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iPad vs. iPhone

DaveParker39

DaveParker39

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Supporting Member
Feb 28, 2022
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#1
So I use my ipad in band practice and on stage. It serves 3 purposes.
1)One is for me to have access to chord charts/lyrics if I forget something.
2) two is to help me through new songs I don’t have committed to brain. I have pdf page turner foot control
3) is to control my in ear mix.

The thing I don’t like about the iPad live is that it feels big. I often find myself putting it away and taking it back out. I don’t want people seeing my iPad instead of me, or my ipad light shining in my face.

So I guess I am wondering if it is ridiculous to try to make charts that are narrow with many pages and just use the iPhone for both that and my iem control.

is that insane? Or does that sound doable?

i would love to not have s whole tablet on my mic stand.
 
#2
You may find an answer outside music. With stage speakers. (Humans talking...) ;-)

I had to think of certain comedians here in the Netherlands. Notably one was famous for having many large sheets of notes arranged on the stage floor. Your take on that could be a (large) iPad on the floor (or lying on a low stand), especially considering your page turner.

Regarding the "shining in your face": you may consider a dark theme, like simply white-on-black.
 
#3
I think an iPhone just looks silly, an iPad looks way more professional, and is easier to read from a distance. Do you really want to pinch your eyes and tap your feet even more while playing songs you don't really know yet? At the moment I am using my iPhone sometimes for rehearsals, but if I were to use a device live, I'd defenitely get an iPad, probably one of the larger models, and a dedicated stand.
 
#4
I say iPad mainly because I simply can’t read print on an iPhone from very far, even my 13 Plus.

And for those reason, all my iPads are 12.9 Pros.

I keep them off to the side. I have them mostly for remote mixing control for monitors And occasionally song lists and charts.
 
#5
Nobody cares about an iPad on your mic stand. 90% of an audience won't even register that it's there or know what it's doing. Seriously. They care more about your shoes.

Jeez man, for all it's doing for you your iPad doing for you on stage it's an essential piece of gear....like your amp. You feel any burning need to hide your freakin' amp?
 
#7
GrayGoesBlack said:
I think an iPhone just looks silly, an iPad looks way more professional, and is easier to read from a distance. Do you really want to pinch your eyes and tap your feet even more while playing songs you don't really know yet? At the moment I am using my iPhone sometimes for rehearsals, but if I were to use a device live, I'd defenitely get an iPad, probably one of the larger models, and a dedicated stand.
Click to expand...
A dedicated stand is a good idea. Part of the problem here is you can’t see my face or you can’t see my bass when it’s on the mic stand.
Chris Chong said:
If the iPad is too big, how about an iPad mini
Click to expand...
Also a good idea. I will have to look at them next time I am at an apple store
 
#8
Diplock said:
Jeez man, for all it's doing for you your iPad doing for you on stage it's an essential piece of gear....like your amp. You feel any burning need to hide your freakin' amp?
Click to expand...

it’s less “hide my ipad” and more “my ipad is hiding me”… I appreciate it, for sure, and do use it to control my mix which is infinitely helpful. I only use it for notes for a couple songs, which is why I was debating something smaller (I could control my mix with a phone sized object)
 
#9
DaveParker39 said:
it’s less “hide my ipad” and more “my ipad is hiding me”… I appreciate it, for sure, and do use it to control my mix which is infinitely helpful. I only use it for notes for a couple songs, which is why I was debating something smaller (I could control my mix with a phone sized object)
Click to expand...
Gotcha. My last couple of tablets have been iPad Minis largely (pun intended) because I can carry it easily in my pocket at the day gig. I use it on stage for set lists and very occasionally lyrics or numbers charts. It's pretty unobtrusive but I can still see it without my glasses. I tried a large iPhone 10 SX Max 4-5 years ago thinking it could replace the iPad. Too freakin' small to see if you're not holding it and way too damn big to want to carry in my jeans as a phone. Also hated forgetting to go to airplane mode and having my mic stand ring.

I know very little about Android tablets but I think there are some that are a bit smaller than the iPad mini.
 
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#12
BassyBill said:
You could try to wean yourself off it, if it bothers you that much.

But if you do play with it on a stand in front of you, nobody in the room will care at all about it hiding your bass or your face in the slightest, or even notice. Except you.
Click to expand...
I'm sorta trying to work on weaning. If I was just using it to control my mix there is no reason I would have to have it on my mic stand.
 
#13
DirtDog said:
iPad, mounted about waist level on the mic stand and use an app that doesn’t have a white background. I use Setlists by BombingBrain. Works like a teleprompter with a black background and green text (like the display from a 1980s computer). Works great for me and my eyesight in dark rooms is pretty horrible.
Click to expand...
I think the app I use has a dark mode. I'll have to try it.
 
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#15
DaveParker39 said:
So I use my ipad in band practice and on stage. It serves 3 purposes.
1)One is for me to have access to chord charts/lyrics if I forget something.
2) two is to help me through new songs I don’t have committed to brain. I have pdf page turner foot control
3) is to control my in ear mix.

The thing I don’t like about the iPad live is that it feels big. I often find myself putting it away and taking it back out. I don’t want people seeing my iPad instead of me, or my ipad light shining in my face.

So I guess I am wondering if it is ridiculous to try to make charts that are narrow with many pages and just use the iPhone for both that and my iem control.

is that insane? Or does that sound doable?

i would love to not have s whole tablet on my mic stand.
Click to expand...
I use my Iphone, in a clamp designed for it, positioned just above the mic stand adjustment sleeve(it’s also a boom stand, and I have one of those tray thingies with the cup holder as well). Powered by the USB out of the Cioks DC7 on my board. As I’m away from the actual base, the phone is positioned upwards, so that I can merely look down at it without changing my ‘gazing at the crowd’ head position. Lyrics only(my weak spot since forever), it’s more of a prompter, and my old age vision is such that I can see it fine. Amp, and wedge monitor, vocals only. IE annoys me. No one really sees the phone in particular.
 
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