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  #46  
Old 10-30-2018, 06:02 PM
roylor4 roylor4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stratcat77 View Post
Let me try to explain... Those people you mentioned are not really true pros. They are just sellouts showing up to make money.

A true pro always plays all of their memorized songs from the heart. That simply cannot be done when glancing at words on a device. A true pro is deeply emotionally engaged with their audience with constant eye contact. Of course this also means they NEVER look down at their instrument - to do so would be, um, very unprofessional. Because of the deep emotional aspect of connecting with the audience, tears are often involved and, of course, this would make it difficult to see a prompter clearly. A true pro also never uses a written set list. This would distract from the emotional freedom to play whatever comes to mind at the moment, even if the rest of the band has never heard the music. They, too, must be pros and flawlessly follow along as they also are all making constant eye contact with the audience.

I hope this helps.
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  #47  
Old 10-30-2018, 06:26 PM
MChild62 MChild62 is offline
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This guy clearly is using an iPad to remember the chords and lyrics. Pity as he seems like he might have potential...
https://youtu.be/L-Ds-FXGGQg
(FYI - great video if you haven’t seen it)
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  #48  
Old 10-30-2018, 06:42 PM
The Kid! The Kid! is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neil K Walk View Post
...and here I thought MY memory was going! Whatever happened to actually learning lyrics and improvising?
I play for a bunch of different bands, singers, and sometimes I have a day or two to learn a nights worth of music that I'll only play once. I played for Maysa Leak (used to sing for the band incognito. Closest thing this side of Chaka Khan) We had four days to learn 14 songs, and her stuff isn't easy. We did two band rehearsals, and one short run through the day of the show with her and her top note.

Here was one of her more simple tunes:



I ran a 5 year long weekly soul gig. Different singers every week. 14 songs per week.


...all this, and I'm a guitar player that willwalks into the kitchen to get a glass of water, forget what I went in there for and don't remember until I walk back into the living room and sit down. The struggle is real!

Last edited by The Kid!; 10-30-2018 at 06:51 PM.
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  #49  
Old 10-30-2018, 06:51 PM
Slothead56 Slothead56 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stratcat77 View Post
Let me try to explain... Those people you mentioned are not really true pros. They are just sellouts showing up to make money.

A true pro always plays all of their memorized songs from the heart. That simply cannot be done when glancing at words on a device. A true pro is deeply emotionally engaged with their audience with constant eye contact. Of course this also means they NEVER look down at their instrument - to do so would be, um, very unprofessional. Because of the deep emotional aspect of connecting with the audience, tears are often involved and, of course, this would make it difficult to see a prompter clearly. A true pro also never uses a written set list. This would distract from the emotional freedom to play whatever comes to mind at the moment, even if the rest of the band has never heard the music. They, too, must be pros and flawlessly follow along as they also are all making constant eye contact with the audience.

I hope this helps.
Elton John. John Mayer.

Hmmmm....Saw Sinatra once. He used a TelePrompter and we all know what a hack he was. Saw James Taylor in the third row and he showed the crowd his set list written on a poster board on the stage in front of him. He sucks as well and clearly has no emotional connectivity with his audience.

I only hope you’re joking. Otherwise, let us know how the view is from the mountaintop.
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  #50  
Old 10-30-2018, 06:59 PM
The Kid! The Kid! is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willie Voltaire View Post
The less time I spend looking at a screen while creating music, the better!

My sets are typically 45 minutes long, all originals. If I can't remember ten of my own songs well enough to play them without a lyric and chord sheet, I'm not worthy of a gig!
Playing short sets of music that YOU wrote without charts??

Hell, even I could do that!
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  #51  
Old 10-30-2018, 07:02 PM
The Kid! The Kid! is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stratcat77 View Post
Let me try to explain... Those people you mentioned are not really true pros. They are just sellouts showing up to make money.

A true pro always plays all of their memorized songs from the heart. That simply cannot be done when glancing at words on a device. A true pro is deeply emotionally engaged with their audience with constant eye contact. Of course this also means they NEVER look down at their instrument - to do so would be, um, very unprofessional. Because of the deep emotional aspect of connecting with the audience, tears are often involved and, of course, this would make it difficult to see a prompter clearly. A true pro also never uses a written set list. This would distract from the emotional freedom to play whatever comes to mind at the moment, even if the rest of the band has never heard the music. They, too, must be pros and flawlessly follow along as they also are all making constant eye contact with the audience.

I hope this helps.
I would be completely creeped out if anyone tried to eye me at a gig the way that you're suggesting. But hey... it's the '90's and if that's your thing, I am certainly happy for you!

I actually recorded this video with my iPad while my keyboard player took a solo. Now I could have recorded it with creepy eye contact fro my mental databanks, but I chose a medium in which I could share with others. Toney uses an iPad for some charting as well. I can't WAIT to tell him he's not a pro.


Last edited by Kerbie; 10-30-2018 at 07:07 PM. Reason: Removed profanity
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  #52  
Old 10-30-2018, 07:05 PM
ripdotcom ripdotcom is offline
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I think people get hooked on it. i have a buddy I play guitar with and If I dont have an ipad out he thinks its impossible to play together, I asked him what people did 10 years ago in the stone age.
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  #53  
Old 10-30-2018, 07:23 PM
AZLiberty AZLiberty is offline
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Originally Posted by bmoney View Post
ok if so...do they have an app that scrolls through it? and what if it scrolls too fast or slow?
Foot peddle to turn pages.
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  #54  
Old 10-30-2018, 07:29 PM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
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If I am attending a performance, for me there is nothing absolutely nothing worse than seeing a vocalist reading the lyrics off of a screen of any description.

It absolutely and totally destroys that magical connection between performer and audience.

If you are going to sing to an audience, then just memorize the lyrics. It's not that difficult At a rough estimate I can sing over 150 songs and they will be word perfect every time. ... no chord charts, no written lyrics, no iPads, no nothing. All in memory.

What does help is to "dust off" all the songs you are going to play at any given gig by singing them on the morning of the gig ... that will help to prevent any embarrassing memory lapses during the actual gig.

Practice makes perfect.
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  #55  
Old 10-30-2018, 08:24 PM
drjond56 drjond56 is offline
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In addition to an amateur guitarist, I am an amateur violist. I have access to concerts by our local chamber music society bringing in some of the top string quartets in the business. Absolute professional touring musicians and resident quartets in places like Lincoln Center. I have noted a definite trend in their use of the IPad controlled by foot pedal as opposed to traditional sheet music. I have never tried it, but would not exclude doing so.

Jon
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  #56  
Old 10-30-2018, 08:28 PM
bufflehead bufflehead is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Christian Reno View Post
Hi Larry,

At my age, having a cue on paper or on an electronic device on stage is a nice fall-back if my memory fails me. Not sure why this is an offense to some.
Amen! And I recall, back in the 70's, taping my set list to the top of my guitar, and not removing it until the next gig. Some musicians back in the days of yore would tease me about this, the same way that some are critical of iPads today.

Sheesh. Nothing worse than getting ten beats into a song and realize I was supposed to capo three. I'lll cheat, thank you very much, and it's better for my guitars if I use an iPad rather than masking tape and index cards.

If I have lyrics up, it's not to read the words while I play. It's to make sure, once I get to the third verse, how it starts. Keeps me from singing the second verse twice.

And if you haven't done that, you haven't performed enough songs. Get back to me in a few decades.
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Last edited by bufflehead; 10-30-2018 at 08:34 PM.
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  #57  
Old 10-30-2018, 08:30 PM
The Kid! The Kid! is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post
If I am attending a performance, for me there is nothing absolutely nothing worse than seeing a vocalist reading the lyrics off of a screen of any description.

.
Wow, really? Tell that to Abe Lincoln.

Quote:
Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post
It absolutely and totally destroys that magical connection between performer and audience.
Trust me, not every performance is magical.

Quote:
Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post

If you are going to sing to an audience, then just memorize the lyrics. It's not that difficult At a rough estimate I can sing over 150 songs and they will be word perfect every time. ... no chord charts, no written lyrics, no iPads, no nothing. All in memory.
You and Dustin Hoffman in rain man.

Try playing for a handful of different groups and having to learn 14 new songs per week for one of your gigs, as well as constantly adding new material to your solo acoustic gig.

For the record, I could probably do 150 songs from memory. The problem is that I can play and sing many more than that.

Quote:
Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post
What does help is to "dust off" all the songs you are going to play at any given gig by singing them on the morning of the gig ... that will help to prevent any embarrassing memory lapses during the actual gig.
That's actually an excellent idea,... if you have the time for all that.

You don't have to be glued to an ipad or music stand. It's there to quickly glance at between verses. You can have it off to the side and out of the way too. They're useful tools and unless you need to make creepy eye contact in a death star tractor beam stare, you should be ok.

Quote:
Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post
Practice makes perfect.
Incorrect. Perfect practice makes perfect, if there's enough of it.

Really though, nothing? Absolutely nothing worse than seeing a vocalist reading the lyrics off of a screen?

I'd throw in out of key singing, uncomfortable seating, a fire alarm, and sitting next to someone with horrible body odor as being far worse than seeing someone destroy a magical connection by glancing at some lyrics here and there.

Unless you're just kidding and trying to be overly dramatic for effect. In that case: Well played!

Last edited by The Kid!; 10-30-2018 at 08:35 PM.
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  #58  
Old 10-30-2018, 08:35 PM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bmoney View Post
ok if so...do they have an app that scrolls through it? and what if it scrolls too fast or slow?
Simple. You speed or slow up. (grin)
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  #59  
Old 10-30-2018, 09:57 PM
hotroad hotroad is offline
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This last post assumes that the guitar player can memorize words to dozens if not hundreds of songs. I am 69 years old and cannot memorize and keep those words in my head long enough to play them for my audiences. How about a little empathy for us older folks. I have parts of hundreds of songs from as far back as the early 60's when I started playing and could memorize so much so fast. Not that way anymore.
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  #60  
Old 10-30-2018, 10:07 PM
djeffcoat djeffcoat is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bmoney View Post
ok if so...do they have an app that scrolls through it? and what if it scrolls too fast or slow?


You can adjust the scroll speed in SongBook app.
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