With the ongoing help of Robert Steele, we are now working with digital tablets to display our song charts/lyrics at park jams. Though the tablets are not required for most simpler songs we play at park jams, the bSteele Music App will give us the option to occasionally reference our charts at times. We are currently recommending tablets that are bright enough to see outside in the shade. Important: please bring your own tablet and music stand to hold the tablet.
At the park, phone performance will be very marginal and is not recommended. Instead, we will access Bob’s local Raspberry Pi server so we can access the bSteele Music App and allow the jam leader to control all of the tablets at the jam. As the jam leader scrolls, our tablets will also scroll! Let’s get started:
Before the jam, set up your tablet as follows:
- Charge the tablet
- In your tablet’s browser, bookmark this page, or print these instructions since there will be no internet and bookmarking may not be useful to a wifi-only tablet
- Open your tablet’s browser. For best performance, use Chrome (preferred) or Safari. Close all other apps on your tablet. On the iPad, double-click home button, swipe up on all apps except for the browser.
At the jam, set up your tablet as follows:
- Set the screen timeout as long as possible to avoid re-starting the tablet often
- For best performance, close all other apps on your tablet/phone, particularly for iPads. Use Chrome (preferred) or Safari, and close the other (double-click home button, flick up on all apps but Chrome.
- On your tablet, go to Settings > Wifi. Choose either “bob5” or “bob” Wifi. This will access the local Raspberry Pi server, not the Internet. You will likely be warned that there is no internet connection. Choose the options to allow no internet access for this wifi.
- Open your tablet’s browser. For best performance, use Chrome (preferred) or Safari. Close all other apps on your tablet. On the iPad, double-click home button, swipe up on all apps except for the browser.
- Type 192.168.1.205 into the URL. Bookmark that location.
- You will now see the local instructions page. Click the bSteele Music App link on that page and be ready to play!
- Experimental: Open the Options tab in the bSteele Music App, then try the Full Screen mode. Swiping up should exit full screen mode.