Best Android app for sheet music set reading

[Ventura]

and now you also need to buy a nice pop-up tent to
keep the sunlight off the screen so you can see it outside

 

[JerryPH]

Oh dear. It looks like even if there is free software available there's a considerable cost involved to make the most of it! How much would you expect to have to pay for a wirelesss foot pedal Jerry?

Oh, they come in all levels... from $40 and up, so it's not like a huge expense, unless you want to. I paid $65 pre-covid for mine.

BTW I'm looking forward to joining your tutorials!

I'll start on them one day soon, that's a very daunting project, it just keeps growing and growing... lol

 

[Tom]

and now you also need to buy a nice pop-up tent to
keep the sunlight off the screen so you can see it outside

Yeah, I haven’t bridged this one yet….

 

[wirralaccordion]

Oh, they come in all levels... from $40 and up, so it's not like a huge expense, unless you want to. I paid $65 pre-covid for mine.


I'll start on them one day soon, that's a very daunting project, it just keeps growing and growing... lol

Does the foot pedal have to be wireless? Or is that just to look more professional?

 

[Pipemajor]

Does the foot pedal have to be wireless? Or is that just to look more professional?

I think it has to be wireless as it works via bluetooth

 

[wirralaccordion]

I think it has to be wireless as it works via bluetooth

Surely you could connect the foot switch to the tablet with a cable?

 

[Pipemajor]

Surely you could connect the foot switch to the tablet with a cable?

Perhaps some of the more knowledgeable can answer that

 

[Tom]

A Google search reveals that wired (usb) foot switches exist. Whether one will work with (your particular) android (or iOS or pc or Linux) tablet and software is unknown. Seems like Bluetooth is the way to go though.

 

[Accordionna]

I'm a Mobile Sheets Pro user, a bit late to respond with my KISS practice​

• I've used Mobile Sheets Pro on a Kindle Fire 10 for two+ years. I've loaded well over 200 songs and a few anthologies in the app.
  • use the tablet primarily for music, with internet searches, email, Amazon music or videos. I don't download games, books, or videos. (I have another tablet for those.)
  • Most songs are also downloaded directly to and stored in Kindle downloads and attachments. (It seems Kindle will organize alphabetically or by "most recent." I have more to learn but that's where they land.)
• I downloaded and experimented with a few midi backing tracks (which I rarely use). They played, I played along.
• I have a slim, foot-operated Bluetooth page turner. Tapping with my toe works but can bounce an extra page forward or back.
  • Reaching up to tap to turn pages is often quicker.
• .pdfs can be downloaded, opened from email attachments, or via direct link (cable or bluetooth) with my PC.
• The 10" screen is usually large enough to read. I can expand it with two fingers when necessary.
• I organize songs into "Collection" and Setlist options as I import them into the app. I can add one song to multiple collections and sets as I go.
• Editing set lists and collections from the song list: tap to add or remove.
• It took awhile become comfortable with the editing features but I can type comments, erase and rename chords, and highlight sections (where's that sign?)
  • I use the placeholder option to list pieces, play from memory or to remind me to import files. I type in titles; add cues, key changes, chord progressions, lyrics, etc.
  • The option to add notation in arrangements/.pdfs using a finger or stylus is awkward, generally inaccurate but possible.
• Finding a single page in an anthology is easy. *Go to.(page#)*
  • I've yet to figure out how to cut a single page -or sequence of pages- from anthologies to save separately, without losing the rest of the book.
• I don't back up the app on the Kindle. I backup to my PC
  • Which reminds me to do that. . .

 

[Tom]

I'm a Mobile Sheets Pro user, a bit late to respond with my KISS practice​

• I've used Mobile Sheets Pro on a Kindle Fire 10 for two+ years. I've loaded well over 200 songs and a few anthologies in the app.
  • use the tablet primarily for music, with internet searches, email, Amazon music or videos. I don't download games, books, or videos. (I have another tablet for those.)
  • Most songs are also downloaded directly to and stored in Kindle downloads and attachments. (It seems Kindle will organize alphabetically or by "most recent." I have more to learn but that's where they land.)
• I downloaded and experimented with a few midi backing tracks (which I rarely use). They played, I played along.
• I have a slim, foot-operated Bluetooth page turner. Tapping with my toe works but can bounce an extra page forward or back.
  • Reaching up to tap to turn pages is often quicker.
• .pdfs can be downloaded, opened from email attachments, or via direct link (cable or bluetooth) with my PC.
• The 10" screen is usually large enough to read. I can expand it with two fingers when necessary.
• I organize songs into "Collection" and Setlist options as I import them into the app. I can add one song to multiple collections and sets as I go.
• Editing set lists and collections from the song list: tap to add or remove.
• It took awhile become comfortable with the editing features but I can type comments, erase and rename chords, and highlight sections (where's that sign?)
  • I use the placeholder option to list pieces, play from memory or to remind me to import files. I type in titles; add cues, key changes, chord progressions, lyrics, etc.
  • The option to add notation in arrangements/.pdfs using a finger or stylus is awkward, generally inaccurate but possible.
• Finding a single page in an anthology is easy. *Go to.(page#)*
  • I've yet to figure out how to cut a single page -or sequence of pages- from anthologies to save separately, without losing the rest of the book.
• I don't back up the app on the Kindle. I backup to my PC
  • Which reminds me to do that. . .

Thanks for this review, Accordionna, very helpful. As far as cutting out a single page. Do you mean from a pdf file? Easiest way may be to print the pages you want, selecting a pdf writer as your printer. Good luck!

 

[Accordionna]

Thanks for this review, Accordionna, very helpful. As far as cutting out a single page. Do you mean from a pdf file? Easiest way may be to print the pages you want, selecting a pdf writer as your printer. Good luck!

Thanks, Tom for appreciating the comment! What you suggest is EXACTLY what I do most of the time, since I likely have the file on my computer. I can transfer those to Mobile Sheets via Bluetooth. I'm just as likely to email it to myself as an attachment. Then I have it saved/backed up in the Kindle and imported to the Mobile Sheets app.

I'm sure there's YouTube or FAQ instruction somewhere to edit a single page or several pages while in the Mobile Sheets app. I haven't found it, yet. Doing what I've always done will always KISS.

 

[Tom]

Thanks, Tom for appreciating the comment! What you suggest is EXACTLY what I do most of the time, since I likely have the file on my computer. I can transfer those to Mobile Sheets via Bluetooth. I'm just as likely to email it to myself as an attachment. Then I have it saved/backed up in the Kindle and imported to the Mobile Sheets app.

I'm sure there's YouTube or FAQ instruction somewhere to edit a single page or several pages while in the Mobile Sheets app. I haven't found it, yet. Doing what I've always done will always KISS.

Ah, Ok, I see, from within Mobile Sheets. Hmmmm…..

 

[Accordionna]

Ah, Ok, I see, from within Mobile Sheets. Hmmmm…..

If someone that uses the app has a clue...
The mystery could become mastery.

 

[JEBrown]

I've used Mobile Sheets on a Lenovo tablet for over a year and love it. I tried a few free apps before selecting Mobile Sheets. There are lots of features in the app, including changing the turning behaviour (flip page forward / backward vs scrolling) and the mark up tools are excellent (I use it for all my accordion music but also orchestra, vocal and piano scores and tend to write a lot).

I love the editing tools as well, so I can easily rearrange pages in a PDF, or cut a line of music from one page and add it to another to aid page turns.

It integrates well with Google Drive so if you're in a band you can have a single drive with all your music on it, to make it easier to share the right version.

I normally use a pedal to turn pages but there is also the possibility to do this via facial gestures, which I have had to do when I forgot my pedal once... very funny!

All in all I can highly recommend Mobile Sheets (no, I am not affiliated with whoever produces or distributes it in any way!)

 

[Tom]

I've used Mobile Sheets on a Lenovo tablet for over a year and love it. I tried a few free apps before selecting Mobile Sheets. There are lots of features in the app, including changing the turning behaviour (flip page forward / backward vs scrolling) and the mark up tools are excellent (I use it for all my accordion music but also orchestra, vocal and piano scores and tend to write a lot).

I love the editing tools as well, so I can easily rearrange pages in a PDF, or cut a line of music from one page and add it to another to aid page turns.

It integrates well with Google Drive so if you're in a band you can have a single drive with all your music on it, to make it easier to share the right version.

I normally use a pedal to turn pages but there is also the possibility to do this via facial gestures, which I have had to do when I forgot my pedal once... very funny!

All in all I can highly recommend Mobile Sheets (no, I am not affiliated with whoever produces or distributes it in any way!)

Thanks for this recommendation JE! Mobile Sheets looks like the way to go.

 

[Accordionna]

I've used Mobile Sheets on a Lenovo tablet for over a year and love it. I tried a few free apps before selecting Mobile Sheets. There are lots of features in the app, including changing the turning behaviour (flip page forward / backward vs scrolling) and the mark up tools are excellent (I use it for all my accordion music but also orchestra, vocal and piano scores and tend to write a lot).

I love the editing tools as well, so I can easily rearrange pages in a PDF, or cut a line of music from one page and add it to another to aid page turns.

It integrates well with Google Drive so if you're in a band you can have a single drive with all your music on it, to make it easier to share the right version.

I normally use a pedal to turn pages but there is also the possibility to do this via facial gestures, which I have had to do when I forgot my pedal once... very funny!

All in all I can highly recommend Mobile Sheets (no, I am not affiliated with whoever produces or distributes it in any way!)

You've discovered something that's confounded me: clipping and rearranging pages. Would you be willing to point to those instructions in the manual, FAQs, or YouTube?

If that's not possible, I have renewed hope that I'll learn.

 

[JEBrown]

You've discovered something that's confounded me: clipping and rearranging pages. Would you be willing to point to those instructions in the manual, FAQs, or YouTube?

If that's not possible, I have renewed hope that I'll learn.

When you've opened a file in Music Sheets, there's an icon on the bottom menu which looks like a picture frame with mountains. If you click that you a menu with an option to rearrange pages.

And within a file, if you click the paintbrush icon to edit a file, then in that edit menu along the top of the screen you will have an icon like a pair of scissors cutting a dotted square. This allows you to select and cut out a section of music (e.g. one line) and then paste it somewhere else (e.g. on the next page).

I hope that's what you mean. I can be more detailed if necessary, or post pictures (if I can work out how to do that in this forum)

 

[Accordionna]

When you've opened a file in Music Sheets, there's an icon on the bottom menu which looks like a picture frame with mountains. If you click that you a menu with an option to rearrange pages.

And within a file, if you click the paintbrush icon to edit a file, then in that edit menu along the top of the screen you will have an icon like a pair of scissors cutting a dotted square. This allows you to select and cut out a section of music (e.g. one line) and then paste it somewhere else (e.g. on the next page).

I hope that's what you mean. I can be more detailed if necessary, or post pictures (if I can work out how to do that in this forum)

Thanks, John!
This points me to an option that confounded me a while back.
I'd rearranged pages, ie, moved a title page to the rear. No problem.
When I tried to save three pages from.a collection, the pages remained but the collection disappeared completely from the app. I likely missed a step in the snipping.