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Digital music stands vs iPads

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In May 2010 I wrote a post about digital music stands (or electronic music stands) and what looked like a fantastic new product that very soon would be widely used. 22 months on, the development has been very average and so I thought we should look at where things are at and if other devices such as the iPad are becoming more common and viable for musicians.

In that original post, I mentioned that there were two ways you could go about it: either purchasing the software and the hardware in one device (MusicPad Pro, Same Page Music) or just the software to run on your own monitor or device (MusicReader). I also mentioned the eStand which (now) has both hardware and software options available.

There have been several advancements to all products, in particular to the Same Page Music device which has (sadly, I think) morphed into an overly complex and overwhelming array of features, as can be seen in these two videos: video one, video two.

To me, all of the options mentioned above still seem very unattractive – they don’t have user-friendly interfaces or ease and practicality in mind. Have a look at this promo for MusicReader:

You may have picked up on two major flaws. Firstly, the conductor for the wind ensemble had to have his device on an office desk, not a music stand. Secondly, on the floor of most ensemble was an array of cables, power boxes and so on. So, on stage they are not very practical, they take a lot of setup time and are still, generally, bulky.

In an industry where technology is moving incredibly fast, 22 months has not seen much development at all with digital music stands. Why is this?

Hello, iPad.

I don’t want to preach Apple just for the sake of preaching Apple, but let’s face it, so many musicians have iPads and there is a reason for it. They can have everything in one place, communicate with ensemble members, connect with fans – the list could be huge – and also they can have all of their music in one place. Yes, you can have all of your music stored on digital music stands of course, but you’ve probably got an iPad already for a multitude of other reasons and view and organise your music on the plane, at a cafe, wherever. On stage, just click the iPad in and you’re ready to go – no power to worry about, no cables to trip on – a separate device seems quite unattractive, doesn’t it? I think for a musician, the thought of taking another monitor or similar device to read music from would a be real burden.

This, I think, is why those standalone digital music stands that looked so exciting a few years ago, haven’t taken off like many of us assumed. As of 31 December 2011 there were over 55 million iPads sold – that’s a tough market to try and break.

Using your iPad – there are two types of apps. The first are PDF readers where you can do a lot of editing of the meta data and draw on scores etc, but you can’t actually change the music:

  • MusicReader – I mentioned MusicReader in my original post and it is still a versatile piece of software, as it can be used on Mac and PC too. They have proved themselves over the years and it allows you to draw, highlight and write on a score, but to be honest the interface is pretty rough.
  • Perform – a nice app with good features for adjusting how the score scrolls. On the pro version, it can listen to where you are and will scroll accordingly. It can also make a video of you performing – if you like that sort of thing!
  • forScore – has a beautiful interface and nice range of features. It has the forStore where you can download a lot of music or you can even download PDFs from your Dropbox account. Some nice features like thorough editing of the score, a metronome and ability to play an on screen piano.

The second type gives you more flexibility with the music:

  • Avid Scorch – once your music is in Scorch, you can transpose by interval or key. If you have a score, you can view the actual score or individual parts and change between transposed/concert pitch. You can play it back and use the mixer to adjust levels if desired.
  • Finale user? – MakeMusic have announced they are bringing out an iPad app in May. Its features seem very similar to Avid Scorch. If you’re interested, check out this video posted on their blog a few days ago.

For a daily user of Sibelius and having around 1,000 .sib files, the possibility of growth with these apps is very exciting.

If you are using an iPad, or considering one, these two devices will make you very happy indeed. The first is a product called TheGigEasy which makes it easy to mount your iPad in any environment. Check out this video:

This is a wonderful product, and I think, considering it was named by USA Today as one of the five ”Hottest Products” at this year’s NAMM Show, indicates how widespread iPad use amongst musicians really is.

You may be wondering about page turns. Well, the second device, AirTurn, is taking away any worries in that area. In fact, it works via bluetooth so works with any iPad, Android, Mac or PC device. Check out the video below:

You may also be interested in this video of classical violinist Ray Chen talking about his use of the AirTurn and iPad.

So, digital music stands, I don’t think, are proving themselves as great options for musicians, whether classical or contemporary, amateur or professional – not when tablet computing is moving at such a fast pace. Maybe in another 22 months we can have a look at this topic once again – who knows where we will be then!

Thoughts, experiences and links are most welcome.

Digital music stands, hook me up – Music Pad, Music Reader, eStand

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I remember seeing digital music stands for the first time a few years ago in a series of concerts in the UK where some DJs collaborated with composers and live musicians. I can’t find the link to it now, but basically composers were writing music alongside the DJs and the musicians were playing it in realtime from their digital stands. I remember thinking how great it was, and even now, that weighs up as some pretty adventurous activity!

Yesterday I posted a tweet mentioning my enjoyment at seeing Harry Connick, Jr. and his band using digital music stands on American Idol. This ignited a great response of knowledgeable and intrigued comments. They are not yet being used professionally in this part of the world, and I can’t say I’ve seen one in person, so I thought I’d explore them a little – here are my findings.

There seem to be three companies whose products are being used widely. The first is Music Pad, who it seems are the most popular and are the only (as far as I can see) company who have the whole product (a dedicated 12.1″ tablet), not just the software. The Music Pad Pro is their main product – looks fantastic and packed with features.

If you are thinking, “Yeah okay, fair enough, great for a brass player reading a chart, but how about a conductor reading an orchestral score?” Well, you need the Music Pad Maestro.

Ah yes, the possibilities of usage are wonderful to dream about. Let’s come back down to reality – for a Music Pad Pro plus carry bag, foot pedal and a few various cables, you could expect to pay around US$800.

A far more cost-effective option is just to purchase the software and you can run it on your own device. What looks to be the supreme product is the Music Reader, which sits at around US$99 for the full professional version. It is Mac and PC compatible and perfect for flat widescreen monitors, tablet and other touch screen PCs and, as of recently, the Music Reader is available on the Apple iPad – where it is a free download.

Another option is the eStand, although very sadly it only runs on PCs. Still not cheap – for the full professional multi-page package, you can expect to pay US$499.

So I am guessing you have many questions about how certain things work – let’s try and answer some.

  • Turning pages – three options: touch the screen, use the foot pedal or use a MIDI trigger.
  • File format – sibelius, finale, PDF and image file formats.
  • Annotations – you can still annotate on the score as you would with a pencil on traditional paper.
  • Portability – well, beats potentially carrying around hundreds of pages of music.
  • Stand lighting – you won’t be needing that anymore.
  • Syncing – you can sync devices on stage so everyone is on the right track.
  • Viewing – several options of single to multiple page views and you can “look ahead” with a half page turn.
  • Page order – you’ll never get them out of order again.
  • Printing – you can print from the programme … but why would you want to?
  • Extras? – Yes, there is of course a metronome and tuner.

If you’re thinking “is a tuner and metronome the only extra features you can give this?”, well that’s just what I was thinking. But, the Same Page Music Performance Station has both the sheet music as well as metronome and tuner features … AND a personal monitor mixer. Yes, you can take charge and adjust your own monitor levels.

See a great video of the Same Page system below:

I look forward to seeing the developments with these products. As a copyist, it’s exciting to see the ability to make the score or parts and have it in front of the players in seconds. Even in more relaxed environments such as teaching, its potential is exciting. Maybe this is my excuse to buy an iPad?

Let me know your thoughts, experiences if you’ve had them or links to any videos with these in action.