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Software for managing music / lead sheets for bands


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ghelbig
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 5:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

gabriel127 wrote:
I just find it flabbergasting that no one has come out with the perfect tablet that is built just for music reading applications and priced according to only having what you need on it. Getting a 12.9" iPad for this application is like buying a 12-gauge shotgun, when all you need is a fly swatter.
lexluther wrote:
Plain and simple.Not enough buyers for the expense!

There was a system that met Gabriel127's specifications; I think they sold three (3) of them. LexLuther is spot-on.


I contacted the eInk people about a 9x12 display (this kind of cr@p is my day job) - they could do it, but they were already making enough money in the kindle/nook arena that they couldn't be bothered with another application.

The HP Pro Slate 12 was targeted to replace 8.5x11 notepads. HP didn't sell enough to make it worth their while; the 9x12 market is a lot smaller than the 8.5x11 market...

Gary.


Last edited by ghelbig on Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:51 pm; edited 1 time in total
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gabriel127
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a good resource for the software side of things, which is nice and inexpensive.

http://www.musicreaderreview.com
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lipshurt
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 9:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have the cheap 13.3 inch android tablet running "mobile sheets" app. Very good app. The system is pretty good, and the tablets are cheap, like 120 bucks.
Not super robust though for critical gigs. They crash, glitch, and most of that is software problems with andoid.

I'm in a band that bout a bunch of those, but they could not deal with the occasional reboot. I switched to Ipad pro with pencil, and it is a million percent better. Maybe even infinitely better. That band also switched and bought a bunch of pros. Money well spent. I guess someone might say that reliable gear is a status symbol, like professional status maybe
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gabriel127
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 9:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

lipshurt wrote:
I guess someone might say that reliable gear is a status symbol, like professional status maybe


Actually, it's the other way around. A lot of professional trumpet players are buying CarolBrass and Yamaha horns while the people buying the all of the expensive big name custom and boutique brands are the guys with day jobs in the tech field who play once a week in church on Sunday for free.

Aside from that, throwing money away needlessly is not an indicator of professional status. Never is, never was. It can, however, be an indicator of foolhardiness, carelessness, recklessness, or stupidity. Take your pick.
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RandyTX
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Always fun when the "get off my lawn" and flat-earthers show up to crap on anything that actually works well but they don't want for themselves.

It's worth noting that some 'for music only' tablets have been sold (briefly) in the market and none of them (so far) have really survived. Perhaps because they only did one thing, yet required their own unique ecosystem of cables, chargers, etc. to keep them functional, and in some cases used proprietary file formats, or only sync'd with a single computer operating system.

Meanwhile an android or ios tablet can do a whole lot of things for that higher expense, and be useful almost to the degree of a laptop, when you're not on a gig or practicing.

If you don't want one, don't buy it. I've found it incredibly valuable, because I use it for at least six different groups, plus subbing elsewhere from time to time. Your mileage may vary.
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gabriel127
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 3:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I needed a decent computer in addition to all of this, that would be one thing. But I have 5 computers in my house, all of them are up-to-date high-performing windows machines. I'm not a mac guy. Although I don't like laptops or tablets, one of my computers is a laptop.

The point is, I want a tablet for music reading applications and would like to outfit an entire band with them. I'm not going to spend 10 thousand dollars on mac book pros just so people don't have to use fronts/stands.

And even for myself, I'm not going to buy a mac book pro if I don't need it for other things. So what if handles the music reading application(s) fine. That's great, but music reading doesn't require much and there are undoubtedly plenty of other machines that can handle them at less than half the price of the mac book pro. I'm sure I'll find one.

I also have a MS Surface PC, one of the first ones that came out. Its screen is a 10.1 I think. I can actually use that if I put the mic stand close to me, off to the side a little bit and then run a mini-boom and a gooseneck to put the mic out where I need it. It doesn't look weird and it would work. The only problem is, it's an old one and the battery doesn't last for an entire gig. So if worse comes to worse, I'l buy a 10.1 tablet for about 200 bucks and change, use it with the described apparatus, and be happy.
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dstdenis
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 5:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Turkle wrote:
It's looking like the iPad Pro with ForScore and Apple Pencil is the consensus winner. I've never owned a Mac product before so it may take a little getting used to, but I suppose it's a nice enough device on its own merits that I'll be glad to have it around.

The iPad doesn't require any Mac experience. If you've ever used a smartphone or tablet, then getting used to the iPad will be easy. There's an online user guide that gives a tour of the features and how-tos, and you'd be way ahead of the game if you just browsed the basics section.

ForScore might have a longer learning curve—it has a boatload of features. I've been using the app for years now, and I'm sure there are things I haven't gotten around to learning yet. You don't have to be an expert to get it to work, though. It's a great app.
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Turkle
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, for all the helpful info, everyone. I appreciate it.

My eyes are pretty bad, even with my bottle-thick glasses, so I'll probably end up getting the 12" iPad Pro. Just waiting for my tax return. Does anyone use the 10"? That seems just a little too small for reading music from a trumpet distance, so I assume you're all using the 12"?

Cheers.
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cjl
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got the original iPad when it came out then went to a Samsung Android tablet a couple years later and last year, decided to get one of the new, 32GB iPads for about $300.

I bought a scanner app and ForScore and have been quite pleased with how well it will scan, store and organize music.

Yeah, it a bit small for reading music and I will admit that I have not tried it anywhere but at home. My eyes have changed over time and I have switched to reading sheet music without my glasses and just moving the stand closer. I do use the iPad pretty close but once you get used to it, it is not bad.

Oh, I have not edited or marked any music. I am sure the Pro with a pencil would be excellent for that. But I get along fine with the regular-sized, basic iPad and a couple apps -- total cost was about $350.

-- Joe
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dstdenis
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used the 10” iPad before the 12” was developed. I turned it on its side in landscape mode to make the print larger (although that meant I couldn’t see a full page at one time—not a problem, though—just another tap on the Bluetooth foot pedal to go from top of page to bottom of page).

Now with the 12” iPad, I leave it upright in portrait mode and I can see the entire page at once. Landscape mode on this model is huge—bigger than I really need.
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pinstriper
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 9:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

12.9" iPad Pro, Apple Pencil, ForScore. Look no further. I did a pretty extensive review a while back. This is the bar.

I was the second in our band to adopt this. We now have 12 of them, plus an Android and one Kindle Fire.

I also picked up an RCA Maven tablet, 11" diagonal. The software is functional but comparatively dreadful. You can organize set lists, but the markup is just....oof. Awful.

The screen resolution just does not compare with the Apple screens.

And the screen ratio does not match a paper sheet. In portrait mode it is taller and thinner, so it doesn't quite make it.

However, at under $150 it is far better than nothing, if you don't want to carry paper. I periodically sync it up with my ForScore library and bring it along as a backup device.

In fact, what I should do is just slam the entire trumpet book onto it, so it has every part for every piece, in case anyone in the section shows up and can't find, say, page 2 of Begin The Beguine, or we have a last minute personnel change and someone has to cover a part without the book.

The day you strain your back and lose a day or two out of work from carrying all the paper would have paid for the device.
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Turkle
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 9:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, everyone - I'm sold on the Apple 12.9" and will purchase as soon as my tax return arrives.

That said, what stand solution do you use? A regular music stand or do you use one of those clips they sell? I can see advantages and disadvantages to both. The Airturn stand and clip looks like the most compact and useful.

And finally, do you folks keep your tablet in a case of sorts to protect it on the gig?

Thanks!
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pinstriper
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 12:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I still use a standard music stand. About half the time we get new music as paper first during rehearsal, and I have a mute-rack I still need. It also lets me take the iPad with me during set breaks so it can't be knocked over or stolen.

I have a Targus iPad protector that is *claimed* to be drop-safe from 4'. I haven't tried it yet.
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Rapier232
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 2:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My iPad Pro is kept in an Otterbox case and just goes on my music stand. Another advantage is when I’m playing for a show and they spend ages on sets, dialogue and movements, at rehearsals , I watch TV on my iPad. 😎
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theslawdawg
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rapier232 wrote:
My iPad Pro is kept in an Otterbox case and just goes on my music stand. Another advantage is when I’m playing for a show and they spend ages on sets, dialogue and movements, at rehearsals , I watch TV on my iPad. 😎



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gabriel127
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 12:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Turkle wrote:
Thanks for the replies, everyone. Very helpful.

Still accepting any alternative suggestions!

Cheers


Windows machine. Has bluetooth. Keyboard and stylus are available:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CHUWI-Hi13-13-5-Tablet-PC-Win10-64GB-Dual-WiFi-with-Original-Keyboard-Stylus/162804856076?epid=768771205&hash=item25e7ecf50c:m:mZSDKjqPk3IxlGo3qJpCcnA
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dstdenis
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Regular music stand (a sturdy one). For transport, a smart cover and a neoprene sleeve. I just keep the Apple pencil in the original box when I'm not using it.
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gabriel127
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 1:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No need for a music stand. That's part of the whole idea of using a tablet, to get rid of that clunky, bulky stand, which you often don't have room for on a small stage.

Mount it on a mic stand (even if you're not using a mic). If a mic is being used there's a side arm for the tablet and a mini-boom can be used for the mic, that way, the tablet is off to one side of the stand and the mic, off to the other.

I even found that with a gooseneck on the end of the mini-boom, I can stand closer to the mic stand (and the tablet, which is off to the right side of the stand) and put the mic further forward on the left side of the stand. This allows me to get closer and see the music better even with a 10-inch tablet while keeping the mic at an appropriate distance. With this setup, you don't
have to worry about finding a 12 or 13-inch tablet, the 10-inch will do. I hate using clip-on mics, preferring the ability to back off the mic when necessary and sing backup without holding the bell mic up to my mouth. That looks silly.
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Rapier232
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I’ve always found mike stands to be quite chunky, compared to a music stand, like the Hercules I normally use and I don’t need a special clamp to hold my iPad Pro.
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LittleRusty
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 2:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The stand choice is personal. I wouldn’t want to combine the tablet and mic stands. I like being able to move one and not affect the other.

Also when I used an adapter on a mic stand I didn’t like schlepping the extra weight of the mic stand. I eventually ended up using a manhasset base with an iPad adapter.

But the point about using the desk on a normal stand for sheets handed out during rehearsal is good. There are ways to snapshot and import quickly to handle this situation.
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