mattlangel.com

Stage Prompter

See this dude?  This is what I need with me on stage. It’s not feasible to ask someone’s grandpa to flip lyrics pages for me when the inevitable blank lyric reaches my brain and my mouth stops moving. I have been searching the web and did find a small company that makes stage prompters but they are hella expensive and rightfully so.  I’m one of those people that would rather build it than buy it, or use a product in a way other than intended.  In the past I have used a music stand on stage with my trapper keeper full of lyrics but that’s just cheesy in my opinion. For practice I’m using a laptop sitting on a small folding table but that’s not what you want to see either. The option of learning all the lyrics is not really an option.  We are running through 4-5 songs a week and for me to get all of those words down cold would just slow our progress.  I will have the songs cold in another year just from repetition but to get out and start playing I need a crutch - enter my very own “digital” stage monitor.  The system consists of a wood stage box with a design very similar to a speaker wedge.  From the public’s view it will look like just another speaker on stage, for me it’s all the words.  Having this crutch on stage will be a confident booster and I should be able to have more fun on stage because I can rock, and not have to think… Does that make sense?  The more fun I’m having should translate to the audience and vice versa until there is a megaxplosion of fun had by all and we have my Stage Prompter to thank.  I have begun assembling and I’m still waiting on couple of finishing parts such as handles and feet.

Here’s the specs:
1/2” pine ply to keep it light
Dell Optiplex 270 running WinXP and Office 2010
Acer 22” LED display - I went with the LED to keep it light, the thing weighs less than 5lbs!
Dayton Touring Handles, Penn-Elcomm vent dishes and Peavey small rubber feet.
It will be controlled by a micro wireless keyboard and a 3 button usb foot switch.
The box will have a duracoat finish and should weigh in right at 25lbs. 

I have started taking pictures of the project and will start posting tonight.  I’m not too sure how perfect it will be since this my first attempt and building such a contraption but that’s what these projects are all about.  Trying.

Progress:

The shell is now assembled and the mount for the computer is complete.  The next step is to build the housing for the monitor, cut the rear access panel, cover plate for the monitor and the protective plate so the monitor won’t get scratched in transport.  The computer mount came out great and will allow me to easily remove the computer if ever needed but won’t move during transport.  I have some painting to do before I mount it but there will be pictures coming soon - check the slide show.

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