You embracing New technology or stuck in the Old ways?

"You Cant teach an old horse new tricks is what they say".....but how does it pertain to you and your music and how your perform it?....
do you ignore change,...scoff at something new, or a better way to do it, laziness the cause, don't care either way, keep saying to yourself why change now after all these years, wont memorize songs, still using bulky charts instead of an iPad, trim down your rig using a newer instrument and gear, etc,etc,etc?

Thoughts?

Examine with an open mind if the something new will add; and how much it will add, to your performance. Changing because it is new is preference.

I am still not convinced that my Ipad is better than my laptop. Five or more years setting my laptop just the way I wanted – and the time to program the Ipad; then to get use to using it is one big giant step.

Is it worth it? I am still not sure.
Comfort against relearning????????

John C.

I have been fortunate enough to continue to evolve for the last 50 years technologically with my gear and performances. Embracing change, trying new Technics, listening to my audiences needs, and using that knowledge to give them what they want. Never satisfied with what I did at the moment but rather always looking for a way to make it better next time, that is if you know how in the first place. Keep an open mind, look for the best in all kinds of music, absorb ideas like a sponge from your experiences, and always give 150%....

New is NOT always better - it's just NEW!

There's another old saying that I've always subscribed to "If it ain't broke, don't try and fix it."

In six shot months, if I live that long, I'll be 77 years old. I think in the field of musical entertainment, I've evolved enough to satisfy myself, and my audiences. Now that I have retired, I'm into updating my sailing technology, but in reality, sailing and musical entertainment have a lot in common. Both require a strong subscription to the basics, though I believe sailing is a lot easier. Last week, I installed a new VHF radio on the boat, one that receives signals from all commercial vessels, tells me their name, where they came from, the direction they are headed, their course and speed and if I am in any danger of a collision - NEAT! It also provides me with a one touch system that allows me to send a distress signal to every ship on the screen and the US Coast Guard. WOW!

As an entertainer/singer/musician, in that order, I was able to entertain my audiences and provide them with the music they wanted to hear, provide them with crisp, clear, clean vocals and play a variety of instruments using nothing more than an arranger keyboard. If I could have physically kept at what I was doing, I would have continued until I dropped dead on the stage - but things don't always work out the way you plan them.

Same goes for the new technology. There are loads of new sound systems out there, and many of the newer ones would be worth exploring if I had another 20 years to live. Same goes for some of the new keyboards, but keep in mind that the person behind the keyboard is what really counts the most. There have been lots of great entertainers on this and other forums that really sound great and put on fantastic show every time they go on stage. In some instances, they use equipment that is damned near as old as they are. Donny always said give the audiences 150 percent - good advice. If you give it all you have, and your gear is reasonably high quality, all the technology in the world will not book you another jobd, make you younger, make you better looking or make you sound any better.

Here's a great example of OLD TECHNOLOGY - I kinda wish I were there with those folks, strumming my old Yamaha 12=string guitar and singing along with them.



I guess it all comes down to the person behind the keyboard/piano/guitar/fiddle, etc... All that new technology is just enhancement tools for folks that believe newer is better. I recon that's why so many folks buy the newest I-phones the day they become available.

All the best,

Gary

"scoff at something new" ? ... NEVER !!! ... if I did I might still be playing accordion - and chas really wouldn't like that - musical instrument-wise I went from accordion to cordovox to Fender Rhodes to 3 generations of arranger keyboards ... even played solo piano with a rhythm machine to back up my vocals for a while - now THAT was ballsy -
Now I am about to embark into the 'tablet' world for my music sheets - yes, Donny, I KNOW I should have memorized them but I never was good at that, and at this age it is not going to get any easier - so, it looks like it is going to be a Pr012 tablet for me, which will eliminate the use of books and a music stand once I get an attachment to hook up the tablet holder to my X stand ... and who knows what might be next ?!? ...

When I had a real 'day' job, most of my career was in the IT field, starting out with the old IBM tabulating and keypunch machines ... during the course of that career, I kept on the 'cutting edge' bringing many innovations into the company I worked for, including computers, data entry systems, microfilm and then digital imaging systems, etc. etc. ...
One can either 'stand still' which means you end up going backwards, or try to stay ahead of the curve ... I choose the latter ...

Good luck Tony your on the right track with the tablet.... Vs all those charts..

Donny, I don't think it' right for us to say what is good or bad for someone else; we can only say what works for ourselves. Technology in and of itself is fine, but is no substitute for talent and hard work. There are no real shortcuts to mastering a musical instrument; if an arranger makes you sound good but you don't sound good without it, then that says something about you and the arranger. If you've reached your peak as a musician and still require the assistance of technology to make you 'good enough' to 'get paid', that's fine; just don't delude yourself into thinking you're better than you are.

When I listen to guys like Joey Alexander, or Hiromi, or Cory Henry, or Keith Jarrett, playing (solo piano) before thousands (in concert), it's not their ENTERTAINING skills (except in the broader sense) but their incredible MUSICAL performances that we remember and admire. Oh sure, if we're just knocking down beer in a noisy bar or club and more interested in getting wasted or 'hooking up' than the music, then yeah, practically any kind of music is acceptable ('cause we aren't there for the music). As someone pointed out, so many things determine the suitability, outcome, etc., of a musical performance, not the least of which is the audience you're playing for.

So, my problem with the TITLE of this post is the word "STUCK". Because someone CHOOSES to use gear that is working for them but may not be the 'latest, greatest', doesn't necessarily mean that they're 'stuck in the Old', just that they don't see any ADDITIONAL benefits that the newer technology would bring to what they're doing. The acoustic piano has changed little for a very long time and given a choice, most pro-level jazz organist will still take a '59 B3 & Leslie over the most expensive digital 'clonewheel'. Technology is great, but it's not always better. JMO.

There is ONE instance where technology is better, ACCORDIONS; the new digital technology in modern ones can make them sound like SOMETHING ELSE (sorry Tony).

chas

Chas thanx for the reply,.... the word "STUCK" can be contrived in many ways for many reasons for may people in many ways for sure.....just being aware of whats new and sticking with what works in the older form is ok too....just makes you a smarter musician even if you don't use it. good thoughts and discussion expressed on this thread and that was the intention have a great Holiday everyone!

I've embraced technology for many years and love it! When the national company I worked for gave us and trained us on laptop computers in the mid90s I ran with it. I took as many courses as I could at the community college. When that company offered me an early retirement buyout package I took it, went back to college and earned a degree in Computer and Network Service Technology, that led to a 15 year job in the IT field. Getting to music I started using the Music Pad Pro for charts in 2009 then about 5 years ago started using the iPad. Recently on JerryGr's post I moved to a Pro12 tablet ( larger screen for aging eyes). Just a couple of days ago based on a question by Tony about the tablet working with the Korg I decided to configure the tablet to communicate with my Pa4x so that choosing a Songbook entry pulls up the lead sheet on the tablet and vice versa. It works well but may not work for every gig.

I have a weakness for the latest tech I love new gear, I don't buy it because it will get me more gigs. I'm stuck in a time warp too, I prefer the old standards and 50s to more contemporary music . Talent and memorization? I know mine is limited and I've tried memorization, I don't have the patience to memorize. Strange though I can play from memory a limited amount of piano solo music that learned 40 years ago, those tunes just never left me. At this point in life it's about a few gigs here and there but just as much about enjoying music.

Its not better... its just different, both a laptop as well as the ipad have their own strengths and weaknesses..

i am combining both an ipad pro and a macbook for different things in my setup..My macbook is like a high end synthesizer module.. and i use my ipads touchscreen to controll some of that..

however... windows 10 on high end devices like the surface pro studio holds the best of both worlds in a single computer where it comes to music...

Use it, but don't use it as a crutch. I see it all the time...people using tracks or backgrounds of some kind who couldn't work any other way.

My arrangers are paying for themselves big-time as tools to to film roughs.

This year, I've use an arranger on a "live" paying job twice, and I work 5 or more jobs a week.

Gary mentioned he would not like a jazz guitar guy 4 straight hours. What really pisses me off is an acoustic "three chorder" with a capo. Talk about boring!

The ideal place to be is to be capable for playing the right combination of material and using the right kind of instrumentation to do a professional job.

Lack of ability is certainly the thing that limits variety and competence.

Russ

I use arrangers, electric guitar, a laptop, and a tablet on various live gigs. The tablet is for backing tracks only. For the life of me, I don’t see how anyone can read lyrics and chords changes from a tablet on live gigs. I’m still into notebooks, with no apology, and with the largest font possible per page. Works for those tunes not memorized. Never had a complaint about old-fashioned notebooks. Maybe notebooks are retro these days.

I use an iPad or tablet with an adapter with a mic thread attached to my On Stage telescoping boom. You can get a close as you need.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/on-stage-stands-telescoping-boom-arm?cntry=us&source=3WWRWXGP&gclid=Cj0KEQjw5sHHBRDg5IK6k938j_IBEiQARZBJWoKO3q5V7fsEO0i5ibnSfNwSL2X1aFYjKWWGGYdCsskaAgp98P8HAQ&kwid=productads-adid^156403583515-device^c-plaid^143216426202-sku^712514000001000@ADL4MF-adType^PLA

Until laptops became available, I lugged around a half-dozen 3-inch, 3 ring, looseleaf binders that were filled to capacity with lyrics sheets and chords over the words. I typed up each and every one of those sheets (about 800 of them) on a desktop PC and printed them out using a daily-wheel printer. My first laptop, an IBM, tipped the scales at 17 pounds and cost me nearly $1,500, but I was a happy camper. Now, I use a 9-inch netbook PC for the lyrics and chords that weighs about 1.2 pounds. So, in that category I have progressed along with the technology.

When my eyes began failing, I again went with the new technology, had cataract surgery, had special lenses implanted that set me back $4,000 and the doctors said that I don't have to wear glasses, but still do. That technological advance was not 100 percent by a long shot. ;(

All the best,

Gary

The Fender Rhodes is still hot today.

Nice post, Gary, but DAMN, that fiddle/banjo music is AWFUL!

Russ

I agree, Russ, but we sure had a lot of fun back then and I will cherish those memories to the grave.

Gary

Gary, I think we've hit on something. Music, with all it's variables, is an integral part of most lifestyles.

Disco Duck is unquestionably the funniest/awfullest pop tune, EVER. LOVE IT! Rick Dees made a fortune in the media, and this was one of his silliest/best efforts. Still (Bill Anderson-dreadful tune) and my least favorite of all, Margueritaville (UGH!)have a rightful place as part of Americana.

In contrast, tunes like "What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life?", Song for My Father....Here's that Rainy Day and many more are either serious societal statements or constructed for sheer beauty, message and/or structure.

You won't believe it, but I believe BOTH kinds of compositions are essential to healthy lifestyles. Mark this down, Gary; on this, we agree!!

JD Crowe is a good friend of mine. I HATE 5 string banjo, and he is the best player alive today. For that, he earns my friendship and respect for his contributions to a particularly unique (and, for me, irritating) music form.

Expand our field to all sound. It's everywhere, and is an integral part of living.

Sampling now allows me to integrate the sound of a jet, for instance, into a background score for a truck manufacturer, or a frying sound for a Kentucky chicken producer.

We should ALL enjoy every note we play and hear.

That's in a large part, is what living is all about.


Russ

Can't argue with that, Russ!

Gary