tablets for gigs

[Doc]

I don't want anyone to think that I'm anti-high-tech, or anything like that...

Here's my...

Show us your Victrola and 72rpm records!

fine...
...but you obviously aren't up to speed on this new-era technology, as the proper rpms are 78.

Vinyl has serious aural appeal… another thread.

I no longer possess 78’s, but we had a shitload when I was a kid. And a big piece of furniture on which to play them.

This is a fine, fine tune. The first time I heard it, it was (unsurprisingly) Judy Garland knocking it loose. It became a favorite right away.
———

Are use an iPad on a couple of gigs for convenience, easy page turns, playing outdoors, huge library, etc. I use paper on a couple other ones, but on most gigs I use nothing at all. When I do use the iPad, I have a battery back up available at all times.(cell phone battery charger) - never a problem. At home, I use it when going over parts for gigs where I use the iPad, but everything else is paper - parts, solos, etudes, exercises, etc.

[Mark]

I have a large Samsung tablet that I use in my studio. I have used it for gigs; where I still use paper.

One of the problems, even with a foot pedal, is page turns. I seem to get a lot of music with technical, fast passages that really need a two page spread. Flipping the tablet into landscape makes the music too small to read. Using the half-page turn feature of the software doesn't always work.

Have any of you used two tablets linked together?

[Rick Denney]

I have not, but I understand that it is possible with Forscore.

Rick “one iPad is expensive enough” Denney

[bloke]

Surely there is/are more than one foot pedal machine.

A friend of mine (who wears a 14 shoe) reports to me that he's unable to use (his particular) foot pedal reliably. I seem to recall Rick also reporting large feet/hands...but (again) I would imagine that there are several foot pedal switches on the market.

page turns:

Quite often I pull out the trusty scissors, carefully peruse the fronts/backs of particularly troublesome pages, and make strategic cuts for half-page turns - where there's plenty of time. Do I do this with originals? yup...and it's often me who sees the same original one-to-four years later, and one-to-four years after that. If not and/or after I croak, perhaps someone else is clever enough to see the benefit of the slice (though I sort-of doubt that those styles of music - either too sophisticated or too gauche - will be played very often for very many more decades).

[LargeTuba]

I like the idea of a pageturning device that would attach to the tuba, the only problem I see is that I frequently like to use two tubas.

[MikeMason]

I have a small air turn clicker that Velcros to the inner branches of my tubas. About the size of the smallest garage door opener/old school box of wooden matches. I still find myself just using the touch and half page turn to get the job done most often.

[kingrob76]

I have a large Samsung tablet that I use in my studio. I have used it for gigs; where I still use paper.

One of the problems, even with a foot pedal, is page turns. I seem to get a lot of music with technical, fast passages that really need a two page spread. Flipping the tablet into landscape makes the music too small to read. Using the half-page turn feature of the software doesn't always work.

Have any of you used two tablets linked together?

Basic BT footpedals can probably be had for less than $50. Nicer ones cost more and, for some, are worth the cost. I have an AirTurn Duo 200 which was replaced recently replaced with the AirTurn Duo 500 and has a MSRP of $109. USB-C charging for over 200 hours of connectivity. I don't use it at home for practice (I have an older battery operated one for that) so I literally charge it 5-6 times a year and I'm good.

I can also tap the screen to turn the page. pretty reliable.

[Mark]

I have PageFlip Firelfly which is a nice foot pedal. The problem is it's still not fast enough for some page turns. I could edit the PDF files to facilitate better turns, but a two tablet, two-page display intrigues me. A second table is pricey, so I would like to hear from anybody using two tablets before I decide what to do.

[Mark]

I like the idea of a page turning device that would attach to the tuba, the only problem I see is that I frequently like to use two tubas.

I don't know about Apple; but with android and Mobile Sheets Pro you can use the Flic 2 button.The Flic 2 is very small and could easily attach to a tuba.

[kingrob76]

I have PageFlip Firelfly which is a nice foot pedal. The problem is it's still not fast enough for some page turns. I could edit the PDF files to facilitate better turns, but a two tablet, two-page display intrigues me. A second table is pricey, so I would like to hear from anybody using two tablets before I decide what to do.

Check out the AirTurn - it's fast. Synchronizing two tablets would be... challenging.

[Doc]

I have a large Samsung tablet that I use in my studio. I have used it for gigs; where I still use paper.

One of the problems, even with a foot pedal, is page turns. I seem to get a lot of music with technical, fast passages that really need a two page spread. Flipping the tablet into landscape makes the music too small to read. Using the half-page turn feature of the software doesn't always work.

Have any of you used two tablets linked together?

…can slave another IPad for two pages in full size tHat also turn

I haven’t done it, but

B73347D2-ACED-49B2-81D6-3538227841FB.jpeg (19.27 KiB) Viewed 1388 times

[Mark]

I have PageFlip Firelfly which is a nice foot pedal. The problem is it's still not fast enough for some page turns. I could edit the PDF files to facilitate better turns, but a two tablet, two-page display intrigues me. A second table is pricey, so I would like to hear from anybody using two tablets before I decide what to do.

Synchronizing two tablets would be... challenging.

The app I'm using, Mobile Sheets Pro, will sync two tablets. That is not a problem.

[JRaymo]

Show us your Victrola and 72rpm records!

fine...
...but you obviously aren't up to speed on this new-era technology, as the proper rpms are 78.

Vinyl has serious aural appeal… another thread.

I no longer possess 78’s, but we had a shitload when I was a kid. And a big piece of furniture on which to play them.

This is a fine, fine tune. The first time I heard it, it was (unsurprisingly) Judy Garland knocking it loose. It became a favorite right away.
———

Are use an iPad on a couple of gigs for convenience, easy page turns, playing outdoors, huge library, etc. I use paper on a couple other ones, but on most gigs I use nothing at all. When I do use the iPad, I have a battery back up available at all times.(cell phone battery charger) - never a problem. At home, I use it when going over parts for gigs where I use the iPad, but everything else is paper - parts, solos, etudes, exercises, etc.

Got into fixing these as another hobby. My wife has a bunch of records. This one if you like the Motorola brand is one of the best they ever offered.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rick Denney]

I have a Pageflip foot pedal. The problem is not that my feet are big, but that finding the foot pedal by feel invariably presses a button when I don’t want to, it presses the page back instead of page forward. I could look down, but my face is attached to the tuba, isn’t it? I tried all sorts of ways to deep my foot aware of where the page turner was, to no avail.

I have switched to the Turntouch.

https://shop.turntouch.com

I stick it to a Velcro cable tie with 3M double-sided tape (the strong stuff) and can wrap that around any tube in a handy spot on the tuba. But for multiple tubas at a gig, I wrap it around my left index finger and push the buttons with my thumb. This works best with the 184, the Eastman, and the Yamaha F.

I have another one that I stick to a tuba using a piece of adhesive-backed Velcro. I have these spots on the B&S and the Hirsbrunner.

Easy, peasy. And reliable.

Forscore will turn pages one-half page at a time, allowing me to see the bottom half of the current page and the top half of the next page at the same time. That takes the pressure of making fast page turns. I don’t know what other programs do. When I play from a PDF in Googledocs, I have to swipe up, which lets me see across the page change. If we decide to put the tune in rotation, I import it into Forscore.

Forscore was developed by musicians. Most of the issues musicians raise as arguments against the technology have been addressed.

No, it’s not as good as properly engraved oversized music on a Manhasset stand indoors in good light. I have not had that available to me in band or quintet parts in forever.

Rick “usually in a school band room with The Incredible Sinking Wenger” Denney

[Kirley]

Forscore was developed by musicians. Most of the issues musicians raise as arguments against the technology have been addressed.

Couldn't agree more. There's a whole lot of talking in circles going on in this thread.

But then again, if you've drawn a line in the sand and iOS is on the other side, well, bummer. It'll probably be a constant game of catch up for those other developers.

FWIW, I have size 13 feet and use my PageFlip Firefly without much problem at all. But I've had years of practice at this point. And I'm a pretty decent dancer, too.

[Doc]

Forscore was developed by musicians. Most of the issues musicians raise as arguments against the technology have been addressed.

Couldn't agree more. There's a whole lot of talking in circles going on in this thread.

But then again, if you've drawn a line in the sand and iOS is on the other side, well, bummer. It'll probably be a constant game of catch up for those other developers.

FWIW, I have size 13 feet and use my PageFlip Firefly without much problem at all. But I've had years of practice at this point. And I'm a pretty decent dancer, too.

I’m in the size 13-14 range also, and I use a Firefly (along with Forscore) - works great!

[pjv]

I'm hooked on using a pad, but this has mainly to do with the groups I play in; often competed by one of the members.

I got around the pad expense issue by buying it 2nd hand. Since I only use it for music I don't need updates for the other functions.

I've never seen one knocked or blown it over. The holder can be screwed onto any mic stand it'll be just as sturdy as the mic stand you choose. You'll also never loose your parts in the wind

It has a built in metronome function and will even remember the chosen tempo.

I actually love the fact that I always have enough light to see my parts and I don't have to bring a stand light with me.

In theater settings you can choose to reverse your screen (Black background with white notes). This is really great if you want it practically dark on stage.

The learning curve is negligible. Within 15min you know enough to use it.

I never have to worry about forgetting or loosing a part and I don't have to drag tons of music around.

Set lists are easy. I also like not having to wait for the parts to arrive or be printing, just download them.

and all the other plus points mentioned.

But it will never ever be a substitute for memorising the parts.

[travisd]

Datapoint in case anyone is interested... the very cheap ($7.59 for two! And a free micofiber cloth!) "Camera360" bluetooth shutter button (possibly from "eCostConnection") remotes available on Amazon, do NOT appear to play nicely/work with ForScore on IOS. They basically are hardcoded to send a "volume up" keypress, which ForScore doesn't want to acknowledge for any sort of action.

[JESimmons]

I was saved by my tablet at yesterday’s church rehearsal. The director called up something we hadn’t played in about four years. I had no idea where in the six-inch stack of music it was. But it was in alphabetical order on my tablet.

The most frustrating thing about this Chromebook is the calendar. I had thought it would be easy to put all my music schedule stuff on the calendar program, but the thing seems to only work correctly when online.