It has been my experience that Band in a Box is little understood.

Most do not (cannot?) fathom that the program can intelligently create a slightly different accompaniment for the same songfile if the user desires to use it in that fashion, which is the way I like to use it.

They relate the situation to that which they already know - and the assumption therefore is that you are merely playing along to a static recording playback.

Some don't even think I'm actually playing along as well, and can accuse of mimic playing while the laptop is actually playing the part.

Some peer around to see the screen, and if the Music Staff or Chord display is onscreen and, of course, highlighting while the performance is going on, they assume that I do not know the song, do not know how to play, etc. They would not do that if there was a simple paper chart or book up there, for they are already pre-conditioned to perceive that as "real" playing, while the exact same fake chart displayed on a laptop screen somewhoe is interpreted by some as being some form of "cheating".

It does not necessarily have to involve Band in a Box at all, either. For some years now, I use the wonderful .pdf versions of all of the Realbooks, Fakebooks, etc. as I can get my hands on, stored easily and neatly on my laptop. I fold the lapotop out flat and place it on the pianoboard or heavy duty black music stand and use the Search feature to rapidly bring up charts at jam sessions or band practices, saving me having to lug all those paper books, saving me having to manually find each song, etc. I love that, can even make the display as large as needed for easy viewing and have been able to "Scroll" an enlarged view by learning to quickly tap the "Page Down" and "Page Up" buttons, which, once practiced, is *much* faster than the old manual turning of pages. And, when gigs and such are outdoors, there is zero problem with wind, pages, page-clips, hold-downs, etc.

But some folks just see "laptop" - and make their assumptions, often equating that with "illegal play" or "cheating" or trying to pass off some sort of sordid trick on the people.

Even have had some fellow MUSICIANS make that absurd accusation about the .pdf Fakebooks on my pianoboard, go figure.

Just smile at them and by all means remain friendly and professional about it, if you can, maintain the good onstage attitude for that is paramount to success in entertainment.

I have found that AGREEING with them can stop the thing dead in its tracks, BTW. "Yeah, ya caught me!" (smile) -- and then continue on with the performance.

One time at a restaurant gig, where I used to use BiaB as just my Virtual Bass and Drums to make a jazz piano trio happen, there one of those fellows was. He made his sarcastic comment. I wasn't even using an electronic digital keboard for the piano, the restaurant has its own rather nice Kawai Baby Grand onstage. And I smiled at him and said, "I no longer need the keys of the piano to light up anymore! I'm MUCH better now!" - with the most insane expression I could muster. It stopped him cold, but it likely didn't do much for my show's reputation...


--Mac

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