Misc electronics Best Tablet/Digital Device for Reading Sheet?

[QWales]

I've had enough of lugging around all this sheet music so I'm going to scan it all in and use something like a tablet to view it. My question is, is there anything out there better than the iPad Pro 12.9"? Is there a much cheaper device that is almost as good? Anyone already gone down this root and happy with their choice?

 

[sax panther]

is there anything better? Probably not, that's pretty top of the range. If you're mainly just after getting something to read music though, I've got a cheap 10 inch android tablet running an app called mobilesheets (think the app is about £5). I use it for function work, where the agency will typically send me pdf sheet music, and for a lot of pit work. It's never let me down.

The other main app I use on it for music is Ireal pro, which I think cost about £10. Loads of pre installed backing tracks which you can export, plus you can plug in chords, styles etc to make your own backing tracks.

 

[nigeld]

A good app to use on the tablet is forScore.

You need to make sure the tablet is well-attached to your music stand so it doesn't fall off if someone brushes past the stand. I used the funny little extender thingies on the stand to hold it.

I had a go for orchestral playing using an iPad 12" with forScore and a Bluetooth foot pedal. I got hopelessly confused using the pedal and abandoned the whole thing. That was with a cheap pedal, but I don't think it would have been any easier with a better one - it was more stressful than using paper. I think it would be different for short pieces of 1 or two pages.

 

[sax panther]

I've never bothered with a foot pedal, I just swipe to the next page. It's still a lot quicker than turning a sheet of paper.

 

[David Dorning]

A good app to use on the tablet is forScore.

You need to make sure the tablet is well-attached to your music stand so it doesn't fall off if someone brushes past the stand. I used the funny little extender thingies on the stand to hold it.

I had a go for orchestral playing using an iPad 12" with forScore and a Bluetooth foot pedal. I got hopelessly confused using the pedal and abandoned the whole thing. That was with a cheap pedal, but I don't think it would have been any easier with a better one - it was more stressful than using paper. I think it would be different for short pieces of 1 or two pages.

I know what you mean about using a foot pedal, it’s remarkably difficult to do a simple thing like tread on a pedal at just the right moment whilst playing! But there is an easier way. With forescore set to half-turn you can click as soon as you are more than halfway down the current sheet. The top half of the next sheet appears so you can play over the page turn without having to click at just the right time. It’s worth knowing that after a period of inactivity the Strich pedal will go into sleep mode and you have to press it twice. You can avoid that problem by doing a quick forward and back before starting to play. I also have a clip for the Ipad which fits it onto a robust stand.

 

[Nick Wyver]

Thread resurrection for update.
I'm thinking of getting a tablet for score reading. Has anyone got any suggestions on what to buy? Budget's going to be <£500, so ipads are out. The bigger the better.

 

[mizmar]

The basic answer is, I guess, search for the biggest android tablet you can afford. Running mobilesheets pro (what I use) doesn't take much resources.

Seriously consider one with a digital stylus.

From the left field:
I think it's worth mentioning that Chromebooks have a much longer updated maintenance cycle and you can get a lot of bang/buck from one with a 360⁰ hinge (which are a bit heavy for a music stand) or detachable keyboard (more expensive).
I use a 10'' duet Chromebook/ tablet - which is a bit under resourced but has a pen, which is nice. I'd upgrade to the 13'' model if it broke.

 

[davidk]

Thread resurrection for update.
I'm thinking of getting a tablet for score reading. Has anyone got any suggestions on what to buy? Budget's going to be <£500, so ipads are out. The bigger the better.

A second hand iPad 🙂 I use forScore on a standard size (not the big “pro” model) iPad Air 5th gen running iOS 15 and it’s great. The display on these is a lot clearer than A4 sized paper due to the backlight. There are lightly used models on eBay for under £500. The forScore site says it will run on anything over iPad OS 14.

 

[Kenny Garrick]

I use an the large ipad, and use forscore you can take photos of your sheets and include them as pdf's. ForScore is very versatile I have backing tracks either iTunes or mp3 which is linked directly to the music score and have preset the page turns so it automatically turns pages when I want it to and jumps back and forth for repeats and coda's very simple and easy to use. Highly recommended

 

[greenstripe]

Plenty of 2 in 1 laptops where the keyboard folds back on itself for that kind of money. Getting a windows device gives you a lot of flexibility. Chromebooks can be had cheap, but are but less flexible and rather reliant on internet connection so not always so good for out and about.

 

[mizmar]

Plenty of 2 in 1 laptops where the keyboard folds back on itself for that kind of money. Getting a windows device gives you a lot of flexibility. Chromebooks can be had cheap, but are but less flexible and rather reliant on internet connection so not always so good for out and about.

Fair comments; but you can always force stuff to be available off-line. And, Mobile sheets (any Android app) stores stuff locally anyway, exactly the same as an Android tablet.
Also, for balance, Chromebooks can run Linux (as can windows) so, for example, audacity and musescore can be had... But, if it's to be a dedicated score machine; screen realeste/ £€$ is key.

There are swings and roundabouts; I just mentioned Chromebook because they can be very good value

 

[David Dorning]

I recommend getting a robust tripod and tablet holder. I got a Hercules one but found it was hopeless and kept slipping. Ended up with this which I think is v. good.

K&M 19767 Biobased Tablet Holder

Universal Tablet Holder with Extendable Tripod 3/8" and 5/8" thread, Clamping range: 155 - 307 mm, Inclination: 0° to 90°, Tablet size: Approximately 10" to 16" (horizontal orientation), approximately 7" to 13" (vertical orientation), Also suitable...

www.thomann.de

 

[h4yn0nnym0u5e]

Currently using a 10.2” iPad, refurbished is well within your <£500 budget: Refurbished iPad Deals - Apple (UK). I use Piascore, which has half-page turning and bluetooth capability, for which I built my own gesture-based page turner. I did try a floor pedal for page turning, but my foot was never in the right place at the right time, so it’s attached to a hat… The ipad just barely fits this holder: click4av Microphone or Music Stand Tablet Holder Mount Compatible with iPad 10.2 10.5 and Samsung Tablets 8.9-10.5 inch: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

 

[lydian]

I've been through a lot of tablets (Android and iPad) and 2-in-1 laptops over the years for music reading. All worked well at the time with MobileSheets, which I find more intuitive/easier than ForScore. But either is fine once you get used to it.

Over the holidays, the 10.4" Galaxy Tab S6 Lite was on sale lots of places for £175, so I picked one of those up to replace my aging laptop. Of course bigger is always better, but the display is so sharp, the smaller screen works fine if you move it a bit closer. I love having the pen that comes with the S6 for annotations.

A pedal is essential for me (no time to take my hands off the horn for page turns otherwise). It does take some getting used to though and requires planning to get your foot in the right place at the right time. So practice page turning and get good at it before your first gig. I find half page turn mode works best since it gives you plenty of time to turn and shows half of the previous and next pages simultaneously. The Cube Turner pedal works great with all my devices and is only £16.

There are many stands for tablets, but I have this one which works well and is pretty cheap. It can clamp onto a mic stand or just screw in the top with the right adapter. I've used it both ways depending on my mic situation.
Hola! Music HM-MTH Microphone Music Stand iPad Tablet Smartphone Holder Mount

If you ever play in bright sunlight, then no tablet will work except e-ink types. So my emergency backup is a tiny Kindle e-ink reader I got for £35. It's much smaller and harder to read and doesn't work with music reading software or a pedal. So I print my set to PDF and use it that way, as if it were an e-book. Not ideal, but the best I've been able to do on a budget.

Regardless, having all my sheet music on a tablet is fantastic. I have collections for multiple parts in 5 different bands plus lots of fake books and method books totaling about five thousand tunes, any of which I can access in a matter of seconds, add to set lists and annotate to my heart's content.

 

[mizmar]

no tablet will work except e-ink types

Worth mentioning that this year saw a real boost in the number of bigger, ePen, colourish e-ink devices. I suppose they're getting fast enough to make Android workable. A 12'' or bigger e-ink device for reasonable money is probably a couple of years away...

 

[Nick Wyver]

Thanks for the replies.

I've already got a 10" android tablet and a very old 10" iPad. They're not big enough to see at the distance I need it to be.

 

[greenstripe]

Boox make Android tablets with very large e-ink displays in theory these would be ideal, however the prices are extremely high:

BOOX Shop

BOOX is a leading consumer electronics brand specializing in E Ink (ePaper) devices. We design, develop, manufacture and sell innovative E Ink tablets and devices that provide an eye-friendly reading experience and close-to-paper writing feel. BOOX Shop is our official online store.

shop.boox.com

 

[lydian]

Thanks for the replies.

I've already got a 10" android tablet and a very old 10" iPad. They're not big enough to see at the distance I need it to be.

Guess you'll have to go bigger then. Biggest thing I was able to get for a reasonable price was a 14" 2-in-1 laptop, same size as a sheet of paper essentially. A similar sizes Chromebook would work as well. Such a laptop cost me around £200 second hand several years ago (Lenovo Flex 5).

Coming from an old 10" iPad myself years ago, the new, higher res 10.4" Android was a big improvement, but it does have to be pretty close to my face.

 

[Veggie Dave]

'I've already got a 10" android tablet and a very old 10" iPad. They're not big enough to see at the distance I need it to be.'

Turn it to landscape and get a bluetooth page turner. Voila - 10" wide pages.

 

[eb424]

Thread resurrection for update.
I'm thinking of getting a tablet for score reading. Has anyone got any suggestions on what to buy? Budget's going to be <£500, so ipads are out. The bigger the better.

I bought a windows 12" laptop from e bay the keypad comes off so theoretically you have a 12" Windows tablet better than android for file transfers, storing music in folders etc. It also slows dow music in the media player..£250..

HP ELITE X2 DETACHABLE 2 IN 1 LAPTOP | eBay

Excellent condition HP Elite X2 2 in 1 Touch screen laptop. Can be used as a Tablet or laptop. Battery: Very good Condition. USB: Yes Port A. Headphone jack:Yes. Fold flat like a book. Stand: Kickback stand.

www.ebay.co.uk