PRO concert entertainers from David Bowie, Jordan Rudess, Linda Ronstadt, Jon Anderson (of 'Yes'), to Sting, are all known to use a MusicPad Pro on stage. Here's a shot of Sting utilizing the MusicPad Pro at his Budapest Hungary Concert in June 2004:



[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 01-20-2005).]

Jordan Rudess in Concert 2002
Jordan Rudess Website

Jon Anderson in Concert

Your point is made, Scott.
I still think it looks bad on stage for a solo performer. Just my own thougts.

hmmm. I suppose you're going to want to RE-EVALUATE your own use of a laptop on 'your' stage, or do you just hide it when you're performing solo?



- Scott

My laptop is a jukebox, and I love having it with me to enhance the dancing on breaks.
WHY do you keep all these old pictures handy? We look good though, huh?

BTW - the above shot was taken at a neighborhood taproom .... not at all a fancy venue. The entire mood at that job was casual all the way.
Today's setup is sleeker, neater and more practical.

You mean you and your 'lap' top right? Sorry UD, but you really did ask for 'that' one.

As far as collecting pics, you never know when one might come in handy just for times like this. Seriously though, I just enjoy collecting pics of ALL my Synthzone family, of which you're of course included.



Come on Dave, no Excuses! I won't let you worm out of this one so easily. Do you REALLY want me to drag out the picture of you performing on stage with your laptop at your fancy attire 'father-daughter' dance now? - Scott

Yeah, and the rub is I'll bet that none of those guys had to shell out a single penny for theirs. Even if they did, a grand to them is coffee-money. Grumble grumble.

[This message has been edited by renig (edited 01-21-2005).]

I have a simple question....why they heck would Sting need to read charts of his own music? Did his career tank and he's doing covers now? LOL

I haven't been here that long but I thought I heard alot of talk about Uncle Dave and Redheads. lol I mean that Blonde is a beautiful woman but......

That is Joe the bartender with a blonde wig...

Wow, the chick brought her own laptop!
Maybe she does laptop dances.
DonM

That must have been her tip jar too........nah, it's Dave's..all ones..

Pictures, SCHMICTURES !!
My position is the same, and you all know what it is.

Scott, you really have to stop obsessing on our every disagreement. So we differ on this issue - SO WHAT? Drop it already, k?
You want to read - go ahead.
You want to play the Tyros - more power to ya.
You want to make a synthzone scrapbook - that's fine ...

Just PLEASE .... let's get off this issue. I get all your little digs ... the capitol "PRO" in the posts, the pictures of celebreties .... it's all good, and it's also all irrelevant. None of it changes my mind. The laptop is an entirely different tool on stage. It's an extension of what the kb CAN'T do on it's own. It's my jukebox. Nothing more. I do many, many show without it and never miss it.

And, for the record .... that blonde is actually quite a good singer in spite of her pigmental shortcomings.
(She used to be the redhead in a girl band called "The Party Dolls" - Beehives and all !)

So .... no more chit chat on how we disagree on the music notes issue please. Post all your reviews - read all your charts - buy all your toys, but for cryin' out loud ..... leave me out of it. I promise not to try and change your mind ..... I'd love the same treatment, please.

It really doesn't matter if we ever agree on this, does it? This is performance art, not health care....it just doesn't matter.
Like Billy Joel - I'm movin' out.....

Hey, I've got that same fan that Sting is using on stage out in my garage.

Menards - $35



-mike

Scott,
Let's just stop. I can't talk to you anymore without you getting all weird. I'm closing this thread to me now.

For crying out loud Uncle Dave, you really need to bring your ego down a few notches and STOP thinking everything I say is all about 'YOU'! I merely initiated this thread to post pics of stage entertainers who actually use the MusicPad Pro on stage. This thread had nothing to do with you until 'YOU' chose to respond.

Strangely enough, you and I have actually ALWAYS AGREED on the issue of READING music on stage. You already know that I've REPEATEDLY stressed over the years here 'time and time again' that 'reading' a music score 'note for note' on stage not only an audience distraction, but gives the impression that you're unprepared as well. Why are you constantly coming back to condem utilizing a MusicPad Pro as meaning that I'm READING 'fully written out' scores on stage. I'm NOT!

I EMPHASIZED that my need for a device like the MusicPad Pro is mainly as a lyrics & chords teleprompter, and occasional lead sheet. Even though you already knew that, you keep responding to 'my' threads preaching the evils of this device, yet even though you say you only use your laptop for midi file playback, you then later admit that you too use it occasionally to display lyrics on stage. What really gets my goat is your blatant sense of hyprocrisy here.

As far as your excuse of requiring your laptop on stage ONLY as "an extension of what the kb CAN'T do on it's own": 'midi song playback', both the Yamaha Tyros and your PSR3000 already INCLUDE a "built-in" midi song player which even includes a song 'chain' playback function ala jukebox.

Professional performers who utilize onstage screen prompts such as the MusicPad Pro, laptop, or teleprompter certainly know better than to STARE into the screen to read the score 'note for note'. Ok, I suppose you think President Bush looked BAD yesterday relying on that teleprompter screen (in front of him) for his Inaugural Speech too, right?

Hey Uncle Dave, you already know I love ya, but that I'm just not going to let you get away with anything either. Here's an Olive branch . . . . No hard feelings, k?

- Scott

I'm posting this image to make a point. What you see here is the new Yamaha DisKlavier Mark IV... note the touch pad display on the left and the PDA on the right. These are used for programming and controlling the Disklavier from anywhere in the house via WiFi. Ironically the touchpad for the Disklavier happens to sit where I place my own laptop when I play a grand piano, which I use for SMF playback. This isn't the first time I've seen display screens on a Disklavier either, but this picture is the latest example and comes from Yamaha's NAMM 2005 press release.

My point is that I think we'd better all get used to seeing LCD displays on stage. I use a laptop on stage as warranted already and I'm in the market for a Music Pad Pro. Obviously new keyboards will have large color displays that are prominent (ie: Korg's new OASYS) and performers are already there as Scott's pix demonstrate. Many other performers here besides UD use laptops also; and I see no difference between using a laptop or using a Music Pad Pro or using a Disklavier or Korg's OASYS touch screen.

We are seeing a trend - LCD displays are growing in usage and visibility. The only question seems to be how they are being used, not if. As we all have different needs, we all will have different applications. But I'm betting that there's an LCD display in just about all of our future stage setups in one way or another.

Did I just make a bridge over troubled waters or what?

[This message has been edited by The Pro (edited 01-24-2005).]

Whhhooooaaaaa!

I want that!!! I have a WiFi network at home so I am part way there huh

Seriously I think that piano is a thing of beauty. I would love that in my home. I'd even ditch the Tyros for it!

Ok so where did I put that lottery ticket
Best wishes
Tony

Mike Garson and his MusicPad Pro


Garson's Musical Stage Setup

Mike Garson Website