Tips for chart playing?

Eric Philippsen · From: Central Indiana, USA

I've been playing with one band that does a lot of originals requiring charts. Lots. I have no problem reading those, in standard or number format. The frustrating problem is how and where to best put those charts while gigging. Putting a music stand in front of my steel works but if there's another option I'd like to know!

I've done 3x5 cards but there's the problem of putting them somewhere on my steel. If I put them up on the headstock the keys can hide some of the written changes. I've thought about putting them on an IPad and attaching that to a steel leg. Anybody done that?

Memorizing every tune along with those of the other two bands I play with is too much for this old guy's memory. Any suggestions short of a standard music stand?

Thank.

Rick Abbott · From: Indiana, USA

There once was a steel-specific music stand. I wonder where they went? I think it clamped to the front legs and went all the way across the front of the steel.

I use one that clamps to a mic stand. I can just set it where I want and it's small and out of the way.
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RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Wakarusa 5e3 clone
1953 Stromberg-Carlson AU-35

Dale Foreman · From: Crowley Louisiana, USA

I use my iPad and clamp it on the left side. You can buy them on eBay.
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Rittenberry Prestige(2)

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

I've had one of these for years. 5x7 cards fit nicely on it. Has a nylon insert in the clamping screw to prevent scratching your chrome leg.

clickhere

Alternately, in this electronic age, if all the charts are on iPad, then those type of clamp on things might be ideal.

Tucker Jackson · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

I use note cards.

I used to prop them up in the keyhead, and that works fine. The title of the song is written at the bottom of the card -- since that's the one piece of info I don't need during the song, so it can hidden by some tuning keys. No problem with tuning keys hiding useful parts of the chart when they're written that way.

More recently, in order to hide the charts from the audience, I've been just laying them flat across the top of the keyhead. You can get away with even larger cards that way, like 4x6. They're almost invisible to the audience when they're laying flat like that.

Stefan Robertson · From: Hertfordshire, UK

I used to use cards and masking tape them to the player's side of the steel. But it can also work with a long strip of paper if your steel has some size like a pedal Steel. You'd just use shorthand like.

Song Name/order number
Key of F
Verse: 1, 4, 5,
12 bar Blues

Song name/order number
Key of Bb
Verse: 1, 4, 5, 6,
Bridge; 2, 1, 7
Rock
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Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
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Stefan Robertson · From: Hertfordshire, UK

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