Tablets used for lyrics etc

[oldmachead]

Greetings!

I'm curious - how do folks use tablets to support performances?

I'm a solo performer and I use a first gen. iPad (the original one) for my lyrics/chords - one page per song (mostly!). Double columns if required.

The process I follow seems complicated, but over time it's become an easy one for me. I have a single document containing my entire repertoire (this is actually a dynamic document as I keep adding new songs). I create separate set lists for gigs. This document is saved as a PDF and dropped into iBooks which is then uploaded to my iPad.

I found a bracket (Monoprice.com) that clamped to my mic stand. After using it for a while I found that it could be a bit awkward as the angle and height didn't always work well. My (very supportive) wife suggested that I try taking it apart ... and she was right! The main bracket is actually threaded for a mic stand - it fits right on. So I now use a dedicated mic stand - photos attached.

The iPad headphone jack is connected to my T1 for performances. During breaks I play background music off my iPad.

This process works well for me.

Someone recommended an app - BandHelper - which is actually a pretty nifty app and very inexpensive. I tried it but something just didn't work for me even though it is pretty versatile and I like the way it's been designed.

 So now it's your turn ... how do you use a tablet for your performances? Please share - we can all learn something from others!

Thanks. Peace.

Troubador

[FCBlues]

Songbook. You can import and edit songs. Songs are stored in dropbox and you can sync to all devices. It automatically syncs to wi-fi so everyone is always up to date, you can make playlists, has playlists, can change keys, etc. You can use any device too-phone, ipad, laptop.

[ChetDude]

You're lucky you have an iPad.  OnSong is the best software I've found.

You can import individual song's text files, word files, PDFs (although burns lots of storage to hold these) with chords inline if you wish or a ZIPFILE with a whole bunch of songs in it.

You can organize the songs by libraries -- types of songs, etc.  You can also easily build setlists and move the song titles around within them.

You can backup songs or the whole library to share with other folks who have OnSong or most other song warehousing software.

Alas, for you PC tablet owners, OnSong only runs on iPads and there's nothing even close for windoze...

[Archtop_Eddy]

Good topic here. I use forScore and it's a good program and I'm use to it.  However, I'm also considering a change.  A couple of quick questions regarding Songbook. Does it use pdf or other format? If it uses another format, can you transfer in songs already charted in pdf?  I'm assuming since it can do key changes it must be a format other than pdf. Correct?  Also, how does the auto-scan work?  Does it work if the ipad is set to landscape rather than portrait mode?  Thanks for any answers.  I will provide a more detailed response concerning forScore in another message. 

[Big_Jim]

For PC owners, I have always used WinCDGPro - It will play almost any format and by using a program called "Karaoke Builder" you can put your own lyrics, chords, prompts etc to run alongside your backtrack as an mp3g or a wavg - So, as you play your tracks, lyrics scroll in sync as though playing a karaoke.

[oldmachead]

@FCBlues @Chet @Archtop Eddy @Big Jim - so do all of you use some form of tablet to hold your lyrics etc? What kind? On a music stand or with some form of clamp on the mic stand?

Thanks.

[Big_Jim]

I use a "Jumper EZ-Pad" Win 10 touch screen tablet which runs my WinCDGPro tracks /  Lyrics. My songs are numbered and to re-call a track I just input the number and hit enter - Also stops after every track if you wish, so no rushing back to hit the pause. Denon blue tooth back to X-Air mixer and wireless to two Bose L1 model 1 S in stereo. Great set-up and sound. Android tablet runs the X-Air mixer wireless. Two tablets fit on a bar attached to a heavy duty music stand (minus the top metal sheet holder) using the usual tablet holders. So no leads at all from the two tablets (only power if not already powered up). Sure wireless Mic completes the set-up with only my guitar manually plugged in to my GT5 pedal. ......... Anyway, that's my set-up for solo stuff - quick and easy 

[ChetDude]

I use a refurbished 9.7" iPad - wifi only, 32G that cost me about $300 and installed Onsong (much less than $300).

I had an old music stand that bolts on to a regular mic stand but the music holder bit was too small when I had huge 9x11 notebooks of paper lyrics.  It's perfect for the iPad.  I leave the base of it permanently attached to the mic stand.  (There's a Quik-Lok version that's close).  Another nice thing is that there's enough room on the music holder bit to hold the iPad (in its leather case), my phone, picks, capos, etc.

I also bought a very sturdy K&M 19740 that quickly attaches to a regular mic stand for those larger gigs where all of the PA, mics and stands are already in place.

Note; PDFs will eat memory very fast and you can't transpose the chords in a PDF.  I mainly have regular text files with bracketed chords in line with the lyrics.

[FCBlues]

Songbook uses chordpro and is easy to edit. There is a demo on YouTube 

[ChetDude]

I had two problems with Songbook. 

The first is that it doesn't look half as good nor are the indexes to songs and access to them as easy and intuitive as OnSong.

The 2nd is that in my band there were two of us with iPads and Onsong and it took me HOURS to convert the songs and then import them into our other bandmate's windoze tablet (I had to download a demo version of the PC version onto my desktop and import then copy the resulting songbook library to my bandmate's PC.  And to update songs one at a time -- no can do very easily.

And because of problem number one, out bandmate went back to paper...  🙂