Playing Outside..., ... IN A GALE!!!! Options

[jonscott14]

I now bring bricks to every outdoors concert.

[Suepea]

You can get strong magnets to hold music on the stand - I got some from a brass specialist music shop that are designed for outdoor playing (though I don't usually play outside - I bought them to defeat the wind that comes in the windows at SRP when we have them open) Lakeland Plastics also do some very strong magnets, but you have to handle them carefully as I have found the undersides are slightly rough. I use these on my magnetic notice board. It won't solve the problem of the stand taking off, of course! jonscott's idea of bricks seems a good one - you could tie your stand to these.

We don't usually have any page turns during pieces, thankfully( that would have resulted in ripped music!) , and I did TRY and get my dad to hold my music down for me. He was more interested in filming us struggling.

The family will have a laugh over this for years!

[Frederic Chopin]

Really tricky situation you were in!

It may help putting your music in a file with plastic pockets which is securely pegged to the stand - at least that will solve the problem of pages flying off the stand. If you have sandbags at home(!), use them to keep your stand in place! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Symphony]

Oh this thread brings back the memories (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

In 2001 I toured Paris with County Cork Youth Orchestra, and we did a gig in the Palace of Versaille, outdoors by the lakes ... except there was a sandstorm ... and well, it was an experience and a half - much like that that you experienced!

We had no audience, and only three guards on horseback galloping around yelling "SANDEH-ST-HORM" in heavy accents, and in the end, they bundled us up in the middle of lord of the dance, and made our entire 60ish piece orchestra race inside .... quite quite funny.

Playing outside .. yes .. good memories (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[jm-hamilton]

Several people have mentioned pegs for holding down the music, and I've thought of doing this. It's fine if your music is only on one side of the paper, you play from one stave (so you get more music on the page)and it isn't very long, but how do you turn over if it isn't? Often my music is 8 or more pages (piano part plus all the vocal parts) - too many to line up on the stand. FC's suggstion of photocopying everything and putting tem in plastic pockets is good, but it's not foolproof. When we go on tour we go with another choir and their accompanist has the music in plastic pockets. I turn over for her, and she turns over for me. I find that the wind will still find sneaky little ways to flip the music over if I'm not holding it down. I don't think there's an entirely windproof solution. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Frederic Chopin]

I don't think there's an entirely windproof solution. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The only entirely windproof solution I can think of is to perform indoors! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

[jm-hamilton]

I don't think there's an entirely windproof solution. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The only entirely windproof solution I can think of is to perform indoors! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Agreed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[JudithJ]

... I did TRY and get my dad to hold my music down for me. He was more interested in filming us struggling.

Whilst you have my sympathy, I'm with your Dad on this one. What is the point of having your daughter do something this comical if you can't stand back to enjoy it?!

[AmandaL]

I find it's really difficult to hear yourself and others too. With the wind whipping up and lots of other background noise it's almost impossible to know whether you are in tune or still with everyone else on the timing!

[Rosemary7391]

I could hear everyone else just fine, as they were all upwind of me (with the wind blowing thier music onto their stands!)

[petrat]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I still like my toilet tent idea, but you would need a row of them for a sextet. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[jacobvaneyck]

I've got an outdoor concert on Saturday with wind band. We have two during the year and this is the not so good one. We get a small tent, chairs on grass (the other one we at least get a bandstand), and probably typical bad Scottish weather. Must remember one thing, clothes pegs.

[Rosemary7391]

I've got an outdoor concert on Saturday with wind band. We have two during the year and this is the not so good one. We get a small tent, chairs on grass (the other one we at least get a bandstand), and probably typical bad Scottish weather. Must remember one thing, clothes pegs.

Definitly! Without pegs I would have been chasing across the field for 2 hours instead of playing!

[Clarissa]

I find it's really difficult to hear yourself and others too. With the wind whipping up and lots of other background noise it's almost impossible to know whether you are in tune or still with everyone else on the timing!

I find this the most difficult aspect of playing outside. The wind band I play with (adult learners) gets inflicted on the public 3 or 4 times a year & at least 2 of these events are outside. I find our conductor very difficult to follow and consequently tend to use my ears instead to check I'm still in time. Needless to say if its windy I can't hear very well! Big problem!

I use a folder with plastic pockets for music & lots of pegs! If the stand blows over you just have to stop playing & catch it!

[lucietake2]

i do alot of busking in my town centre and the stand blowing over is often a problem, however many pegs you attach to the music! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) xxx