Musebook: http://www.musebook.com
showcased at Namm last week their 'software only' alternative(?) to Freehand System's MusicPad Pro (of which includes both the software & PC Tablet). It's called: MuseBook Score. The above pic (taken at NAMM 2005) shows 'Musebook Score' displayed on a pair of Fujitsu Tablet PCs.

Musebook Score's capabilities & features differ from the MusicPad Pro in that it (as far as I can tell) only supports "MuseBook's" proprietary format music scores, but which actually follows your playing (via mic input sensor) and turns the pages automatically when you reach the end of the page. Though I'm not positive, I don't believe MuseBook software supports scanned music input or import of digital music from other sources like the MusicPad Pro does.

Price: MusBook Score Software: $900
MusBook MidiScore Software: $600

Cost of PC Tablet: from $1,200 to $2,000.

As a kitchy cool (yet outrageously costly) learning tool, the MusBook software + PC Tablet might perhaps be valuable, but I still belileve the MusicPad Pro still the best thing out there for the pro musicians needing an 'all in one' digital device to store, organize, edit, and display your music library (from full blown out arrangements and leadsheets, to simple chord charts & lyrics) for both in the rehearsal studio & on stage.

Speaking of the MusicPad Pro, here are the latest features coming out in OS version 4.0: http://www.freehandsystems.com/news/software4.html

I myself continue to find the MusicPad Pro:
http://freehandsystems.com/products.html

very useful not only to take on gigs, but in rehearsal as well. Very convenient for making quick changes to the music (from note, to chord, to lyric changes).

Scott

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http://scottyee.com

Interesting. The Musebook is an ambitious attempt to solve an age-old problem. The MusicXML format is promising and many music software programs are supporting it, but it's only a year old so it'll remain to be seen if it gains popular usage. I'll bet we see more software come out that uses it in the same fashion as the Musebook program eventually, for less.

I like the features of the MPP's v4.0 software, like the landscape two-page display. Hey, it's got an MP3 player... I could use it to play break music maybe. I take it they've incorporated a Linux GM softsynth or some sort since they say it'll play MIDI files... too bad it doesn't have the capacity for a MIDI interface (yet). But it does look like a mature product.

I can't find the Music Pad Pro on Amazon.com anymore. I'll be shopping around for the best deal.

Jim, it's Still available at Amazon here:
MusicPad Pro Plus $1,099

Scott

Funny - my search didn't find it. Thanks for the link!

That is an interesting product. I see that it has a pentium sticker on it. Is it a full blown computer? That would be way cool, like a laptop, but smaller, and cooler!
http://www.musebook.com/?page=mbscore_buynow is that the same thing? Because thats fairly cheap (900 and 600)

Phil


[This message has been edited by Pennywizz6 (edited 01-24-2005).]

No, the computer is not included with Musebook. The $900 version is the software for acoustic pianos (using a tablet PC's mic input) and the $600 is the software for those using a MIDI keyboard and a laptop with MIDI In. Rather expensive by the time you add the PC.

The Music Pad Pro is an all-in-one product and includes both hardware and software. Since the MPP is a Linux-based unit, I wonder if you can boot the MPP to Linux rather than the MPP software? And could run you own Linux apps? Hmmmmm...

I found no information on the web about the kind of hardware that the MPP is using, but 32 MB internal memory is quite limited, to store even a tiny "usable" Linux distribution and Linux apps. It would depend, of course, on the type of apps you're thinking of. But with USB ports available, would it be possible to run a small Linux distribution in an external USB device such as a pen drive?...

-- José.

Usb to an external harddrive... But im sure it doesnt have a very good vid card or much ram, if it did... that wold be way cool! Does it have a touchscreen or a mouse and keyboard input?

Phil