Using Ipads during live performances?

[JackB1]

I’m noticing lots of performers using iPads for reading their music charts as opposed to printed sheets. I would like to make this change to iPads and was wondering how it works? What if you can’t fit the entire song on one screen? Do you scroll it with your finger or have it auto scrolling? I would be worried it would be going too slow or fast. Also can I pick up a cheap used older iPad and use that?

[JayBee1404]

You use a music/lyrics-managing app, such as 'Onsong'. It has the facility to scroll a page at a speed determined by the user, you can start the scrolling either by touching the 'Scroll' button or, if you wish to invest in a Bluetooth foot-controller like 'Airturn', you can use that to set scrolling running, flip pages backwards and forwards, etc. Alternatively, you can do as I do and size the font on individual songs so that the entire song fits on one page and no scrolling is necessary (but that does sometimes rely on the user having good eyesight, or good spectacles, of course. I have the latter!).

OnSong holds your music/lyrics in a database and has a facility to create and store set-lists. When you select a set-list, the music/lyrics to each number are automatically pulled up as you move through the list. It's a powerful app, and a very useful tool for musicians. And, of course, using an iPad is visually far neater and tidier than the gigantic black music stands and loose-leaf binders which so many musicians love to hide behind!

Google 'OnSong' and check it out. There are other softwares that will do very similar things, but I've only ever used OnSong, so I'm not qualified to comment on the others, but I'm certain that more recommendations will come along here from other users pretty soon!

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[shufflebeat]

If you're just reading chord sheets you may want to check out iReal pro.

You make the chordsheet (or import from forumites) then either just play along or press Play and the app will play a rudimentary but very clever backing track based on various style templates.

Android version exists and is actually easier to use and free at the last look.

[JackB1]

Thanks for the tip about "On Song"...I'll check it out. I like to create my own "cheat sheets" and then make them into a pdf or a picture file. The scrolling thing makes me nervous, as I have to keep up with it or worry if it's too slow. I like the footswitch idea.

Regarding ipads...do I need one of the more recent models or will an older one suffice? I will probably only be using it for this one purpose.

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

You use a music/lyrics-managing app, such as 'Onsong'. It has the facility to scroll a page at a speed determined by the user, you can start the scrolling either by touching the 'Scroll' button or, if you wish to invest in a Bluetooth foot-controller like 'Airturn', you can use that to set scrolling running, flip pages backwards and forwards, etc. Alternatively, you can do as I do and size the font on individual songs so that the entire song fits on one page and no scrolling is necessary (but that does sometimes rely on the user having good eyesight, or good spectacles, of course. I have the latter!).

OnSong holds your music/lyrics in a database and has a facility to create and store set-lists. When you select a set-list, the music/lyrics to each number are automatically pulled up as you move through the list. It's a powerful app, and a very useful tool for musicians. And, of course, using an iPad is visually far neater and tidier than the gigantic black music stands and loose-leaf binders which so many musicians love to hide behind!

Google 'OnSong' and check it out. There are other softwares that will do very similar things, but I've only ever used OnSong, so I'm not qualified to comment on the others, but I'm certain that more recommendations will come along here from other users pretty soon!

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[bdjansen]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Thanks for the tip about "On Song"...I'll check it out. I like to create my own "cheat sheets" and then make them into a pdf or a picture file. The scrolling thing makes me nervous, as I have to keep up with it or worry if it's too slow. I like the footswitch idea.

Regarding ipads...do I need one of the more recent models or will an older one suffice? I will probably only be using it for this one purpose.

I use onsong often. There is a steep learning curve but it's powerful. The scrolling thing is not hard. You will have enough lyrics on the screen that the scrolling doesn't have to be exactly timed. If your song is 5 minutes for instance, set your scrolling for 4:15 and it will work out just fine. I set my font size in Onsong to 18 pt (on the regular sized iPad) and it's really easy to quickly glance at then look back out at the audience. So you're staring at your music less.

I also use a two button bluetooth controller. The first button is set to start/stop the scroll. The second button is set to jump the scroll ahead half a page or turn to the next song if the current song is fully scrolled through. So if the scrolling is running fast, I tap the first button to stop the scroll, then tap that same button again to start it up again. If the scroll is running slow, I tap the second button to jump it ahead a half page. I almost never have to do this because it's easier then you think to get the scrolling speed right. I mostly just use my bluetooth controller to go to the next song and to start scrolling.

[The Kid!]

I use an app called SongBook. It was simpler to use than OnSong for me. OnSong has more features.

[obijohn]

I've been using Four Score and an air turn pedal for quite awhile now. Works great for me. I just use the pedal to turn the pages as opposed to scrolling. I also use Scan pro to "scan" music or lead sheets, turn them into a PDF and load into four score. OnSong is a really good app for this also. Frankly, for one page "cheat sheets" any PDF reader should work. I have all this running on both an Ipad pro and an old Ipad 2.

[tonyo]

One of the great things about Onsong is that it allows you to transpose songs to any key very easily. You can't do that with PDFs. (Or with PDFs imported into Onsong).

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by tonyo

One of the great things about Onsong is that it allows you to transpose songs to any key very easily. You can't do that with PDFs. (Or with PDFs imported into Onsong).

Hi tonyo…

Most folks moving to iPads are coming from a paper base. You can't transpose automatically with paper either. (I can transpose in my head). I don't think the ability to transpose on the fly is that big a deal to a lot of players.

Several great apps…
Apps like UnrealBook are pdf based, but move between songs, and allow very fast editing of set lists (faster than OnSong). It also has ½ page advance when rotated into landscape mode.

FourScore is really a score marking, performing, and reading app for orchestral, and classical score reading. It can read things like D.C. al Fine and will jump back to the beginning till it hits the queue mark and then it will jump to the ending.

OnSong has features many never use like locking several iPads together and switching them all at the same time. They keep touting it's ability to reverse the screen (white letters on black background) which the iPad already does with a triple click (and has since before OnSong existed).

I own OnSong, FourScore, and UnrealBook. The complexity of OnSong, and the issues with it breaking after updates (till they could fix them) made it an easy choice for me to move to UnrealBook.

The developer of UnrealBook (Aron Nelson) has supported it faithfully, and also offers bluetooth page switch solutions. He also knows his app inside out and usually responds to questions in under ½ day (often within an hour).

I think all three of the ones I listed can use drop box to move & retrieve files and allow marking them up digitally. OnSong has fee based chart retrieval available too.

[Groover]

Originally Posted by The Kid!

I use an app called SongBook. It was simpler to use than OnSong for me. OnSong has more features.

+1 on this

You can transpose, auto scroll at a speed to suit you, metronome etc.

[JackB1]

Does Unrealbook have auto scrolling with adjustable speed?

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi tonyo…

Most folks moving to iPads are coming from a paper base. You can't transpose automatically with paper either. (I can transpose in my head). I don't think the ability to transpose on the fly is that big a deal to a lot of players.

Several great apps…
Apps like UnrealBook are pdf based, but move between songs, and allow very fast editing of set lists (faster than OnSong). It also has ½ page advance when rotated into landscape mode.

FourScore is really a score marking, performing, and reading app for orchestral, and classical score reading. It can read things like D.C. al Fine and will jump back to the beginning till it hits the queue mark and then it will jump to the ending.

OnSong has features many never use like locking several iPads together and switching them all at the same time. They keep touting it's ability to reverse the screen (white letters on black background) which the iPad already does with a triple click (and has since before OnSong existed).

I own OnSong, FourScore, and UnrealBook. The complexity of OnSong, and the issues with it breaking after updates (till they could fix them) made it an easy choice for me to move to UnrealBook.

The developer of UnrealBook (Aron Nelson) has supported it faithfully, and also offers bluetooth page switch solutions. He also knows his app inside out and usually responds to questions in under ½ day (often within an hour).

I think all three of the ones I listed can use drop box to move & retrieve files and allow marking them up digitally. OnSong has fee based chart retrieval available too.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Does Unrealbook have auto scrolling with adjustable speed?

Hi Jb1

Nope…

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Jb1

Nope…

Crap. Well I just bought it and now I'm trying to figure out exactly what it does over the free iBooks that comes with the iPad. I really just need an app that allows me to import my own PDF charts and then has adjustable scrolling speed that is saved with each song.

[RustyAxe]

Originally Posted by The Kid!

I use an app called SongBook. It was simpler to use than OnSong for me. OnSong has more features.

I'm a Songbook user. I'd be interested in what features you think OnSong has that Songbook lacks. I haven't found anything, and I've been using for years.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by RustyAxe

I'm a Songbook user. I'd be interested in what features you think OnSong has that Songbook lacks. I haven't found anything, and I've been using for years.

Does Songbook have auto scrolling?
Edit: just saw that it does.

How much is the price for an ipad? cheaper than OnSong?