Ad hoc networking of multiple devices

[johnohagan]

This is blue-sky wishlist feature request. IrealB is becoming almost compulsory for scratch bands doing jazz standards. It would be extremely useful if the bandleader's device could control the band members' devices using, say, bluetooth or the like, such that any song displayed on the master device would also come up on all the slave devices, complete with key changes etc. Obviously everyone would need irealb running with the same songs installed. (It would also be great if direct songlist syncing could be done this way too, but that's another story)

This would really clean up those awkward moments while everyone searches for the song the leader has called.

Any interest in this from users or developers? Any thoughts on how hard it would be to implement?

[DaleMac]

I know Harry Connick's big band charts are all digitized and controlled from one computer. (Of course, they use large monitors, not their smart phones *haha*) This sounds like something that would require a whole different program to accomplish, not just iRealb. The big bands I've worked with pull out all the individual charts (paper ones) before each set so there isn't any fumbling time between songs. Your guys could do the same thing with iRealb by creating a Playlist and moving the files into it, in the order they'll be called. Then they can just "turn the page" and the next chart will be there. At the end of the set they can just delete the Playlist. (Man, that is SO much easier than having to put all those damn books back in order!)

[johnohagan]

I've heard that some orchestras are using something like what you describe.

Maybe it's just my choice of bandleader, but generally I find they like to mix it up on the fly, depending on audience reaction, their mood, time constraints, requests etc.. Even if they arrive with a set list they always end up changing it!

I should add that as soon as I heard about iRealB, this is what I hoped it would be able to do. It seems obvious that if a group is playing the same series of songs, it should be controlled from a central location rather than each individual pulling up the same chart and hoping they're all on the same page.

I guess a similar result could be achieved by just the bandleader using iRealB and the rest using a remote desktop app to look at it. But then you couldn't deal with transposing instruments, and it would be difficult to use with mixed platforms.

.

[DaleMac]

Everything you say makes sense. It just doesn't sound like something you should expect from an $11 app. In any case, the players should already have the bandleader's "book" in it's own playlist. Easier to find 1 song out of a few dozen than 1 song out of a few thousand. Sometimes, you just have to go old-school.

[dflat]

The iOS apps OnSong and unrealbook have this feature (implemented in different ways.) As far as I know, there is nothing that does this on Android currently.
We have it on our list to consider for the future. There would be many things to take into account in implementing it as you are all probably aware.

Slightly related: Apple iOS devices, computers and some android devices often have VGA or HDMI or DVI outputs for TV or projection. Apple TV has Airplay for wireless streaming.

[johnohagan]

Thanks, good to know it's under consideration.

For more formal (better paid!) gigs, a big-screen setup using video out would work but no individual transpositions are possible.

In my preferred scenario, you just turn up with your instrument and any iRealB-loaded device (Apple not compulsory!), sync playlists and go.

[DaleMac]

Well, I stand corrected. Inexpensive little apps are doing amazing things now. When the "paperless gig" becomes the norm, and sheet music is banished to dusty stacks in music school libraries, all I will say is Good Riddance!

[dflat]

Contributing to the general discussion (not related to iReal b itself) ...
Although master/slave has its advantages, you might want to be aware of a few things:

- different devices have different screen sizes and proportions, android tablets tend to have more length in portrait than iPad proportions (so long lyrics might need more scrolling on shorter screens, depending on font size etc.) where they are not locked into a paged PDF or jpg;

- the same PDF (from a print page) on an android tablet can actually display smaller than on an iPad because of the proportions (width and height);

- different players can read ahead in varying amounts so whoever is controlling the page turns needs to be aware of this, especially if it is notation. It sounds useful and might be - could be useful in a classroom for instance, but many players would probably like to turn their own pages.

- where iPads are used in orchestras, string quartets etc. each device is presumably independent with each player's music in their iPad, together with their personal annotations on the music etc;

- page turns can be at different measures for different instruments, thinking notation especially (I know you all know this);

- some people in the band might prefer landscape orientation with larger chords, lyrics or notation, depending on their instrument (think tuba), their eyesight, how far away they are from their music stand etc;

- Airturn (or similar) could be used by a user for page turning by using a foot pedal (iReal b supports this currently on iOS only.)


... unrelated to our topic of an ad hoc network, but someone might appreciate the information:
- perhaps use musicXML with the layout controlled by the user, it could continuously scroll sideways, but there needs to be a way to return to repeats, D.S. etc;

- Sibelius has Scorch for iPad; Finale has Songbook app. (Scorch v1.1 is very buggy and crashes unfortunately.) An alternative to PDF apps like forscore as they can transpose and play back notation.

[pdxdjazz]

re: Airturn functionality

In performance, my gypsy jazz quartet sets up with two guitarists and violinist gathered around my centeral music stand (with my iPad and iReal b playlist charts which we can all easily see) I stand behind them with my upright bass. I often have to remind the player in front of me to swipe to the next song.
http://www.rosecityhotclub.com/image..._quartet_2.jpg
http://www.rosecityhotclub.com/image...4_ohsu_top.jpg

Your discussion of Airturn got me thinking...
I already have a bluetooth Logitech keyboard....

I turned bluetooth ON, the keyboard paired with my iPad, went to settings in iReal b and turned Airturn ON....
YAY!!! the up/down arrows on my keryboard flip my iReal b charts forward and back!!!
These are two of the four keys that move the cursor up/down/left/right.
The keyboard's bluetooth appears to have adequate of range so I can place the keyboard beside me with my mixer.

Thanks! Oh, and did I mention YAY!!!?
)BOB

[dflat]

V4.6 for iOS will have support for 4 pedals, (the other two arrows) adding Start and Stop, that is ... for iReal b player, not your band members, if they start another chorus, you will need to give them a nudge instead

(it is programmable so you can map a specific pedal (arrow) to the function required.)