The Steel Guitar Forum

Discovered a great tool recently which I am using on stage right now and it works just great. The App is is called OnSong ($19,99 to download from the I-Store).

It allows me to load lead sheets, lyric sheets etc. to my I-Pad (or cell phone) and arrange them the way I need them. I requires one time work in the beginning to transfer from PC to my I-Pad (I use Dropbox to transfer the text files as my PC runs Windows) but once that is done it gets real easy.

You can sort the way you want, create and save sets and arrange them the way you want. Really easy to change the song order by one touch and add/delete songs. It even allows you to change the chords on the respective sheet by one touch. I also bought an I-Pad holder/stand and have it right next to my Steel. No more loose sheets and set lists that have to be put together before the gig starts.

More info here: http://onsongapp.com/

Kind Regards, Walter

Walter, I have been doing similar thing for past few years, I use DD GigBook, and have iPad mounted onto leg of steel, as you say much better than numerous bits of paper.

iPads are amazing for keeping track of charts and set lists. I use the manos air turn clamp to hold it.

The iReal pro app is amazing as a practice tool and reference. It comes in handy as a portable data base for tunes.

My problem can be seeing the screen in sunlight. Out door gigs can be a hassle.

I was using a Kindle Paperwhite until they disabled the ~ds "disable screensaver" hack. Now I use an inkBOOK, which is an e-Paper tablet based on Android. I don't use an app - I just upload PDF files and open them from the file manager.

I play outdoors a lot, and I'm worried that an iPad wouldn't be readable in direct sunlight. Also, I've heard that they're battery hogs.

This is the best system I've found, so far. The tiny scanner allows you to take a photo of each page of your score or chart, then loads it to the ForScore app. The Pageflip Firefly pedal allows you to turn the pages hands free. The Forscore app alphabetically stores your music by composer and title. It makes set lists, too. I wouldn't be without it.

I bought a 13 inch Android tablet for $150, iReal Pro for $12 and tablet clamp for $60. All band members share playlists through email. It's easy to see and nearly the size of a sheet of paper. I clamp it to the front leg of my steel. iReal Pro only does chord charts but other band members have iPads and the easy transfer of playlists is the only reason I could see for buying a tablet.

Just got back form a choir tour to Vermont and 4score on the iPad was very handy. As they say you can arrange the playlist very easy and make additions and changes. You can get a foot controller as icing on the cake. Ain't technology wonderful?? fc

Walter Stettner wrote:Discovered a great tool recently which I am using on stage right now and it works just great. The App is is called OnSong ($19,99 to download from the I-Store).

Kind Regards, Walter

Walter,
I haven't done a show in 2 years without my Ipad/Onsong
You're right, it is the absolute best !
I use it to view my setlists, charts, even hear my recorded intros if I have trouble remembering them.
Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but I really rely on Onsong these days.
Jb

I use a program called "Set List Maker"

What would you say would be the best program to use with song lyrics??

My old memory is not what it used to be & my songbooks are getting toooooo big.

I have been thinking of going to a tablet.
A couple of guys around here I know are using a laptop
but that is as bulky to me as a songbook.
I am thinking an tablet would be the most compact way to go -
I would use an android OS since I don't care to go thru iTunes to do everything.

Thanks for any recommendation(s) you could pass on.
Ron

Ron Whitworth wrote:What would you say would be the best program to use with song lyrics??
Ron

Ron, I still suggest an IPad because they are far more reliable than most other tablets and their battery life is pretty good.

I also advise the app "OnSong" as it has so many features. You can import your lyrics from pretty much anything such as scanned songs from your book (in PDF format), word documents, text files, pretty much any source.

Then if you have sets you play you can easily build set lists (and save them) have the words static or scroll the lyrics automatically while you sing, built in metronome, attach a sound file such as an intro to each song, heck, you can even shoot what you're seeing on your tablet to other guys on stage wirelessly.

You dont have to use all these features, but they're there. an Ipad mount will attach to any mic stand or the leg of a steel or about anywhere and you can retrieve songs quickly, set the text to be as big or small as you like, change the background colors, and all under $50 for the program.

Like I said above, my memory isn't what it used to be either and I never play anymore without mine nearby.

Just search for "Onsong" on youtube and you'll see what this little app can do Buddy

Good luck whatever you do.
John

Another great feature is to have chords with the lyrics and automatically change them for the full song if needed with one touch. Let's say you're with a different group on stage and they are doing the song in F# in stead of D - one touch and you have all chords changed.

Kind Regards, Walter

Walter
Which ap is automatically changing chords for you?

Interesting APP Walter. Interesting that charts can be transposed !

I have been using the FREE "Documents" app, very simple to sync lyrics, set Lists , charts, etc which I place in the "DRIVE" folder then save them for OFF LINE , which then they are moved automatically into the "DOCUMENTS" APP. I use the "Documents" APP because it is Windows friendly and I also have everything on a Tablet as well.

Onsong does not look like it would work for me. The song format is a lyric sheet with the chords written over the words. Most all the music I have in my iPad are done in leadsheet form. Written melody and chords. I use musical notation.

The other main charting system I run into is the Nashville number system. Onsong does not support it either.

I need more specific structure, rhythm and melodic information in my charts then can be conveyed by a lyric sheet with basic chord symbols written over the words.

Another great app for charts that I am seeing more and more of is iRealpro.

Onsong is pretty amazing at what it does but I don't see it as very functional beyond being a PDF reader/organizer for my needs.

Bob,

You are right, I don't think OnSong does support musical notation, but one thing you can do is erase the lyrics by simply deselecting the Lyrics button and have the chords on the page as standalone which works for me. Nashville number system is also not supported, I think (at least I haven't found anything) but in general it is perfect for my needs.

Kind Regards, Walter

I've used both Deep Dish GigBook and OnSong- and OnSong is preferred as you can beam the song to other members in the band using it, transpose easily, etc and it does support the Nashville Number system- or at least used to. Also where GigBook uses PDF's OnSong can use straight text formats.

I do my charts and set lists in OpenOffice (free software that works like Microsoft Office). I export them as PDF files and save them to my INKbook tablet.

You could use both lead sheets and numbers if you convert them to PDF's in onsong. It wouldn't have the transposition feature but would do everything most other chart apps do.

I use an old MusicPad Pro that I can pipe out to 2 other video monitors on stage. Like b0b, I build charts in Open Office, but then I convert them to Freehand format for use on the MPP. It can access files via a standard File Manager, and create Set Lists, and change pages via footswitch.

It's an old piece of gear, but its bigger than an iPad, which works well for my aging eyesight.

If I were to consider an iPad for the sole purpose of using it for song charts, which iPad should I look at?

Steve Rosko wrote:If I were to consider an iPad for the sole purpose of using it for song charts, which iPad should I look at?

I have an iPad Air and an iPad Pro. I use the Pro for my music, simply because it has a bigger 12.9" screen.

Can You guys that use a clamp on the leg of your steel to hold Ipad tell us which one you use? I have tried a couple and the clamps were not big enough for the steel guitar leg. They would fit a mic stand but not fit the steel leg. thanks

I use an Android tablet and it's 8.25" X 12.75". The holder I use is a K&M Universal Tablet Holder. It clamps on the 8.25" side and the arm is long enough to attach to the front leg of my steel. I can rotate the tablet 90 degrees with it in the holder.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audi ... er&index=4

I love On song it suits my on stage needs perfectly, and has been at every gig for two years, has never let me down, it's also great for friendly jams as I've got charts and words for 1,202 songs, for me it rates a 10!