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I can recommend Frans Bengtsson's classic, 'The Long Ships'. I couldn't put it down. Stayed up all night to finish it (All four volumes!).
Sorry, I couldn't resist. Actually, I have no recommendations, but I am also interested in acquiring one of these devices. Hopefully, the next responder here is not another smart@$$!
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David took me all of a couple of seconds until the penny dropped...
...thanks, I think...
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The reference is a little opaque. If you don't get it, refer to the 'etymology' section here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth
(You know your joke has failed when you have to explain it ...)
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David David, for what it's worth, I got it before reading your other comment, hahah
just because I'm a big fan of Northern European history. Roni Glaser , I personally use the AirTurn Duo BT-200, it's... okay, haha. Battery lasts long enough and it's silent enough. Sometimes it can take a while to connect, I've personally found a "standard order" of doing things to make it work (turn pedal on, select the pedal mode although it should remember from last time, turn off Bluetooth on my iPad, turn on Bluetooth on my iPad, wait 2-3 seconds, then it will work.)
More importantly, plan a bit of time for the learning curve - it sounds like such an easy thing to do (press a pedal to change the page), but from my own experience, it takes a couple of performances to get used to it.
I like to start a piece with my right foot "stuck" to it on the side, so that I know where it is and I don't need to stomp around looking for it. It's a much smoother experience to play with it than with regular paper (especially chamber music!), but it takes a few weeks to a few months to get used to it.
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Mircea said:
I got it before reading your other comment, hahah just because I'm a big fan of Northern European history.
I got it because I saw it on "Sendung mit der Maus" once
David as puns and bad plays on words go, it wasn't too bad
That's really good info about the foot-operated-and-not-10th-century-Scandinavian-king-or-book-related page turner - there was me thinking it would be the answer to all my problems...
I'll definitely keep all that advice in mind. Thanks Mircea!
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Is AirTurn Duo the best one for classical guitarists then? I like the idea of the more compact version for gigs but if it's not as good I'd like to know.
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Dean I'm not sure if I would call it the "best", but it is among the best ones I've tried. It has its disadvantages, but it works!
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UPDATE:
I got the "Moukey Wireless Page Turner Pedal" in the end - cheapest one that looked like it did what I wanted.
It even works, only problem is that when you press the pedals it goes "CLICK!!!!!!", although probably quieter than pages flapping about.
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/gp/product/B07HQ96MYV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Roni Glaser damn! Yeah the clicking sounds suboptimal, but if it works for what you are going to use it for the time being (practicing at home), that's great!
Even the Airturn is a bit loud for my preference, and it's just the top plastic bit hitting the bottom plastic bit (not a real click at all, just the tiniest of sounds). For a recording, I might place a piece of cloth below, but for concerts, it should certainly do.
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The clicking sound would be okay for noisy gigs, but I'm not sure I'd want that for a quiet classical gig or a recording. I saw one of the LAGQ players using a pedal that looked like the AirTurn Duo, but not sure.
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Dean Yeah I can confirm, having studied with Scott and Bill from the LAGQ, they use all kinds of similar products. If I'm not mistaken, both Bill and John used the AirTurn Duo at least at some point (I even saw one on their most recent recording). Scott hates it though and uses an equivalent device around the same price range.
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I have an older Airturn but it does not work well so I don't use it. You really have to stomp the foot to get it to turn pages and the settings are not customizable enough. It requires way to concentration to control the pedal whilst playing an instrument
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David Chidsey I'm finding mine works OK, but it does take concentration I still need to learn how to use it - obviously I know how to press the pedal with my foot, but like Mircea said I'm finding I need to place it carefully so I that I don't fumble for it when it comes to page turning, and especially so I don't press the pedal to go backwards a page.
I'm also finding I have a slight disorientating feeling when I try to find my place on the next page. It's obviously at the top of the page, but you have to find the place and check whether the page turn has worked - the beginning of a single page is often different enough from its end to continue playing, only to find that the you've been playing the same page.
I think one problem might be that I need to coordinate the eye movement from the bottom right corner to the top and the page turn timing - if I move my eyes as simultaneously with the page turn, the eyes don't register the page turn without a swooshing piece of paper moving in front of them. Maybe I need to practise watching the page turn, then moving my eyes, and probably together with each piece.
I also still haven't figured where the best place to place it is. I've decided on the right foot for now in case I might need to use a foot stool, but that leaves it further away from where I would place the device with the score.
Like Mircea said, there's a lot to think about!
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Roni Glaser totally agreed - so far, the best place for me to put it has been just left of my right foot, where my foot actually touches it at the beginning of my performance, and I can move my foot back to resting position without lifting the heel.
I've been training myself to not move the heel while I perform, and so far, it (mostly) works! I just slightly rotate my foot leftwards on my heel, and I know the right pedal will be there. I never use the left pedal in performance - if I have a repeat somewhere, I will just duplicate the earlier pages so I can move in a single direction throughout a piece.
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Mircea Thanks, sounds like good page-turning technique, and that I need to simply sit and do some focussed practice on just page turning for a while.(!)
I feel like I need bolt it to the floor to stop it moving when fumble for it. Or maybe I can use the all the sheet music I don't need to carry around anymore to weight it down...
So far I don't really go to the previous page unless I accidentally press the next page pedal twice
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
