Pants On Fire (Hopefully Soon)
May 25, 2011 2:37 PM Subscribe
Where can I get a detachable sheet-music holder for acoustic guitar, similar to the lyres used for instruments in marching bands?
It's called a "lyre" in the marching band context. I used to play alto sax-- its lyre looks like this. ..and here's one for a trumpet.
As you can see, it's attached to your instrument so you can be mobile and read the part.
I'm envisioning a clip mechanism just as you have with these marching instrument lyres, but on the other end a clip with which you can attach it to the head of the guitar, as you do with this kind of clip-on tuner.
The reason I'm looking for this holy grail is I've been delaying getting back into working in music (writing/recording/everything) for too long now. I give myself the excuse, 'well, I don't have time to honor it with the hours of practice that it deserves, but very soon, I will!'-- and have been for almost two years now.
This will get that justification out of the way, besides-- there's truth in it anyway, and this will sharpen things up considerably as I set to torching the cobwebs.
I've had no luck searching for it, because of a little thing called the lyre guitar.
It's called a "lyre" in the marching band context. I used to play alto sax-- its lyre looks like this. ..and here's one for a trumpet.
As you can see, it's attached to your instrument so you can be mobile and read the part.
I'm envisioning a clip mechanism just as you have with these marching instrument lyres, but on the other end a clip with which you can attach it to the head of the guitar, as you do with this kind of clip-on tuner.
The reason I'm looking for this holy grail is I've been delaying getting back into working in music (writing/recording/everything) for too long now. I give myself the excuse, 'well, I don't have time to honor it with the hours of practice that it deserves, but very soon, I will!'-- and have been for almost two years now.
This will get that justification out of the way, besides-- there's truth in it anyway, and this will sharpen things up considerably as I set to torching the cobwebs.
I've had no luck searching for it, because of a little thing called the lyre guitar.
How handy are you? Any clamp with sufficiently padded jaws would be fine to put on the head of your guitar. Walk around your local Lowe's until you find one that's light and strong enough. Modify the clamp in such a way that it can hold a normal sax or trombone lyre.
posted by supercres at 3:18 PM on May 25, 2011
posted by supercres at 3:18 PM on May 25, 2011
The standard way to attaching crib notes while playing guitar, by the way, is to tape them to the top or back of the guitar body. But that's more for when it would be embarrassing to read sheet music-- normally when one wrote the song oneself.
posted by supercres at 3:21 PM on May 25, 2011
posted by supercres at 3:21 PM on May 25, 2011
Response by poster: Why can't you just use a regular music stand?
Because-- much the same way the clip-on tuner frees you from the hassle of putting a tuner somewhere-- I want to be able to grab the guitar and get going.
1) I've played live with sheet music stands and they're a nightmare to me-- you have to take the time to set it up (shitty showmanship), a draft or wind from a fan blows your music on the floor, you have to make sure the whole thing doesn't get knocked over, it stands between you and the audience, and, like it or not, it says "I'm too good to sufficiently rehearse for you" and/or "I'm untalented/learning impaired when it comes to memorizing stuff," all of which jams wrenches and railroad ties into the works and I'd rather not bother.
2) When rehearsing-- same deal: My apartment doesn't accomodate a rehearse-only space, and I don't want to have a put-up/tear-down process involved with playing and interfering with my "ooh! I feel inspired; let's do this!" vibe. Most people may not have a problem with that, but doing banal crap harshes the hell out of my creative/positive mindset fast.
3) I want impromptu playing experiences to be available and optimal-- (picture sitting on a towel on the beach). I play really well (er..I guess the only way to properly phrase that is to wedge in "used to"), and being rusty (more like corroded) gets to me, thus "play for me/us!" makes me seem like a stuck-up/anxious crank, when in reality I just don't want to bother unless it's going to be tip-top. This device will enable such tip-toppiness, and I've been wrestling the gods to find it recently, to no avail.
4) Mobility! The head of the guitar is a much more natural focal point, and it moves when I do, so I can sway, walk around, whatever I want to do to stay in the groove.
I want that unfortunate logistical necessity to get driven into the margins, out of sight.
For that, I'm looking for this specific missing piece.
The standard way to attaching crib notes while playing guitar, by the way, is to tape them to the top or back of the guitar body. But that's more for when it would be embarrassing to read sheet music-- normally when one wrote the song oneself.
Yeah-- this is for both my songs and others; again, I've gone a shamefully long time without giving the axe some love: moving, job, etc. And it's not just for being able to get out of my responsibility to rehearse-- I want to be able to sight-read in the most comfortable and appealing (read: effective) way possible, and I want an aid for playing for now, so that I've gotten a good measure of rust smoothed away (not to mention used this tool to ease in writing and learning new material) once I can make time for a proper rehearsal schedule.
tl;dr: I want that unfortunate logistical necessity to get driven into the margins, out of sight.
For that, I'm looking for this specific missing piece.
posted by herbplarfegan at 3:45 PM on May 25, 2011
Because-- much the same way the clip-on tuner frees you from the hassle of putting a tuner somewhere-- I want to be able to grab the guitar and get going.
1) I've played live with sheet music stands and they're a nightmare to me-- you have to take the time to set it up (shitty showmanship), a draft or wind from a fan blows your music on the floor, you have to make sure the whole thing doesn't get knocked over, it stands between you and the audience, and, like it or not, it says "I'm too good to sufficiently rehearse for you" and/or "I'm untalented/learning impaired when it comes to memorizing stuff," all of which jams wrenches and railroad ties into the works and I'd rather not bother.
2) When rehearsing-- same deal: My apartment doesn't accomodate a rehearse-only space, and I don't want to have a put-up/tear-down process involved with playing and interfering with my "ooh! I feel inspired; let's do this!" vibe. Most people may not have a problem with that, but doing banal crap harshes the hell out of my creative/positive mindset fast.
3) I want impromptu playing experiences to be available and optimal-- (picture sitting on a towel on the beach). I play really well (er..I guess the only way to properly phrase that is to wedge in "used to"), and being rusty (more like corroded) gets to me, thus "play for me/us!" makes me seem like a stuck-up/anxious crank, when in reality I just don't want to bother unless it's going to be tip-top. This device will enable such tip-toppiness, and I've been wrestling the gods to find it recently, to no avail.
4) Mobility! The head of the guitar is a much more natural focal point, and it moves when I do, so I can sway, walk around, whatever I want to do to stay in the groove.
I want that unfortunate logistical necessity to get driven into the margins, out of sight.
For that, I'm looking for this specific missing piece.
The standard way to attaching crib notes while playing guitar, by the way, is to tape them to the top or back of the guitar body. But that's more for when it would be embarrassing to read sheet music-- normally when one wrote the song oneself.
Yeah-- this is for both my songs and others; again, I've gone a shamefully long time without giving the axe some love: moving, job, etc. And it's not just for being able to get out of my responsibility to rehearse-- I want to be able to sight-read in the most comfortable and appealing (read: effective) way possible, and I want an aid for playing for now, so that I've gotten a good measure of rust smoothed away (not to mention used this tool to ease in writing and learning new material) once I can make time for a proper rehearsal schedule.
tl;dr: I want that unfortunate logistical necessity to get driven into the margins, out of sight.
For that, I'm looking for this specific missing piece.
posted by herbplarfegan at 3:45 PM on May 25, 2011
Best answer: I know uke players who like the Kani Ka Pila Klip, which although designed for ukulele, seems to work for guitar also.
posted by chez shoes at 3:47 PM on May 25, 2011
posted by chez shoes at 3:47 PM on May 25, 2011
Response by poster: Holy cripe-- that thing is beautiful.
posted by herbplarfegan at 3:49 PM on May 25, 2011
posted by herbplarfegan at 3:49 PM on May 25, 2011
Response by poster: Hee-- and the title is a pun on what my junior high band teacher led me to believe is the pronunciation of "lyre".. I only just realized that it can also refer to me running around while playing guitar, since I'm so happy that I have a clip-on sheet-music holder. :)
posted by herbplarfegan at 4:00 PM on May 25, 2011
posted by herbplarfegan at 4:00 PM on May 25, 2011
You could also try the Kensington FlexClip. Not designed for this particular purpose, obviously, but I'm guessing it would work well.
posted by staggernation at 8:16 PM on May 25, 2011
posted by staggernation at 8:16 PM on May 25, 2011
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The size of the sheet music would be an 8.5x11 folded in half-- same as a marching band would use.
posted by herbplarfegan at 2:42 PM on May 25, 2011