From Sheet Music to Screens: Playing and Practicing with Music Tech

Would like to hear about both free apps and paid apps that make our life as a music learner and performer easier?  Any comparisons or recommendations especially for specific instruments would be great.  Please record the session if possible so that I can watch it later in my timezone - thanks.

When it comes to devices and software, will you also look at possibilities outside the Apple ecosystem?

Watching the replay - thanks for recording!

I used to use a 10" android tablet (Samsung) and Mobile Sheets, but when I recently joined my local classical guitar orchestra, I was strongly advised to get a page-sized iPad Pro and get forScore so we could all be on the same page (pun intended). I wound up getting a refurbished tablet and so far so good. I'm a PC-android person and it took me a few weeks to get used to the iPad, but I am finally starting to appreciate it. I tried using something free a while ago, but I agree with Dominic that the paid apps are definitely worth it. 

I will say, as an addendum to the above, that I had to get a special Apple-compatible stylus, and a different (and more expensive) Bluetooth page turner. So my advice would be to keep that in mind if starting from scratch or making the switch.

Dominic gave a great summary of using the ForScore app.  On the question of handling books with collections (such as an RCM book), once the book is scanned it isn't quite ready to be incorporated into either practice or excerpted for performance.  Here's what I do after scanning the book and using "various" for the composer.  I organize everything I'm focused on into Setlists.

1. Tag the new book with something from your classification system, for example RCM L-4.

2. Create bookmarks for the pieces or movements of interested.  I'll add new bookmarks over time when I need to incorporate the material into what I'm working on.  Bookmarks can span multiple pages if needed.

3. Create a topical setlist (the hamburger menu in upper left).  For example: "Winter 2025 Practice" for everything I'm doing including technical/scales for this time frame.

4. Add to the setlist using the "+" within the setlist.

5. The right side of the screen will split into a sort of library view.  I find things by tags and use that view of my PDFs.  Looks basically like a computer directory folder structure.

6. Select any works to add to the setlist.  Once added, the name on the right side will have a little dot.

7. Once finished, I usually notice by then that I have a lot of works with "various" as the composer, so I'll fix those.  They can be updated either in the Bookmarks menu like Dominic mentioned or in the Setlist menu.

The same approach would work with the large Beethoven book in the stream or the D.C. pieces to always "move forward" as Dominic uses (instead of duplicating pages, etc.).