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iPad PDF Music App?

#41
If only I was guaranteed good pay, I'd spring for a foot switch, but they're more than I'm willing to spend on something that won't influence my sound. This is for a starting nonprofit. And while I know a paycheck will be cut in the end, most likely it'll be for gas and a little extra, which is OK because I'm doing it mostly to get into the scene and keep playing in my bandless lull.
 
#43
TheEmptyCell said:
...but they're more than I'm willing to spend on something that won't influence my sound.
Click to expand...

If you get the chance to try one, you'll understand what a difference it makes. I was leery too, but I knew I had to have a turner the minute I tried out my friend's Cicada.

One thing I've also come to realize is that some of the best music gear purchases I've ever made have been ones that don't influence my sound. My top purchases of all time have simply made being a gigging musician easier... My iPad/ForScore/Airturn, my iGig double bass bag (I always bring two basses, and it has an insane amount of storage for a gig bag... I can even fit my Shuttle 6.0 in the front pocket), a decent little cart for load-ins, even the spare 50ft. extension cable and power strip I leave in my car.

5sg.
 
#45
We use Music Stand as part of Planning Center at church. Works well. OF course, it's church specific. I currently use Good Reader but haven't played in a band for the last couple years that made use of it so there may be better options. Setlist Maker is supposed to be good.
 
#46
Just got On Song..Had a bunch of stuff on Google Drive..got Drop Box. I download the charts from GD and send em to drop box...then get them from there with On Song..lot to learn. I'll be busy..Our key board player said it will take me 2 years to change it all over..Ha!
 
#47
repoman said:
This is a very informative thread, I just started playing with a group who all use tablets for their charts (while I'm over in the corner with my music stand fumbling with paper )I have at this point about 75-80 songs on copy paper, some several pages long held togther with paperclips...it's very cumbersome as you could imagine. I want to get rid of these binders and join the modern world.
It appears forScore is a highly recommended app. with the TB crowd here.
May I ask which tablet works best in a setting where:
1. I could quickly call up the chart for play
2.Could make notes and add band specific changes to the chart
3. Would only be using it for music (I'm not looking for another computer, I already have a laptop, Ipod and desktop at home)
4. Isn't going to cost a ton of dough...say under 300 bucks...well under...:cool:
Click to expand...

Used iPad 1st Gens, are selling for under 300 used and work fine with most PDF viewer apps.
 
#52
I've been using an iPad for some of my gigs.

Before a gig, I usually prepare in set order a PowerPoint file, with one slide (occasionally more) for each song. Each slide has what I need to get through the song, sometimes just as a safety net. The slide might include chord symbols, lyrics with chord symbols, snippets of notation for key sections or full notation for the whole tune. I then save this as a PDF and transfer to the iPad. On the gig, I view it using the standard iBooks app. So far this has worked really well for me and I haven't felt the need to get a different app or a footswitch for the sort of gigs I'm doing with it.
 
#53
Had a rehearsal for a musical last night. Got the music at the rehearsal so I had to read it 'old school'. Poorly edited part had sections that were repeated 3 to 6 times with a page turns in the middle (this happened in several songs), plus all kinds of D.S. al Coda's and the like. Way too many page turns with no measures rest. You can bet the next rehearsal that book will be in iPad and page turn pedals on the floor. Problem solved.

Now I can concentrate on the music, and that's a better sound for sure.
 
#54
elgecko said:
By the way, here's a more inexpensive alternative to the Airturn and the Cicada:

Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...

I have one of these from when we used a laptop (so long ago...) for charts. To use with an ipad it requires a camera adapter, which is $30, so it's not saving much over the Cicada unless you already have one. But it would be nice if you don't want to deal with something else that needs batteries. I wonder if the whole adapter/usb thing would stay plugged in. I'm not a big fan of Apple's connectivity choice.

I use an app that came out before some of these like forscore and gigbook were available. It does the job but the guy who made it quit supporting it so I'm thinking of going to something else.

I make all of my charts on one page so page turning isn't necessary. They're mainly for chords and lyrics.

At church, the MD uses planning center. He was doing this before ipads hit. He uploads the charts. It sends you an email letting you know what services you're scheduled for. Then you can view the charts at home as well as play the mp3's he uploads. We were printing the charts for the service. But now it has an app and the service uploads.

The church pays something for planning center but the app is free. If you are involved in a group that plays regularly and one person does the administration it may be worth looking into.

Sometimes I wish I had a page turner for the church stuff. But I've gotten pretty good finding opportune times to make the swipe, like whole notes that can be played on open strings. Certainly easier than turning real pages.
 
#55
nutdog said:
I have one of these from when we used a laptop (so long ago...) for charts. To use with an ipad it requires a camera adapter, which is $30, so it's not saving much over the Cicada unless you already have one. But it would be nice if you don't want to deal with something else that needs batteries. I wonder if the whole adapter/usb thing would stay plugged in. I'm not a big fan of Apple's connectivity choice.

I use an app that came out before some of these like forscore and gigbook were available. It does the job but the guy who made it quit supporting it so I'm thinking of going to something else.

I make all of my charts on one page so page turning isn't necessary. They're mainly for chords and lyrics.

At church, the MD uses planning center. He was doing this before ipads hit. He uploads the charts. It sends you an email letting you know what services you're scheduled for. Then you can view the charts at home as well as play the mp3's he uploads. We were printing the charts for the service. But now it has an app and the service uploads.

The church pays something for planning center but the app is free. If you are involved in a group that plays regularly and one person does the administration it may be worth looking into.

Sometimes I wish I had a page turner for the church stuff. But I've gotten pretty good finding opportune times to make the swipe, like whole notes that can be played on open strings. Certainly easier than turning real pages.
Click to expand...

Ah, I have an Android. Plugs right in. It's pretty secure but I clip the pedal and power cables to the stand to keep them connected (mostly for the power adapter).
 

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