New 2024 iPad Air and iPad Pro 13 inch Models for Musicians: Should You Buy?

Today I'm sharing what I bring along with me when I'm gigging with my tablet. Be sure to read the blog post for other thoughts and links to everything I mentioned today!

❋ READ THE BLOG POST HERE ❋

❋ PRODUCTS MENTIONED (affiliate links) ❋

❋ FIND ME HERE ❋
Instagram: @lifefromtheviolasection
Facebook: @lifefromtheviolasection
Pinterest: @lifefromtheviolasection

❋ MY EQUIPMENT ❋
Camera: Panasonic GH5
Microphone: Rode VideoMicro
iPad: iPad Pro 2020 12.9 inch
Sheet Music App: Forscore
Pedal: Donner Wireless Page Turner Pedal

❋ MUSIC ❋
Cradle Song by Reinhold Gliere, performed by ​⁠ @8vbDuo

❋ CHAPTERS ❋
0:00 Introduction
2:41 iPad Air 13 inch
8:00 iPad Pro 13 inch
14:15 Apple Pencil Pro

[abbyleatherman]

I highly recommend the iPad air 13 for sheet music. I got it in December, and it has worked phenomenally. The battery can handle 10+ hours of forscore use (more than enough for multiple rehearsals). I did invest in the apple pencil pro, the donner bluetooth pedal, and a matte screen protector. I definitely don't regret getting the pro pencil, but I do feel like I don't use it to its fullest potential whilst marking up scores. If you're looking to buy a new iPad with sheet music as the primary use case and don't plan to do anything very intensive, definitely save a couple hundred bucks and go for the air instead of the pro.

[hlimahm]

FINALLY they made a big screen version of the iPad Air. I don’t need all of the fancy pro features, just the bigger screen.

[fuzzylightning]

Thank you for this video! I had an iPad Pro (2017/18) model and finally just bought the 2024 M4. I was initially looking into the air to use mainly for Forscore, but the lag when changing pages on the air made me confident in saving my money for the pro.

[EmisFearGuitar]

nice review! am still rocking an old ipad standard from 2018 with apple pencil 1st gen...i was thinking upgrading for good to an ipad pro, but the smaller size. now you made me think about how much real estate i could use on the bigger size for charts...hmmmm :P

[kathleenbartolomeo]

Plan to get an Air for sheet music and not having to carry music books around (ukulele). The 13" will help be able to see the muci too and lighter carry in my back pack. Thanks for the info.

[MrDcrules]

how much memory does one really need for storing sheet music on the iPad? I also have found that I've actually accidentally dropped or lost pencils in my baby grand piano. I would probably put a big erasure on the pencil for this to prevent that from happening. thank you again. Great reviews!

[matthewbolduc]

Much impressed. Thank you. I like presenters that are actually seriously knowledgeable of and very experienced with the subject matter of the video presentation.

I like to see the primary emphasis on learning and I realize that the salesperson aspect should not be discounted. Bur in the end the presentation should be mainly about learning.

Your presentation contains these simple but essential elements. Note that in the real world most great things can be found to be of plain and simple design.

Upgrading my 5th generation ipad 10.5" purchased about 10 years ago, or so, I just purchased yesterday a new ipad.

I purchased the ipad air 11" m2.

I currently use my old ipad with piano midi apps and a Yamaha keyboard controller into a Yamaha mixer and JBL 5" nearfield powered monitors and the 10" JBL subwoofer.

This sound system is great. Also great for guitar, plugging in a guitar and Boss Gt1 precessor pedal to the mixer (minus ipad). ... But now I can use Garageband, etc., with the ipad and the connected sound system, theoretically or I will find out. This has a built in usb interface like a keyboard.

In regard to this video I myself am not a professional but rather an amateur hobbyist. Only recently have I developed expertise with midi piano and midi learning apps. I have lots of experience with guitar amplifiers. I find the sound of my high quality JBL sound system and high quality cables, and xlr cables, to be silent clear and beautiful within the home studio environment.

I started using the ipad with the piano learning and instrument plug in apps about 1 week ago.

Weeks of research and trial and error resulted in the successful connection of both my Yamaha keyboard and ipad via usb midi cable to midi learning apps. I was hung up by a Yamaha usb midi driver problem when attempting to connect the keyboard to 'smarrt piano' learning app. But Numa Player worked right away.

One point stands out clearly: a performing muscian using ipad based equipment needs to definitely use very dependable equipment. Can't have computer devices crashing, etc. This is a priority and responsibility, of course. In addition the use of only high quality cables and adapters is very very important in keeping the noise level down. The use of trs cables and xlr cables will result in a much improved sound and less noise.

I much appreciated your ipad video and recommend only using high quality peripherals with any ipad.

[elanasegal]

I've been gigging on an Ipad with a small screen for so long waiting for a larger screen that was not a pro!

[anacaseiro]

Hi there! I just stumbled upon your videos and they are awesome! Thank you for the content. I actually was looking for a review by a musician of a tablet I just found: the UGEE UT3 which has a 14 inch screen and mate high definition screen (great against stage lights, I am guessing). I have been using an iPad Pro 12inch for more than 5 years now but I am sooo curious about this device for a couple of reasons: the huge screen, the extreme battery life (130h!!) and the price - at least in Europe it's around 400€-500€. I think that if a musician gets their hands on this and it delivers, I might consider buying it! I don't mean to advertise this product by any means but I am just genuinely curious about it...
Take care and keep up the good work :)

[stevepeleshok]

I enjoy your videos. Thanks. I bought an iPad Pro because of the large screen size back in 2016 specifically for music to use with MuseScore. I also scanned in sheet music in pdf to play & used a simple pdf reader. Then I found ForScore which was & still is a revelation. I heard I could use AirPods for ForScore page turning when I started with pipe organ & promptly bought a pair for that purpose. So, although my Pro has a large screen, it’s never been large enough. I always wanted at least a 16” or 17” touchscreen but ForScore is IOS only & I also want no hands or feet page turning. I’ve not been totally happy with the AirPods head movement page turning & thought the newer IPads with front facing cameras with eye gestures would be more accurate. I haven’t seen all your videos as yet but do you have any regarding page turning effectiveness with AirPods vs newer Pros with a front facing camera? Anyways, my ideal music touchscreen device would have a screen size of 20” with page hand/foot free page turning using Forscore or another app equally good. Any suggestions?

[robertallen]

For some it may come down to either an iPad Air 13" or a used iPad Pro. Most important consideration if buying used is to get Apple silicon processor - one of the "M" chip models. Any of the Intel based older products are on Apple's end of life list as far as future support goes.

[MrDcrules]

Excellent review. thank you! How does one import their sheet music into their Ipad? Does Forscore do that? or can you import the music through the another way? really appreciate it!

[sharonb.]

Great video. Interesting take on the iPad models coming from professionals other than typical tech YouTubers focused on photography and videography! I have a question about a feature Apple just released that baffled tech YouTubers and that’s the new eye tracking feature for iPad. Is that a feature that could enhance or detract from reading sheet music?

[Harry]

I'm SO glad they finally came out with a larger air! Now where's the 15 inch iPad Pro...

[juliahna]

Thank you for the video!! is it necessary to have larger memory for reading the sheet music if I am going to keep them?

[Gustavo-xfq]

Here I am watching the on the IPad mini 7th gen that just came out. I was just sight reading some Chopin on it and it’s definitely too small. Will exchange for the 11” Air M2 or do you think I should get the 13”? Would be for piano and vocal sheet music . I love the small form factor of the mini but thinking the 11” would be a decent middle point. Not sure if 13” is necessary but then again I have astigmatism

[yabibiin]

I bought 11 inch but regret will upgrade to 13 inch tomorrow for music sheet

[karenearhart]

Thank you for this video. You have confirmed for me that the iPad Air will work for me. I’m also looking for an app to download and read my sheet music without Wi-Fi. I don’t want to purchase anymore paper music. Do you have a recommendation?

[jack]

do you think the 13 in. or the 11 in. would be better for singers? im a freshman music performance And education student and i cant decide which size would be better for me considering i would use it in a choral setting but also in a solo setting, as well as a conducting/education setting

[ymrdludrumzr]

I just bought an ipad air 11 inch and now I'm worried that is going to be too small😔 I'm a pianist too so i need to read to lines at the same time