Topic: Simple to make tablet stand for the keyboard

[Genos John]

Hi everyone ..hope you all have a great year in 2019

When I upgraded my aging keyboard to the Genos, I finally decided it was also time to upgrade my two large boxes of music books, by scanning them and using a tablet to display the music scores.

Unfortunately, although my eyes are a young 65 years old they have been through the wars and have had cataracts removed etc, so sitting my tablet on the Yamaha music stand was out the question. I couldn’t read it at that distance. It’s a 10 inch screen.

It was while I was playing guitar and sucking the harmonica that the answer to my dilemma came to me. If I could made a shoulder harmonica stand that could hold a tablet, I could have it close to my eyes so I could read it.

That was the seed planted for my home made stand. It is made of a few pieces of wood and has two aluminium rods that hold the tablet holding “jaws”. I simply sit the holder on the keyboards music stand and as its only a foot or so from my face, I can easily read it.

The two feet on the holder have felt covered bottoms so they don’t scratch the keyboard and they sit either side of the screen. It doesn’t interfere with me using the screen or any other controls.

Its heavy enough to sit firmly in position. Works perfectly for me







Just an idea I thought I would share, and those who can do simple DIY jobs may like to make one for themselves if they thought it would suit their needs too
.

Thanks for reading.

[Al Ram]

John

Great idea !!! very smart and resourceful way to solve your problem.

In addition to being functional, the holder looks aesthetically pleasant.   Great job.

Can you provide instructions on how to do it . . . I do not think that the parts can be purchased at the hardware store, right?

Thanks for sharing.
 

[Key 1]

Genos John.
An excellent solution.  This is a simple DIY job.
The photos tell the whole story & give me another option before I start on one.

Regards

Alan

[Genos John]

Hi Al Ram, Thank you for your very kind words, it is very much appreciated.

The few materials I used were left over bits of wood which I had in my workshop. All items can be bought from the likes of B & Q in the UK or Walmart in the US. Since you have shown some interest I will put together a plan illustrating the materials and sizes that I used. The materials are not expensive, the most costly item being the tin of black satin paint. This photo shows the basic materials (left over’s from my stand)

The Materials




I guess aesthetics is down to personal taste but it sure looks better than my previous way

Before


After


Hi Key1 and KeyboardByBriggs. Thanks for your words and also “ like” too.

I have played to a few audiences in my life so know the first few songs of the set can be difficult. However once I hear a round of applause or better still, watch folk dance to my music, I soon settle in and enjoy myself.

It is the same feeling now with the forum. It is my first few posts so your kind response is helping me find my rhythm and hopefully I will enjoy playing my set.

Im sure many of you can relate to these thoughts too?



Once the daylight arrives for  better photos.. I will post the sketch plan and perhaps some clearer photos.

I can also discuss the tablet App I use (which is free on Google Stores) and how I use it to find the scanned song I want, or to filter all the songs into a pre planned Gig list so I just need to flick the screen to get to my next song.

Thanks again folks for reading this post.

[Genos John]

Hi again, its a dull damp day here  but there is enough light to allow better photos. It will take me a while to draw the plan with dimensions though.  I will update again when its finished.

This photo is a side view and shows the base sitting on the Yamaha music stand and with the two side legs sitting on the keyboard surface  (they have felt covered feet so cant mark the keyboard)

Its heavy enough to be very secure and doesn’t move even when I get carried away and hammer the keys trying to get the last bit of volume velocity squeezed from them.



This photo shows the clearance for operating the keyboard  touch screen and the top buttons etc. It doesn’t hinder my hands in any way



Anyone who has played outside in bright sunlight or on a stage with moving spot lights will appreciate how hard it is to see a screen which is reflecting lights. Its not a problem for me. I simply sit a piece of cardboard over the tablet holder frame and it works as a sunshield as in this photo.



You may laugh at my drawing if you wish and I wont be offended.  I dont really look like that. Its just a sketch to show how close the tablet  is to my nose when Im in a normal sitting / playing position. Simple maths tell me my 10” diagonal size screen (6” high) is now the equivalent of a very large size, expensive expensive tablet. My budget could reach the Genos..but not to a large tablet ..so I improvise.



Thanks again to everone reading this, it is appreciated

[Toril S]

Very inventive!!!

[Al Ram]

John
thanks for the more detailed explanation.   I can tell that you are an experienced do-it-yourself person.

This may look like an easy job . . . . but for people like me with no skills/inclination for detailed work it is not.

You anticipated several situations/conditions, such as the cover felt to not scratch the keyboard, you can even place a cardboard for the light, etc.  very well done, the dimensions, the weight, etc.

You could actually do this and sell it.  I am sure that several people would buy this from you.  If it was adjustable to iPads and larger iPad pro 12.9 inch screen.   I would certainly buy one from you.

There are a lot of tablet holders but to my knowledge none customized for Genos. 

Great idea.   Keep up the good work.

thanks again
 

[Genos John]

Thanks for your reply Al Ram. I retired a few years ago and although I enjoy DIY projects I have little interest making things for others. I would end up hating making them. Im certainly not rich but I am lucky that money doesn’t mean much to me now. My idea was just to pass on the idea for anyone who may want a try at making one for themselves.

It will save a good few hours trying to draw the plan even though its only eleven pieces of wood and two rods. However,  I will still draw it if  someone else wishes it done. Its easy enough to suss out from the photos. The top “grip” slides up and down the rods so various sizes can be fitted. Longer rods will hold larger screens etc.

My tablet is an Android tablet so the app I use is a free PDF viewer from google stores called “”Xodo”.
IMO It is good in that it has no adverts or put annoying notifications on screen. It has a search function so I can search the music scores for text.

Obviously scanned music has no text that Xodo can search for so I made my “Music Book” of scanned music in Microsoft Publisher. It imports the scanned pages and I display two pages at once on the screen so normally get a full song on the one screen. I add the song title in text using MS publisher and also the Artist. The type example “Rock” or “BigBand” etc. I can add anything else I want example Gig 1, Gig 2 etc.

So when playing I can do a search by song title. If I search for something like” Rock”..all the Rock songs are displayed one after the other. If I search “Gig 2” .. all those songs are listed one after the other and a flick of the screen gets my next number up.
Microsoft Puplisher  prints my complete “Music Book” out as a PDF so I can put it in the tablet and Xodo does the displaying. It is not complicated although it may sound it reading this description.

Tablets are a wonderful invention too. I was sometimes late when looking for venues I was supposed to be at in strange towns. Now a tablet guides me by GPS .. lists my music scores..and lets me type this to you too. My only concern is my smart phone is smarter than me.

Thanks again to everyone who showed interest in the tablet Stand.

[SeaGtGruff]

Thank you for posting the side view and closeup of the feet, because they really helped to show how much closer the tablet is when using your stand. The other photos taken from in front of the keyboard didn't really show that, because it almost looked like the tablet was still further back than the screen, sort of an optical illusion I think, due to the tablet's elevation which from the front angle makes it look like the tablet is behind the screen rather than "hovering" above and before it.

Anyway, it has a very professional-looking construction, and you could probably start up a business assembling and selling them. If it doesn't take long to buy all of the parts and put one together, you could do it on-demand as you receive orders, as opposed to having to make a lot of them ahead of time and then having to cross your fingers and hope they all get sold. Of course, I suppose that also means you'd need to get a business license and deal with whatever taxes and other fees that small business owners are saddled with.

[Genos John]

Thanks for your comment too SeaGtGruff. I didnt get on with tax offices when I worked and since I retired and they know my pensions etc they leave me alone. I dont want to waken them again..so Im staying in retirement :-D

Hey …  I was just reading some of your posts with PJ regarding controlling Genos DSP’s via midi. (Its how I discovered this forum.. google highlighted you guys)

I have been struggling trying to change them via midi. However only today I started to crack it. I have always known the CC messages but the Sys Ex messages normally give me a headache. Today I started solving my dilemma the easy way  ... by recording the Sys Exc messages sent back to the computer sequencer when I  manual ly change the DSP values..then just copy and paste them onto the midi channels I want them controlled on. I dont understand Sys Ex messages but as long as its working..Im not asking.

Just some useless info from me...if I get stuck again..I will give you a shout. 

[pjd]

Sys Ex messages normally give me a headache. Today I started solving my dilemma the easy way  ... by recording the Sys Exc messages sent back to the computer sequencer when I  manual ly change the DSP values..then just copy and paste them onto the midi channels I want them controlled on. I dont understand Sys Ex messages but as long as its working..Im not asking.

Hi --

I'm glad that the posts were useful. SysEx can be painful and if the record/playback method is working, hey, ya can't argue with success! 

All the best -- pj

[Genos John]

Hi Pjd  ..yup Sys Ex can give me a headache ..but thats only because Im not familiar with it yet. I dont think I want to know much about it..except how to use it to control the DSPs.

I found this post here when searching for the method of controlling Genos DSPs via midi.

https://www.psrtutorial.com/forum/index.php?topic=44834.0

I now know the answer to that question..( how to turn the insertion effect DSP on and off in the mixer Song 1 position )..here is the answer ..I just record what is transmitted when I do it on the Genos..then send it back to make sure it works.



I also now know how to select the DSP I want and also change the various values.

Im still experimenting and learning but so far it seems to follow a pattern and Im wondering that if it does.. whether to put it all in a spreadsheet then folks can refer to it in the same way they refer to CC numbers .

Do you know if there is such a spreadsheet available on the net to save me reinventing the wheel? 

Of course its early days in my experiments and I could be wrong thinking its as easy as I first think .. time will tell but at least now when I send the CC and PC data to select the 60RockGuitar .. it no longer sounds like a weedy electric piano sample as it has no effects associated with the sample
 
When I sent the DSP Sys Ex data after the CC PC info .. it comes complete with the Distortion DSP and sounds like it should do ...yeah  !!!

[ckobu]

Genos John, your stand is great. Easy to handle and very practical.
I did something similar but set to the right of Genos. Maybe somebody's interested in my work.

https://youtu.be/Gcsuy8woQw4

Best regards, ckobu

[Al Ram]

CKobu

Great work.   What is it made of ? plastic ?   can you also use it in portrait mode ?

thanks

[Genos John]

That looks great too Ckobu. Thanks for adding it to this post as it lets others see what can be done to make life easier 

[pjd]

I'm still experimenting and learning but so far it seems to follow a pattern and I'm wondering that if it does. Whether to put it all in a spreadsheet then folks can refer to it in the same way they refer to CC numbers.

Do you know if there is such a spreadsheet available on the net to save me reinventing the wheel? 

Hi --

There is definitely a pattern the SysEx for part insertion effects. As you go from one part to another, you'll see one of the values increase in value by one. That's the part number (the MIDI channel, actually).

I take copious notes and reuse SysEx strings like mad. I work in Sonar (DAW) and copy the strings into Sonar. Building SysEx from first principles (i.e., the Genos MIDI spec) is painful, so I'm sure it would be a service to everyone to have a spreadsheet of SysEx strings.

Quite a few people use tools like MixMaster which handle the encoding. That might be another way to speed up your investigations.

All the best -- pj

[ckobu]

CKobu

Great work.   What is it made of ? plastic ?   can you also use it in portrait mode ?

thanks

I only created aluminium Z part. Black part is universal plastic tablet holder. You can position it portrait mode but only for smaller tablets.

[ckobu]

Thanks for your comment too SeaGtGruff. I didnt get on with tax offices when I worked and since I retired and they know my pensions etc they leave me alone. I dont want to waken them again..so Im staying in retirement :-D

Hey …  I was just reading some of your posts with PJ regarding controlling Genos DSP’s via midi. (Its how I discovered this forum.. google highlighted you guys)

I have been struggling trying to change them via midi. However only today I started to crack it. I have always known the CC messages but the Sys Ex messages normally give me a headache. Today I started solving my dilemma the easy way  ... by recording the Sys Exc messages sent back to the computer sequencer when I  manual ly change the DSP values..then just copy and paste them onto the midi channels I want them controlled on. I dont understand Sys Ex messages but as long as its working..Im not asking.

Just some useless info from me...if I get stuck again..I will give you a shout. 

Sysex data is very interesting and can be infectious when you start studying it.
You have to know basic principles but you do not have to know all the strings.
The best program for this job is XGWorks because it manipulates with the Yamaha SYSEX protocol.
Look at my video and many of the changes I made in Style. All are written as sysex data.

https://youtu.be/GBqWNQEIPIY

best regards, ckobu

[Colin D]

Hello All,

Well I was inspired by the stand in this thread.  Thank you for sharing your idea.  I have wanted something to hold my 12.9 Ipad higher and closer, this is ideal.  I made one using items from Homebase in the UK,  Here are some images of it too.  I have made a CAD model and can easily produce a set of drawings if anyone would like to make one.  It's screwed together with L shaped plates from Homebase and screws,

Best wishes,

Colin

[attachment deleted by admin]

[patricia jean]

Hi Colin
I have recently purchased a 12.9 IPad to display music. I would appreciate your drawings.
A friend could make it up for me. Does this just sit on the keyboard ? or is it permantly fixed.?
I would still want to use the music stand. Thank you its brilliant.
Patricia..UK

[Argento]

That Stand that Genos John did, its a DIY invention masterpiece, really good idea, and can be adapted to practically any keyboybard besides the Genos, really grean inventive, myself , being a DIY guy too, (if the need arises), understand all the time , thinking, and inventive oneself put on that "inventions" , thanks for sharing your idea John!

[Colin D]

Hi Colin
I have recently purchased a 12.9 IPad to display music. I would appreciate your drawings.
A friend could make it up for me. Does this just sit on the keyboard ? or is it permantly fixed.?
I would still want to use the music stand. Thank you its brilliant.
Patricia..UK

Hi Patricia,

YEs I could make the drawings available on here as a resource for everyone.  It has completely changed my playing. just like a new pair of Glasses !

I'll have a look at it and get it done,

Colin

[Colin D]

Hi Colin
I have recently purchased a 12.9 IPad to display music. I would appreciate your drawings.
A friend could make it up for me. Does this just sit on the keyboard ? or is it permantly fixed.?
I would still want to use the music stand. Thank you its brilliant.
Patricia..UK

I have made the Drawing. I just need to get it on here to share !

[Colin D]

Hi everyone ..hope you all have a great year in 2019

When I upgraded my aging keyboard to the Genos, I finally decided it was also time to upgrade my two large boxes of music books, by scanning them and using a tablet to display the music scores.

Unfortunately, although my eyes are a young 65 years old they have been through the wars and have had cataracts removed etc, so sitting my tablet on the Yamaha music stand was out the question. I couldn’t read it at that distance. It’s a 10 inch screen.

It was while I was playing guitar and sucking the harmonica that the answer to my dilemma came to me. If I could made a shoulder harmonica stand that could hold a tablet, I could have it close to my eyes so I could read it.

That was the seed planted for my home made stand. It is made of a few pieces of wood and has two aluminium rods that hold the tablet holding “jaws”. I simply sit the holder on the keyboards music stand and as its only a foot or so from my face, I can easily read it.

The two feet on the holder have felt covered bottoms so they don’t scratch the keyboard and they sit either side of the screen. It doesn’t interfere with me using the screen or any other controls.

Its heavy enough to sit firmly in position. Works perfectly for me







Just an idea I thought I would share, and those who can do simple DIY jobs may like to make one for themselves if they thought it would suit their needs too
.

Thanks for reading.

John,

Did you see my post and drawing please?

https://www.psrtutorial.com/forum/index.php/topic,58552.0.html

Kind Regards

Colin