# NotateMe vs Notion on iPad Pro, or NotateMe on SurfacePro 3/4



## Elephant

The final bit of the tablet motation picture is related to the iPad Pro. Anyone got one yet and tried NotateMe or Notion ? 
Many thanks
E


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## JonFairhurst

I just bought an iPad Pro. My Apple Pencil arrives tomorrow. I'll download the free NotateMe Now and if it's good, I'll spring for the full $39.99 version as I'll want more than one staff.

My overall goals are:
1) Compose on the iPad Pro from the sofa without a keyboard.
2) Listen to playback as my sight reading is limited.
3) Erase, re-edit etc., but I'm just capturing the basics, not perfect notation or playback.
4) Export to MusicXML.
5) Import MusicXML into Sibelius 7.
6) Copy and paste the ideas from the iPad into a bigger score.
7) Finesse the details in Sibelius at the desktop.
8) Performances would be done live or via sequencer/sampler.

Hopefully, NotateMe will be fast and natural with the Apple Pencil. Other options would be
* iWriteMusic
* Symphony Pro 4
* Notion

But they all look more keyboard- and pointer-based. I want to avoid the jumping around that typically slows notation input.

Another option would be a Remote Desktop app, like Jump Desktop, and to just use Sibelius from there. That said, Sibelius really needs a keyboard and number pad to be effective.

First, I'll give NotateMe Now and the Apple Pencil a spin. And I'll post my thoughts here after I try them out...


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## JonFairhurst

BTW, I was able to get an Apple Pencil with 2 day shipping from Verizon. (We'll see if it actually comes through...) I checked the website, but it wasn't clear if it was in stock. I went to the Verizon Store, the salesperson confirmed availability, and I ordered it. Hopefully, FedEx will deliver it tomorrow...

Maybe I'll stop by the Verizon Store on my way home to see about a tracking number.


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## clisma

Jon, any news to share on your experiment. I will be in the same boat in just a matter of days, so would welcome first impressions... thanks!


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## JonFairhurst

My first impression is that my iPhone just shrunk. 

I was able to enter notes somewhat reliably with my finger. I expect the pencil to push it over the top. Even by finger, the interface feels comfortable. You just, well, write. I don't use Sibelius often, but I've used it for many years and it still feels clunky. The issue is having to think of durations, accidentals, and accents first with the keypad, then entering the note value with the other, then adding text, lines, and slurs on a second pass. With NotateMe, I can build the note from the note head out using a single input method. There's no context switch. I think it could be more organic for sketching ideas. But I'll still want to bring it into Sibelius for layout control and to really polish the details.

Other impressions:
* I need a case or cover. I'm afraid I'll drop it as I walk from room to room. No keyboard planned yet.
* I need the Lightning to USB adapter. That will let me get photos easily, use a USB drive, and maybe even connect a MIDI keyboard or audio interface. I'm not sure what drivers and apps exist yet.
* As I type this, maybe I do want a keyboard...
* I never got into lots of apps on my phone. On this, apps are the key to replacing the laptop or desktop. Already downloaded a ton.
* The size and speed really stomp my phone. It's way more comfortable on the sofa than a laptop. It's hard to put it down!

Can't wait to get the pencil!


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## Jerome Vonhogen

JonFairhurst said:


> Another option would be a Remote Desktop app, like Jump Desktop, and to just use Sibelius from there.


 

Jump Desktop? Why not Astropad?

- Jerome Vonhögen


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## JonFairhurst

I tried Screens, but there is a pointer offset issue. I'll give Astropad a try. EDIT: Astropad lacks a keyboard function, so it's more of an artist's pad than a remote desktop.

Regarding the Pencil, it didn't arrive yesterday. Hopefully, Monday...


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## Jerome Vonhogen

JonFairhurst said:


> I'll give Astropad a try. EDIT: Astropad lacks a keyboard function, so it's more of an artist's pad than a remote desktop.
> 
> Regarding the Pencil, it didn't arrive yesterday. Hopefully, Monday...


 

Hey Jon,

Why would you want to use your iPad Pro for the keyboard functions of your desktop computer? It doesn't make sense.

Why wouldn't you just use a wireless bluetooth keyboard connected to you desktop computer for the keyboard functions, and then use Astropad simultaneously to benefit from the excellent pen-input of the iPad Pro? 

I've tested the ApplePen last month and was deeply impressed by it. I'm sure you will like it too.

Enjoy your Apple Pen!

- Jerome Vonhögen


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## JonFairhurst

I'm looking forward to a lean-back sofa experience. I want just the iPad and no separate keyboard to juggle. I even want to avoid the keyboard attachment accessories. BTW, with the iPad on my lap, I can touch type - and I get the benefit of word prediction. Well, it's sort of touch typing. I look at the keys often, but it's easy with the virtual keyboard right next to the app screen.

I have yet to experience the Apple Pencil. I can't wait!


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## JonFairhurst

FedEx brought the Pencil to my doorstep... and didn't ring the bell or wait. My wife heard the steps on the porch, went downstairs, saw the driver leaving a note on the door, grabbed shoes, ran out, and watched the truck drive away. 

She called and requested a "re attempt". The good news is that FedEx called me and left a message with the tracking number. It shipped from Memphis on Thursday evening, so it's almost certainly the Pencil. So it looks like Verizon had them in stock. If you Google "Verizon Apple Pencil", it still shows "in stock", so it looks like Verizon still has them - ahead of even Apple's own stores.

Hopefully, it will be there when I get home...


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## JonFairhurst

I got the Pencil! The truck took it back to the FedEx facility and I was able to pick it up there.

Unfortunately, it's clear that NotateMe has not yet optimized their app for the Pencil. Don't get me wrong; it's better with the stylus than a finger, but it's not as slick as the Pencil can be. Maybe as the app starts to learn me and I learn the app, I would become more proficient, but the fact is that the app has some latency issues and the ink goes on a bit crudely. With normal styluses, the update rate is 60 times a second. The Pencil allows 240 times a second, but based on the sluggishness, I think it's 60 or lower.

Part of the latency issue might be that the program does analysis before the note is finished. I paint the note head, the app thinks, I draw the stem, and the app is still thinking. When I see the incomplete stem, I re-draw it. A moment later, I have two stems.

Hopefully, the NotateMe engineers are beavering away to integrate the Pencil at this very minute. The promise isn't quite fulfilled. Not yet, anyway. I'm hopeful that it will come to life soon.

Even so, this is nice enough for sketching little ideas and for practicing little phrases to make sure that the notation is what one hears between the ears. But today, I wouldn't want to do anything large on it. I'd capture the idea and error check it on NotateMe. And then, I'd manually re-enter it into a larger Sibelius score. It would be unlikely that I'd notate enough music to make the transfer/copy/paste hassle worthwhile.

That said, if you get the Pencil, I highly recommend SketchBook (Free) by AutoDesk (along with the $3.99 add-on for the professional tools) as a visual art tool. The app was very natural for me to learn, it offers quick access to the key functions, such as pen-type, opacity, size, and color, and it has multiple layer support, so you can ink an upper layer and color lower layers. It has a variety of pens with good quality, including a nice inking pen for comic-style work. Over the past few days, I installed a few sketching apps and SketchBook didn't leave me stuck for a moment. I didn't export my first (surprisingly good - for me) work, but it was clear about the saving, exporting, and sharing options. And, yes, it supports the Pencil nicely. This app is a clear win. I wish all apps were as elegant and clear with such high performance.

If there are other notation apps that might use the Pencil for input, please let me know. I'm confident that there will be a good solution soon.


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## doubleattack

JonFairhurst said:


> I got the Pencil! The truck took it back to the FedEx facility and I was able to pick it up there.
> 
> Unfortunately, it's clear that NotateMe has not yet optimized their app for the Pencil. Don't get me wrong; it's better with the stylus than a finger, but it's not as slick as the Pencil can be. Maybe as the app starts to learn me and I learn the app, I would become more proficient, but the fact is that the app has some latency issues and the ink goes on a bit crudely. With normal styluses, the update rate is 60 times a second. The Pencil allows 240 times a second, but based on the sluggishness, I think it's 60 or lower.
> 
> Part of the latency issue might be that the program does analysis before the note is finished. I paint the note head, the app thinks, I draw the stem, and the app is still thinking. When I see the incomplete stem, I re-draw it. A moment later, I have two stems.
> 
> Hopefully, the NotateMe engineers are beavering away to integrate the Pencil at this very minute. The promise isn't quite fulfilled. Not yet, anyway. I'm hopeful that it will come to life soon.
> 
> Even so, this is nice enough for sketching little ideas and for practicing little phrases to make sure that the notation is what one hears between the ears. But today, I wouldn't want to do anything large on it. I'd capture the idea and error check it on NotateMe. And then, I'd manually re-enter it into a larger Sibelius score. It would be unlikely that I'd notate enough music to make the transfer/copy/paste hassle worthwhile.
> 
> ...
> 
> If there are other notation apps that might use the Pencil for input, please let me know. I'm confident that there will be a good solution soon.



Thanks for sharing your experience!

Does anybody have some experiences with Surface Pro 4 and the NoteStuff app?


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## Elephant

JonFairhurst said:


> If there are other notation apps that might use the Pencil for input, please let me know. I'm confident that there will be a good solution soon.



Jon many thanks for the post. Just the type of feedback that was wanted. I would be very interested in how Notion compares on the iPad Pro.
Rgds
E


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## JonFairhurst

When I get a chance, I'll give Notion a spin...


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