What Are The Best Teleprompters For Musicians?

What many don’t know about teleprompters is they are a vital insurance policy for singers as they strut about the stage. It’s perhaps one of the few last big secrets up a musician’s sleeves.

The best teleprompters for musicians display lyrics clearly for them to see, but are discreet enough to be hidden from the common eye and are remotely controlled in an unseen manner.

Thinking of teleprompters often brings thoughts of an autocue from a TV studio. But the devices performers use as part of their stage setup are a far evolution from this description.

Coming in all disguises and easily fitted into the staging, these devices can help singers jog their memory to avoid an unwanted crisis. So what are the best teleprompters for musicians to use?

Best Stage Teleprompters

The standard-bearer: Stageprompter Wedge03

When it comes to an on-stage prompter, few devices are as clinical or helpful as Stageprompter’s Wedge03.

The Wedge03 displays lyrics on a 22” color LCD screen, allowing for easy viewing wherever it is placed on the stage.

The screen orientation is naturally set to portrait mode, to allow for better coverage, but it can also be tilted at either 30˚ or 45˚ if necessary.

Perhaps really where the Wedge03 stands out is how easily it can be worked into the stage setup. The outer plywood casing allows it to be a master of disguise on the stage.

The dark body tones make it look like a stage light or a speaker, easily dissuading curious onlookers. Furthermore, the prompter can be controlled remotely via a one-click foot switch.

This means performers can integrate with other parts of their stage rig and control it as just another effects pedal. It also has a specialist web app to optimize usability and can store up to 1000 songs worth of lyrics via a USB drive.

Pros: 

• Large screen
• Not very distinguishable
• Foot control provides easy access

Cons: 

• Premium pricing compared to rivals
• Some app login issues if bought third party

The Outdoor Option: MOGX Lyrics Prompter

If you are set for a show on an outdoor stage, there might be no better choice for a prompter than the MOGX Lyrics Prompters.

How this device comes into its own is through the screen clarity. This is highlighted by an anti-glare 22” screen that is perfect for use even in broad daylight.

The anti-glare tints and slightly angled setup allow for the lyrics always to be seen easily at eye level. The outer body is protected by a hardened shell too. This helps protect the screen and electronics from both moisture and cracking from UV exposure.

Thanks to the main wedge shape, it seamlessly fits onto the stage looking like a light or speaker. This disguise will stop fans from questioning any odd placement of a unit.

It’s also a particularly lightweight device weighing just 25kg. The lighter body makes it much easier to store and set up, making life on the road just a bit less tiresome.

Pros: 

• Anti-glare screen
• Hardened cover
• Extremely lightweight

Cons: 

• No extended warranty
• No supporting app

The Camera Copy: GVM Teleprompter Kit

If you want to give your show a glitzy feel, the GVM Teleprompter Kit is a bundle that could prove handy.

The bundle comes disguised as a camera setup, and is fully designed to look like you are filming the show. But once set up, it turns into a handy prompter that displays lyrics on an 18.5” screen.

The HD screen also refracts to a 70/30 ratio to minimize glare and make it easy to see all the characters. Furthermore, there is also an anti-glare lining on top to make it visible from all angles.

It’s a particularly versatile device too which can be configured and setup in a plethora of different ways. GVM has made it compatible with a range of leading camera types such as a Canon SLR to help hold and project content onto the screen.

The entire setup is set up by an adjustable tripod to further aid musicians. It can sync to all means of devices wirelessly too, with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi compatibility.

Pros: 

• Excellent connectivity good viewability
• Adjustable mount

Cons: 

• Smaller screen than rivals
• App crashes easily

The Transparent Teleprompter: iPresent Pro

For performers, hiding a teleprompter’s presence is key for the setup. And very few devices do this better than the iPresent Pro.

A fully-adaptable prompter, this teleprompter can work as a standalone display that is transparent to the rearview.

The 22” screen has a beam-splitter on the back, so it refracts light away from the main display. This gives the impression that nothing is being displayed. Yet the other side has an anti-reflective display which allows you to see the lyrics.

The versatility of the iPresent Pro is what makes it stand out from some of its rivals. Not only can be set up as a clear display, but it can also be packed into a stage light platform.

It can also be adjusted to a range of different heights making it easy to fit into the look of your set.

Pros: 

• Transparent look from behind
• Extremely adjustable
• Wi-FI/Bluetooth compatible

Cons: 

• Display only white when transparent
• Two bases have to be carried separately

What To Look For In A Stage Teleprompter

When it comes to finding the best teleprompter for musicians, you need to think hard about the device you want. After all, you are going to want to keep it conspicuous from fans.

At the same time though, it needs to be visible for you to see and in a way that won’t affect your performance. So what sort of aspects should stand out to you?

Easy operation

The main point of having a teleprompter is that it can be used with minimal fuss. It’s something that should be able to be controlled in one movement that won’t raise any suspicions from fans.

Nothing draws attention like this than if a performer has difficulty operating the device and messes up the next words.

To overcome this, the best teleprompters for musicians will have a way for them to be operated in a single motion.

Most of the time, this will come through a foot pedal that can be touched to start and stop. It’s an easy control method for a single track, and one they can blend into their on-stage routine.

These devices work like any guitar or amp pedal, making it easy to tie into the staging. It’s a feeling echoed by Stageprompter’s Director of Technical Sales Chris Dawson, who says teleprompters need to be “easy to integrate into a performance”.

Body Design

The other way that teleprompters work for performers is how they are integrated into staging to avoid crowd suspicion.

Fans don’t expect singers to have prompts nearby.

So any artist using one needs to hide it conspicuously. The best way of this is for the device to be shaped and designed to look like a piece of furniture.

It minimizes suspicion and aids the look of the set as a whole.

Many teleprompters will do this by being designed to look like stage equipment. Some might take a wedge shape to look like a speaker or lighting rig.

Others might come in a package and be disguised to look like a camera filming the show.

Despite the body having that look though, they will still have a screen built in showing the lyrics to a singer. It’s a simple but effective disguise.

FAQ

Do teleprompters have lyrics preloaded into them?

Yes – many of the teleprompters used on stage will be preloaded with the songs and order for a show. These can be loaded via a USB drive or a supporting app to minimise hassle in the build-up to a performance.

Are all teleprompters foot-pedal operated?

No- there can be a variety of ways for performers to operate a teleprompter on stage. Some will use foot pedals, but others may have their tech crew remotely operate it from the wings.

What is the best screen setup for a teleprompter?

Realistically, most people using a teleprompter on stage will have a black screen with white font. This is easiest to see from any distance and for performers to make out characters.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the best teleprompters for musicians blend a wealth of features to aid them in a live performance. Almost all can be integrated into a stage design and operated easily to make their life easier.

Some like the iPresent Pro can make use of new materials to prevent fans from seeing lyrics on screen. Meanwhile, whole bundles like the GVM bundle make adapting the piece into the stage a piece of cake.

Alongside that, the MOGX Lyrics Prompter gives excellent visibility to make it easy to see when on stage.

But the most effective at doing all of this is the Stageprompter Wedge03. It blends all the previous aspects, as well as being ridiculously easy to use on any platform.

That is why the Wedge03 is considered to be one of the best teleprompters for musicians out there today.