iPad Song Book App

I'm over carrying songbooks around. It's a great incentive to learn more songs by heart. The downside is that my upper body strength is decreasing by the day.

Anyway, someone told me about the iGigbook app for iPad. I'm very tempted. Can anyone help with more information? Is the app good? Is the iPad big enough for sight challenged old men to read (sorry, glance at) when performing?

Cheers,

Richard G

You can import your PDF's into iBook and zoom in all ya want. I use it quite a bit.

I'm in love with GigBook. It's my new favorite app. Really, if the iPad wasn't so expensive, it would almost be the reason to buy an iPad. I've been scanning everything into it and it's far handier than carrying notebooks around.

Positives: Very easy to arrange and edit set lists so you can just flip through the music you want; very easy to edit file information; holds EVERYTHING.

Negatives: Screen is a bit small*; not Dropbox ready (so you have to sync using iTunes, but the devs are working on this).

*When I scan, I do a preview scan, then move the margins as tight as I can to the text for the actual scan. For some reason, I seem to get the best results on my Epson scanner with the 8x10 setting, but your mileage may vary. It's all about maximizing the size of the text on the screen. The iPad works fine for me, because the backlighting improves readability over "book lights" hanging over a sheet of paper, and balances out the smaller size somewhat. The flip side is that the smaller size reduces the "gather around" factor if you're playing with several people off one piece of music.

There is an alternative to GigBook as well: unRealBook. I bought and tried both and ended up sticking with GigBook. Both have their advantages though.

Hope that helps,
-Pete

I just started using OnSong. I can import PDF's from my Dropbox.
The cool thing about the app is the auto scroll. You can use a large font or zoom in and turn on the "Auto Scroll"
As you are singing the page moves down hands free.

Oh great. I just looked at OnSong. It looks pretty nice as well. I'm not trading in Gigbook yet, but now I find it likely that I'm going to plunk down for a third music app. What is this, software acquisition syndrome???

-Pete

I don't know about igigbook but I love For Score. I put all my music in it and no longer carry that huge binder. Plus any .PDF online or emailed to you can be automatically downloaded so you don't have to load them using iTunes. Also, you can link the file to any iTunes song and have it play along with you. It is hands down one of the best apps I ever bought and it is a lifesaver on trips.

Scorpex said:

I'm over carrying songbooks around. It's a great incentive to learn more songs by heart. The downside is that my upper body strength is decreasing by the day.

Anyway, someone told me about the iGigbook app for iPad. I'm very tempted. Can anyone help with more information? Is the app good? Is the iPad big enough for sight challenged old men to read (sorry, glance at) when performing?

Cheers,

Richard G

Click to expand...

Hi my is Phil Smith and I'm the author of iGigBook not to be confused with GigBook which is another product. iGigBook is primarily targeted towards the Jazz Musician or any musician that needs to search through many different books to find a song or various versions of the same song quickly. As for viewing with aging eyes, I feel your pain, some books are better than others for viewing on the iPad because of it's small size. We have a forum as well where you can get additional information and/or ask additional questions: forum.igigbook.com.

SailingUke said:

I just started using OnSong. I can import PDF's from my Dropbox.
The cool thing about the app is the auto scroll. You can use a large font or zoom in and turn on the "Auto Scroll"
As you are singing the page moves down hands free.

Click to expand...

Right up front....I have NO personal experience with OnSong. However, I seem to remember reading that you can also connect the iPad to a separate, larger monitor to facilitate aging eyes or group viewing. A friend of mine is using OnSong, and raves about it....

Thanks all of you for your hints and suggestions. I see that the iPad2 is to be released soon (here in Australia, anyway) so there may be some bargain original 16 gig iPads around as the tech heads chase the newest technology. Gonna keep my eyes peeled at local yard sales.

There is also a device with USB interface for iPad that provides foot controlled page turner. http://airturn.com/news/airturn-at-namm-2011

iGigBook said:

Hi my is Phil Smith and I'm the author of iGigBook not to be confused with GigBook which is another product. iGigBook is primarily targeted towards the Jazz Musician or any musician that needs to search through many different books to find a song or various versions of the same song quickly. As for viewing with aging eyes, I feel your pain, some books are better than others for viewing on the iPad because of it's small size. We have a forum as well where you can get additional information and/or ask additional questions: forum.igigbook.com.

Click to expand...

Phil,

Thank you for jumping in. I apologize; I'm the one who shifted to the conversation to GigBook. I did not realize the OP didn't make a mistake when he mentioned iGigBook. I will check your software out. I'm very glad to see that there is such a vibrant market for this type of application! I think that bodes well for all of us.

Welcome to the forum!
-Pete

Any such music apps for Android 2.1+? (Chinese iPad clones, sorry)

knadles said:

Phil,

Thank you for jumping in. I apologize; I'm the one who shifted to the conversation to GigBook. I did not realize the OP didn't make a mistake when he mentioned iGigBook. I will check your software out. I'm very glad to see that there is such a vibrant market for this type of application! I think that bodes well for all of us.

Welcome to the forum!
-Pete

Click to expand...

Don't sweat it Pete, I just wanted to clear up any confusion in the event people didn't realize they are two distinct products and also let the OP know that if he had any specific questions that could be answered on our forum or here.

I've been using iRealBook a lot, it also has a nice little "Band in a Box"-type practice tool as well.