A dumb question

[Rickenbacker1]

I play acoustic open mic several times a month and play a gig now and then. Last week I was in one of the local restaurants/ bar listening to a duo . The duo had an I pad in front of them and they read music from the I pad . I believe if you are going to play out don’t use an I pad or sheet music ……learn the song to me this doesn’t look professional . What do you guys think ?

[rick-slo]

Did they sound good? Free performance (barring possible tips)?
I don't see an issue.

[Rickenbacker1]

They sounded fine , but after every song they would load the next song on the I pad . I think I am old fashioned . To me learn the song spend the time. But that’s just me.

[Mbroady]

As a performer i find any visual aids an emotional distraction, especially with original material, So I prefer to go from memory. But it does not bother me if others opt to have lyrics on stage, especially if the are entertaining and talented.

[dnf777]

I agree with you, but I dont hold it against anyone. I just appreciate it and take notice when people make the extra effort.

Saw a girl singing Margaritaville holding and reading from an iPhone the whole song. Really??

[Mandobart]

I play with no notebook, sheet music or lyrics sheets electronic or otherwise when I perform. I have hundreds of songs memorized but when I put together a setlist for a gig I make sure I've got each song down cold.

If someone can unobtrusively have a cheat sheet I think it's fine. But if a performer requires a visual aid between themselves and the audience it detracts from the performance IMO.

It is unprofessional to be having to mess with paper or a screen before every song (again that's my opinion).

[Robin, Wales]

For me, learning the lyrics is part and parcel of learning to play the guitar.

[Mr. Paul]

I wouldn't expect a paid act to do this, otherwise it comes across as someone with a day job doing their best.

[Nymuso]

I have always played from memory mainly because I feel I can do a better job if I’m not reading. Having said that I have noticed a proliferation of I-pads onstage in recent years and personally don’t believe it to be unprofessional at all. In fact I was at a wedding last night where a very smooth professional band entertained. Almost all front line members had I-pads attached to their mic stands. I say almost because one guy had his phone up there. For me, it’s not an issue.

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

It is unprofessional to be having to mess with paper or a screen before every song (again that's my opinion).

Yeah, very...

[Mr. Jelly]

In the end I think all it is, is a difference in the style of performance. As we all know classical performers read music. Song and dance people don't. There's allot of variations in-between. I think the 'not looking professional' thought stems from the preconceived idea that people playing and singing music are putting on a show. When they may be just playing music. That being said. I do find disappointment when I see people's heads buried in a music stand. Or tablet. It seems they are a little too attached to it as a security blanket. I watched a person do a short show last night with no music stand. He sounded good and played just fine. I didn't care for the songs so the fact whether he was using a stand or not doesn't change a thing does it.

[JonPR]

I think in a restaurant situation, where the music is basically background - and they're not "putting on a show" for everyone to look at - I think reading from an ipad (or sheet music) is fine.

For the kind of gig where the aim is "entertaining a crowd" - and the audience are giving you their full attention, visually as well as aurally - then it's more debatable.

For classical music, of course, sheet music is expected. Only virtuoso soloists (occasionally) do without sheet music.

For jazz, it's mixed. Bands (even small ones) will often use sheet music, and audiences accept it, but of course it's more entertaining if they don't - you feel they are entering into the moment more fully, more spontaneously (even if that's an illusion). I.e., when playing without sheet music, they might just be churning out some well-practised stuff and not improvising. With sheet music, they might just be using it as occasional reference, and flying freely otherwise.

For rock, or any kind of popular music, I personally don't like it when I see musicians using sheet music (from ipad or whatever). It's acceptable occasionally when a band has a dep, or the music is clearly hugely complicated. But otherwise, a large part of how those genres work is by a strong sense of contact with the audience, communication with the audience (outside of the actual music itself). Sheet music - even on a discreet ipad - sets up a barrier.

The worst thing is when singers use a music stand (for lyrics usually) - because a singer is the one musician we expect to have the most direct communication with the audience. It's almost offensive when a singer uses reference! It not only suggests they haven't learned their lines properly - it suggests they don't they care about us!

This is a really interesting topic. I hadn't even considered it. I was thinking of classical musicians; they always have their sheet music in front of them and it's like a magic trick how the violinists can turn the page of the score without ever missing a beat. Should I ever find myself playing in public, I would opt for memorizing. I have a pretty good memory and want to make sure my mind stays sharp so I'd do that just for the mental challenge of it. And also, it makes you look really cool!

[TBman]

Originally Posted by JonPR

I think in a restaurant situation, where the music is basically background - and they're not "putting on a show" for everyone to look at - I think reading from an ipad (or sheet music) is fine.

I agree with Jon.

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by JonPR

The worst thing is when singers use a music stand (for lyrics usually) - because a singer is the one musician we expect to have the most direct communication with the audience. It's almost offensive when a singer uses reference! It not only suggests they haven't learned their lines properly - it suggests they don't they care about us!

There's a point here: what do you do with your gaze when not looking at a score. Or idem, with your hands, if not holding an instrument or a score.
Many times classical soloist singers WILL use a score, and in that case it IS often as a reference to the melody and what others are doing... or for the number of times some part of a standard religious text is repeated . They will study this though, and just like any good instrumentalist will only need the score for periodic glances, a good singer will ensure to look in the direction of either audience or another singer when that's appropriate. Or the director, evidently.

Guitarists are a bit of an outlier here, I cannot really think of many other instruments (that aren't plucked and fretted) where players tend to focus on their fretting hand if their gaze is not riveted to a score. That too is something that comes across as unprofessional to me, in the sense "s/he still needs it". After all, I tend to do it myself, and I definitely still need it (but I'm working on it ).

So, the part where "song & dance" players look at each others fretting hands ... that's just for show after all and not to know what's going on? O:-)