Switching to a digital score has made me a better pianist!

twocats · 2025-11-10T22:37:11+00:00

I switched to an iPad over two years ago and will never go back to paper scores. My initial impetus for going digital was to be able to easily turn pages bu...

ShiroKuro

Yep, I agree on all counts. I first started with the smaller iPad (second generation, in 2011) and forScore and no Bluetooth pedal, and no pencil back then. When I got my first iPad, I remember I went to line up outside the mall early in the morning, and I was the last person in line that day that actually got one! The rule was you could get up to two tickets, and you had to get a ticket to buy the iPad. Several people in front of me got two tickets and I thought they might run out but I got lucky! That’s the only time in my life I’ve l I Ed up to buy something. 🙂

Anyway back then I only used the iPad for music after I had a piece mostly in my fingers and learned.

But then I got the larger an iPad Pro and pretty much completely switch all my scores to pdf and used the iPad for everything, from the very beginning of learning a piece. That’s also when I got the apple pencil (even though I am still with the first generation one, it’s awesome and so much better than writing on paper with a real pencil.)

twocats Also I think it was @Gombessa who suggested to duplicate any repeats in the score and to set both pedals to go forward and never go back

I don’t remember who, but I picked up this suggestion as well and it is fantastic!

I like that you can add type written things as well as handwritten things. I also like that you can change pen colors, I like using gray bc it looks like pencil and reminds me that I wrote something. And I like using red to grab my attention etc.

keystring

On the paper side of things, I recently ran into a kind of music folder that I didn't know existed and got one. It can show two sheets or be spread out to four in a row:

The pages are held on three edges so you can write on the sheets.

I like the tactile touch of things: the act of moving a pencil, the feel of graphite, seems to help me retain information more, unless that's an illusion.

WieWaldi

keystring Hey - this company stole my idea!!

Joking aside - this 4 pages expansion is something I am doing all the time, using scotch tape. For the booklet itself, I am using a ring binder machine. Basically I am getting everything, this set offers. Only without transparent foil. I think the foil makes the book either very thick very quickly. Or very full, too soon.

Any issues with reflections because of the foil?

Gombessa

keystring

Oh this is pretty great!

Before I used the tablet, I had one of those large, 4-sheet binders, because I loathed turning pages, particularly as I was learning pieces. It was great, but man it was HUGE, and almost dwarfed the piano.

And now that I don't use them anymore, they just sit around somewhere gathering dust, but again they're so large they don't fit with my other music books or even in my bookshelf!

keystring

WieWaldi Joking aside - this 4 pages expansion is something I am doing all the time, using scotch tape. For the booklet itself, I am using a ring binder machine. Basically I am getting everything, this set offers. Only without transparent foil. I think the foil makes the book either very thick very quickly. Or very full, too soon.

Any issues with reflections because of the foil?

It's not like those "page protector" sleeves that you can insert sheets of paper into (one or a bunch) to protect them. It's a bit hard to describe. If you look at the bottom picture right under the words "easy to highlight" you may be able to see that the paper is a brighter white, and on the right edge there's a kind of light beige flap. There's another light beige flap, harder to see, on top. Those flaps are the actual plastic. (They're not beige - they're clear - but in the photo they're a darker shade of white.) So what you have is a plastic sheet that has flaps both on its "front" and reverse side. The flaps are top, bottom, and side, with the 4th side being where it's attached. So you can slide a score under the flaps on the front and reverse side - two scores for each plastic sheet.

The paper itself is totally exposed. The only plastic consists of these flaps along the edges. Therefore you can also readily write on the score. So no reflections, unless you have shiny paper. 😃

Right now it holds 20 pages (maximum 40) and it's not bulky. For holding 40 pages, it has 20 plastic sheets. So far I like it. Like you, I've also jury rigged things in the past, though nothing that fancy.

WieWaldi

keystring The paper itself is totally exposed. The only plastic consists of these flaps along the edges. Therefore you can also readily write on the score. So no reflections, unless you have shiny paper. 😃

Thank you. Now when I look again, (and know what to look for) it is clear. I remember when I was a kid, I got some photocopies of sheet music from my accordion teacher any my parents put those sheets into transparent foil to protect them. I was always annoyed by some reflections here and there.
40 pages is not much. But is depends on how one will use it. Either putting all the printed sheet music inside, or keep just the currently played pieces inside it and swap them when needed.

@iternabe started a thread about a neat and quite minimalistic binding machine. From what I've seen, I like that device. Especially because it is small and one can change pages somewhere inbetween the ring book. (Not just at the end of the book as my machine allows) In my opinion, this device is the gold standard for musicians. Not too expensive, not too big in your home, but good enough for occasional book bindings, only a few sheets a time.

keystring

I got disoriented at times, in the beginning.

When I open it out for 4 pages, I see pages 3, 4, 5, 6. pages 3 and 6 are the outer flaps. The reverse side of p. 6, there is p. 7. If I decide I only want to have the width of three pages, I can flip the other one back so p. 6 folds up behind p. 5. Then I'll see pages 3, 4, 5. But if I flip the one saying "6" the wrong way, then it flips on top of p. 5, and shows p.7. So then I'm looking at my three pages, and I see pages 3, 4, 7. It can be quite a mindf* in the beginning. 😃 😃

WieWaldi

keystring Haha, in the beginning it is mind*. I always fold the right extension page upwards (and therefore the left extension downwards). So I can always read the title page when I am flipping through my book. But sometimes the title page is on the right side and I have to unfold it before.

(Sorry - I was too lazy to turn the video 90°)

keystring

WieWaldi keystring Haha, in the beginning it is mind*. I always fold the right extension page upwards (and therefore the left extension downwards). So I can always read the title page when I am flipping through my book. But sometimes the title page is on the right side and I have to unfold it before.

Excellently done. It is indeed the same idea as what I bought so they kind of borrowed your idea. Yours likes a bit handier because those plastic sheet/paper combos are a bit finicky to handle. Pull at the wrong spot, and you end up pulling the paper out of its holder.

Is the ringer binder machine something you have at home? And are you printing out your score double-sided so that "page 3 & page 4" are on either side of a same sheet? I love the cover page!

Jane

twocats I have a 2015 1st Gen 12.9" iPad Pro that is still going strong,

If you have two iPads, you can sync them, set them side-by-side on the music stand, and have two pages of score in front of you.
A single page turn updates both.
It's really slick.

There's a separate app from forScore called Cue that enables the synching. https://forscore.co/cue/

twocats

Jane If you have two iPads, you can sync them, set them side-by-side on the music stand, and have two pages of score in front of you.

I did think about doing that, but aside from them having slightly different dimensions I didn't want to have to constantly charge two iPads and carry around an additional (expensive!!) device.

Some scores (especially Henle) make sure that the page turn happens at a good spot but only having a single page means awkward page turns a lot of the time. But I've gotten used to it 🙂

keystring

Jane If you have two iPads, you can sync them, set them side-by-side on the music stand, and have two pages of score in front of you.

Can you write in your score? Like with those special pens? (I've never owned an iPad).

WieWaldi

keystring Is the ringer binder machine something you have at home?

Yes. But mine is built like a tank. It is made for 1000 pages per day, the machine is heavy like a brick and for a few sheets absolutely overkill. Today I would go for internabe's machine.

keystring And are you printing out your score double-sided so that "page 3 & page 4" are on either side of a same sheet?

Yes. It cost me some time to figure out, how to do it the best. Here is my solution:
I started a office document (libre office draw) for one book and add the pages of a new score to it. In this case I can print the new piece and the last sheet of the previous old piece (double-sided printing). The organisation is quite tricky:

You need to take care about odd and even pages. And you must separate the inner pages from the extension pages. In this example the inner pages have the numbers:
1+2 — 3+6 — 7+10 — 11+14 — .... — 23+24 — 25+28
and it is important not to interleave with the extension pages. For instance I must print pages 3+6 on one sheet. If I would sort the extension page 4 after page 3, then 3+4 would be front and back side of a singe sheet and I can't seen them side by side.
In the second section of my book, I keep the (only) extension pages:
4+5 — 8+9 — ... — 26+27

Because the page numbers in my office document are not equal to the real page numbers (I name the pages: 1,2,3,6 but office thinks it is 1,2,3,4), I write my own page numbers at the bottom of each sheet.
For the inner pages, my odd page numbers are on odd pages in office. Same is true for my even pages numbers, as they are on the even pages in office.
For the outer pages, I flip it. Odd is on even and vice versa. This trick helps me to instantly figure out, if I am looking at inner pages or extension pages in my book.
And it helps me printing always the correct pairs of two pages on one sheet:

Always print from odd to even pages in the printer dialog. E.g. printing pages 3-6 that would be 3,6,7,10 in my example. (Inner pages)
And for the extension pages, the printing range 17-20 would be 4,5,8,9.

keystring I love the cover page!

Thank you ♥️

Jane

keystring Can you write in your score? Like with those special pens? (I've never owned an iPad).

Apple sells a pencil stylus for the iPad. (Of course they sell one, they're Apple 😉 )

For fingerings, though, I use the "stamps" built into ForScore because they're smaller and more legible than what my handwriting would offer, even though it takes a bit longer to annotate. (For example, the fingerings I've written in on this score using the "stamps".) The lines pulling the D into the left hand in the first two measures of the second line were done freehand with the stylus. I could have picked any color but just used black for this. Also the small line tying the 4 to the 5 in the second measure of the top line.

keystring

Jane Apple sells a pencil stylus for the iPad. (Of course they sell one, they're Apple

Thank you for the advice and your examples. Much appreciated.

LifelongBeginner

I just continue to be a huge fan of digital scores and large tablets. They're still quite expensive, but I'm glad Apple released a 13" iPad Air, so those looking for size don't have to go the absolute highest end Pro model.

You all are starting to convince me! I'm a lifelong Windows/PC/Android user, but for a few reasons I'm thinking of getting an iPad for my digital piano. At first I thought, "They've been around forever and I don't need a really good one, so probably just a couple hundred bucks, right?" then clicked on a link for one that was more expensive than my digital piano!😲

If I were to buy one, a couple of questions: what model & minimum features should I look for that would suit my purposes now but also "future proof" me for at least a couple years:

using PDF scores for reading & annotating
using USB/bluetooth MIDI for learning software if I or my child ever wanted it
loading my current mp3s onto it for bluetooth playing music through my digital piano
videorecording my playing or doing Facetime lessons with instructor if we ever couldn't meet in person
using Pianoteq or other similar...[sigh]. I'm not sure I want to get into that, especially if I have to hook up additional monitors or something. But it's nice to have the option if I ever wanted to take the VST plunge!

I hope this is on-topic and if not I'm happy to start a new thread.

iternabe

LifelongBeginner what model & minimum features should I look for that would suit my purposes now but also "future proof" me for at least a couple years

You should look for:

13 (or 12.9) inch screen (iPad Pro, or iPad Air M2/M3)
Support Apple Pencil 2 (or Apple Pencil Pro) (iPad Pro 4th Gen [2020] and later, or iPad Air M2/M3)
Battery in good condition (< 3 years old used)
128GB storage should be fine

If on a budget, I would recommend get a second hand iPad Air M2 13-inch (available ~$350 on eBay).

using PDF scores for reading & annotating

Sure. You need to budget for an Apple Pencil 2 (or pro) for annotating

loading my current mp3s onto it for bluetooth playing music through my digital piano

VLC app can play MP3. Depend on bluetooth connectivity and stability of your DP. Will definitely play through FP-30X speaker with a USB cable.

video recording my playing or doing Facetime lessons with instructor if we ever couldn't meet in person

Can do video recording - you need to figuring out the stand and mounting. I suppose you can use Zoom on iPad for interactive online lessons. However the setup using a single iPad can be awkward: you teacher would want to see you from a side view, which means you'll need to turn towards the iPad on the side to see the teacher demo.

using Pianoteq or other similar...[sigh]. I'm not sure I want to get into that, especially if I have to hook up additional monitors or something. But it's nice to have the option if I ever wanted to take the VST plunge!

If you are getting a FP-30X, or any DP that has a built-in audio interface, then all you need is a single USB cable to the iPad/iPhone to use Pianoteq. You can also let Pianoteq run in the background and use forScore at the same time.

Gombessa

LifelongBeginner I'm a lifelong Windows/PC/Android user, but for a few reasons I'm thinking of getting an iPad for my digital piano.

So I actually use a Android tablet, a Samsung Galaxy Tab Ultra. It's 14.x" and larger than an ipad pro. It's not cheap, but they've been around for several years now so an S8U or used one could be pretty cheap.

I use Mobilesheets Pro that works on Windows, Android, ChromeOS, Mac, iOS....so I have my music backups on my Android, iphone and in the cloud. Can't risk losing that!

If I were to buy one, a couple of questions: what model & minimum features should I look for that would suit my purposes now but also "future proof" me for at least a couple years:

I think size is really the biggest thing - lots of tablets are 8-13", but how large they are also depends on their aspect ratio (more squareish tablets are actually larger, side to side for the same measurement).

using PDF scores for reading & annotating

Check

using USB/bluetooth MIDI for learning software if I or my child ever wanted it

Not super important for me, but yeah it can definitely serve that need. More importantly, BT support for wireless page turning pedals or other devices is a HUGE benefit of using a tablet.

loading my current mp3s onto it for bluetooth playing music through my digital piano

Sure, that can work, particularly if you play accompaniment tracks.

videorecording my playing or doing Facetime lessons with instructor if we ever couldn't meet in person

This one is probably complicated. A sheet music tablet is just going to be pointing at your face. For video conference piano lessons, you probably want a laptop off to the side, that can capture your posture, your fingering on the keys, and your feet on the pedals. This is probably asking too much of a sheet music reading use case. IMHO.

using Pianoteq or other similar...[sigh]. I'm not sure I want to get into that, especially if I have to hook up additional monitors or something. But it's nice to have the option if I ever wanted to take the VST plunge!

Yep, you can have a tablet run your VST too. I opted for a standalone Mac for that, since the VST I used wasn't available on tablet.

I hope this is on-topic and if not I'm happy to start a new thread.

I think you're just fine here 🙂

twocats

LifelongBeginner If I were to buy one, a couple of questions: what model & minimum features should I look for that would suit my purposes now but also "future proof" me for at least a couple years

My setup is what I'd consider the minimum required! 2018 iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen with an iPad Pencil 2. Yes, it's older, but you're not gaming or doing anything processor intensive, and as long as it wasn't abused (I bought one that was exclusively used by the previous owner to play games at home during the pandemic) it will probably last for a long time.

Like Gombessa said, you'd probably want a separate device for capturing video at the same time.

iternabe

twocats

cleaner fingerings, can erase the printed ones with the white out and write in my own! Also I often end up changing my own fingerings and it's perfectly clean and clear all the time

Even as a beginner, the ability to white out printed fingering and write in changes is a much appreciated feature I need.

Recently I have been using hymns to practice sight reading. To study the harmony, I find it a good exercise to identify large intervals across the bass and treble staff and write them down for analysis, but hide them again for playing. A big hassle with pencil and rubber, but so easy in forScore on iPad.

Also it's not practical to print out the hymnal books I downloaded online.

For the reason above, I finally decided to get an upgrade to my old iPad (1st Gen Pro, still works fine, but screen is too small, and pencil is cumbersome to charge).

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