MUSICIANS/PIANISTS: Using a Tablet, Laptop(!?), to View/Turn Sheet Music & Playing Music Theory Games and Videos

GregMonarch on 14/04/2019 - 13:28

I see many online sources of digital sheet music (PDF files for example). I'd like to be able to view these while sitting at a piano - either on a laptop on top of the piano opened at 90 degrees then rotated to portrait orientation, or, a tablet. However even my 13" laptop screen is larger and more 'page-real size' than most tablets.

Also, apparently there are programs that turn the page, so your hand doesn't need to leave the keys. I guess you place some kind of pedal or wireless powerpoint clicker on the floor to turn the page with your foot.

If I did get a tablet, I'd want one that can run music theory practice games; with a LARGE screen; and while I know iPad probably suits best - I also planned to buy an Android tablet for other purposes, like GPS maps and music in the car. So I'd prefer not to buy two tablets, and Apple is expensive. (If I were to spend that amount I may as well just buy printed sheet music, and use a cheap Android tablet for the car.)

Anyway… What do other people use? Or what have you thought about doing?

  • Is there any reason it cannot be done using a laptop? It would be too heavy for the piano music stand, but I mean more the software, rotating 90 degrees, the clicker, etc. e.g. My piano is short at 115cm. So I guess it would be a pain lifting my eyes so far above the keys with a laptop - even higher with the next thought…

  • I've also considering hanging a large screen on the wall above the piano, connected to a laptop… somehow, and a wireless clicker.

  • Or what do you have, or have you thought about doing?

If I did go the tablet route, what cheap tablet brand is reliable/works/doesn't die in 6 months, that can play games without lag, also view Youtube and ripped tutorial videos (MP4, AVI, MKV - at least ONE of these so I can convert videos to that format if needed) - that has at least some future OS updates, and one I'll be able to buy a replacement battery for in the future. (I plan to use it at least a few years.)

Thoughts, opinions, and disagreements - all welcome.

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • coxjon on 14/04/2019 - 13:32

    There's iPad apps that listen for your playing and turn the page for you. Regular iPad is pretty small for music (maybe a landscape app that scrolls down would be ok) but I've seen people using the big iPad pro (quite expensive though)

    • GregMonarch on 14/04/2019 - 14:02

      When you say regular iPad is small for sheet music, you mean below 9.7"? Or 9.7" is still too small?

      • coxjon on 14/04/2019 - 17:30

        Yep, 9.7 too small for full screen sheets

        • GregMonarch on 14/04/2019 - 17:50

          Hm, thanks. I don't suppose you've seen a 10.5"? This one:
          iPad Pro 10.5" Jun 2017 4GB 64bit Hurricane & Zephyr ARMv8-A A10X

  • GregMonarch on 14/04/2019 - 13:54

    Thanks.

    Yeah, I have thought about it. But apart from one App: https://pianoadventures.com/resources/piano-adventures-playe… I don't have a pressing need for an 'i' product. That App has all its features enabled with these models:

    iPad Air Oct 2013 1GB 64bit Cyclone ARMv8-A
    iPad Air 2 Oct 2014 2GB 64bit Typhoon ARMv8-A
    *iPad Pro 12.9" Nov 2015 4GB 64bit Twister ARMv8-A A9X
    * iPad Pro 9.7" Mar 2016 2GB 64bit Twister ARMv8-A A9X
    iPad (2017) Mar 2017 2GB 64bit Twister ARMv8-A A9
    *iPad Pro 10.5" Jun 2017 4GB 64bit Hurricane & Zephyr ARMv8-A A10X
    *iPad Pro 12.9" Jun 2017 4GB 64bit Hurricane & Zephyr ARMv8-A A10X
    iPad (2018) Mar 2018 2GB 64bit Hurricane & Zephyr ARMv8-A A12X

    Yesterday I was looking at second hand prices for the ones with '*' next to them.

    I do plan to get a digital piano in the future - and some link to iPads for various reasons. But who knows if I'll buy one that links when the time comes. I'm leaning toward a Yamaha DGX-660 (or whatever replaces it) - or a CVP. Mainly because they have a feature that 'guesses' the style of music you're playing and adds a backing band accompaniment. I don't think Yamaha link to iPads. But who knows, I might find a more realistic keyboard action and buy a brand that does connect with iPads.

  • GregMonarch on 14/04/2019 - 13:54

    Something I forgot… Do people think a 9.7" and 10.5" are too small for viewing sheet music?

    • thebadmachine on 14/04/2019 - 16:27

      It does depend on your eye-sight and size of sheet music. I would say yes, A4 at a minimum.

      • GregMonarch on 14/04/2019 - 18:03

        Yeah, mine isn't great. So…

        • A4 = 21cm x 29.7 cm
        • iPad Pro 10.5" = 17.4 x 25.1 cm
        • iPad Pro 12.9" = 21.5 x 28.1 cm

        I guess the brightness may make up for the smaller size a little, but the safest bet is something that's 12.9" - thanks.

        • thebadmachine on 14/04/2019 - 18:34

          Best keep the brightness similar to real paper to preserve your eyes (fatigue) and battery life. There is also the ‘true-tone’ feature on iPad Pro’s which keeps the warmth close to the reality of your room lighting (more natural for your eyes).

          Expensive for just a sheet music substitute though, if you see yourself using it for other things a tablet can provide (drawing, reading, annotation, watching YouTube) maybe you can give it a try.

          Edit: just read your comment about iPads connecting to Digital Piano’s. That’s interesting.

          • GregMonarch on 19/04/2019 - 05:23

            @thebadmachine: To a couple/few yes. I didn't look for long, because I was more interested in the backing band feature of the Yamaha CVP models and their more 'portable' DGX660. But I do remember the area of the store, and I think that's where the Rolands are. I think he showed me there's an app you install, plus the piano contains and displays on the ipad, the Alfred series of piano method books.

        • bcarp on 14/04/2019 - 22:20

          Never used an iPad for this purpose, just for chord and lyric charts. However, don’t forget that an A4 sheet has white space margins & hopefully the iPad software allows you to remove those margins from the displayed area.

          • GregMonarch on 14/04/2019 - 22:58

            @bcarp: Maybe. I'd need some definite confirmation of that before going smaller though. (Again, if I have to spend hours cropping PDF margins, I may as well buy the book.) But it has helped me decide that if I do this, whether it's iPad or Android - it will be 12" (or larger if it exists).

  • Switchblade88 on 14/04/2019 - 14:11

    iPads become good value if you want extra data on your Optus mobile… $29/month for $13Gb of data, with a free iPad thrown in.

    Large tablets are unreasonably expensive by contrast. Convertible touchscreen laptops are comparatively better value. Especially chromebooks - and then you've got the advantage of being able to run Android apps as well.

    Also, whilst 10" is small for an A4 page sheet music equivalent, you've got the advantages of a backlit high-quality screen instead - not to mention you additional functionality of GPS, audio etc for other places too, which is probably a better outcome than a cheap Android tablet.

    I'm also not sure why you've got a specific device list above? If it's a current model that supports the latest iOS, then it shouldn't matter the hardware underneath. That's one benefit you get from Apple's locked-doen ecosystem.

    • GregMonarch on 14/04/2019 - 14:52

      Thanks. I wasn't aware Chromebooks ran Android apps. I'll take a look at screen size, file storage, wifi/bluetooth, etc.

      And my $70/m 100GB Optus plan runs out in a couple of months. That $29/13GB might be worth looking at. I'm guessing the iPad is small though.

      Sorry, what was the 10" you refer to, that is better than a cheap Android tablet? (Did you mean iPad again?)

      The reason I listed the iPads was for the sake of discussion, and because conjon mentioned them. And the fact I have looked at them too. i.e. To show my mind isn't closed to Apple. But I don't know if it can do the other things I already know Android can - like GPS maps (and without an internet connection), stereo headphone socket for the car audio idea, no slow down upgrades that I think Apple did a while ago… Basically, I don't know Apple well. But am looking at iPads too simply because: quality/reliability. Android is what I have experience with though.

      I'll take look at some Chromebooks, see what they offer.

      Thanks again.

  • crashloaded on 15/04/2019 - 08:04

    I used to play covers and the singer occasionally used an ipad for lyric prompting. He used a Airturn Duo to control it.

    • GregMonarch on 15/04/2019 - 12:20

      Airturn Duo. Got it, thanks.

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