps it interesting and I memorised the structure, and so far so good, no mistakes after 3 gigs.

[chris_b]

1 minute ago, dmccombe7 said:

So even lng term professionals like ELO use lyrics sheets in disguise LOL

They all do. David Bowie, The Stones the lot.

[LITTLEWING]

I sing a couple of numbers in our set and as I'm totally sh*te at remembering lyrics, I have one nearby and just whip it into place then off again.

[Hobbayne]

Our singer uses a music stand. I would rather he didnt because I find it looks a bit naff. However, he had a nasty accident a few years back, and finds it hard to remember the words, so I understand.

Our guitarist has post it notes stuck everywhere with little reminders.