It turns out there’s really not much difference in size between the 9.7“ and 10.5” models as far as sheet music is concerned.

I compared the two mid-sized models side by side to get an idea of how they perform for musicians, especially for sheet music. My own current model is the 9.7“ Pro from 2016, which has just been supplanted by the 10.5” model in Apple’s lineup. (Screen sizes are measured diagonally as a standard.) Rumor has it that the iPad Mini will be phased out now that iPhones have very large screens also, they’re too small to be all that useful for sheet music. With the introduction of a new 10.5“ model, iPads now come in four sizes: the iPad Mini with a 7.9” screen, the “standard” iPad at 9.7“, and two iPad Pro models, with 10.5” and 12.9' displays.

Is it finally time to embrace technology fully and go all-digital? Here is one musician’s perspective on the iPad as a digital sheet music reader.

For several years, I’ve kept a digital score library on an iPad to supplement the traditional paper scores I use for learning and practicing. Digital sheet music has come a very long way since the awkward initial attempts to turn laptops into contortionists a few daring musicians hoped would miraculously stay on a music stand.

Music notation software for ipad