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

[@hlima1hm]

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.

[@ElizabethKnaub]

Yes!!! So many of us have been hoping for this!

[@kathleenbartolomeo5546]

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.

[@matthewbolduc2714]

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.

[@ElizabethKnaub]

Hi there, thank you for such a kind and thorough comment! I loved hearing about what you do on your iPad. If you find any other apps you enjoy using, please feel free to share them with me in the future!! You’re absolutely right, musicians need to use reliable equipment that won’t crash during a performance or other high stakes situation. Performing is scary enough as it is! 😄

[@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!

[@ElizabethKnaub]

The new air sounds perfect then!! 🎉

[@juliahna4988]

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

[@ElizabethKnaub]

Sheet music doesn’t take up much space, so unless you have a huuuuuge library, you probably don’t need to worry about having a ton of storage.

[@Harry777]

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

[@ElizabethKnaub]

I’m so excited to see musicians using the new iPads!

[@stevepeleshok2289]

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?

[@sharonb.9128]

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

[@ElizabethKnaub]

Hi there, I'm sorry for my late reply! Forscore Pro uses this feature for page turns, if you enable it!

[@yabibiin]

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

[@ElizabethKnaub]

The large screen size is so helpful!

[@Gustavo-x8f3q]

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

[@ElizabethKnaub]

One of my viola students just got the 11 inch and is really enjoying it! I personally will always go with the largest size available for sheet music, just for the ease of reading. If you’re playing piano, then the iPad shouldn’t be that far away from you (at least compared to some other instrumentalists), but if you’re reading piano/vocal music that has 3 staffs per line, then I’m worried the music might have to be small to fit a whole page on the screen. You can always use the iPad in landscape mode and just have more page turns if your screen is too small. It’s a really personal decision, and I highly recommend trying them out in person if you’re near an Apple Store or maybe even a Costco or other store that has display models!

[@ymrd5ludrumzr121]

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

[@ElizabethKnaub]

I'd suggest using the iPad in landscape mode (sideways) and turn the page halfway just to use the screen space better. It'll make everything larger! If it's a big issue for you, maybe you could return it and get the larger air? Thank you for your comment, knowing how this works for a pianist is helpful for me to make better content!

[@ymrd5ludrumzr121]

​​@@ElizabethKnaub I bought it! I'm super happy, as someone who has never owned a tablet before , the size is absolutely fine. I have vision problems and the 11" have not bothered me at all. Of course I guess a bigger tablet is better when you usually read off paper, but even the smaller size feels huge. Also, I feel like getting a tablet has improved my motivation and improved my practice since I can write fingerings, notes or tips in my music even if it's late at night and there isn't any light. I would absolutely love a specific video about tablets for pianist or the 11" iPad air, when I was looking for recommendations for pianists, I barely found any. If someone is wondering if the 11" is worth it, personally, it is absolutely a 10/10

[@karenearhart4095]

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?

[@ElizabethKnaub]

I use forscore, which works mostly without wifi! You’ll need some way to add the files to the app (either scanning paper music or downloading/sending yourself pdf files over wifi), but then reading the sheet music and annotating on it is all done locally, wifi-free! I have a whole playlist of forscore tutorials if you’d like to see what the app is like!

[@jack15390]

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

[@jack15390]

its also difficult because there isn’t an apple store near my campus so i cant go to one to feel how each one feels 😔

[@ElizabethKnaub]

I’m personally an advocate for larger screens, but if you have good eyesight and won’t be holding it too far away from you, you might be able to do an 11 inch. I would be a little concerned about conducting off a smaller screen, since we usually have the stand shorter and further from us when conducting. A lot of it is personal preference. Some targets and costcos (and I’m sure other stores) will have iPads on display! Maybe some type of store near you will have one you could look at, even if it’s not an Apple Store. Let me know if you have any other questions! 😊

[@matthewbolduc2714]

11" is easier to carry around. 13" is better for home or stationary use.