Abc And Scores On A Tablet

[Jim Besser]

I am considering getting an iphone. I have always had a stupid phone in the past but mine is sort of broken and it's time for an upgrade. I require Verizon in NYC for phone reception for one thing and I use Mac at home for another, so an iphone seems to be the right choice as it plays nice with both systems.

 

In sessions, dances and get-togethers, I am often in the situation of considering what tune would be the "right" next tune to play. My mind does not have great recall and I need a prompt to help remember a tune I'm trying to think of. I can imagine the benefit of a data base of the first few measures written out as a graphic of all the tunes I know... selectable by both title and key and perhaps other filters such as Irish, English, Old-Time, Contra, Jig, Reel, Waltz, March, etc. I have a system of 3x5 cards that I use at dances for this purpose and I think it would be reasonable to convert that to a digital format.

 

Would an iphone be able to deliver? I do like how small it is and the multi-functionality of the thing. Would it be big enough though?

 

An iPhone is great for this purpose, but there are some things to consider.

 

The biggest problem is size. I store some tunes in PDF format on my iphone, and it's useful for remembering how to start tunes, but reading the entire tune is difficult because of the small screen; if you zoom in, you miss part of the tune.

 

Using Tunebook, you can create a database of just the first few measures of tunes, using the ABC format. I've experimented with this, and it works pretty well. But increasingly, I'm running across tunes that are available on the Web in PDF format but not ABC. My guess is that ABC, which was created when it was difficult to send tunes via email and storage capacity was limited, may be fading out since modern phones and tablets are capable of storing hundreds of PDFs without any problem. So I've been gradually moving away from ABC and toward PDF, even though editing them is difficult.

 

A tablet is really best for storing/databasing tunes; forScore really works well with PDF files, and I can store hundreds on my iPad. But obviously it's not as convenient as the phone you always have on your belt, and it's just one more expensive electronic device to buy and potentially lose.

[cboody]

I am considering getting an iphone. I have always had a stupid phone in the past but mine is sort of broken and it's time for an upgrade. I require Verizon in NYC for phone reception for one thing and I use Mac at home for another, so an iphone seems to be the right choice as it plays nice with both systems.

 

In sessions, dances and get-togethers, I am often in the situation of considering what tune would be the "right" next tune to play. My mind does not have great recall and I need a prompt to help remember a tune I'm trying to think of. I can imagine the benefit of a data base of the first few measures written out as a graphic of all the tunes I know... selectable by both title and key and perhaps other filters such as Irish, English, Old-Time, Contra, Jig, Reel, Waltz, March, etc. I have a system of 3x5 cards that I use at dances for this purpose and I think it would be reasonable to convert that to a digital format.

 

Would an iphone be able to deliver? I do like how small it is and the multi-functionality of the thing. Would it be big enough though?

If what you want is the first, say, 4 bars of the tune, or perhaps each section of the tune and you have the tunes in ABC format you can easily use EasyABC to create an incipit file to meet your needs and load it into Tunebook on the iPhone. Viewed sideways the size should be sufficient. And, you can create tunebooks that match the gig. I haven't checked out the search capabilities of tunebook, but my memory says that could meet your needs too. Find someone with some music apps on the iPhone and take a look at the display size. Try the pinch thing to expand the size. I think that is the only way to be sure you'll be comfortable.

[Wolf Molkentin]

But increasingly, I'm running across tunes that are available on the Web in PDF format but not ABC. My guess is that ABC, which was created when it was difficult to send tunes via email and storage capacity was limited, may be fading out since modern phones and tablets are capable of storing hundreds of PDFs without any problem. So I've been gradually moving away from ABC and toward PDF, even though editing them is difficult.

 

You said it!

 

To me editing does not only (or even mainly) mean transposing (or correcting errors). In some cases I might wish to retain certain alterations or arrangements - and then print them out for the time being, be it for own use or for sharing (within a group of players or singers for instance).

 

The abc (or lilypond) format seems to be unbeatable for that purpose!

[cboody]

 

 

Using Tunebook, you can create a database of just the first few measures of tunes, using the ABC format. I've experimented with this, and it works pretty well. But increasingly, I'm running across tunes that are available on the Web in PDF format but not ABC. My guess is that ABC, which was created when it was difficult to send tunes via email and storage capacity was limited, may be fading out since modern phones and tablets are capable of storing hundreds of PDFs without any problem. So I've been gradually moving away from ABC and toward PDF, even though editing them is difficult.

 

PDF files, because of their fixed nature, are convenient but not flexible. ABC files are much more flexible and the tools for placing notation on the screen are getting better and better. With a database of some 300,000 tunes out on the web (many duplicates of course) I strongly doubt that ABC is going to go away soon.

 

Edited to add this note: lilypond is a great creator of printed notation, but much less convenient than ABC in many ways. I don't think this is the place to discuss that issue. And, I willingly accept those lilypond addicts who see the strengths of that system. I'm just not among them.

Edited April 12, 2013 by cboody

[Jody Kruskal]

 

I am considering getting an iphone. I have always had a stupid phone in the past but mine is sort of broken and it's time for an upgrade. I require Verizon in NYC for phone reception for one thing and I use Mac at home for another, so an iphone seems to be the right choice as it plays nice with both systems.

 

In sessions, dances and get-togethers, I am often in the situation of considering what tune would be the "right" next tune to play. My mind does not have great recall and I need a prompt to help remember a tune I'm trying to think of. I can imagine the benefit of a data base of the first few measures written out as a graphic of all the tunes I know... selectable by both title and key and perhaps other filters such as Irish, English, Old-Time, Contra, Jig, Reel, Waltz, March, etc. I have a system of 3x5 cards that I use at dances for this purpose and I think it would be reasonable to convert that to a digital format.

 

Would an iphone be able to deliver? I do like how small it is and the multi-functionality of the thing. Would it be big enough though?

If what you want is the first, say, 4 bars of the tune, or perhaps each section of the tune and you have the tunes in ABC format you can easily use EasyABC to create an incipit file to meet your needs and load it into Tunebook on the iPhone. Viewed sideways the size should be sufficient. And, you can create tunebooks that match the gig. I haven't checked out the search capabilities of tunebook, but my memory says that could meet your needs too. Find someone with some music apps on the iPhone and take a look at the display size. Try the pinch thing to expand the size. I think that is the only way to be sure you'll be comfortable.

 

Well thanks all. I will probably go for the iphone based on your helpful advice.

 

I will not be throwing my 3x5 tune cards away though. As a friend pointed out, "When you spread those cards all over the floor, that format is much larger than a phone, tablet or full sized monitor could ever be." He's right. Also, I can hand those cards over to the piano player and expect the right chords to be played. Those physical cards are much more that just a personal reminder of how tunes go but a way to pick combinations at a dance, as the fiddler and I look them over. I may be old fashioned but so is my music and I like real stuff to help me select real music. Perhaps I'll feel differently after working with the iphone for a while... we'll see.

 

Along those lines, when writing a tune, I now prefer to be working at my computer to pencil and paper. That took 5 or 6 years of using both to fully make the transition.

[David Barnert]

I can imagine the benefit of a data base of the first few measures written out as a graphic of all the tunes I know... selectable by both title and key and perhaps other filters such as Irish, English, Old-Time, Contra, Jig, Reel, Waltz, March, etc. I have a system of 3x5 cards that I use at dances for this purpose and I think it would be reasonable to convert that to a digital format.

As a direct answer to Jody - I use Tunebook on an iPhone for the exact purpose you are asking about and it works great.

I use Tunebook on an iPhone also. I see where you can search for words in a title and sort tunes by key or meter. Am I missing where you can sort or filter by other keywords like genre or origin?

[Guest mglamb]

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Edited August 10, 2013 by mglamb

[David Barnert]

 

 

I can imagine the benefit of a data base of the first few measures written out as a graphic of all the tunes I know... selectable by both title and key and perhaps other filters such as Irish, English, Old-Time, Contra, Jig, Reel, Waltz, March, etc. I have a system of 3x5 cards that I use at dances for this purpose and I think it would be reasonable to convert that to a digital format.

As a direct answer to Jody - I use Tunebook on an iPhone for the exact purpose you are asking about and it works great.

I use Tunebook on an iPhone also. I see where you can search for words in a title and sort tunes by key or meter. Am I missing where you can sort or filter by other keywords like genre or origin?

 

I organize my files into tunebooks by genre, you could also do the same with origin. I also have tunebooks for specific purposes, such as different Morris teams, dances, sessions, etc. A single tune can be copied to multiple tunebooks without taking up much storage. My entire collection is less than 1 MB.

 

Thanks. That makes sense. My organization is just a big mess, collections from various sources all thrown together, but as Jody is starting from scratch, there's no reason he can't organize it sensibly from the beginning.

[Guest mglamb]

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Edited August 10, 2013 by mglamb

[malcolmbebb]

I have ended up with a Nexus but I am still considering going back and getting an IPad. I have been struggling a bit with the Nexus, had a go at full size iPad and was away in no time.
But I have an iPhone, so that's probably why. Nothing wrong with the Nexus.

 

Took a while to get Zap's abc working. I couldn't see the abc directory from Windows. I got a (free) file manager, ES Explorer, and was able to put some files in with that. Once I had files, I could then see the directory from Windows.

Opened a file with about 20 short tunes, it displayed the abc with errors and barfed on the score, creating an empty file. Exported the score in pdf from ABC Explorer on the PC, replaced the empty one and it displayed.

However, the text was incorrectly displayed on the built-in pdf viewer (not sure if it's Zap's or Android's) so I downloaded Acrobat, which displayed the file correctly.

I'm not sure I like how the scores are displayed, but I've not seen the same file on an iPad mini to compare.

 

On the PC I am pretty happy with ABC Explorer but I can quite see why people use pdfs on tablets.

 

I have to say that the app download was ten times easier than iTunes , without having to log in with a password to download a free app I find iTunes very irritating in a number of ways.

 

I've got Tunebook on the phone but I haven't worked out how to get it to read files from the PC yet.

 

Portability of scores is a main reason for getting one of these.

[hjcjones]

I have a Nexus 7 and I love it. However I wish that Tunebook was available for Android - I have it on my iPhone and its great but I'd like something in a bigger format. Zap's ABC doesn't seem to lime my ABC files, and also needs an internet connection to convert them to notation, which the Nexus doesn't have unless I'm near a free Wifi.. Musicsheet is OK but there seems to be a problem with playback as it doesn't recognise the key signature. I'm hearing some very interesting modal versions of tunes!

 

How do you use your own files with Tunepal? The version I have on my iPhone seems to want to search the internet.

[Guest mglamb]

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Edited August 10, 2013 by mglamb

[hjcjones]

Thanks but I was asking about uploading your own files to Tunepal. Someone said you could do this but I can't see how.

 

I have Tunepal on my iPhone but can't get a signal at my local session so I haven't used it in anger. My tablet needs wifi to get onto the internet so Tunepal is no use to me there unless it can read local files (and do a better job than Musicsheet at playing them back)

[spindizzy]

When you've no wifi connection, you can't record and identify a tune (though it will record and store for later when you do have network), but you can use it as an ABC display and player. first you need to get a file or files with all your ABC on to the nexus. You should be able to pull things from one computer on your home network to the nexus, but if you can't do that easily, email them to yourself as an attachment, read the email on the nexus and save the attachment. I don't think that it matters where you save it but if there's a choice try the music folder. Open tunepal, in the centre you have 'tap to record' and in the top right the settings icon of three vertical dots. Tap on this and the pull down menu will have 'open ABC file'. Tap on this and it will search for any ABC files and load them. Now, on the top line, you should see 'my tunes'. If you tap on you should get a list of all the tunes you've loaded plus any others that you've found if you used it for doing tune finding on line. There's a search icon and a few other things, and if you tap on a tune in the list, it'll display the score or the ABC (tap the screen to toggle) and you have the usual play/pause buttons.

Edited April 20, 2013 by spindizzy

[malcolmbebb]

Tunebook: got tunes on to iPhone using iTunes, worked OK.

 

Nexus - I got a free file manager and was able to move files using that.

[hjcjones]

Thanks spindizzy. I think the Android version of tunepal must be different from the iPhone - the iPhone version doesn't have the menu option to open an ABC file (that I can find) and I was loath to shell out for the Android version if it wouldn't do what I want. I'm still looking at Musicsheet for the Android - there are a few bugs with it but the developer is working hard to sort them out.

[spindizzy]

Thanks spindizzy. I think the Android version of tunepal must be different from the iPhone - the iPhone version doesn't have the menu option to open an ABC file (that I can find) and I was loath to shell out for the Android version if it wouldn't do what I want. I'm still looking at Musicsheet for the Android - there are a few bugs with it but the developer is working hard to sort them out.

 

I got Tunepal for it's music recognition functions. The ABC stuff is useful, but probably not as good as an App that's tailored for working on ABCs - ie you can't sort or edit or print the ABCs - just look as files that you already have. So it sounds like sticking with something like Musicsheet is the way to go especially if the designer is willing to help (I'll probably look at that myself sometime).

[malcolmbebb]

Thought I'd updated this- bought a Nexus and returned it, found I (personally) got on better with the iPad mini. I have a whole bunch of ABC tunes on Tunebook and, while the display isn't everything I would like, I can get by with it.

 

Now looking for a metronome (no, not a short bloke on an underground railway...) - sure there can't be much scope for variation, but any suggestions for an iPad metronome app?