Best Tablets for Reading Sheet Music
A tablet replaces a binder of music, but only if the notes are big enough to read from the stand. Here's how to choose one: iPad or Android, which screen size, and whether you need a stylus.
Screen Size Matters Most
Most sheet music is printed on 9 × 12 inch paper (octavos and some charts are smaller, letter-size PDFs are 8.5 × 11). A tablet has to shrink the page to fit, so the bigger the screen, the closer the music comes to its printed size. Here's how big a 9 × 12 page appears on common screens held upright:
| Screen | Screen area | 9 × 12 page shown at |
|---|---|---|
| iPad mini (8.3-inch) | 4.6 × 6.9 in | 51% |
| iPad, 11-inch class | 6.2 × 9.0 in | 69% |
| Android, 12.4-inch | 6.6 × 10.5 in | 73% |
| iPad Air or Pro, 13-inch | 7.8 × 10.4 in | 87% |
| Android, 14.5 to 14.6-inch | 7.7 × 12.4 in | 86% |
For reading from a music stand, aim for a 12.9-inch screen or larger. At about 87% of printed size, a 13-inch iPad is close to reading from paper. An 11-inch tablet works for lead sheets, chord charts, and lessons, but dense piano or choral scores get small. Turning on Trim Margins in a Page Turner room cuts the white border around each page, which makes the notes noticeably bigger on any screen.
iPad or Android?
- iPad: the most common choice among musicians, with a 4:3 screen that matches the shape of a printed page closely, so little space is wasted. Page Turner is designed around Safari on iPad, including full screen and keeping the screen awake.
- Android: large Samsung and Lenovo tablets often cost less for the same screen size, and Samsung's Galaxy Tab S models come with an S Pen stylus in the box. Their wider 16:10 screens leave some empty space above and below a portrait page, but the largest ones still show music at a generous size.
- Either works with Page Turner. It runs in the web browser, so there's nothing to install, and a choir or band can mix iPads, Android tablets, phones, and laptops in the same room.
Popular Tablets for Sheet Music
These are popular choices with musicians. Models change every year or two, so check each one's current versions, screen size, and storage on Amazon before buying.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Large Screens (Best for Scores)
- Apple iPad Pro 13-inch on Amazon
The biggest, brightest iPad, with a 13-inch screen that shows a 9 × 12 page at about 87% of printed size. Works with the Apple Pencil Pro. - Apple iPad Air 13-inch on Amazon
The same 13-inch screen size as the Pro for less, and plenty fast for sheet music. Works with the Apple Pencil Pro. - Samsung Galaxy Tab S Ultra on Amazon
A 14.6-inch Android tablet, among the largest available, with an S Pen included. - Lenovo Tab Extreme on Amazon
A 14.5-inch Android tablet with a big, bright screen.
Mid-Size and Budget
- Apple iPad (11-inch) on Amazon
The least expensive current iPad. Good for lead sheets, chord charts, and lessons; small for full scores. - Samsung Galaxy Tab S FE+ on Amazon
A lower-priced 12.4-inch Android tablet with an S Pen included.
Styluses
- Apple Pencil Pro on Amazon
Apple's top stylus, with pressure sensitivity for natural-looking markings. Check that it supports your iPad model. - Logitech Crayon on Amazon
A less expensive iPad stylus that's fine for circling and fingerings, without pressure sensitivity.
Do You Need a Stylus?
Only if you mark up your music: fingerings, breath marks, cuts, bowings. In a Page Turner room, the leader can tap ☰ → Annotate and draw right on the music, and everyone in the room sees the marks. A stylus makes that neater than a finger, and an Apple Pencil's pressure gives the pen a natural line. You can also mark up the PDF beforehand in the iPad Files app or Samsung Notes and upload the marked-up file. How to mark up sheet music.
Other Things to Check
- Storage: sheet music takes little space. The base storage on any current tablet holds thousands of PDFs.
- Brightness and glare: on bright stages or outdoors, a brighter screen helps; in a dark pit or a dim church, Page Turner's Dark Stage shows light notes on black.
- Battery: a rehearsal or a long gig with the screen kept awake uses a lot of battery. Charge fully, and bring a cable for long days.
- A case that stays out of the way: a slim case or sleeve, so the tablet sits flat in a music-stand holder.
- Laptops and 2-in-1s work too, but they're heavy on a stand. E-ink tablets are easy on the eyes but refresh slowly, and some have no web browser, which Page Turner needs.
Next Steps
Hold your tablet steady with a tablet stand or holder, turn pages hands-free with a Bluetooth pedal, and find music to read in where to find free sheet music. Playing under stage lights or in the sun? See tablet sheet music on stage and outdoors. If your group has a mix of iPads and Android tablets, see how Page Turner compares with forScore and MobileSheets. Then start a room and share it with your group.
Questions? See the FAQ or contact us.