Live musician and iPad - apps with backing tracks/lyrics

tightropetom

Not sure if this is the right place - music vs apple forum. Bit of a mashup of both!

Ok here's my ideal setup as a solo musician who records his own backing tracks:

iPad attached to mic stand as a music stand with scrolling big lyrics as the MP3 plays the backing tracks.

When I learn new tunes, it can take a while for the lyrics to stick in my brain. I often use a lyrics book but punters have a habit of thinking they're funny and clever by grabbing the book. They don't tend to grab the technology!

So is there an app that allows you to set up scrolling lyrics while playing your backing track? Preferably all within the one app? I know you can display lyrics using the Apple Media Player, but size can be a problem there so it would be nice if you could display larger text, and have it scroll with the song - at least till I've learned the lyrics

The Big Gig

maybe try one of the autocue apps......not sure if you could time it to play with mp3 but it might be worth a try
http://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/mprompt/id365576877?mt=8

carriechesnutt

hi there,

had to join this thing to message you.. i have spent so many hours looking for a solution i had to share !!

I have been using a simple easy to use and free program called tuneprompter by Griffin that creates a mp4v file with scolling lyrics.. it is a discontinued program now but you can still find it..it is avail mac or pc
works pretty well... unfortunately not supported in snow leopard now so i have been searching for another solution too ... for now i do that work on an older set up...
then the songs play as movie files in itunes and you can put them in set lists.(. for some reason it doesnt like ordinary mp3s and mp4vs in the same list..)

also for the ipad take a look at the unrealbook.. it seems to be able to link mp3s and scolling text , plus sheet music and a lot of other things too... i m not using it yet.. but i think its a better solution ... these days i m on itouch or computer.. one is too big one too small ... lol


good luck if you cant find the proram on mac let me know i can send it to you
cheers,

carrie

tightropetom

@carriechesnutt re: Tuneprompter

Excellent app - just downloading it now and will give it a go. Hopefully the exported movie files won't be massive. If not, this could be what I've been looking for.

tightropetom

Hmmm - I see what you mean about Snow Leopard. Crashes the app on export to Quicktime and the lyrics are too small on iPod export.

However - I may have discovered a solution. You can import your .ktv files from Tuneprompter into an app call KJams and export them as movie files. They tend to be reasonably small and the lyrics scroll the way you've set them up in Tuneprompter.

Now, all I need to do now is to remove the annoying logos at the start :-)

Hope that helps

tightropetom

http://karaoke.kjams.com/wiki/Producer

Add this plugin and you can edit the graphics at the start

T

mikeyb

Just downloaded this today and (if I can get it to work) it seems like a pretty perfect solution. Run it on your Mac Powerbook or iPad, use the tabs and indexes (or just start to type the name of the song you want) and the app will not only open the words for you but also play the associated iTunes track.

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/38872/binder-2

You can export your lyrics as PDF files and the system will pick these up.
It is not associating my iTunes tracks with the pdf's at the moment but I have an email off to support to hopefully solve this. You can download a free trial and try it out anyhow. If I get it working it'll be the perfect on-stage app for me

darragh o meara

There is an app ive seen being used on the iPad by a local musician. It uses a modified type of karaoke file and prompts lyrics, chords. It's some sort of karaoke app he's using but makes up the files himself using midi files. Works quiet well too. I'll try find out what he's using

PauserPro

May be late.... but

For backing tracks playback on iPad you can use Pauser Pro - my modest audio player.

Pauser Pro takes tracks from Music.app.
Just load backing tracks from your PC iTunes to Music and they will be available in Pauser Pro.

Pauser Pro is an audio player with the additional convenient features.
Auto pause, scrolling song’s lyrics display, crossfade and fade out.

A user friendly interface and intuitive controls make Pauser Pro an essential player for experienced musicians.
If you need the music and lyrics source, if you work on stage – Pauser Pro is the solution that will allow you to think only about your ideal performance.

Now you can try a free version of Pauser Lite.
It is a full-featured version but with the one limitation – you can’t make the Queue of more than 3 songs.

Pauser Pro in App Store
www.pauserpro.com
https://www.facebook.com/PauserPro

Regards,
Victor Kaysin, developer of Pauser Pro


Last reviews from American App Store:


The best app ★★★★★

by M.A.D.E.Y.E - Version 1.6 - Feb 15, 2014

It’s the best and seems like the only one application with most optimal set of features for sound editors, musicians and vocalist. It has autopause, adjustable fade out and cross fade – that’s the things you really need while performing everywhere – live music at restaurants or doing concerts and stage shows. The app is very stable and never failed yet! Can recommend it to everybody!!!

Depend on this app for my singing gigs ★★★★★

by JohnOSings - Version 1.5.1 - Sep 9, 2013

I have been using this app for a long time now. It ha a become my musical "instrument", so to speak. I use it for all my singing gigs, setting up playlists for each one very easily. I love the Lyrics button feature. My iPad is clipped right to my mic stand there in from of me so I can glance at the words when I need to. It takes some getting used to, but I know how to use it for a performance. Two things I could really use are: (1) the ability to select a song. and show its lyrics before starting it to play, and (2) a volume control slider on the screen. I am hoping these will be added at some later date. I really need this app. There is no other one that I know of that works like this. All in all, I am happy I have this too. JohnO

tightropetom

I've actually started using StageTraxx for iPad. Does everything I need so far, but will check out Pauser too.

ps Yes, you're about 2 years too late :-)

PauserPro

You can try Lite version for free: www.appstore.com/pauserlite