iPad

[larryb]

My wife wants to get me an iPad for our anniversary. While I think I want one, not certain yet. A big factor would be how I can use it with regard to my playing music (not talking about playing iTunes, but playing guitar).

Does anyone here have an iPad and, if so, what types of uses do you have for it with regard to playing guitar?

[ship of fools]

But alas I use my main frame to do all of my work on guitar pieces with, but it was a great toy for my wife she uses it constantley while I make my guitar gently weep.ship
But there are many apps that can be used for those who want to use it to help with from metronomes to back beats to whatever your imagination wants.

[tplank]

...is that it keeps my family occupied so that I have time to practice.

[Steve Berger]

Upfront, here is my application: I am primarily a solo acoustic (some electric) fingerstyle guitar player, although on occasion I do some singer-songwriter songs. Most of my recordings are either one or two tracks.

I have an iPad 2 and although I have downloaded the Garageband app ($4.95), I haven't done any recording yet.

I am waiting for Apogee Electronics to introduce their new usb condenser microphone called "MIC".

I will then use the iPad 2 as a scratchpad portable recorder, to try out new ideas etc. If the recording quality is as good as I believe it will be, based on my experiences with the Apogee Duet interface and GB on my MAC . . . I may use the iPAD 2 as a final recording device.

[jeastman]

I just got mine a month ago, so still exploring. But I use it for storing all my music (onSong) and it allows me to replace my songbook. It also transposes which was a huge time saver when playing with other instrumentalists.

Just picked up GarageBand to do some recording, but haven't yet. Am curious to see how the quality is.

I also have the random chord finders and other tools like that.

Like I said, still exploring, but ever time I get an idea I think would be cool, somebody has already thought it and coded it and is selling it for $.99!

[MikeTX]

I got my iPad, specifically for music, and like it very much.

IF, though... IF you are a Windows guy, you might consider some of the new HP and other tablets - you might feel more at home.

Apps are great, but the TABLET is the ticket. NOW you can choose what OS environment that you prefer...

Best luck!

[Bruce Sexauer]

I am writing on my iPad right now in a motel in Utah. Very handy device.

The tuner is great, though the same as in my iPhone.

Garage band works great. The tiny mic built in is surprisingly able. If I were seriously recording my iMac is better.

My favorite use is a program called forscore. It presents PDFs as written music and is extremely handy and quick. I am migrating my considerable sheet music into it and it is becoming my reading source of choice.

There must be dozens more uses that I have not encountered yet, I have only had my machine for a few months.

[gloeben]

Hi Larry,

I previously carried songs (lyrics and chords) in a 3 ring binder. I have lots of songs but have trouble thinking of them and/or remembering chords when I'm playing, so the binder was great. I could also pass it around and if someone wanted to hear a song or sing they could pick one out. But the binder was bulky. So I bought a used 1st generation Ipad and got the Word to Go app. Now all my songs, which I create as word docs on my home computer or laptop, can be carried around on my Ipad. Plus, if I'm playing in low light (party, camping, etc) it's very easy to see the screen.

As a bonus, and because I like to waste time in my office at work occasionally, I have created an alphabetical list of all the songs and hyperlinked them to where the song is in the list. So when I'm looking at the list, I can just touch the title and it jumps to the song.

It's actually fun to work on--though tplanks strategy of giving it to the family may actually be better for increasing playing time!

If you want more info, feel free to e-mail me directly at [email protected]

Greg

[Steve Berger]

My favorite use is a program called forscore. It presents PDFs as written music and is extremely handy and quick. I am migrating my considerable sheet music into it and it is becoming my reading source of choice.

Hey Bruce, thanks for the heads up on this.

[Lefty Guy]

+1 for onsong app. I have all my song/chord sheets on pdf on my PC & previously in hard copy in 3 huge ring binders - very heavy. Now I have all of them on my iPad on "onsong".

http://www.onsongapp.com/

[BT Bob]

I love Garageband - provides great backing tracks, especially the drum tracks, to play along with.
I would recommend spending a few extra quid (or dollars) on an X-Mini speaker. This is a tiny, re-chargeable speaker that has amazing sound for the size & price.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by larryb

...Does anyone here have an iPad and, if so, what types of uses do you have for it with regard to playing guitar?

Hi Larry…
I have several hundred musical charts in it, and an App named UnrealBook that lets me build set lists in a minute and then use it instead of carrying books, charts, paper etc.

Also, I have the 3G version, so it has GPS in it, so the GPS program MotionX Drive gets me to the gigs.

And Angry Birds or SuperStickman Golf keep me busy while everybody else is setting up.

Actually, it replaced the laptop last year on our vacation. I just did a week away from home to study, and the iPad fed me email, and streamed my Netflix movies at night.

I also use an app called Penultimate to handwrite guitar lessons for students, and at the end of the lesson, I email it to them and a copy to myself before they get their guitar put away.

And there are tons of other things we do with ours which are not guitar related.

[JohnnyDes]

Larry,

I've used my iPad for learning songs from internet tab sources. TabToolkit is a very slick app that allows you to import your own tab or from internet sources, although it does take a little time to find quality tab. Just recently I bought the Songsterr app, which runs like TabToolkit but sources tabs directly from the Songsterr site (without a subscription!). I've found over time that Songsterr has some of the most useful tabs out there since they are heavily curated. Both apps have really nice scrolling and midi playback of the tabs, so they are incredible learning tools.

Another app I'm intrigued by (but haven't bought yet) is the Capo app, which allows you to pull music from your itunes library and change its speed without altering pitch - very useful for transcribing, obviously.

JD

[shuffle]

I've been using an app called OnThePath for the last couple of weeks and I am really impressed.

http://onthepathapp.com/

The app is free and you can download fairly substantial free samples of a range of lessons to try out before buying them. I've been working with the Kenny Sultan blues material. The ease of having the ipad on the music stand in front of me and stopping or starting a lesson with the tap of a finger or moving backwards and forwards with a simple swipe is great. I've got a lot of lesson materials on dvd and you could argue that using those with a laptop might be almost as simple but the ipad and this app are just so much easier to set up and use that I'm getting a lot more done.

Aside from the interface the lessons themselves are extremely well produced and there's a bunch of great presenters including Scott Tennant, Richard Thompson, Jackson Browne, Leland Sklar, Lee Ritenour

I think this is the future for a whole range of teaching materials, especially music.

No affiliation - just a satisfied customer!!!

Chris

[Steve Berger]

I've learned about some very interesting iPAD music apps from this thread . . . very cool!