accompanying "rear-view mirror?"

[Bob]

Has anyone tried this?  Have a good setup?

If your piano is stuck where you can't see the soloist, is there any good way to see them?  The only thing I can think of is placing a mirror on the piano and angling it so you can see the soloist while seating at the piano.

Or a breath cue could work too I suppose.

I'm wondering if they might actually make this type of mirror though.

[thalbergmad]

I think organists use a similar device.

There is a mirror on the organ at my local church, but since they have a female organist, it could be there for checking make up.

Thal

[Bob]

Yes.  Similar situation... in terms of mirror placement that is.

I wonder if there's something portable that would work on most any piano and not get in the way of the music if there are several pages spread out.

[richard black]

Just about the only thing I like about big Yamaha upright pianos is that they're so shiny that you can use the front panel as a mirror for watching colleagues or indeed conductors. I've never actually attached a mirror to a piano, though obviously it could be done.

[Bob]

Yes.  It would need some kind of adjustable frame.

[go12_3]

I doubt about the *rear-view mirror* concept.  When you accompany, you just have to go with your instincts and do what you can if you cannot see the soloist.  But, usually that hasn't presented a problem for me in the past.

best wishes,

go12_3

[Bob]

I guess it depends if the soloist is giving decent visual cues when they have their back to you. 

I'm thinking it might have to be a larger mirror too, and at some point that's going to look strange and distract the audience. 

(Bob considers getting some Mission Impossible sunglasses with backward viewing capability.)

[Bob]

The other things I've seen, which would be less conspicious possibly in ordinary lighting, would be a little video camera and tv monitor.  The tv monitor would throw off some light though.  But then the camera could be set up anywhere, esp if it was wireless.

[quantum]

Mirrors are often used by organists.  As the organ console in many cases isn't a very movable object. 

The mirror at the church I play at is rather small.  About the size of a car side view mirror.  But since it sits quite close to me, I can see what I need to see. 

Sizes of mirrors vary greatly, I've seen huge picture frame sized mirrors in large churches that hang above the organists head.  Some churches also use a TV monitor. 

Notre Dame de Paris is one example using a TV monitor.  You can see glimpses of it here:

I vaguely recall seeing a vid where someone put a plasma TV above the organ console. 

[Bob]

I discovered a glitch with the mirror idea.  If the soloist isn't giving good cues, visually or audibly, the mirror won't help.

[quantum]

You could listen for breath, or try to anticipate phrase direction. 

Interesting to note: when I was studying accompanying my teacher said that good musicians are easy to work with, it is the poor ones that we need to study for how to accompany. 

[Bob]

No breath sound.  That's what I was hoping for.  This is more like the instant reaction accompanying, at least for the starts. 

[quantum]

Can you work out the the breath marks?  Do they occur in logical places?  Or is this soloist creating breath marks at random moments?  Breath in the middle of words soloist?