Hi Guy`s,

Thanks Bernie , Diki , I was thinking the same thing or I could just write cords in but because of the font limitations ( ASCI ) I think a converted .bmp is a better way to go.

The only problem is that sometimes I have to rely on reading notes. O__ well !

Still along way to go , and still taking my time.

Great help and thanks !

I have been reading the manuals on just about every KB out there !!

Once I decide , I should ( maybe LOL ) know what to do , once I get it out of the box that is !!!

Take care
Gary 

Gary
I know what you mean about the old crutch, that's why I have a Musicpad Pro. I know a lot of songs by memory, but play so many I didn't bother to sit down and really learn them. It is too easy to have the score in front of you, eventhough I try not to even glance at it because of eye contact.

Maybe before the final song is played, I will have gotten rid of this nasty habit.
Bernie

Hey Bernie, fwiw its not a nasty habit at all, just another tool to be used whenever needed. I have not met anyone yet who knows the chord progression/inversions, melody and lyrics to every song known, some try to do a bit of a hatchet job and fake their way (which even non-musician people can hear!!) through a lot of songs, but not every song!! And I am sure the few thousand users of the MPP would, PROBABLY, agree
Dennis

Hi Guy`s,

I guess I`ll have another look at the MPP , still pricey , but worth another look !

I know a few songs by memory , but for most I still need the music in front of me.

Lyrics , no problem , it`s the notation , you know , breaks, key changes , the right chords , stuff like that.

Anyway , well you know , Thanks !!

Gary 

Here is a free program for digital sheet music.
http://virtmus.com/

Of course there is an easy option that will allow you to do all this and more. Merely purchase an inexpensive laptop computer. This will allow you to create your own Music Finder, display lyrics in a font that even old eyes like mine can read, scan sheet music into a word processor such as MS Word, store huge numbers of midi and MP3 files, and access everything at the touch of a tiny, wireless mouse positioned where your audience cannot see.

The advantages of using a laptop for lyrics, sheet music, and other music related programs are endless. You can even go on the Internet, download lyrics or sheet music directly into the laptop, and display them instantly.

There are a lot of entertainers using laptops now, and that number will likely grow. You can purchase a laptop at local, used computer shows for under $300, and many of them come with a 1-year warrenty. At the current price of an MPP you could buy the best laptop around and still have lots of money left to spend on other accessories.

Good Luck on your decission,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

Excactly Gary

First off let me say I have tried using a laptop in a live situation, so I have a bit of experience with a laptop and an MPP.
Laptops are good for a lot of things, and are okay if all you want to do is play midi files, MP3's or set up songlists etc all of which can be achieved using simple to use one-off programs (winamp, media player to name just 2).
But imagine trying to have all these things going at once, midi file player, a song list, a viewer for your charts,an audio file player etc etc and then getting them all to be performing the same song at the same time on one device and it gets quite "awkward" to say the least in a live setting.
Now there are programs that can accomplish this but at a very hefty price, that then must be added to the cost of the laptop.

As to the practicalities, I have found it's a bit hard to turn pages using a mouse when playing a keyboard with both hands.
Also a laptop has a much larger "footprint" and is more tricky to place in the ideal spot for viewing charts (without blocking your face) when playing live, whereas the MPP has a much neater profile, much easier to position where you can see it and the audience can see you, and is exactly the same as using a music stand and pages can be turned by use of a footswitch.

Try turning a laptop around by 90 degrees , bit hard to read hey? Or try turning pages without a keyboard or mouse?

Plus the MPP has a touch screen which does make it rather more practical for live work. Plus it will also play and store MP3's..
And for the price of an MPP yes,you will maybe get a decent "Budget" laptop, but not the "best one around with money left over" And you certainly do NOT want to buy a second hand laptop for many reasons that I will not go into here.
Also pretty much all laptops have noise issues when trying to run audio from the inbuilt soundcard (even the MPP does), so an external audio interface is required.
Plus try dropping a laptop from the height of a music stand whilst the hard drive is running and see what happens.
There are a few testimonials on the MPP forums about owners dropping their MPP, or having them knocked over by punters, and they still work perfectly.
I am not trying to tell people what they should use, just that the MPP has a vitally useful role in my live setup. A laptop is perfect if you want to only have a device for storing songs to just play without having to read anything on the screen as you can place it at your side or behind you etc etc. In my setup the keyboard stores all the data for the songs, MP3's, WAV's Midi's, and all my charts appear on the MPP. To me it is an elegant and ultimately practical setup and worth every cent.
Dennis
PS sorry for the long post!!!

Still not quite sure why the .BMP on the E80 function can't do all he needs.... No need for a laptop or MPP. If a larger display is needed, you can hook up a small LCD monitor to the E80's video out, and display the screen .BMP a bit larger...

Scan your current cheat sheets, and link them to the registration for each song - away you go!

Hi Guy`s,

Scott , thanks for the link , I`ll check it out !!

Gary , Donny & Dennis , Thank you for your input.
The lap top ( note book ) idea is something to think about. At some point I will be getting a Mac-Book or MB Pro , but not to use as just an electronic music book , although it is a great idea , but how do or would you turn the page so to speak , if you had to.

Please keep in mind , that the music stand that comes with the KB is probably what I will end up using , it just would have been neat to make up your own music finder or song book of the songs you actually play !
And on the right KB maybe free up some ram in the process.

I really appreciate all the help I have been receiving and want to thank you again for ALL the help and advice you have given me. Without a decent music store around , you guy`s have sure helped a ton !!

It seems , at least at the rate I`m going , that the Tyros 4 will be on the market before I make my mind up

But that`s cool , like Donny said in another post , "it`s the person who buy`s for home use that takes the biggest hit " ( or to that effect ) meaning that by not giging there really is no why to recoup the cost , so that is why I`m just getting as much info as possible and trying to cover all my bases and options.

So once again , you guy`s have helped BIG time , many thanks !!

Take care,
Gary 