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Tablet/iPad for Sheet Music Recommendation Wanted


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I know many of you use iPads/tablets on here for running MIDI/software, but I'm in the market to use one for reading sheet music only. Getting tired of dealing with physical page turns on my solo piano gigs not to mention fighting the wind at outdoor gigs with the band so I'm hoping this is a viable solution. I'm just looking for a recommendation for a decent brand/model to get and what accessories I would need (pedal for page turning, stand holders, etc.). I shouldn't say money is no object but this will be a tax write off anyway so bring on the most expensive options out there, lol. Although I don't think I need one of those $1800 iPads that hold a terabyte of memory as I've got about 12,000 charts on my desktop in PDFs that take about 26 GB of memory. Obviously I don't need that many stored in the device for gigs!

'57 Hammond B-3, '60 Hammond A100, Leslie 251, Leslie 330, Leslie 770, Leslie 145, Hammond PR-40

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If all you want to do is turn pages and read sheet music, virtually any iPad ever made will do that for you. Bluetooth is a good idea so that you can use a wireless page turner, but other than that, pretty much anything goes. If you want a nice big display, go to a pawnshop and find a first generation 12.9' iPad Pro. Tax write off or not, stay away from the USB-C models, they are more trouble than they"re worth.

 

My personal favorite pedals for wireless page turning are from AirTurn. They make several different models, all affordable and sturdy, with different switch types and features. There are others out there, but I think those are the best.

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I dedicated my oldest iPad (model 3, 30 pin connector) to use for charts. Since I use it mostly at my church gig, I chose the application OnSong, which is working quite well for me. One can input chord charts even with a text editor, which can be easily changed to different keys. I'm not really using that feature, since just about all the music we do either is hymnal based or obtained through CCLI (who handle the copyright issues). I can even download something on the spot using the church wi-fi if needed. I'm storing the charts generally as PDF files, although they don't have the ability to transpose, because they look good and are easy to read. Set up different folders for Chord sheets, Lead sheets, and hymns. I have a K&M mount for the iPad, fastened in place on the OnStage 2 tier Z stand with a short mic mount and a small boom. Also have charging power run to the iPad so battery won't go down (although this isn't a problem for the length of services). I use an AirTurn BlueTooth pedal for page and sheet changes. bought their smallest one (the larger might be easier, but this works and a refurbished pedal was only about $50.

 

Once the charts are in there, it is almost trivial to set up a setlist, and multiple setlists can be stored. Also has the capability of a complete backup of everything - which means that I could easily transfer the whole setup to a different iPad. The old model 3 isn't very high power processor, but more than adequate for the purpose. This frees the iPad mini 2 and the iPad 5 so either can be exclusively used as a sound generator, when I want to use apps. It would very likely be possible to also run a music app like Module at the same time as OnSong so that all could be consolidated in one iPad.

 

I was considering buying one of the 12" iPad Pro (first generation would have been fine) for the larger screen, but find that the standard iPad is quite large enough since I can suspend the boom closer to myself and see the pages quite well.

 

I haven't tried this outdoors, but the iPad can be turned up pretty bright if needed. I'm only running it at about 20% on the slider for brightness, and have a couple of LED spotlights aimed in my general direction on stage - still can see OK (in fact, better than I could with paper sheets).

 

Last nice thing - don't have to ever worry about torn or lost pages or getting worn out, and can carry literally thousands of sheets. Multiple libraries are easy to setup so one can make different libraries for different genres, types, or whatever; plus there is a view that shows all songs. Can also touch the window at the top of songs and type in beginning of any song needed (it does help to come up with a uniform method of naming the files).

Howard Grand|Hamm SK1-73|Kurz PC2|PC2X|PC3|PC3X|PC361; QSC K10's

HP DAW|Epi Les Paul & LP 5-str bass|iPad mini2

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Jim

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If all you want to do is turn pages and read sheet music, virtually any iPad ever made will do that for you. Bluetooth is a good idea so that you can use a wireless page turner, but other than that, pretty much anything goes. If you want a nice big display, go to a pawnshop and find a first generation 12.9' iPad Pro. Tax write off or not, stay away from the USB-C models, they are more trouble than they"re worth.

 

My personal favorite pedals for wireless page turning are from AirTurn. They make several different models, all affordable and sturdy, with different switch types and features. There are others out there, but I think those are the best.

 

What exactly are the issues with the USB-C connectors? I've read they transfer both power and data, sounds like an older Leslie cable which can be a fire hazard, lol.

'57 Hammond B-3, '60 Hammond A100, Leslie 251, Leslie 330, Leslie 770, Leslie 145, Hammond PR-40

Trek II UC-1A

Alesis QSR

 

 

 

 

 

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Just about any of the android tablets will do that. I use a 7" Samsung tablet just to hold charts and iRealPro.

 

I'm used to reading full sized sheet music (not chord charts but full transcriptions) so I don't think a seven inch display is going to be large enough.

 

'57 Hammond B-3, '60 Hammond A100, Leslie 251, Leslie 330, Leslie 770, Leslie 145, Hammond PR-40

Trek II UC-1A

Alesis QSR

 

 

 

 

 

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This year I've finally gone completely paperless for music: OnSong for chord/lyric charts, forScore for PDFs, with AirTurn pedal, Symphony Pro for writing sheet music. I updated from a 9.7" iPad to the 2017 12.9" iPad Pro; you can configure forScore to show two pages at a time when in landscape mode, which works well with the larger screen.

Kurzweil PC4, Expressive E Osmose, UNO Synth Pro, Hammond B-3X on iPad, Rhodes Mark II Stage 73, ART 710-A MK4s

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Paperless here as well.

 

iPad Pro 12.7", occasionally use an older bluetooth pedal, but mostly page turn manually.

 

I use iGigBook to manage notation (lead sheets, charts, sheet music and digital real books, all as PDFs), and iReal Pro to handle all "chord chart only" tunes.

 

Have used forScore in the past and still have it installed, but for whatever reasons I gravitated toward iGigBook instead.

..
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Depends on what you mean by sheet music.

 

First, software:

 

For chords/lyrics I use OnSong.

For lead sheets I use iGigBook.

For chords-only jazz songs: iRealPro.

 

These all work well on a Gen 1 iPad.

 

But, if by sheet music you mean big band charts or Chopin, the standard iPad screen is too small for me.

 

Finally, the readability also depends on how far away the screen is. (And how that matches the focal length of your reading glasses, if you use them). A holder on a small boom can put the screen wherever you want it.

 

 

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Depends on what you mean by sheet music.

 

First, software:

 

For chords/lyrics I use OnSong.

For lead sheets I use iGigBook.

For chords-only jazz songs: iRealPro.

 

These all work well on a Gen 1 iPad.

 

But, if by sheet music you mean big band charts or Chopin, the standard iPad screen is too small for me.

 

Finally, the readability also depends on how far away the screen is. (And how that matches the focal length of your reading glasses, if you use them). A holder on a small boom can put the screen wherever you want it.

 

 

 

I'm reading full piano transcriptions like Chopin, Beethoven, Mozart, etc. What do you mean by a "standard" iPad screen size? The device would be placed where a music rack on an acoustic piano would be placed.

'57 Hammond B-3, '60 Hammond A100, Leslie 251, Leslie 330, Leslie 770, Leslie 145, Hammond PR-40

Trek II UC-1A

Alesis QSR

 

 

 

 

 

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Apple makes different sizes. Mine is the original iPad size, about 9.5' diagonal. Shrink a page of Beethoven from a Kalmus score onto it and I find it extremely difficult to use.

 

The 12.7' screen is better, but for scores with lots of fly-specs it"s still too small and I still prefer large sheets of paper. Of course your mileage WILL vary.

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As a long-time user of paper-and-pencil charts, I've been thinking about using a larger iPad with an Apple pencil and app that would allow me to continue to write my own charts, and save them as PDF files. My hand-written charts often contain many idiosyncratic side notes, cues, etc., so the iPencil thing appeals to me.

 

Of the sheet music/chord chart apps - e.g., iReal Pro, OnSong, forScore, Paperless Music - does anyone have any thoughts as to which is the simplest to use, in terms of saving PDF charts into the app and then being able to easily re-arrange them to correspond to changes in a band's set list from night to night?

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

- George Bernard Shaw

 

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I've found for lead sheets/chord charts you can get away with a regular sized iPad or iPad Air. But for me, detailed piano sheet music - which I read for classical and Broadway gigs, accompanying gigs, etc. where I really read piano sheet music, the bigger the screen the better. The iPad Pro for the last few generations comes in 12.9" and 11" screens. With sheet music reader/librarian software like https://forscore.co/ it's really the ideal solution, with an Apple pencil and a protective case. iOS/iPad OS has so much great music software written for the hardware in addition to using it at a sheet music reader. The cons with iPad Pro is that they are expensive, base model has only 64gb of storage (though the current model can have 1tb ($1549.00 for the WiFi model), there's no SD card slot, the battery can't be replaced easily (although there's a program where you can swap your iPad for another with a fresh battery), and Apple drops iOS/iPad OS support after a typical 5 years (with Macs we tend to get 7 years). The 5 year OS cutoff point makes buying 2 or 3 year old models less attractive.

 

Alternatively you have the Samsung Galaxy Book and Microsoft Surface Tablets that run Windows 10 with https://www.zubersoft.com/mobilesheets/ . You typically start with 128gb on the base models, they do have USB ports and/or SD card slots for additional storage. Deals come up where they throw in the keyboard case and stylus. New they are also priced around $1k like the Apple tablets, but you can easily find previous generations as B stock, refurbished or second hand for significantly less. And of course since they run Windows 10, there is no concern about OS support being dropped as quickly as Apple moves on from iOS versions. Replacing the batteries is also a concern, I don't know about Samsung, but MS does have some sort of battery replacement support system. I am also not sure about build quality, heat issues, and reliability - I've not owned one of these yet.

 

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Great post, Elmer. Thanks for all the information! I'm leaning towards a second generation iPad Pro 12.9 right now. Hoping to get one that's only about a year old or so.

'57 Hammond B-3, '60 Hammond A100, Leslie 251, Leslie 330, Leslie 770, Leslie 145, Hammond PR-40

Trek II UC-1A

Alesis QSR

 

 

 

 

 

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Cool. That"s definitely a good way to go. And at some point we can opt of course not to upgrade the OS (or have Apple decide that for us) and keep using the version of forScore or whatever other software you"re using that works on that device and operating system. If the battery misbehaves, you have options - through Apple or third party fixit places can swap it.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Haven't tried the others, but OnSong handles PDF charts quite well. I finish mine up using Ashampoo's PDF Pro 2 (hint: leave a bit more white space on a desktop than you think so that the pages will fit well on the iPad).. Multiple libraries can be setup, and there is also a list of all songs. Multiple set lists can also be setup.

 

If all of the songs are already on the iPad, I can make a set list (only 5 songs) in a minute or 2. Easiest way to input more songs uses Dropbox, but I've been able to make it work also with iCloud Files. Also can do a complete backup that has all of the data and settings so one could switch quickly to another iPad if needed.

 

The OnSong group have on-line manuals, and also a bunch of YT videos on how to do particular things.

 

I'm using a standard size iPad, but I have it in a K&M Tablet Holder fastened to a short boom arm that attaches to my keyboard stand; so I can place the iPad closer to me for better reading. Actually easier to read than the paper music was on the Manhasset stand behind the 2 tier stand, especially since I can brighten up the iPad so it is easy to see over the stray light from the LED spots shining on the stage.

Howard Grand|Hamm SK1-73|Kurz PC2|PC2X|PC3|PC3X|PC361; QSC K10's

HP DAW|Epi Les Paul & LP 5-str bass|iPad mini2

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Jim

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I really dig ForScore. Lots of good tools for marking text notes and navigation buttons to jump back and forth between pages when there are repeats, codas etc.

www.dazzjazz.com

PhD in Jazz Organ Improvisation.

BMus (Hons) Jazz Piano.

my YouTube is Jazz Organ Bites

1961 A100.Leslie 45 & 122. MAG P-2 Organ. Kawai K300J. Yamaha CP4. Moog Matriarch. KIWI-8P.

 

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I really dig ForScore. Lots of good tools for marking text notes and navigation buttons to jump back and forth between pages when there are repeats, codas etc.

 

Can you set up repeats that are handwritten in, i.e. does the app recognize annotations made before the PDF is uploaded to the device?

'57 Hammond B-3, '60 Hammond A100, Leslie 251, Leslie 330, Leslie 770, Leslie 145, Hammond PR-40

Trek II UC-1A

Alesis QSR

 

 

 

 

 

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Haven't tried the others, but OnSong handles PDF charts quite well.

 

Slight hijack, but maybe you can answer my questions (I've messaged OnSong, but they have yet to reply):

 

Can I set up OnSong to advance pages on a pdf with a screen tap or swipe? Their website focuses on their auto-scroll, but doesn't talk explicitly about a "turning pages" workflow.

Can I set up markers to turn pages back to user-defined pages (so, if I have a 5 page pdf, I want my page turns to go, maybe: 1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 3, 5).

 

Have you used the video/lyrics output feature?

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Hah. As I finished that post, I received an email from OnSong apologizing for their delay in response, with some answers. For anyone else who's curious, they are:

 

 

Can I set up a song to page through a PDF by swiping/tapping on the screen? With a bluetooth pedal?

1.) Yep, both ways are possible.

 

Can I set up 'markers' so that when I page through a PDF I can go to the next marker (so, go back to the beginning for repeats, etc)?

2.) At this point in time, no but we have added this to our feature request list.

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No, it doesn"t recognise or interpret what"s already written in the sheet music. It"s very easy to add navigation buttons.

For instance, you can place a navigation button at the repeat symbol, and tell forScore to go back to page 2 system 3. Cool thing is, when you press the button, ForScore has a visual flashing circle that draws you eyes to the target measure.

www.dazzjazz.com

PhD in Jazz Organ Improvisation.

BMus (Hons) Jazz Piano.

my YouTube is Jazz Organ Bites

1961 A100.Leslie 45 & 122. MAG P-2 Organ. Kawai K300J. Yamaha CP4. Moog Matriarch. KIWI-8P.

 

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No, it doesn"t recognise or interpret what"s already written in the sheet music. It"s very easy to add navigation buttons.

For instance, you can place a navigation button at the repeat symbol, and tell forScore to go back to page 2 system 3. Cool thing is, when you press the button, ForScore has a visual flashing circle that draws you eyes to the target measure.

 

Sounds like a great feature! I have so many pieces where I've written in my own repeats/cuts, seems like this would do the trick.

'57 Hammond B-3, '60 Hammond A100, Leslie 251, Leslie 330, Leslie 770, Leslie 145, Hammond PR-40

Trek II UC-1A

Alesis QSR

 

 

 

 

 

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there"s another great feature that I use when performing multi-page scores where I don"t have much time for page turns, and there are repeats. You can duplicate the pages of a score that contain the repeated section, right in Forecore. Combined with my page turn pedal, this is much easier to manage. Using a nav button for a repeat can be iffy when you have to lift your hand from the keyboard, touch a small spot on the screen, making sure mot to slide your finger lest it not be interpreted as a press, and then return your hand to the keyboard in time. Using a pedal without the page-dupe feature means moving your foot to the back pedal and possibly having to tap multiple times - not too fast or some taps may not be detected, requiring more taps. However, a pedal combined with the page dupe feature means you can just keep your foot on the forward button and advance one page for the repeat. I use the huilt-in page markup tools to cross out the parts of the duped pages that aren"t part of the repeat.
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  • 4 months later...

Bit of a thread bump, I tried iGigbook on my iPad Air but couldn't create an account with the website in order to get access to the annotate IAP which was the main thing I wanted. So I got a refund and went with Forscore, as it's cheaper than Onbook, and it's just brilliant.

 

I particularly love the fact you can have multiple layers of annotations, so I can have a layer where I change all the chords in a chart to a different key using text boxes, then duplicate that layer and change the chords to a third key and then flick between the original, and the two layers to have three different keys written out in one pdf. (Why worship leaders can't all just sing in one range though...)

 

The other thing I really appreciated was the ability to bookmark a section of a long pdf and have it appear as a virtual single chard in the library. Great as some worship books come as one long pdf with 150 songs in it. Or that hooky copy of a fake book I found in the dark web.

 

I love the built in web server thing so I can connect to if from my laptop and upload and organise pdfs.

 

I love that I can just lean over and take a photo of the leaders chart and tart it up in the app, no more traipsing round looking for a photocopier.

 

I was a big proponent of using paper and pencil as it's quicker, but I now feel that I was wrong. This is just as fast, but with the advantage of being much more portable.

 

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