As an aspiring performer I have spent many hours to learn the songs I play for audiences. It involves a lot of memorization and practice. I have to pick material that suits my voice, and my guitar skills, as well as songs that I can emotionally interpret. There is a lot of trial and error, playing songs for a time to see if they fit and whether they hold my interest. Often, I abandon something I really liked because it just didn't "feel right". Maybe it was better for a band and playing it as a solo wasn't working, or maybe there's just one part that I can't nail down, but most often I can't find a connection for me and I move on.
One example of this is "Girl From Ipanema". It has some complex chords and I spent a lot of time getting comfortable with the fingering and rhythms, and enjoyed learning it, but so far I don't feel I am playing it well enough to perform in public. Considering the amount of effort that goes into my repertoire I don't want to have anything interfering with my performance. By the time I'm playing a song in public my goal is to hardly need to think about my playing or singing and can concentrate on putting as much expression into the performance as I can.
So I want to say that I believe that having a music stand in front of me is just about the worst thing I can do to sabotage my performance.
It was my experience in Nashville, at the many "writer's nights" that occur all over the city, that it's considered amateur if a songwriter walks onstage with a music stand, especially if they are trying out original material. They would have a stigma to overcome before they hit the first note. Usually, it was the less proficient writers who had this crutch in the first place, so even if the song was acceptable it would have to be really good to get a positive response. I literally have been in songwriter shows where you could feel the room vibe change when a performer walked up with a stand. The clubs in town always provided a PA and lights, but I've never seen a "house" music stand.
To me what it really means is that the person is too uncommitted to bother to memorize the song and doesn't respect the audience. Can you imagine Mick Jagger or Taylor Swift with a music stand? It shows a certain arrogance in that they don't feel like they have to make the effort to perfect their performance by at least memorizing the songs.
A couple of exceptions: It's acceptable in classical music where the musicians can read the score and are so accomplished that they can interpret the nuance and emotion intended by the composer. However, even then you often find virtuoso musicians who memorize long complex compositions in order to have that extra edge. (I can read music, but not well) Another is when songwriters are accompanying each other in an improvisational setting, so a lead sheet can keep everyone on track, but even then the person leading should know his own song.
Entertainment is a competitive business, and I don't think we need amateurs lowering the bar especially when they expect to be paid. For me, watching a singer struggle through a song reading off a cheat sheet on a music stand is a painful experience, guaranteed to have me heading for the door.
Anyway, just my opinion. Maybe I'm in a minority that's bothered by this, but there you go.
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| Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA |
Singer/Songwriter Rick Millward lived and worked on the West Coast until moving to Nashville in 2000. He was part of the Music City songwriter community, collaborating with other artists and producing over 30 projects in his boutique studio, including two EMMY nominated soundtracks. Now in Southern Oregon, Rick has discovered a vibrant local music scene centered around the many tasting rooms.
His records: "Limited Edition", "Home for Good", and “Loveland” are available on Spotify and other streaming platforms. His new recordings, "Astronomy" will be released later this year.
