Foottime Page Turner for iPad & iPad 2

Last time I talked about the GigEasy Mounting System which allows you to mount your iPad to a microphone stand. We are one step closer to having a complete music reader solution, in terms of hardware, for the iPad but there's still one thing we're missing. That is some kind of footswitch that allows you to turn the page so you don't have to use your hands. Well, there IS such a thing which leads me to the Foottime Page Turner.

Foottime Page Turner for iPad & iPad 2
As you can see this is a very simple device that allows you to turn pages forward or backward on your iPad. In order to connect it you will need to purchase Apple's Camera Kit for iPad ($29) which converts their 30pin plug to USB. Once connected the two buttons light up so you know it's on and ready to go! It works with ForScore and MusicReader Apps to name a few but there are others you can find as well in the App Store.

Another feature of this pedal, which at first doesn't seem like one, is that it is wired. This is good because there is no lag time when switching to the next page of your music. There are several other page turning pedals on the market that use bluetooth to wirelessly connect to the iPad. This is cool and works well but there were a few factors that in the end made me go with this unit.

Price - The Foottime Page Turner is only $49 compared to a bluetooth footswitch which puts you in the neighborhood of $149.

Batteries - none required! This is a huge plus in a live situation because I don't have to worry about it dying on me in the middle of a song or remind myself to constantly charge the unit.

Build - It uses a metal base with rubber feet, tough plastic housing, and backlight buttons so I know that it's powered up and I can see it in the dark.

Plug & Play - Just plug it in and it works!

If you want to read more about the Foottime Page Turner go to http://www.bilila.com/page_turner__ipad

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The GigEasy Mounting System for iPad & iPad 2

Now that the iPad has been around for over a year companies are finally starting to come up with some great accessories that make it easier to use as a music reader. One of the most requested items by far is a product that allows you to mount your iPad to a stand. As soon as I purchased my iPad 2 I went into research mode to see what was out there and found a great product you should be aware of.

The GigEasy Mounting System for iPad

If you're like me you chose to use your iPad as a music reader to save space on stage as well as store all your songs in one place. After looking at all my options this was the iPad mount I decided to go with because of it's high quality build and the mounting system worked well with my existing setup.

As you can see in the picture to the right, it's very sleek and can mount onto any microphone stand. It uses spring loaded arms to grab each corner of your iPad which holds it firmly in place and makes it easy to take in and out of the mount. If you want to use the iPad in landscape mode all you have to do is turn it! It has notches that lock in into either view so it's really easy to change on the fly.

If you are looking to mount it to a mic stand that you are also using to sing into then all you have to do is purchase the extension arm. The arm attaches around the mic stand itself and has a threaded mount on the other end for the GigEasy to attach. This gives the GigEasy a lot of flexibility for different scenarios you might encounter. If you look at the pictures on My Keyboard Rig page you'll see that I actually mounted it directly to my keyboard stand. Since I have a mic boom attachment that mounts to my keyboard stand I am able to attach the extension arm to the boom and have my iPad appear as if it's floating in the air above my keyboards!

This GigEasy mount is $89.99 or $99.99 with the extension arm. It's not the cheapest mount on the market but due to it's quality build and versatility it's worth every penny.

To learn more go their website at http://www.thegigeasy.com

Related Posts

Foottime Page Turner for iPad

Turn Your iPad Into A Sheet Music Viewer With ForScore

Using Dropbox To Import Files Into ForScore

Convert Powerpoint Files To ForScore

ForScore App: Turn Your iPad Into A Sheet Music Viewer

I was fed up with using paper for chord charts! It was expensive to constantly print out new lead sheets each week and it was difficult to shuffle the papers around during a live performance. I decided to buy an iPad 2 to use as a music reader so I could get rid of paper once and for all! That part was easy but the hard part was choosing a music reader app! After doing tons of research looking for articles and reviews I struggled to find much useful information. In the end I finally came across an app called ForScore 2.

ForScore 2 is only $4.99 and works with both the iPad and the iPad 2. It's design and layout is elegant and easy to use. The app allows you to create set lists, search for songs easily by title, artist, etc., and supports a footswitch so that you can flip pages without using your hands. Support for Dropbox is built in which makes it much easier to transfer files between your computer and your iPad. It also has Bluetooth sync'ing so if you have friends or your entire band using iPads you can easily send your music directly to them. The last thing really worth mentioning is that the developers are constantly trying to improve their product and are very responsive to feedback and bug fixes. This is very important and I was impressed that they fixed issues I reported in two days!

Later I will post some tutorials on using ForScore 2 but for now go check out the app at http://forscoreapp.com. Download the manual and look it over as it will give you a good feel for the app before you commit to buying it. Enjoy!

Related Posts:
Using Dropbox to Import Files to ForeScore 2
Converting PowerPoint Files for ForeScore 2
Foottime Page Turner for iPad & iPad 2
How to Mount Your iPad to a Mic Stand