Elvis Costello & teleprompter

Subject: Elvis Costello & teleprompter
From: GUEST,bernieandred
Date: 11 Mar 15 - 12:23 PM

http://photopyle.zenfolio.com/p673616285

This is a link to some great photo's of Elvis performing solo in Tulsa OK recently. He doesn't just have an ipad for his lyrics ...... it looks like a fill sized monitor!!
Has anyone noted other artists using this set-up. Anyone have any opinions on this??

Subject: RE: Elvis Costello & teleprompter
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Mar 15 - 12:30 PM

"Has anyone noted other artists using this set-up"

By now, probably most of the older big name singers.

Subject: RE: Elvis Costello & teleprompter
From: Wesley S
Date: 11 Mar 15 - 01:15 PM

've seen them used a lot. But usually they are set up low to the ground near the monitors so they don't show up on camera.

That's a nice Gibson by the way...

Subject: RE: Elvis Costello & teleprompter
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 11 Mar 15 - 01:24 PM

Pretty much all of them, including The Boss.

Subject: RE: Elvis Costello & teleprompter
From: GUEST,DTM
Date: 11 Mar 15 - 01:39 PM

When you get on a bit the grey matter doesn't work like it used to.
No problem with a lyric prompter provided it's discretely placed.

Subject: RE: Elvis Costello & teleprompter
From: Musket
Date: 12 Mar 15 - 02:35 AM

When I saw him last in 1985 ish he didn't need it. Neither did anybody in UK folk clubs. Now, he obviously does. Ditto everybody other than me seems to use crib words in folk clubs.

OK. I occasionally have a piece of paper blue tacked to the guitar with first words of verses of recently learned songs...,

A bit of trivia for you. His first gig after turning pro was a Socialist fund raiser and he was the support act for Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger. Punk followed soon after.

Subject: RE: Elvis Costello & teleprompter
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 12 Mar 15 - 03:05 AM

Yeah, I guess ol' Brucie's suffering the same brain-fade that's plaguing me nowadays - after all, he's only two years younger than me! Mind you, he did 35 songs when I saw him in 2013 - I reckon that would be a challenge even for an Eidetic like you, Muskie! 😄

As I've said before (and been lambasted by the folk-police for saying it, but I really don't give a FF!), a prompt is fine as long as it's discreet and the performer can still connect with his audience. Unfortunately too many, especially on the amateur/semi-pro scene, have a huge music stand which acts as an impenetrable barrier between him/her and the audience, and 'perform' with their noses buried in the loose-leaf binder.

IMHO and, of course, YMMV. 👍😄

Subject: RE: Elvis Costello & teleprompter
From: GUEST,Dave the Gnome
Date: 12 Mar 15 - 03:13 AM

Nothing wrong with a teleprompt or any other sort of prompt but I am pretty sure Mr C does not start paging through it muttering "Now, which shall I do next? Oh, I know, this song I heard yesterday that I have sung before or practiced in any way shape or form..."

Subject: RE: Elvis Costello & teleprompter
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 12 Mar 15 - 03:26 AM

Precisely, Dave!

Performing - I mean really performing - using a prompting-system is an art-form in itself, and needs to be practiced and honed. Done well, the audience never notices. But done badly, it's dreadful.

And, of course, a prompt doesn't remove the requirement to rehearse.

Subject: RE: Elvis Costello & teleprompter
From: Musket
Date: 12 Mar 15 - 03:34 AM

Ah well Mr Gnome, that is what sets Elvis and I apart...

One of the Muskets speaks highly of Backwoodsman as a singer and guitarist so I may piss two people off if I have a pop, so mmmmmmmffffffffff!!!!!

Speaking of whom, I notice that original Musket doesn't use crib sheets at all. Or At least he wants people to think that. Just clock the piece of paper hanging off his guitar. Also, when I last saw him on a stage as opposed to in a pub, he has one of those attachments for an iPad to hang off a mic stand. He reckons it is to control the pa...

Yeah..

Subject: RE: Elvis Costello & teleprompter
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 12 Mar 15 - 04:04 AM

😃😃😃 arff, arff, arff!

Subject: RE: Elvis Costello & teleprompter
From: Musket
Date: 12 Mar 15 - 06:07 AM

You realise of course that this could lead to a disagreement between Musket and Musket?

This Musket does indeed have an iPad holder for stage work. Putting lyrics up isn't a good idea though because if you get out of the mixer programme it loses contact and doesn't always reconnect.

Yes. There is an art form in modern stage gear and can be more bloody complicated than playing a blues run.

On a serious note. Dave has it right. There is a difference between prompting what you have rehersed to a good level and sight reading whilst strumming and singing. (3 things to do at once? For the first time? And entertain others? )