Kay, if I put my stand out next to the column, I might as well memorize everything — including the stuff I haven’t learned yet. I can’t see well enough for that. I need my stand much closer. If it is distracting, well, it’s a lot less distracting than if I couldn’t see it and didn’t have it memorized.
I’m very interested in your response, Briggsie. I feel as though I’m never able to get my music stand close enough, especially when I’m playing the Prelude at my lesson.
I have new glasses that help some, but I also need STRONG light. My dream light would be one of those that the dentists use that put out about 1000 watts.
I keep the stand close and as “in front” of me as I can so I don’t have to twist my head, and so it doesn’t get in the way of the pedals. I’ve always had lousy vision.. When I was wearing contact lenses, I could see better, but now that I’m getting to that “age close up thing” contacts drive me nuts — even monovision contacts. They are okay for driving or whatever, but going back and forth between music and the strings drives me nuts. So I went back to my glasses. I use a “pharmacy lamp” which is just perfect. It’s a floor lamp in brass and I put a Verilux bulb in it — so I can get as much natural daylight as possible into my brain during the dark Michigan winters. 🙂