Has anyone used one of those computer screen music stands?

[gerry]

Just curious to know if anyone has used a computer screen music stand at a piano. Are they difficult to read?

I understand that their used often in situations where there are many last-minute changes like in Hollywood productions, etc. But then I also thought, what if there was a program glitch in the middle of a piece and the performer(s) suddenly had to either come to a complete stop, or would it just sort of slowly disintegrate into a chaotic mess due to some having memorized and other not?--could be an amusing experience.  I wonder if printing costs will drive this technology. and, if so, what a marvelous opportunity for a clever hacker to break in and start substituting wrong notes...
 

[Bob]

Those estands cost about $1,000.  I saw something similar on sale for onloy $900.  The paper costs would really have to be up there before I try something like that.

That said, I have thought about using a regular computer screen, using a pdf file.  You need a footpedal to be able to switch pages.

And then you're relying that the computer will respond correctly.  I don't trust them that much.

[gerryjay]

 i recently did buy a lcd screen to read music easily at my piano. it works preety well, and was almost inexpensive. the page turns i do using the pc keyboard and that's it. although not perfect it's very useful. and i don't have to spend paper printing music that i will read once or twice and never play for real.

[Bob]

Those flat screens?  I've done that.  Surfed the internet while doing maintainance practice.

The thing that keeps crossing my mind is that "paper technology" beats the heck out of anything that relies on electricity or irksome computers.  For the price of the machinery, you could buy an awful lot of paper printed music.  And it won't disappear if the power goes out or freeze if the computer gods deem it so.  (You know the computer gods will wait until your performance too to do that.  In which case you need a paper backup just in case, which defeats a lot of the point of going electronic in the first place).

[timothy42b]

There is at least one big band out there who uses linked laptops to every musician (oh, and the drummer too) and has the library on CD.  No stand lights, no lost music, nobody in the wrong spot, easy revisions that everybody gets, etc.  The name is on the tip of my tongue but it won't come.

Yeah, if they have a power failure they're dead.  But then, their amps wouldn't work and they couldn't play anyway. 

[Bob]

A laptop with a battery then maybe.  There are those backup power supplies that will keep it going for an hour or so.  I suppose that might work too.

I'm more concerned with the computer glitches though.  I imagine the page not scrolling down or scrolling past where you want and then freezing up.  During a performance.  Or having to restart the whole thing.  "Hang on everyone!  The computer screen froze up.  I have to restart.  It'll only take five minutes or so and then I can try again."

[gerryjay]

 hey bob!
 i want comment your post, shall i?

Those flat screens?  I've done that.  Surfed the internet while doing maintainance practice.

100 times  ... hanon and cheap porno... what a combination!

For the price of the machinery, you could buy an awful lot of paper printed music. 

man, may i get serious a bit? i used to print or to copy anything that i would just read or study or play, and now i have countless shelves with wasted or semi-wasted paper. what about saving mother earth? i only use paper for my real repertory now, because i really agree with the problems with the lappiesas you mention below:

I'm more concerned with the computer glitches though. I imagine the page not scrolling down or scrolling past where you want and then freezing up. During a performance. Or having to restart the whole thing. "Hang on everyone! The computer screen froze up. I have to restart. It'll only take five minutes or so and then I can try again."

because it would happens very likely. those machines are born to stuck at the most unwanted moments.
 anyway, you should amuse your audience with some hanon while the computer restarts...

[ahinton]

Frankly, the technology as well as the price has quite a way to go yet before it becomes standard practice to use such things. Not every player will want to be (or can be) at the same distance from the screen, depending on the instrument that he/she plays, and the screen resolution will need to be very high to make this work effectively at any reasonable playing distance. The computer glitch and power-out problems are also valid issues, of course, although the latter can at least be overcome in public performance situations by the use of an emergency generator which will also power up the lights and all other electrical requirements in the event of an outage.

One advantage of this technology (once it's mor affordable and of better quality) will be the lack of any further requirement for a page turner, since a pedal could be used for this purpose; this would only be a problem for organists and pianists (and to a lesser extent orchestral harpists) who already have pedals on their instruments, but the organist could devolve the job to his/her assistant who will already be dealing with registration issues and the harpist won't find it an issue except where a screen change coincides with instrument pedal changes. The pianist might be able to overcome it by means of something equivalent to a thumb piston attached in front of the keyboard, such as an organist operates, although this will add another minor technical factor to playing issues. It will be great for orchestral string secions in that second players on each desk will no longer have to turn pages while the first player continues to play.

Until and unless this technology becomes cheap as chips (and, let's face it, prices of such items plummet only when there is mass market demand, which is unlikely to befall this), there will be the added problem of security risk (theft, etc).

Best,

Alistair

[gerry]

No future for poor ol' Turner dePage 

[allthumbs]

I don't think I would use such a device. I look at a computer screen too much already.

Including that to my piano time would just add to the stress my eyes are under as it is.


allthumbs

[Bob]

No future for poor ol' Turner dePage

The human ones mess up plenty of times too.  I've seen them doze off once in awhile too.