Ipad Music Readers

[Dan Cohen]

Does anyone here have advice about using an ipad for sheet music? to be used for performance, practice, storage, etc? I recently played duets with a classical guitarist who was using such a set up including a blue tooth foot pedal for page turns and a stylus for making annotations on the sheet music. Not sure of what software he was using though.

I did a search here but the last post was 2012. Things may have changed since then.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Dan

[JeffD]

I see it more and more. I haven't made the leap yet. But I know I will. So many advantages.

[Beanzy]

I use an iPad with iKlip Stage app and their pedal board.

Lauren Scott who used to play with Alison Stephens has completely shifted to digital for hers with a back up folder in the car, just in case it lets her down at a wedding gig. Here's a link to a write up she did https://www.lauren-scott-harp.co.uk/blog/harp-tech

[multidon]

I made the switch a couple of years ago and I think it's one of the smartest things I've done. ForScore from the App Store is the software you want. Best 9.99 I ever spent.

[Dan Cohen]

I made the switch a couple of years ago and I think it's one of the smartest things I've done. ForScore from the App Store is the software you want. Best 9.99 I ever spent.

I'm seriously considering making the jump after these responses and the Lauren Scott video. Perfect timing as my Ipad Air somehow got a big crack across the screen. I suppose I'd have to get the larger 12.9 inch Ipad Pro otherwise it might be too hard to see. I've also heard that For Score is the best software. Pedals? Any experience with AirTurn PED? Do they need a certain amount of pressure so as not to turn pages inadvertantly? Is this a setting? Thanks for the responses.

Just thought of another issue that I keep both feet on a foot rest (bowlback) and would have to move to press a pedal. Or change my position to have one foot available?

Dan

[Sheryl McDonald]

Make sure the pedal you get it bluetooth compatible with the iPad. Not all iPads work with the AirTurn pedals (I know, I ended up being donated an iPad 2 for it's larger screen -- for use with the Onsong app, and discovered that the AirTurn PED doesn't work with that model iPad. ) Just something to be aware of.

[kjbllc]

i use the for score also, makes things a lot eaiser, I am also using the utlimate guitar app. you can get lots of songs quick, and put them on your fav list. so you don't need internet.

the for score you make your own pfd's it has no access to music. per se.

[multidon]

I use a PageFlip Cicada pedal. They no longer make it, there are models called the Butterfly and the Firefly now. Mine works pretty well, it's Bluetooth and no problem at all syncing with the IPad. But it's just one thing to remember to take along, so I don't use it unless I have 3 or more pages to contend with. Otherwise, if it's two pages, I turn the IPad sideways and For Score automatically displays both pages at once. It cuts down the size, but my eyes are pretty good and most of my music is mostly memorized anyway. The written music is just kind of a security blanket.

Yes you do have to supply your own PDFs. But my group uses a lot of public domain music that we download for free from the Web and they are usually in PDF already. You can copy those from the Web directly into your ForScore. Very easy. Then if you want to share with band mates you get together and use AirDrop. If you have music on paper you have to scan it, save it to PDF on your computer, then e mail it to yourself right use AirDrop if you have a Mac. Kind of a drag because there are several steps. So much easier if it's already a PDF!

There are so many features to ForScore it's difficult to list them all. Just as an example, you can organize your music into libraries. You can search by genre, composer, or title. You can set up playlists for gigs. You can write your own notes directly on the music and save the notes. There's even a built in tuner and metronome!

I would be remiss if I didn't point out that there are free PDF library apps that will work ok for a lot of people I have friends that do that for music. Those programs will allow you to import, store, and organize your songs to some extent. But I like that ForScore is written with the musician in mind, and the program is definitely worth every penny and more. NFI, I just like it!

[Dan Cohen]

Thanks for the ideas folks. Looks like after the holidays iPad Pro, forScore, not sure on pedals. Unless I change my mind and stick to paper.

[pit lenz]

If you have music on paper you have to scan it, save it to PDF on your computer, then e mail it to yourself right use AirDrop if you have a Mac. Kind of a drag because there are several steps. So much easier if it's already a PDF!

A much easier way of scanning your papers is an app called ScannerPro. You just take a picture of the paper sheet, the app puts it into black and white, scales ot and creates a pdf. You can then export and open it with any other app.

[Phil Vinyard]

Let me chime in for UnrealBook. Been using it for years in my iPad. What I like is it integrates well with DropBox. I save my music as PDFs in folders in DropBox (e.g. Bluegrass, Celtic, Kaufman Kamp, Exercises) and then UnrealBook pulls them in using the same folders. Helps keep things organized and is really easy to update. I can also do set lists a couple of different ways, and it does work with an AirTurn pedal.

I also like that if someone wants a copy of the tune I'm playing, I push a few places and it sends the pdf file to them in an e-mail.

The few times I've had problems or questions, the author of the software gets right back to me.

Now when I buy a book of tunes, I take it to Kinko's and have them cut off the binding, then I run it through a scanner, load it into DropBox, and it's then on my iPad ready to play.

I've done OK with a regular iPad size wise. But my iPad is old and I'm hoping Santa Claus comes through with the bigger 12.9" iPad pro.

I'm glad to answer questions about my setup. I wouldn't switch back to paper for anything!

[bro.craig]

A much easier way of scanning your papers is an app called ScannerPro. You just take a picture of the paper sheet, the app puts it into black and white, scales ot and creates a pdf. You can then export and open it with any other app.

You can also just take a picture or screenshot of any music with your iPad and ForScore can access it.

[Mike Snyder]

All my pals use UnRealBook. They share tunes easily and have literally thousands of tunes on their iPads. I play by ear and use my iPad to post on mandolincafe.

[Dan Cohen]

Thanks all for the good ideas.

[Beanzy]

In terms of scanning I've been very happy with Tiny Scan, excellent & simple to use.

[Billy Packard]

This is exciting!

I just bought a iPad pro, 12.9" and I'm just getting started. With help from Christy at AppleCare I put the huge list of PDF charts I have up into the cloud and can pull them up on the iPad. I look forward to checking out the various suggestions above.

The other thing I am working on is the same idea with all the songs I have in Band in a Box so I can have accompaniment when I go out solo.

Billy

[wmaness]

I use the app called Musicnotes. It's a free app for iPad. It works really well. I purchased the AirTurn Ped Bluetooth pedal.
I also use the Tiny Scanner app. I really like it, takes so much less space, but it's best to have your sheet music just in case.

Wayne

[Jess L.]

Does anyone here have advice about using an ipad for sheet music? ...

I did a search here but the last post was 2012. ...

There's a more recent thread, Sheet Music on a Tablet, last post April 2016 (thread started January 2015), where several people talk about iPads as well as other types of tablets, and the software that they prefer.

But, just checking to make sure, do you want an actual Apple iPad, or will some other type of tablet (Android) suffice?

My reason for asking, is because in the region where I live, nearly everyone uses the word "iPad" as an all-purpose generic term for *any* sort of tablet, including Android tablets which are not built by Apple and run entirely different software. So I didn't know if you were asking specifically about Apple iPads, or just about tablets in general.

The reason it matters about tablets, is because the available music apps will be different, depending on whether you get an iPad vs an Android tablet.

If in doubt... not sure how accurate/unbiased this comparison article is: iPad vs. Android - Which Tablet Should You Buy?

I think one of the most important things, regardless of brand, is to get a high screen resolution, IMO the resolution is just as important (if not more so) than the screen measurements. For reading music you need that fine-detail that you get with high resolution.

[Dan Cohen]

Thanks for your response JL. I agree that Ipad has become a generic name like "Bandaid" etc. In my case I am only considering the Ipad Pro 12.9" because all of my other devices, cloud, etc. are Apple products. I did see one in action the other day, which started this quest, by my guitarist friend who was using this setup. I was very surprised at how easy it was to see so I guess the resolution is fine. I didn't even know that tablets came that big.

[Billy Packard]

Dan,

Samsung makes a tablet that is, (get ready for it!!) Eighteen.four inches wide diagonally, 18.4"!!
It weighs in at just under 6Lb which is heavy. The iPad is less than 2lb. Everything I have is Apple so I stayed with the 12.9" iPad which is very cool.

Billy

[Mark Seale]

We also use ForScore. One of the top features being creating the setlist and the ability to e-mail that list with charts to all band members. Beyond that, we keep the charts in DropBox and synch all that with ForScore. We create all of our charts in Finale and print to PDF. Those files are directly imported into FS.

[kjbllc]

what is the benefit of finale?

[Mark Seale]

It's just what we use to create our own charts, some folks prefer Sibelius. Again, from there the tune gets printed to PDF and saved to Dropbox. We sync all of our ForScore devices from there and create and share the setlist from within ForScore.

[Denman John]

Does any one use OnSong and care to comment on it? A guitarist I know uses it and really likes it as he can download tabs/chords/lyrics to his iPad and also allows you to change the key it's played in. Don't really know about importing pdf files or other forms of sheet music.

[Stainless]

Been using Onsong for two years - does a good job. Can download many different formats (almost never have to manually enter). Currently have about 2K songs. Does lists, set lists, controls many type of bluetooth devices, can be used as a master if more Han one member is using Onsong. Also works great Bluetooth to. TV. A church group has a small wall in front of players with a TV, Leader sends the song so everyone can see the screen. Can also control things like lstage lighting if you want, but I have never done that.