Is The Pen Mightier Than The Pencil?
There are many ways to select and delete objects, depending on whether you have a Pen or Pencil. The Surface Pen includes an eraser at the opposite end of the accessory, which is by far the most convenient way to delete items. Ironically, the Pencil lacks this, but has a neat alternative that involves pressing harder onto the screen to remove objects. This works reasonably well, although isn't always perfect, and a dedicated erase mode icon can be shown on the Command Bar to alternate this behaviour. Users of the second-generation Apple Pencil can double-tap the straight-edged side to toggle erase mode, which is easier.
StaffPad supports the various resolutions available to different iPad models, and here you can see a comparison between a standard iPad resolution (running in this case on an iPad Air) and a 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
As you might expect, some additional editing options vary between using an iPad Pro and a Windows 10 device: for example, say you want to add a time-signature change. On an iPad Pro, you can do this by tapping, holding and releasing your finger in the appropriate bar and selecting Change Time Signature from the menu that appears. However, on a Windows 10 device, the same menu can be similarly opened with the finger or by tapping the pen with the button down (even in an active bar). It's a small difference, but demonstrates how the Surface Pen can offer greater assistance in certain situations.
The last major area of editing concerns selection, and this is also rather painless: simply double-tap the required bar so that it becomes highlighted in blue. Once highlighted you can single-tap other bars along the same staff for them to be included in the selection, or you can tap on lower staffs to include all those in between. Adjustments can be made to selections, such as transposing notes (either with the Pen or a handy Transpose Selection pop-up offering further options), adding or removing bars. Double-tapping part of the selection will clear it completely.
As alluded to, a selection can also be made by lassoing one or more objects. On Windows 10 you simply press the Pen's button and draw a shape encompassing the objects to be a selected, although you need to be careful that the resulting blue line is fairly close to the object (or objects) so as not to simply draw a line. However, with the iPad's Pencil I found this process to be slightly less usable, especially with the absence of a suitable toggle on the Command Bar (as with the Erase function). To use Lasso mode on the iPad, you need to enable 'Double tap Pencil 2 for lasso select' in Settings, whereby double-tapping the second-generation Pencil does indeed enable a one-time lasso function, although this time the capture area needs to be slightly larger. I couldn't find a way to achieve a similar result with the first-generation Pencil.
After a bit of practice, you'll quickly gain fluency, even with more complicated gestures like drawing lines to create note groupings.
A Stroke Of Genius?
With an innovative approach to how you interact with computer-based notation, based on natural input methods like ink, touch, voice, and so on, StaffPad is almost a stroke of genius. And while it does indeed offer a simple and intuitive workflow, sometimes it's let down by this approach: some of the program's more advanced features are complex to work with, due to StaffPad trying to keep everything under the umbrella of guilelessness. As is often the case, there's far more to discuss than available space, such as score versioning, staff presets, volume automation, a master tuning setting, lyrics and more.
One of StaffPad's biggest problems is a consequence of the method chosen for distribution, especially when it comes to pricing. Because, while it's cheap for the functionality provided, it's expensive for an 'app', and suffers from the perennial problem of not being able to try before you buy. StaffPad's developers could have chosen to make the app a free download with an in-app purchase required to unlock the full functionality, but apparently this makes it difficult for family purchases. And while Microsoft's Store does permit trials, there are similar complications in making this work gracefully in all situations. Not to mention that, for a small company like StaffPad, the additional overhead in providing such support must also be acknowledged.
But I don't want to end this review on a negative note, because much of what StaffPad's developer's have accomplished is to be admired, even if some of the support for newer features can feel overly ambitious. Simultaneously releasing Windows 10 and iPadOS versions is no small feat, for example, especially since cross-platform development on such modern operating systems is considerably more challenging compared with the past process of creating comparable Windows and Mac application releases.
With this new release, StaffPad seem more focused on supporting their eponymously named application, as hinted at by mentions of new features in this review. In fact, just as I was finishing the article for submission, version 1.1 for iPadOS had been submitted to Apple for approval, and will presumably be available by the time you're reading this.
In conclusion, while some users will create complete compositions entirely within StaffPad, perhaps because music creation applications like Cubase and Logic remain part of my own process, I see StaffPad more as a composer's sketchpad for working on new ideas in a fluent and familiar manner. But in either of these cases, if you work with notation and have a compatible device, StaffPad is very desirable indeed.
Fenby: Voice-activated Composer Assistant
As well as using Pen and touch-based input, you can also use the appropriately named "voice-activated composer assistant" Fenby to carry out your spoken musical biddings. Named after Eric Fenby, an English composer who was also Delius' amanuensis, Fenby is currently in beta and is therefore a bit hit and miss, to be polite. Currently, it delivers greater accuracy in its iPad incarnation.
To perform an action, simply tap the simulacrum of a person at the top-right and dictate your vocal instruction. You'll see how Fenby interprets that request into English (which is currently the only language supported) before the execution is attempted, which, as already intimated, can be effective to a lesser or greater extent. For example, saying something like "add a piano" will successfully add a piano to the score. Whereas, if you were to utter one of the example phrases on Windows from the Help file such as "change to 5/4 at bar 5", Fenby will understand "change to 5/4" but ignore "at bar 5", and nothing will happen. And don't get me started on the matter of C major occasionally being interpreted as "see major" depending on whether you're using an iPad or Window 10 device.
For all its idiosyncrasies, though, Fenby offers a tantalising glimpse of how one might interact with music software — notation or otherwise — in the future, particularly when wishing to carry out a sequence of operations with a simple vocal direction. And who wouldn't want their own personal amanuensis?
Follow The Reader
In addition to the main StaffPad application, a companion app called StaffPad Reader is freely downloadable from the App or Microsoft Store. As the name suggests, StaffPad Reader lets you read StaffPad scores, although not perhaps in the way you might expect. While you can of course download score files, score parts can also be accessed from the score currently open on a full version of StaffPad via the same wireless network. Annotations can be made that appear only within the part displayed on the Reader (in grey), or those that appear on the master score (in red).
StaffPad Reader also runs on the Xbox One, meaning you can view it on the big screen.
Unlike the full version of StaffPad, a Pen or Pencil isn't required to use the Reader app, and while StaffPad Reader is indeed free, a Pro Upgrade in-app purchase is available for £12.99$12.99. This adds functionality, including a full playback mode featuring the same default StaffPad sample library, the ability to mute and solo parts, a dark mode (so the score is displayed in white on a black background), and the facility to synchronise multiple Reader apps across the same Wi-Fi network.
One interesting aspect about the Windows version being a modern, Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app is that it's also available for the Xbox One, meaning you can easily display a score on a TV screen. Unfortunately, it's not perfect at the time of writing, and does tend to crash rather frequently; but, like many aspects of StaffPad, it's another example of the potential and ambition on display.
Sample Libraries
StaffPad is supplied with a default sample library to enable basic audio playback, and additional libraries are available as in-app purchases to improve the variety and quality of your palette. Rather than completely reinventing the wheel of orchestral samples, StaffPad have partnered with companies like Spitfire Audio, Orchestral Tools and CineSamples to provide additional sounds, so you might discover your favourite instruments are also available to be used in StaffPad. However, it's worth nothing that, even if you already own one of these libraries in its native format, you'll still have to purchase it again as a new user — you can't import existing sample libraries into StaffPad.
In fact, moving sample libraries to StaffPad isn't a straightforward conversion. For example, there are many things that make playback unique, such as the optimisation required for mobile playback and performance, which will also see further improvements in an upcoming update. An interesting example is that StaffPad doesn't have to provide a real-time sample engine, thus enabling content to be rendered in advance, as only certain aspects of the score need be responsive at any one time. And this is presumably one reason why scores can be opened so quickly, which is obviously a plus.
It also means that StaffPad's overall cost has the potential to escalate if you start purchasing a large number of libraries as in-app purchases. Currently, there's no way for a user to manage in-app purchases, such as by unloading specific libraries to save storage space when required. You would have to reinstall StaffPad and redownload the required libraries, although a change to this behaviour is promised in a future update.
A list of in-app purchases with storage requirements isn't easily found, so here's a convenient catalogue that includes prices and approximate sizes (based on the iPadOS version). The prices are given in US Dollars, given the fluctuation of exchange rates in the current financial climate.
Essential Collection
- Spitfire Originals: Felt Piano (0.31GB), $29.99.
- Spitfire Steel Drums (0.09GB), $29.99.
- StaffPad Toy Glockenspiel (<0.1GB), Free.
- Spitfire Union Chapel Organ (0.36GB), $29.99.
- StaffPad Essentials Guitars, Vol. 1 (0.07GB), $9.99.
- StaffPad Essentials Accordion (0.01GB), $6.99.
- StafffPad Essentials Retro Keyboards (0.04GB), $19.99.
- Audio Ollie Scoring Synths (1.26GB), $69.99.
- StaffPad Antique Keys (4.53GB), $54.99.
The Spitfire Audio Collection (8.24GB)
- Spitfire Symphonic Strings (1.49GB), $99.99GB.
- Spitfire Symphonic Woodwinds (1.77GB), 99.99GB.
- Spitfire Symphonic Brass (2.1GB), $99.99.
- Spitfire Symphonic Percussion (1.05GB), $99.99.
- Spitfire Chamber Strings (1.83), $99.99.
Orchestral Tools: The Berlin Series (12.92GB)
- Berlin Strings (2.89), $99.99.
- Berlin Brass (2.94GB), $99.99.
- Berlin Woodwinds (1.82GB), $99.99.
- Berlin Percussion (2.04GB), $99.99.
- First Chairs (1.03GB), $99.99.
- Berlin Symphonic Harps (0.59GB), $69.99.
- The Orchestral Grands (1.62GB), $69.99.
Cinesamples Collection (5.36GB)
- CineBrass (0.49GB), $99.99.
- CineWinds (0.54GB), $99.99.
- CineStrings (0.84GB), $99.99.
- CineStrings Solo (1.14GB), $69.99.
- CinePerc (1.4GB), $99.99.
- CineHarps (0.15GB), $69.99.
- CinePiano (0.23GB), $69.99.
- Voxos (0.57GB), $99.99.
Artist Series: Tina Guo Cello (to be available in update)
Artist Series: Taylor Davis Violins (to be available in update)
Pros
- A pen-first design that embraces a natural user interface.
- Smooth, responsive operation.
- Well written and easy-to-understand online help.
Cons
- Some of the more advanced features hide confusion behind apparent simplicity.
- In-app sample-library purchases can increase the overall cost and can only be used within StaffPad.
- No trial version available.
Summary
StaffPad is one of the first examples of what a modern, cross-platform music application can be, incorporating a workflow certain musicians have desired for some time.
Test Spec
- StaffPad 3.0.13 running on various Windows 10-powered Microsoft Surface devices, including the Surface Studio, Surface Pro X and Surface Go.
- StaffPad 1.05 using a 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro (fourth generation) with second-generation Apple Pencil, along with an iPad Air (third generation) and a mini (fifth generation) with the first-generation Apple Pencil. All models were running iPadOS 13.4.1.