On the use of tablets and BT page turners

[Fred G. Unn]

Sorry, I'm on PC so am not completely sure where it lives on a Mac, but the DefaultLibraryAdditions folder should be in the the same folder as your userlibrary.xml file. If it's not already there, you can create it. If you use any VSL libraries, the VSL installer will have already created it too. On the PC this in should be in Users\yournamehere\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Dorico 5, but I know people have posted the Mac location over on the Dorico forum too. You can unzip the zip file I posted over there, then add the doricolib file contained inside to that folder.

[NeeraWM]

Thanks!
I've found the post on the Dorico public forum and created the folder, since it was not there.
I will try a new document tomorrow to see how this work. What should I expect? Should every new document automatically gain access to every .doricolib file stored in there? Or should this be imported?

[Fred G. Unn]

A bunch of Dorico settings get embedded into the file at the time of creation, so some doricolib files should automatically "work," and some need to be imported into existing files with the Library Manager, but will automatically "work" with File/New files. I think the additional page sizes should just be available without any additional importing.

[hautbois baryton]

I just started with a production last night and all of the orchestra are using iPads for the music.

One plus is that the copies are coming with adequate time for manual page turns, so most of us aren't even using foot pedals for page turns.

[JJP]

Three questions:
- Does anybody have issues with reflected lights, glare, etc?
- Who provides the iPads? Are the performers required to bring their own?
- Is there any kind of a backup system if an iPad goes down?

These have been the three issues that kept my jobs on paper. Personally, I don't have any problem with keeping things on paper. I like the idea of less complexity, paper can't crash, and it's durable but still easy to quickly replace or repair if damaged.

[MichelRE]

• Three questions:
  - Does anybody have issues with reflected lights, glare, etc?
  - Who provides the iPads? Are the performers required to bring their own?
  - Is there any kind of a backup system if an iPad goes down?

1 - I haven't noticed anyone complain about it.

2 - the ensembles I've worked with, the musicians supply their own.

3 - yes, they're called printed parts, on paper

[hautbois baryton]

Three questions:
- Does anybody have issues with reflected lights, glare, etc?
- Who provides the iPads? Are the performers required to bring their own?
- Is there any kind of a backup system if an iPad goes down?

These have been the three issues that kept my jobs on paper. Personally, I don't have any problem with keeping things on paper. I like the idea of less complexity, paper can't crash, and it's durable but still easy to quickly replace or repair if damaged.

1. No, we're allowed to position our tablets as necessary.
2. Tablets are provided by the musician.
3. All music is available via DropBox, as well as emergency paper copies.

[JJP]

So to be clear, the musicians are bringing tablets, but the production is still printing and binding books and putting them on the stands?

In other words, the performers are not required to have their own tablets, correct?

[David Ward]

I recently received this in an e-mail from the pianist for an eight and a half minute duet song of mine due to have it's first performance in November:

“Thank you for the PDF of your song – I will be using ‘real’ paper music (because I’m old-fashioned in these things...), but I suspect both singers will be using iPads as most people do nowadays.”

Note the reference to ‘most people's’ using iPads.

(If anyone is interested it's in Concert 5 of this series in London https://www.londonsongfestival.org/concerts-1/ )

[David Ward]

Apart from my comment above, I have a question or two.

Can players using parts on iPads etc mark fingerings, bowings, breathings and all the rest in these? Or do they still have to rely on paper parts for that sort of thing? If iPad parts can be annotated in this way, when the string section principals mark the bowings before first rehearsal, how does this become available to the rest of the section? &c &c &c.

I've not yet worked with iPad parts (but see my previous post) although I can see lots of potential advantages (as long as there are back-up paper parts ‘in case’).