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Time for an upgrade from my DVD player/CDs for live gig BIAB playback...what would be my best option these days?
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Quote:
Time for an upgrade from my DVD player/CDs for live gig BIAB playback...what would be my best option these days?
If you only need a sound playback option, MP3 players are cheap and they hold WAYYY more songs than a CD.
And they're small enough that your main set of songs can fit in your right pocket while your backup set is in the left pocket.
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Most of the time now, I just use my iPhone.
Got to remember to put it in Airport Mode though...
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Matt, I am with you on this one. I am also just using my iPhone. Have even stopped taking a backup but I suppose I should, one of these days there is going to be a disaster but then I suppose it depends on what type of gig it is. If it were at my regular gig it would not be too much of a problem as I would just finish of with acoustic numbers (been done before!) I always make sure I have plenty of battery before I leave. I am finding it such a relief to not have my laptop anymore. Best regards
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Jo and Matt I also have used my iPhone and iPad to play backings but the hassle of iTunes and changing playlists makes me turn to Android rather. I have an Asus Transformer 10" tablet and a Samsung Galaxy Note II and it is a real pleasure to organise my mp3's on a micro SD card via an adaptor on my desktop machine or laptop using Windows Explorer. Once I have all the files I want, I simply reinsert the micro SD back into the ASUS or Samsung and I am good to go. I have all my CD's, old records and tapes backed up to 320bps MP3's on 1Tb and 2Tb hard disks. I regularly change files to play while on the move and I compile MP3's for Sunday worship lists using BIAB that change weekly. The Android openness makes the task a breeze by not having to rely on one program i.e. iTunes to get files onto the tablet. In fact it is not only music files that benefit but any MS office and pdf files that I may need to use while out of the office. With the low cost and high capacity of micro SD cards these days I can have a card for each project if I so wish. Kevin 
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Kevin - I had heard the sound from the Galaxy Note II is not great - is that true, even if you play it back through a great system (which I'm guessing is what you do ?).
I've been on a 'basic' phone for years because I'm too cheap to upgrade, and couldn't see the cost-benefit factor working out for me. Always-available internet was never something I needed, I much prefer my 24 inch monitor experience. However...I do have to take notes about the kids I work with, and I love the stylus and slightly larger size of the Note II, which just became available (or maybe, I only recently discovered it).
Can you say a little more about the sound out of the Note II, why you picked it, and what you like most about it ?
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You probably heard the Galaxy note's sound is not good from an iPhone fan spreading FUD! And... he probably never even listened to the output of one. I HAVE! I have played it through a 5kW system as well as my normal 500W speakers on a stick and I cannot fault the output in any way. I am not a devotee of either the iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy... or anything else for that matter! I use whatever is useful and performs the task at hand. Some software is only available for iPad such as Cubasis and Auria. Some of the softsynths like the Korg iMS20, iPolysix and iElectribe are good iOS synths and beat the Android offerings hands down. For me, playing back music files is better on the Android system using a file explorer like Antek Explorer which has its own built in player. Taking Word, Excel, PDF's and AutoCAD drawings out of the office and onto site is easier with Android. When I started with tablets I got the ASus 2nd hand for a great price and programs such as Chordbot were only available for the Android hardware. I can't fault either the iPhone, iPad, Asus Transformer or the Samsung Nexus Note II on sound quality. So really it's swings and roundabouts on both systems. Kevin
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+1 for your post. There are too many fanboys for one or the other platform, when both do a lot of the same things. Later, Ray
Asus Q500A i7 Win 10 64 bit 8GB ram 750 HD 15.5" touch screen, BIAB 2017, Casio PX 5s, Xw P1, Center Point Stereo SS V3 and EWI 4000s.
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I think a Samsung Galaxy Note II is very soon to become part of my hardware collection. Thanks for helping me with this decision Kevin : )
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Appreciate the responses, but I am looking for the simplest, least expensive product to play back MP3s - with a decent sized screen that I can actually read/scroll the song titles and obviously with decent quality... I am NOT interested in a phone... thanks.
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Pooch When you mention a decent sized screen you are definitely heading into iPod or a 5"/7" tablet. Lots to choose from, but if it were me I'd make sure it was running Android. The iPod is OK but again you have to live with iTunes. I had an iPod, ended up loading an Audio Bible on it and giving it to my mother. Kevin
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I sure would like to go to the convenience of the mp3 format. However, our group has stuck with the laptop, since all the soloists want to see the chord changes----especially on standards and jazz tunes.
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Laptop playing WAV files. You really can hear the difference between an MP3 and a WAV over a PA system.
And, the laptop is multi-functional (and relatively inexpensive these days).
Regards,
Bob
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pooch,
Another factor in choosing your playback equipment is the type of gig you are playing. As if you are playing a 2-3 song set at an open mic I would set my criteria at #1. best sound quality and #2. lightest hardware to carry with ease of setup and take down.
The reasons I use laptops are the opposite as I will do anywhere from 20 - 50 songs on a gig. So for me to remember all the changes and arrangements, some as you know very intricate on some jazz tunes, with all the lyrics the laptop is a must. Besides the comfort zone of having everything printed out in front of you at all times there are the files containing hundreds of tunes that may not be on the play-list for that gig but because of a spur of the moment incident or a request could be plugged in rather quickly and may just be the song that puts your show over the top for that particular crowd.
OK, beside that I am a control freak on the gig.
I guess what you are getting here are all good options as each one works very well for the musician who are using them. With that said the same would have to happen for you, and that is personal choice.
Best of luck to ya, and break a leg!
Later,
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Quote:
simplest, least expensive product to play back MP3s - with a decent sized screen
...quite often, you get what you pay for...
The advice for playing .wav over .mp3 for sound quality is good, sound (pun intended : ) advice.
But I think convenience is king, and carrying around the library in your pocket is really convenient. I would say your best bet for usability, quality, price, and small size would be the iPod touch - the more capacity the better (depending on your needs).
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_touch
But it is rather pricey - 299 to 399.
So - just for you, at no extra cost, I googled "best alternatives to iPod touch".
Here's one of the first hits:
http://www.t3.com/features/best-mp3-players-to-buy
There is plenty of advice on how to get a good mp3 player for less money.
As far as the best bang for the buck in the laptop or tablet world, I'm not sure, but would be interested in other peoples' hardware suggestions in that area.
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Quote:
Appreciate the responses, but I am looking for the simplest, least expensive product to play back MP3s - with a decent sized screen that I can actually read/scroll the song titles and obviously with decent quality... I am NOT interested in a phone... thanks.
You have a lot of ways to go. I'm using an ASUS netbook. I already had it when I could no longer use my mp3 player. The sound output was not good at all until I added an ASUS xonar which plugs into usb and is about the size of a flash drive. Now I've got great sound. I'm using a flash player program called AIMP3. I like it because I can set it for single play. I like using playlists with it, too. My desktop is not wifi so I bought a transfer cable that has it's own software built into the cable. It shows all the files on both the host and remote cpu's. I think we paid $275 for the netbook with 325gb. I did upgrade to Windows home premium for $30. We also use the netbook for trips. Our current setup just sort of osmosed over time, but I wish we had it earlier. YMMV.
Stan
Cornet Curmudgeon
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You can play wav files on Android - iPhone too I think. Just that they obviously take up more space but if premium sound quality is needed then it's worth using more storage. That said most people could not tell the difference in a blindfold test between wav and 320kbps mp3's. Kevin
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I use a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7" tablet primarly for backing tracks when doing my music gigs...but it has a lot of great features for other uses too. It will play mp.3, WAV files,etc, also has Wi-Fi, camera, etc. There is a great backing tracks app availble at the Google Store...the app lets you load up a master file of tunes on your Tab 2 then create your own set lists (or play lists.) You control the start of the tune...the music will play and then stop at the end of the tune....this is a great feature for playing live gigs as most mp.3 players will just continue from track to track on their own...not good for a live music act. The Tab 2 is selling for $179 at the big box stores. I have been using mine for over 6 months.....no problems.
Last edited by Rockman59; 04/14/13 05:48 PM.
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I use a laptop. Why? I don't do set lists, and going from song to song on a laptop is quick. While I'm playing a song, I can reach over and type a few letters on the laptop, and it's ready for the next song.
Why don't I do set lists? I'm not clairvoyant. I have no idea what will be best for them 10 minutes from now. While I'm playing a song, I'm observing the audience and using my experience to guess at what would be the best song to play next. If they are on the dance floor to a fast one, but their faces look like they are tired, another fast one won't do as I'll lose them. Conversely if they are full of energy a slow one wouldn't be appropriate next.
Music is a dialog between the musician and the audience, not a monologue. (side note - why aren't the endings of dialog and monologue spelled the same?) I can go instantly from song to song when needed, and I can change my mind during the last few moments of the song I'm currently playing and still get to the next song instantly.
When people come up and tell me, "Thanks for a wonderful evening" I know I paced the crowd well.
Of course, as always YMMV - there is more than one right way to do this.
Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
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& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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