Many people have commented about patrons thinking they are not even playing, that their laptop is making all of the music. That's not good, seems to me. In fact, if they can even SEE a laptop, that's not good. Althought, I don't know a way around it. How could you 'hide' a laptop?

Another thing would be if you didn't have a music stand to block their view. If you need lyrics, if the lyric was displayed on the onboard display, that would be ideal.

Another way would be if you had a Music Pad Pro like Scott Yee and you mounted it in some kind of way that they still see your hands playing.

It won't make a break you but many people take great pains to do this and that. Just a thought. Differentiating yourself between a musician and a d.j. could prove beneficial. Then again, maybe not. Haha. Maybe they could not care less and only WE worry about such.

Bill,

They just want to be entertained. Most of us who have been doing this for some time had dozens of times when people come up to you while you're singing, watch your fingers doing their thing, stand a foot away and begin asking questions as if you could sing, play and hold a conversation at the same time. My dear departed father had an old saying for those individuals. He said "Keep in mind that common sense is not very damned common these days!" He was right.

If you want to hide your laptop, place it on a standard, heavy-duty music stand, position it off to the side, and then maybe they'll think you're looking at sheet music. NAH!

Gary

I don't use a laptop or the sheet music holder and anyone who cares to come take a look at my fingers is welcome. Most of my jobs, however are on stages where they can't see the keys anyway.

At small dinner parties where there is not stage, I may angle the keyboard at a 45 which creates a little more intimacy with the guests.

As Gary and DNJ have always said, larger parties just want to be entertained and don't really care how you do it.

Eddie

Yes, we all gotta be good entertainers (at least to some degree) to succeed as musicians, but I for one am specifically billed as "keyboard-vocal musician" and audiences (at least mine) expect no less.

I realize there are many differing arranger keyboard entertainment markets out there, from: providing dance hall entertainment, restaurant background music, karaoke club informal bar-lounge entertainment, to: more formal intimate lounge club music & stage concerts where people actually come 'specifically' to hear you play & sing live. Some of these venues require very little traditional keyboard playing skills while others expect it.

Though all audiences expect to be entertained, differing venues attract different audiences, of who have differing artist performance expectations. Considering myself foremost: a vocalist-musician & interpreter of song, I most appreciate the intimate concert venues, where I'm able to 'express my heart' thru my music with the audience returning their attention & appreciation. For this reason, I find the intimate concert venues most personally gratifying, especially for my kind of one man entertainment, and the type of venue where the audience may be more apt to be interested in seeing you play the keys.

On another note: I remember it being brought up adamantly by Uncle Dave (and a few others here as well) that they felt utilizing a MusicPad Pro onstage, a terrible audience distraction. After viewing the impressive pics of Donny's laptop setup onstage:



I find it no less (and more likely more) of an audience distraction than the MusicPad Pro is. The laptop looks like what it is: a computer, of which is stereo-typically expected (by the public) to be 'stared' into. On the other hand, my experience with the MusicPad Pro is that the audience rarely notices it, because it looks like merely a flat device, no different than the tilt up screen on my Tyros. As a followup to my MusicPad Pro+ purchase a few months back, I still feel it was the best music equipment investment I've made in a LONG time, worth every penny, and suitable for all performance venues. A laptop's 'music viewing' features & capabilities simply don't approach the abilities of the MusicPad Pro+. If you're a professional musician currently using music, leadsheets, or lyrics onstage, consider the MusicPad Pro. It's worth the investment.

Scott

[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 05-18-2005).]

Perhaps there are some people who would want to see your fingers on the keys, but even if they do what does it prove ... I know a sax player who is a OMB act... he has a kb set in front of him and sometimes when he is not playing the sax, 'appears' to be playing the keys, when in reality the kb might not even be turned on !!! ...
t.

The SD1 can display text files on the display.
I imagine some of the other arrangers can do this. You just load the text file to the hard drive. If it has the same name as the style you're using, it is called up automatically. You can scroll it with food switch or button.
DonM

Then again, maybe we should try to look MORE like a d.j.

Heck, they make more than musicians. It ain't right, I tell ya.

DJs ding weddings in this part of the world knock down $800 to $1,200 for a 4-hour wedding reception, and even more when the do both the wedding and reception. Often, however, the actual pay to the DJ is far less, and the lion's share of the proceeds goes to the catering company or wedding planner that put the package together. Sometimes there's an $800 charge for the DJ, and the DJ gets to keep $150 for 4 hours work.

Scott, are you trying to tell us that no one has ever walked up to you while you were singing and playing, and started talking to you? This happens to every OMB entertainer I know on the planet, and that's regardless of wheter you use a laptop or just sing from memory. I've even had people come up and ask questions while I was playing a 12-string guitar and singing, and that's while I was on stage with three other guys. I don't believe the computer has a thing to do with this problem. At the end of the night, even before I played a keyboard and worked with several country bands, at the end of the night you would get a check where the item line said DJ Music.

Cheers,

Gary

I just brought it up because many of you take great pains to 'look professional' and I thought the more you look and act like a musician (and it would be more evident if they see you playing), maybe that's a good thing.

As for people talking to musicians while they are SINGING, that has always blown my mind. Like, are you that STOOPID? It's like they think you have two heads or something.

The mere fact that the audience hears more then ONE instument coming from a keyboard eg: drums, bass, rythym secions etc etc ....is in their head not computing to the laymans ear no matter how good a player you are.....with that in mind they obviously know something is different and somthing is being done by the person on stage other then playing just ONE instrument.....either they think, its a computer, DJ, tapes, CD's, mini discs, mp3's doesnt matter at that point unless there is ONLY A PIANO to look at. Explaining all this technology to them is futile, you must realize what we do is Entertaining in whatever form it takes and whatver you the musician want to believe in your own mind....the bottom line is to make the client happy, make the audience happy, get paid for your services, and get repeat business to make a living. A purist musicaianal attutude in todays high tech world
is a thing of the past....go with the flow and enjoy the fact that your doing something enjoyable in whatever way YOU do it .....there is no rules or right or wrong....the music speaks for it self and always will!!.

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 05-18-2005).]