just wanted to get opinions on the musicpad pro plus..positive or negative doesn't matter, i need to get as much info as possible before committing to a purchase, and from memory i think several synthzoners have them or have tried them...
thanks
dennis

I'm still considering going digital. I know Frank here sells them for a good price.

I'm also considering Virtmus for laptop. It's a free program. I've tried it. It's pretty decent. I would turn the laptop on it's side if I did it this way.
http://virtmus.sourceforge.net/

thanks scott, i will check it out
dennis

I wouldn't be without mine. I purchased almost 2 years ago at the higher price. As Scott mentioned Frankieve sells that at good price. I depend on lead sheets so for me it works well. After some discussions about using a laptop instead of the MPP,I see that's a very viable option. That could have done the job, but not as well as the MPP does for me. Nevertheless if you have a laptop you may want to experiment with it before buying the MPP.

Thanks for the nod guys,

Call me if you have any questions.

I've been using mine now for over a year, i'll tell you the good and bad points
888-374-6076

hi frankieve, thanks...i wonder if you could email me instead as the phone call cost would be akin to "E.T.call home!!!" i am in australia..i would be interested in buying one as i am tired of keeping a seperate card box (i use chord cards, about the size of a postcard) and the mpp seems like it might be the go...i really dont want to use the laptop as it is so big and you need it right in front of you as you are performing...my email should you wish to send me some info (appreciate it if you can!!!) is jodenmi@yahoo.com.au
thanks
dennis

I've been using the MPP for about 2 years. I use it exclusively for lyrics. I wish I didn’t need it at all but since I play a variety of venues, it’s good to be able to call up the lyrics I need with a touch of the screen. I especially like the ‘playlist’ feature. An example – tomorrow I have a stand up show that will include tunes from country to early rock. I made a ‘playlist to correspond with my keyboard registrations/jukebox. I’m able to make a set ‘playlist’ for the several tunes that I for which I need the lyrics. I just touch the screen to “turn the page” (can also be done with a foot pedal). Thursday, it’s night of Italian music – songs performed in Italian. I know that the first hour is kind of quite dinner music so I have a ‘playlist’ and jukebox list for that. After the vino kicks in, it’s more of a party atmosphere and I have corresponding lists – up to 100 tunes per list – all available with the touch of the screen. Upcoming is a gig which calls for mostly oldies dance music and after that a gig with light cocktail jazz and show tunes. Special holiday music I have on a memory stick for when I need it. Like anyone who has been playing for a while, I can pretty much anticipate requests and have the lyrics of those tunes I don’t have memorized planted in a couple of the other ‘playlists’. What’s in the MPP corresponds to about a half dozen binders. If you incorporate memory sticks/thumb drives, the possibilities are unlimited. The unit has a very low profile, and it can be read a line or two at a time and allow me to make eye contact with an audience much like a news reader with a prompter.
Ciao,
Jerry

I like the MusicPad Pro because it allows me to have my complete library of music fakebooks (roomful) at my fingertips any place and anywhere, with the ability to call up any specific song in a matter of a few seconds vs countless minutes it might take to find it looking thru my shelves of music books. The MusicPad offers far more than simply displaying music on a laptop screen alone can. On gigs, I primarily utilize my Tyros2 lyric/chord display feature, so generally keep the MusicPad ready in the background, to satisfy song requests of tunes I don't know. At home, I use it to annotate songs I'm currently working on, as you're able to enter annotation & special performance notes on separate layers similar to the way Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop work, allowing you to easily hide/delete these layers as desired. I also have my song collection custom categorized & stored by style, genre, artist, etc, a great way to pick specific song types to choose from to play on the fly.

My life has revolutionarily changed (for the better) with the MusicPad Pro. My entire music library in one device. No more sheet music to become dogged eared, lost, or to fly away. I still consider the MusicPad Pro the best music related investment I've ever made.


Scott

cool,thanks guys!!! jerry you mention jukebox, does this mean you can play midi, or WAV/MP3 files from the mpp?
dennis

I was speaking of the custom list/jukebox on my keyboard and arranger module, but Yes, you can play mp3's from the Music Pad. I have never used it and I think you have to add what they call Premium Tools.
Ciao,
Jerry

Dennis
I have had mine for two years and also paid the higher price. I take it everywhere and wouldn't be without it.

Bernie

how does the lyric screen work in the tyros 2 for lyrics, i wouldnt need actual sheet music, has anyone used it?

------------------
Thanks,
Mikey

I would not be without my Music Pad Pro. It has been worth every penny, and I have had it now for going on 2 years.

I do a variety of different things during the week, so the fact that it allows me to create different playlists for each event is terrific. Naturally there is overlap between the things and I am doing, so to sort the hard copy music in advance of each event would be time consuming at best.

I like the fact that I can annotate the pages and change them easily as other ideas come to me.

Now if only my Tyros 2 had playlists easily created from a songbook.................

Mikey, yep I use this feature all the time.

Tyros2 allows you to display .txt files of lyrics and/or chords, and also allows you to have them automatically called up via REG 1-8 buttons when saved in a Reg Bank File. I recommend creating lyrics files utilzing Windows "NOTEPAD". Each line can not exceed 63 characters, and the page length is 18 lines, with the 19th line begining page 2, etc. I can outline setup details (and further tips) by phone if you wish. Email me if interested.

Scott

so scott, you use both the mpp and the lyrics display on the t2? can you explain why? reason for the q is the sd1 has lyrics capabilities too, so maybe the mpp might be overkill..
thanks
dennis

Dennis: I primarily rely on the keyboard's text/chord display for my core library (250+) of songs in which I pretty much know by memory, but appreciate having lyrics/chords, as I can't also remember everything, especially when performing going from one song to another on the fly. The MusicPad pro I dedicate mostly to display fakebook leadsheets & scores, and especially useful in the studio when I want to work out arrangements. That said, because I have most of my entire fakebook library of leadsheets, scores, and books, it's really convenient to have this on hand at the gig, to fullfill song requests not in my core repetoire. One recently new feature I appreciate about the MusicPad Pro is the ability to display in portrait or landscape mode (two page). The advantage of landscape mode is that the pad's profile does not stick up to block the view between you and audience the way portrait mode or a music stand can. Even when I use the MusicPad, the audience has little idea I'm utilizing music. Then again, when I use it, i never stare at the music displayed, but merely glance at it now and again as needed, and instead maintaining important eye contact with the audience. Dennis, hope this provides a little more perspective on how I use the MPP. I guess it depends how important it is for you to have all your music (ditigally) in one place. Another consideration is security. Since I know have my entire music collection stored digitally, and within the confines of a small USB stick as well as backed up on a CD and online storage server as well, I'm able to travel to any destination and simply download my entire music collection to perform nearly anywhere in the world. - Scott

hey scott, thanks heaps for the informative answer, appreciate it as its exactly the info i was looking for...yes i agree that it would be great to have charts for all the songs i dont do on a regular basis in one location, and i have to agree a great idea for security too!!!(after all i have all my data backed up to a Lacie external drive,so one for all the charts makes sense) AND the laptop is so intrusive when it comes to using it in a live situation.........
sorry to be a copycat, but i think i might look at a similar system
frankieve is currently talking with me via emails about the possibility of getting one sent out here..so i'll let you know.
thanks again,
cheers
dennis

I'm downloading the VirtMus program now has anybody else tried it?

Hi montana

I played around with it for a bit and then got busy with other stuff. But, I can say it's pretty slick. Easy to operate and does what I'd want it to. The few things it didn't do, I used another free jpeg editor or two and it was fine.