Bottom line for me...I'm just looking for the lowest cost, easy to read device, that will fit on a music stand, and will store and display sheet music. Nothing fancy, just want to clean up my paper music sheet clutter a bit.


For that purpose only, I can't see paying big bucks for an Ipad or MPP, although I'm sure they are worth the cost. I tried the laptop...clumsy, and awkward, does not fit on stand. The E-Tablets readers would seem to be ideal for my situation. Just can't seem to find one that's priced decent...except for the above China model, that btw, has a 10" display and will display .pdf documents (sheet music). And one sheet of .pdf music is about 60 KB so that means one could store a ton of songs in that, or a similar device.

I need to shop around, and if I find something...

In that case Larry, one of those cheaper ones would certainly do the job for you

I agree in your case the extra expense would not be justified. You would just need to find an Android Sheet Music Reader app.

I have to admit to not being able to find any, BUT I didn't really look all that hard either

Dennis

Hi Jerry,

Happy to provide that info

First off, the iPad along with the beta UnrealBook 1.7 worked without a hitch, perfect

The midi interface system ran smoothly.

Now to more specifics.....

Jerry, on the PA2xPro, as you would probably know, it has what is called a Songbook, in which all songs setup for playing (be they style based or with a midi backing track or an MP3 backing track) can be saved for later recall.

Yamaha has the Music Finder and registrations, and Roland has the UPG and UPS system.

Now, by using a series of midi controller data, Control Changes (or CC's for short), I can remotely, via midi, select any one of 9999 available Songbook entries.

So remember the Songbook entry can be using a mp3 file or a mid file or a style, and all of these are stored on the PA2x hdd.

Initially, UnrealBook (UB) allowed a user to "link" an MP3 file stored on the iPad, to a music chart in its library, so that when the chart was selected, the corresponding MP3 backing track was also selected and ready to play.

Great system IF you only use MP3 backing tracks. Although you did have to negotiate getting the audio from the iPad to the FOH, not a problem, but just another thing to setup.

Now with the addition of midi support in UB, instead of linking an MP3, I can link to the chart on UB the corresponding SMF file containing the control data to remotely select any of the Songbook entries on the Korg.

So now I can simply tap any one of my current chart list of 450 songs, and INSTANTLY the PA2 is setup to play it!!

The PA2 Songbook listing not only saves the resource to be used (style MP3 SMF), but it also saves the entire keyboard setup to be used as well....Mic setting, harmoniser setting, all the right hand and left hand sounds and levels, all the One Touch settings, all the pad settings, and transpose settings if used and on and on...and all setup in the blink of an eye...It is so good I can almost, ALMOST not worry about setlists, just pick songs at random

If I could remember chords and lyrics to 450 songs, well, I wouldn't need the iPad and I could simply use the great Playlist feature on the PA2, but I cannot, so this is the system I use.

Plus it means I can pretty much instantly add any number of songs to my rep. I am very good at sight reading (had to be, doing backing for solo vocal artists back in the day) so all I need is the chart and I can pretty much do it "cold" at a gig.

Brilliant system hey

Now please forgive me if you already knew this about the PA2, but I thought it would make for a better explanation if I did it fully.

By the way, this isn't a Korg specific thing either. The same thing can be achieved on the G70 (perhaps also the GW/Prelude series as well??) as Roland allow 144 different UPS's to be selectable via MIDI, and I am pretty sure (maybe Ian can clarify) that Yamaha Music Finder entries and/or Registrations can also be selected remotely via MIDI.

So there you have it, I hope that was understandable :D, and not too long!!!

Dennis

Dennis, thanks for that excellent explanation of how you're able to link and call up a songbook file on your Pa2 from your iPad via midi control change messages. That's real cool.
Unfortunately, I don't believe it's possible to do the same with the iPad & the Yamaha Tyros 4 as I couldn't find anywhere in the Tyros 4 Data List Manual (midi implementation section) to show either 'Registration' files or 'MusicFinder records' supported or recognized via midi control change or sysex.

Scott, what you could try, is load up MIDI-OX and see just what midi messages are generated when you push either a registration button, or a MF selection.

I am sure there will be some midi communication from the panel switch to the software sections...

Worth having a look???

D

EDITED TO ADD: Although thinking about it some more, even if you can get the data, it's not much use if Yamaha have blocked the reception of it via MIDI in.

I have no idea WHY they would think allowing a user to select a registration from an external MIDI device is a bad thing???

Oh well, thats one thing at least...I will NOT be buying a Yammie anytime soon

Tony, I'm late with a response and plenty of good advice has been given already re: scanning. Here's my 2 cents on the MPP, I've been using it for 4 years and it's never failed......... I keep waiting for it to not power up some day, but it hasn't happened YET! With that thought in mind I've recently loaded many of my pdf files to my 32 gig ipad and am slowly transitioning to the iPad in place of the MPP. I use unReal book, but have also downloaded one called Gig Book, that's got lots of potential as well.

I've also purchased an iKlip for the iPad and the holder works great.
iKlip

I mount the iKlip on a mic stand, it's very low key and can be positioned in a very discreet way as not to block your view of the audience. I will say though the MPP is the old standby and has served me well. If it were to fail, I couldn't bring myself to spending another $900 to replace it when the iPad can take it's place. Good luck with the MPP.

Dennis... for songs that span multiple Pages, is there a way to 'hotkey' the D.S. or Coda and repeat signs? Sometimes these span multiple pages and knowing which one to pedal back to on unfamiliar music might be a worry...

Diki, yes you can use a tool called "Hot Spot" which enables you to mark a spot and the page number to go back to. This gets saved in a special little prefs file linked to your main chart (the user doesn't see them on the iPad itself)

All you need do is then tap that "spot" and it will jump to the page number specified. Not that I have any charts long enough to use these, but my understanding of the manual is that you can have more than one hotspot in a given chart.

Dennis

Excellent!

Didn't the MPP also allow you to write on the chart with colors to make notes?

On a busy chart, color coding jump points (sometimes, the artist doesn't ALWAYS want to do the structure of the chart) or cue points, skipped sections, things like that are great.

On pro shows, I'll often use a highlighter to quickly guide my eye across a chart to a cue, or emphasize an instruction without obstructing the chart itself. Something along those lines (a light color semi-wide line that doesn't obscure the chart) would be of amazing use...

Yes UB also has a Pens tool, that can be used as a broad-brush highlight, or as a thin line black writing tool. And is availabe in black blue and red.