I’ve written a lot about using the iPad in a live performance setting, about the type of apps and what you can do with them. (see previous posts: http://www.lenabat.com/?p=219 and http://www.lenabat.com/?p=284)
This entry is dedicated to making the live performance that much better by using certain accessories.
For the first 8 months I had the iPad, I was using it with the “Smart Cover” that Apple sells. It is slim, looks good, and is able to provide two different levels of stands (or none).
For the gigs I was doing at the time, it was perfect. It would sit perfectly on the music stand of a piano (or digital piano), and the magnetic strip that attaches the cover to the iPad had the added benefit of securing it to the metal casing of my keyboard when performing with a band.
As time went by, I received a gift from a very thoughtful friend of mine: a Bluetooth wireless keyboard/case. (http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/e65a/?srp=2)
Initially, I wasn’t sure I would use it as I already had a pretty decent setup happening. Then one night I decided to take use it on a Dueling Pianos gig. I was playing a Grand Piano that had the lid closed and I soon discovered how easy it was to search for and read lyrics on. Not having the keyboard taking up half of the screen was pretty sweet. Also, when I wasn’t using the keyboard or iPad, I could “close” it easily, keeping it out of sight and protected from the elements (aka spilled drinks).
On a non-musical note, anytime I’m away from home and plan on doing some document writing, I will take this keyboard/case with me. As someone who used a laptop for years, this was a really easy transition. I’ve also noticed that ergonomically, it’s a lot easier to type on a screen that isn’t raised by 15 degrees. The touch properties of the screen are still fully there, too, so it’s the best of both worlds. Also, the “fully charged lithium ion battery lasts for 90 hours of continuous use.” Which means your iPad will die 9 times before this baby does. (FYI it charges through USB.)
I don’t use the keyboard/case for heavy music-reading gigs, as I prefer my music to be in portrait mode. Also, if I’m playing with a band, the keyboard case is a little bulky for my on-stage setup. But it is PERFECT for my Dueling Pianos gig in Oakville.
Next up, two words: Pogo Sketch. (http://tenonedesign.com/sketchplus.php)
I first bought one of these because I was in the process of signing a bunch of documents/contracts. I didn’t want to print out/scan any more material, and I felt that this $15 purchase was worth saving a few trees. I used it in conjunction with an app called “SignMyPad”. It’s much easier to sign your name with one of these babies than with your finger. (Also, Pogo Sketch + iPad = awesome DrawSomething)
Going back to the music, I’d long heard of wireless page-turners. As I was quite used to turning pages by hand (paper and virtual), I was skeptical. And then I watched a video a friend of mine had taken of herself singing while I accompanied her one night. The next day, I went out and purchased the PageFlip Cicada page turner. (http://www.pageflip.com/index.html)
I had seen myself playing for 20 seconds, reaching up and tapping the screen of my iPad, and then repeating the process innumerable times throughout the piece. It was all I could see and I soon realized how distracting it must be, not to mention detrimental to the music. See for yourself (music starts around 1:06):
(Apparently “Innumerable” = 13)
Once I started using the pedal with regularity, it became an integral part of my setup. It allows you to turn a page forward by hitting the right “wing” and backward by hitting the left. Because I now use my left foot to turn pages, I no longer have to take my hands off of my instrument, with one small exception: I’ve mentioned before about putting “links” into scores (for repeats/D.S.s/Codas/etc), and in that case, you have to tap the dot on the screen that will take you where you need to go.
There is one major and one minor drawback with using this pedal.
I was using the iPad/foot pedal combination for an entire evening at an open mic and at one point someone came up and handed me their sheet music (in a binder). When it came time to turn the page, I found myself hitting the foot pedal and wondering why the pages hadn’t turned. Shortly thereafter, I realized how trained I’d become, berated myself for being a dumbass, and then quickly turned the page manually. By that point, I was three bars behind. This is the “major” drawback (and it still happens to me every now and again).
The minor drawback is that you cannot use the PageFlip and Wireless Keyboard simultaneously. The reason is that the PageFlip is technically viewed by the iPad as a wireless keyboard. If both are connected, and you try to use one, weird things will happen: random (repeated) page turns, for example.
The foot pedal runs on two AA batteries that have lasted me almost a year so far (and show no signs of dying). The pedal also has a sleep mode, which kicks in after about 10 minutes of non-use. It is “awoken” by tapping the pedal, akin to hitting the space bar on a “sleeping” Mac. Once it is awake again, it will find the iPad and re-pair itself, so make sure you allow extra time for that to happen if you have a page turn coming up. If your iPad is asleep, but the pedal is still on and paired, a tap on the device will make your screen turn on (similar to opening up the magnetic cover). There is a handy flashing red light on top of the pedal to let you know it’s still awake. On your iPad, you’ll see the Bluetooth icon lit up in the top right corner if it is.
Another slight drawback is that you cannot use either of these devices while your iPad is in “Airplane Mode”. (Bluetooth is disabled during Airplane Mode.)
The most recent accessory I’ve purchased is the Amplitube iRig. (http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irig/)
I haven’t explored this device much yet, but my plan is to do “on the go” recordings from my keyboard directly into a recording software program (likely GarageBand). These would be instances where a professional-sounding track is required, but I don’t have my regular facilities to record, and a “voice memo” won’t do.
There are a slew of satellite devices for the iPad but I would say that the wireless keyboard case, foot pedal, and iRig are essential to the jobbing musician (the Pogo Sketch, less so). My iPad has not replaced my home computer (and I doubt it ever will), but with these three, I suspect it will make my jobbing life a lot easier and more productive.