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Post by walshb 🦒 on Jan 11, 2020 19:27:59 GMT -5
I'm in a few bands, and as much as I try, none of them are as organized as I'd like. Printing out song lists, set lists, keeping track of lyrics, chord charts, ending up with a bunch of wasted paper, etc. (The one exception is our church, they've got it together there!)
I've looked at several apps/programs for this, but not knowing anything about them, I decided to look for input from others. What are you using, and do you like it? Is it shareable with other band members?
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mojodelic
Quarternote
I was so much older then - I'm younger than that now
Posts: 29
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Post by mojodelic on Jan 11, 2020 20:57:06 GMT -5
Like you, Church (was- I quit) very together using Planning Center. Songs with YT vids & chord chart pdfs are sent to band members ahead of time. I loved it.
Band still uses old school communication (email, set lists printed etc) but at least we have those. Those that use it (I don't) have ipads on stage with lyrics / setlists live.
Not sure any of this helps other than moral support Brother!
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stevedallman
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I spent years at FDP....even got a “best amp tech advice” award early on.
Posts: 17
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Post by stevedallman on Jan 11, 2020 22:41:39 GMT -5
I’ve used OnSong on my iPad for a few years now. I have over 650 songs...lyric sheets and chord sheets. I have set lists for my band, old folks home gigs, coffee house gigs, etc. (I have a dementia problem and haven’t been able to memorize lyrics for over 15 yers now.)
I don’t use most of the features OnSong includes. I came up with a system for putting songs on it. I put together songs on my computer and save them. Usually cut and paste lyrics/chord sheets onto a word document. I save them in a file. I will put the songs I want on the iPad on Dropbox, and then on the iPad, transfer them to OnSong.
Our drummer recently got an iPad, and does the same thing, except he uses Google Drive instead of Dropbox.
Initially I scanned all my old paper music sheets...PDF’s. They transfer just fine, as do jpg’s and other formats.
We use “Planning Center” at church. But OnSong has worked out great for me. I haven’t found a similar program for Android, but I like my iPad.
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Jan 12, 2020 6:32:19 GMT -5
We also use Planning Center at church. I thought I needed something like that to get the bands organized!
But, now that I think about it, I might be the only one that has an iPad, so I might be out of luck when it comes to sharing with other band members. I'd like to be able to find the songs quickly on my iPad during practices though, where there isn't a set list.
I will check out OnSong, thanks!
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TBird
Wholenote
Posts: 298
Formerly Known As: greg1948
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Post by TBird on Jan 12, 2020 8:52:49 GMT -5
OnSong is my choice for keeping my music pdf/txt's organized. I too have all my pdf's on Dropbox and share with bandmates that way. IiPad is the platform I use. Not sure if the app works with other makes. If a bandmate has OnSong, we can send files back and forth between us instantly. Once they're downloaded, you can organize them a number of ways. I play with different groups and I keep songs for each group organized in a "book." You can then organize songs into "sets" of just the songs you need for a given event and not have to search around for them.
On the iPad you can do a search for a song on Ultimate Guitar and import it into OnSong if you are online. Once in OnSong, you can edit the chords, change key, font size & color, etc. (The ability to do this editing is only available for txt files. PDF's cannot be edited) . And if you all band members are using the app, you can have one person control everybody else's iPad to change songs.
Pretty impressive list of features and highly recommended.
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Jan 12, 2020 12:30:38 GMT -5
2 votes so far for Onsong! That's awesome! I'll definitely be checking it out! Thanks guys!
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 12, 2020 15:53:32 GMT -5
I've had OnSong for five years now and I like it. It's perfect for jams and open mics.
One very cool feature is Bluetooth "beaming." If you have a tune loaded that others don't have on their iPads, you can beam the chart to them in two seconds. Another very cool feature is Bluetooth connectivity to a rechargeable Airturn foot pedal to advance the chart (scroll or page by page, like a teleprompter). Don't get the cheaper flat plastic Airturn pedal because there's no tactile feedback; get the one with the two 'clicky' buttons.
It also has instant transpose capability if a vocalist tries a tune and needs to bump the key center up or down. OnSong does it with a simple point-n-click.
There are many more collaboration functions, e.g., song count-in, sharable sticky notes, chats, etc., that are part of the program that I don't use, but they're there if you want 'em.
I know several people that play in church bands, and the church supplies them an iPad loaded and kept current (via Dropbox) by the musical director.
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Juice N
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I’m just a dude, playing a dude, pretending to be some other dude
Posts: 27
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Post by Juice N on Jan 13, 2020 9:46:35 GMT -5
Another vote for OnSong. I’ve been using it for several years now and haven’t experienced one issue with it. For importing, I just find a chord chart, lyrics, tab etc and export it straight to OnSong from Safari. Don’t know if windows based systems can do the same thing or not, but it’s extremely handy.
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Post by Goodyear57 on Jan 13, 2020 10:07:24 GMT -5
I also use OnSong and echo what others have said. It works well for me. Cuts down on carrying around a bunch of paper.
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Post by themaestro on Jan 13, 2020 12:09:01 GMT -5
I don't have an ipad, but have a couple of Android tablets. I use Mobilsheets Pro. It also links with Dropbox and other online storage if you need that. I have all my big band sheet music scanned into it. It will import any JPG/PDF file. It really helps to keep from trying to keep a 4-page music spread on a music stand, outdoors in the wind. I also don't have to thumb through a pile of sheet music searching for a specific song, and I don't have to put the sheet back in its specific order. It supports manual annotations and will play audio or midi files if you need that.
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Jan 13, 2020 12:28:51 GMT -5
It looks like I could just email the setlist to others, would that include PDF's of lyrics, etc? Sorry but I've never used anything like this. It sounds like not everyone in the band would have to purchase Onsong, correct? I don't even know much about Dropbox, but I think I've used it a couple of times, somewhere along the way.
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Juice N
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I’m just a dude, playing a dude, pretending to be some other dude
Posts: 27
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Post by Juice N on Jan 14, 2020 8:36:26 GMT -5
It looks like I could just email the setlist to others, would that include PDF's of lyrics, etc? Sorry but I've never used anything like this. It sounds like not everyone in the band would have to purchase Onsong, correct? I don't even know much about Dropbox, but I think I've used it a couple of times, somewhere along the way. For the longest time I was the only one in our group that had OnSong so it was more of a convenient way to arrange my own charts and set lists. Another person ended up getting it and I was able to beam things to her. Of course she hasn’t updated the app so that functionality will no longer work until she does.
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Jan 14, 2020 10:45:53 GMT -5
For the longest time I was the only one in our group that had OnSong so it was more of a convenient way to arrange my own charts and set lists. Another person ended up getting it and I was able to beam things to her. Of course she hasn’t updated the app so that functionality will no longer work until she does. Thanks for your response! I think it would be worth it, but I'll have to see what the other band members think.
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Post by hushnel on Jan 14, 2020 16:13:50 GMT -5
OnSong, but I also put every thing into a regular word processor too, Pages for iOS. the only thing I printout are set lists, all the music is emailed to the guys, they can print it out themselves.
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Post by Duke on Jan 14, 2020 17:15:16 GMT -5
Paper and markers. Old school.
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Post by Dr Bass MD on Jan 14, 2020 21:14:51 GMT -5
OnSong. It’s great.
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jellybones
Wholenote
Posts: 181
Formerly Known As: Gelee Bon (en francais)
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Post by jellybones on Jan 14, 2020 21:37:25 GMT -5
We have a shared Dropbox folder with subfolders which house lyrics, chord charts, original recordings for reference, our band rehearsals (warts and all), lists of songs under consideration, active songs, etc. We find it to be an easy solution, an easy way to access from phone, computer, iPad, whatever...
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Jan 14, 2020 22:21:41 GMT -5
I'm in a duo with a female singer and she is willing to purchase an iPad. Since I already have one, I suggested purchasing Onsong first, we can try it for awhile and make sure we like it, and then she can decide whether or not to purchase an iPad. But I suspect she will end up with one.
As for the members of the other bands, I kinda doubt that they'll go for it unless they already have an iPad. I'll talk to them about it at the next practice.
Thanks again everyone for all the input!!
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Post by warped on Jan 14, 2020 22:36:30 GMT -5
for Android- Setlist Helper, for Apple- Onsong
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Jan 17, 2020 21:58:02 GMT -5
So, what's the deal with not being able to use Onsong on a MacBook? Only IOS unless you "upgrade", it appears? Are all you guys using this software on iPhones and iPads? I'm a little disappointed after purchasing it and then finding out it will cost me more to be able to use my Mac for editing. The screen on the MacBook is small enough, as it is. But maybe I'm missing something?!
Update: I just tried to install Dropbox on my iPad 2, and it won't install either. I already purchased Onsong, so now I have to figure out how I'm going to use it.
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Post by rickyguitar on Jan 18, 2020 3:10:56 GMT -5
Paper and markers. Old school. Yeah dawg. In big, big letters.
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Jan 18, 2020 14:34:25 GMT -5
I managed to get a few songs into Onsong, using the iPad. I'm not sure yet how to get them to my bandmate, but I'm going to try it for awhile and see how easy it is to edit and then transfer files. I'm sure I'll figure it out, once the other part of the duo has Onsong.
Thanks again everyone for your input!
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 18, 2020 14:49:35 GMT -5
Create a free account in Dropbox.
Create a folder in your Dropbox and name it something specific to your group/band.
Edit the access permissions on the Dropbox folder so your mates can access it. If they will be adding stuff, they'll need full rights beyond 'read only'.
In OnSong, enter the name of your Dropbox folder and then select which folder(s) in Onsong you want to automatically sync with Dropbox. Your mates will need to do the same from their own machines with Onsong.
You can set defaults in Onsong to automatically sync to the Dropbox folder, or you can set it to sync only when you want it to.
That's pretty much it.
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Jan 18, 2020 15:59:39 GMT -5
Thanks, Peegoo. I'll try to do that. So I don't have to have Dropbox installed on the iPad?!
I was so disappointed after Dropbox wouldn't install, I just about gave up on Onsong. Ultimate Guitar kept crashing on the iPad also, but it runs fine on the MacBook....which won't run Onsong. Frustrating!
Update: I got the automatic backup sending files to Dropbox, thanks so much for the help Peegoo! You da man!!
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 21, 2020 10:33:08 GMT -5
Outstanding!
The initial learning curve is a real hassle, but once you get in there and start pushing the buttons, it becomes easier.
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Post by mountie on Jan 21, 2020 15:26:03 GMT -5
I'm technologically challenged. I'd like to store songs, then be able to pull them up and have a visual for the lyrics right in front of me. Say 650 song capacity. Ipad of what size, and what app?
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Jan 23, 2020 11:49:23 GMT -5
To all who recommended Onsong, I can't thank you enough. I've got a gig coming up Saturday, and this band is pretty unorganized. They made up notebooks with chord charts, for only 10 of the songs we'll be doing. A bunch more songs were added during the last 2 weeks, and many of them I've only heard once or twice.
After purchasing Onsong and playing around with it enough to get the basics down, I'm now loading chord charts into it, and easily transposing to different keys where necessary. This will help me to be a little bit closer to being "ready" on Saturday. Most are easy country songs, but still....I'm not familiar with them.
Thanks again guys!
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jdawg
Wholenote
Posts: 151
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Post by jdawg on Jan 23, 2020 13:22:47 GMT -5
You're already there but I have used GuitarTapp for many years and it works great. It also works with dropbox and you can download songs from ultimate guitar. Transpose the songs and build setlists and it has a scrolling function and you can set the speed of the scroll. It's easy to edit songs as well and works with android or IPad. It costs about a fourth of what OnSong costs. I'm not saying it's better but it has worked well for me for many years.
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Post by mojito on Jan 24, 2020 8:38:39 GMT -5
I was in a similar dilemma about 5 year sago and found the OnSong app. I haven't looked back. Even turned on a few others to its greatness.
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