Music Stand

buzzbuzz

Member
I'm starting a new band and we'll be more of a party/dance band. So, we really aren't the focus of the gig as we are just the source of the music if you will. Our night will consist of about 4 hrs of music.

Is it unprofessional to have a music stand with notes for something like this? These are all new songs to me too. I have a rack and could maybe mount my stand on it but that would look lame. Ideally, I would like a 3 ring binder with sheets for each song.
 
Don't worry so much on how you look or what people think of your setup, worry about how you sound!
 
I use one all the time, a sturdy Manhasset like you use in school. 4 channel monitor mixer on the left half, set list on the right. Stickbag hangs off the front, and I mounted a cyclist's water bottle cage on the front center. It's basically a homemade version of the Erskine bag. Very handy.

http://www.amazon.com/Drum-Workshop-Peter-Erskine-Stick/dp/B001U0ORL2
 
My extended family owns a nightclub and I've seen lead singers - front and center stage - use a music stand and literally bend down and squint all night to read song lyrics! Which I think is a bit crazy.

I wouldn't think a drummer would be as much noticable. besides drummers are the band leaders anyway. If anyone should deserve to have a music stand it'd be you.
 
I'm starting a new band and we'll be more of a party/dance band. So, we really aren't the focus of the gig as we are just the source of the music if you will. Our night will consist of about 4 hrs of music.

Is it unprofessional to have a music stand with notes for something like this? These are all new songs to me too. I have a rack and could maybe mount my stand on it but that would look lame. Ideally, I would like a 3 ring binder with sheets for each song.

Unprofessional - nope. I have a music stand by my hihat on 90-95% of my gigs.

One warning regarding three ring binders - they can work fine if you are going to be calling tunes "on the fly". But if you are using a predetermined set-list - it is far, far quicker to not use a binder. Keeping your music loose in a regular music folio or folder allows you to pre-pull a sets worth of music and put them in "set" order on your music stand. This way moving to the next song is as easy as flipping to the next page.

Obviously you need to keep the music in the folder or binder sorted either alphabetical or do what a lot of folks do and number each piece of music.

I often play in party/dance bands with "books" containing easily a couple of hundred charts - and yet with set-lists, numbered charts in music folders, they are able to pull off continuous (or near continuous) "no down time" sets on-the-fly with no rehearsal for the bulk of the band.

David
 
I would think a laptop or an Ipad would work well. The illuminated screen, the ability to pull up a file without shuffling through papers.

I personally think it's unprofessional for the front people to have music stands. I mean if you're a singer, IMO it's kind of your job to memorize the words. A drummer w/ a stand doesn't bother me as much because we're hidden mostly. But it when a singer or a guitarist has uses a music stand it bothers me.

My one band, the front guy uses a music stand. Before every song he is always fiddling with his papers. It's not like he uses them, he still gets the lyrics wrong. And the arrangements. I ask him why he even bothers with it if he doesn't read it. He gave me some stupid answer about it being a security thing. Sorry I think it reflects badly. Learn your parts.
 
Is there such a thing that would fit on my drum rack? I guess I could use a clamp. However, it might get in the way and if my notes fell they would fall on my. Probably best just to get one by the hh stand.
 
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