Hi,
I got a 512GB/8G iPad Pro 13” (new 2024 version), upgrading from the same spec 2021 iPad Pro 13”. FYI I wasn’t expecting much of an improvement but actually it’s significant with Dorico. It was quite usable before but now there’s zero lag jumping around in score and in the interface, I wasn’t aware of the lag until its gone. I think this is a M2 to M4 jump. It’s also surprisingly thinner but I don’t care about that.
This time I popped for the (expensive) Apple keyboard/trackpad dock, the flat keys Apple prefers have much improved from the last one I got.
Anyhow if anybody wants a desktop/laptop alternative this is an insanely good alternative, just add a number pad and a MIDI keyboard and you’re set. If the Esc key could be hooked up in more places - especially the shift key popovers - that would be all it needs to be a seamless desktop replacement within the limitations of the iPad version. It goes without saying Ionica Sketch library is what makes this work.
Anyhow I’m now switching to use this as much as possible over the laptop and desktops, I’ll just switch to those when I need to finalize a score and get stems and such. Yeah final word - the speed improvement is actually shocking and quite welcome.
Thanks for your insight!
You can also pair it with a big display and make it be almost like an actual desktop setup. Check Christopher Lawley’s videos on YT for this.
The only real thing iPadOS need is a better file management system.
This. And better font management. And windows and multitasking.
I have an 11" iPad Pro with an M1, and I struggle to see it as a laptop replacement. Once you’ve attached a keyboard with trackpad (and a MIDI keyboard, extra display, etc), the main advantage of an iPad – being a flat, hand-held digital tablet – is lost, and it’s become a laptop with limitations.
Apple really needs to open up the feature set on iPadOS now that they’ve got the same SoC as the Macs.
Once they open file management, one would be able to install fonts as well!
I’m using Stage Manager on the new Mac and, while it took a while to get used to, I’m loving it now. We already have windows in Stage Manager on the iPad, just it’s limited to 4 per “Stage”.
Multitasking is limited by screen size, which goes away when you connect it to a display.
I agree that more of macOS needs to come to iPadOS, the sooner the better.
No Dorico doesn’t work with Stage Manager on the external screen unfortunately. You can put a browser or PDF reader on that if you wish. I think I saw a comment from Daniel that its a Qt issue.
The main thing missing for it to be an authentic desktop replacement is the Esc key hookups I mentioned. You have to tap out of popovers which forces you into iPad interaction instead of pad/keyboard/midi interaction. It would be very helpful if the Escape key could be hooked into more locations.
Other than the performance boost which is worth the upgrade, I’m also appreciating that they finally put a Settings toggle to max charge to 80%. These devices are expensive and are laptop replacements, it’s been absolutely ridiculous for Apple to force us to destroy our batteries with constant full charging. I don’t do that and baby sit it which is a real pain. Now I can keep it plugged in and not worry about it, knowing it will max to 80% and help keep the battery healthy. For music it’s mostly used sitting down and such, for the times I take it away having a healthy battery is important and the fast charging heat Apple gave us, and charge to 100% nonsense was killing that.
Font’s can be added I believe with apps. Multitasking is fine, use main stage and an external monitor and its perfectly usable.
I have an 11" iPad Pro with an M1, and I struggle to see it as a laptop replacement. Once you’ve attached a keyboard with trackpad (and a MIDI keyboard, extra display, etc), the main advantage of an iPad – being a flat, hand-held digital tablet – is lost, and it’s become a laptop with limitations.
Try it again with a new M4 and see what you think - it’s a different beast. I’d agree it’s not a laptop replacement, with this version I think it’s better - within its limitations. Laptops are a pain, apps constantly need care and feeding, they are big and clunky, RAM limitations, fans/power etc etc. With Dorico iPad the extra gear is nice but not necessary, doing it all touch is perfectly usable but just slow.
Basically, for mobile use I’m only using the iPad from now on, it’s so much better than mucking with a laptop which I’m now keeping for just at a desk use. This is all true only because of the capability of Dorico though, other apps I use (3D art) aren’t capable enough to fully replace Blender on a laptop.
The process for adding fonts is cumbersome; you can’t have background processes, and things aren’t really ‘windowed’. iPadOS doesn’t use swap, and will kill apps if they exceed a per-app RAM limit.
Chacun a son gout, of course, but for me I find many more limitations on iPad than a Mac.
Unless you have an alternative iPad notation app that does allow pencil input, this is an odd argument. You can’t use the Apple Pencil in Dorico for Windows or Mac, either, and presumably that doesn’t stop you from using it on one of those platforms.
Pianoleo, I use the mouse for inputting notes in Dorico on the Mac. What I do with the mouse on the Mac is what I wish I could do with the pencil on the iPad. Sibelius (I know that’s a dirty word) on the iPad allows you to use the pencil to input notes.
I’ve never gotten this to work with Dorico. I use iFont, which allowed me to install some of my most used fonts, and they work fine with Pages, Keynote, and other iOS programs, but they still won’t work with iOS Dorico. At some point I just gave up trying. If anyone else knows how to get other fonts working with Dorico, I definitely would be interested, but as of now that’s a pretty huge block for doing any “real” work on the iPad for me. (I’m on 12.9" M1)
I mostly just use it for jotting down quick ideas before I forget them.
Where is this setting, or does it only apply to new iPads? I have an M1 iPad and just updated it to the latest iOS version but couldn’t find where to set this.
New iPads - did you expect anything different with Apple? I seriously dislike Apple and their self superiority but I’m stuck with a few applications. Did you see the Apple ad for this iPad where they crush musical instruments and other tools for art and music? Disgusting … they issued an apology but just another example of how they think
Absolutely tone-deaf ad. “Hey, we market to creatives, you know the people that are already concerned about being replaced by tech and AI anyway, so what if we take all the stuff creatives love, and then destroy it all? That will make them want to buy iPads, right?”
Yeah since I do both art and music it pissed me off on all sides. The message I picked up on is “forget those old musty tools, all your work is only available now on the iPad, and look its thinner!” Yes it’s stupidly thin which is actually annoying, it’s too thin by itself, kind of unsettling to hold and feels too insubstantial. Which means it requires a thick cover or the expensive Apple keyboard cover to bulk it up. I guess the one small advantage is that it’s just the right size with the Apple cover, so again its an incentive to just sell more Apple stuff.
Anyhow it is a serious tool with Dorico, Procreate and Nomad Sculpt.
Absolutely! I don’t care for handwriting recognition. But using the Apple Pencil like you would use a mouse would be great. And if it was possible to use the rotate function to select note values, I would buy the new iPad Pro and Dorico for iPad tomorrow
I just want to mention, if using an Ipad with Dorico, it’s a lot easier using a cheap stylus than your fingers if you’re not using an apple pencil. The smaller touch surface of a stylus just makes motions automatically more precise without zooming so much.
