OnSong is great for personal use: practicing, playing live, and managing your music, but it does so much more!  In this video, Brandon shows you how to project lyrics with OnSong so that your band or audience can follow along.  You won't need expensive lyrics projection software in the back-house when OnSong can do it for you, while you stay in control.  Watch below to learn how to connect your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch to any projector or HDTV using VGA or HDMI video adapters. You can even project lyrics wirelessly through AppleTV using AirPlay.  Brandon teaches you all this and more, including tips and tricks on how to control your lyrics using hot corners or hands free wireless foot pedals.

AirTurn invited OnSong to share a booth at the NAMM show in January of 2014 so Jason talked with Hugh Sung about their latest music tech.  Check out a demonstration of the new AirTurn Tap which gives drummers a touch sensitive page-turner that is more responsive than previous pedals.  AirTurn also demoed their new universal Manos stand mount that allows you to easily and securely display your tablets and phones regardless of size or thick case/cover combinations.



See more from AirTurn by visiting their website here and don't forget you can order AirTurn pedals from our store or watch the tutorial: How to Setup AirTurn pedals with OnSong.

OnSong traveled to Anaheim, CA in January of 2014 to take part in the 2014 NAMM Show.  The National Association of Music Merchants annual conference and expo is THE place to be if you want to see all the latest in musical instruments and technology.  OnSong members Jason and Brandon teamed up with 1Christian.net (Rockin' with the Cross) members Rob and Nate to showcase OnSong at the AirTurn booth.  AirTurn pedals are a great way to integrate OnSong into your live performances so it just made sense to show off both technologies at once.  While at NAMM, Jason and Brandon also got to run around the ridiculously expansive expo and interview several of the hottest new technologies coming to music.  It was an amazing experience! Check out the highlights from the show and some of the interviews below:

While hanging out at NAMM 2014 Jason the founder of OnSong got to check out DrumPants! For anyone who ever drummed the dash of their car, a table, or the side of their leg, DrumPants are for you. These MIDI integrated sensors can be placed anywhere, but they're meant for your pants. Drumming on the sensors creates signals that can be sent to headphones, a wearable amp, or a MIDI enabled iOS App. Program the sensors to make tons of sounds and you have "An entire band in your pocket!"  The sensors could be potentially used to control anything through MIDI, which is groundbreaking wearable computing technology.

Check out more from DrumPants.com

OnSong founder Jason talks with the Tronical team about their incredible auto-tuning guitar invention. We're not talking about a T-Pain here! The TronicalTune is a revolutionary device for electric and acoustic guitars alike that seamlessly self-tunes your guitar in a matter of seconds, all while preserving the integrity and tone of your instrument. The first system musicians can retrofit to guitars, TronicalTune installs to the back of a guitar's headstock without the need of professional installation or alteration. Featuring 18 different tunings, (12 factory presets and 6 user presets) musicians are now able to switch between tunings in seconds by simply pushing a button and strumming the strings.

Learn more at Tronical.com

While walking the floor at the 2014 NAMM show, OnSong founder Jason interviews MISELU representatives about their amazing kickstarter-funded C.24 piano keyboard that doubles as a case for the iPad. This two octave wireless music keyboard uses magnets instead of springs to provide a realistic action and wireless Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to communicate with your iPad. Gregory, one of the MISELU reps said, "It's great for musicians on the go." Not only is it a fully functioning MIDI keyboard, but it also has a slot for extra hardware expansion modules like drum-pads, pitch benders, and programmable buttons. Third party manufacturers are already developing their own modules for the C.24 and the possibilities are endless.  The Kickstarter campaign was fully funded and those units will ship in the next few months.  If you are interested in buying a C.24 you can expect them to be on shelves in Spring 2014 or Preorder yours today at the MISELU website.

 

Regularly backing up your songs, music files, sets, and OnSong library is a great way to make sure you don't lose all your data in case of a crash or need to reset.  It also lets you port your library in the event that your device gets lost, stolen, broken, or any time you get a new one.  In this tutorial, Brandon teaches you how to backup your OnSong library using Dropbox and how to restore your backup.

Using the Metronome in OnSong is easy and once you understand how to set it up, it sits at the ready in the Live Bar.  Let's not sugar-coat it, some musicians need a metronome and some don't.  If you are learning a new song, don't have a drummer, have no rhythm, or just really like metronomes, we don't judge, OnSong gives you a fully functioning metronome to keep track of the beat.  Customize your metronome by adjusting the beats-per-minute (BPM), time signature, sound effects, and more.  In this Metronome Tutorial, Brandon takes you through all the features and how to set them up in OnSong.

The National Association of Music Manufacturers annual conference is going on now (January 23 - 26, 2014) in Anaheim, California and OnSong partnered up with AirTurn to exhibit at the massive Expo.  While Jason gives demos of OnSong and networks with other manufacturers who will want to integrate their products with OnSong, Brandon will be filming the entire experience and interviewing show participants.  We'll post the video when they get back, but for now, check out a couple of the photos and video from the first few days.

The Android version of OnSong is one major step closer to completion with the addition of OnSong Connect.  The older versions of OnSong had OnCue only, which used an old Apple technology to link OnSong user devices together with Bluetooth, however this was completely incompatible with Android.  OnCue was also unstable and dropped out in a crowded room, which is basically anywhere bands play. Now with the releases of OnSong 1.98 (fixes and new features) and 1.981(fixes the fixes) we've developed an API that allows devices running OnSong to connect to each other using WiFi instead.  One device works as a server (master) and the other devices running OnSong Connect can be controlled by the original.  The newer technology not only creates faster, more stable connections between you and your band, but allows access from multiple platforms.  That means that OnSong Connect enables iOS devices to talk to Android, Windows, Mac, and more.  This is a major step in the continued development of the Android version of OnSong in the near future.
     OnSong for Android has been a priority for us for a long time, but the truth is, we are a small startup, and with that come challenges.  When our lead Android contractor fell through recently we were forced to take Android development in-house.  Next, the release of iOS 7 created major instability in older devices and our programmers were forced to deal with bugs instead of developing the Android version of OnSong.  These aren't meant to be excuses, but just keeping you all updated on the challenges we face as we press on to deliver you the best software possible.  The good news is that OnSong v1.981 seems stable, OnSong Connect is running, and we can concentrate all our energy on getting the Android version up and running as soon as possible.  We also want to let you know that the OnSong 2.0 and Android versions will have a very similar look and feel, with a faster, more intuitive user interface.  While our developers are crunching on Android the rest of us will continue to provide awesome (and FREE!) support, new video tutorials, and new updated OnSong website with upgraded store.

In 2010 Jason created a simple iPad app to help organize his chord charts and OnSong was born.  OnSong was one of the first 2000 apps in the itunes app store and as it grew to over 100,000 downloads globally, Jason needed help!  His wife Jaime started answering support questions and pretty soon they both quit their day jobs and in 2012 OnSong LLC was official formed.  OnSong continued to grow and Kendra was added to help Jaime with support.  Giving back was built into the heart of OnSong and so 10% of all sales (gross) go to The OnSong Project which funds charitable missions from spreading music and food through the Philipines to building a place for community near our hometown.  In February of 2013 Jason met Joel at the Startup Weekend Lancaster event and they hit it off immediately.  Jason asked Joel to help OnSong grow and that's just what they did.  OnSong is now six strong, and growing.  Let's meet the team:


Jason
Founder, CTO
Jason is the creator and president of OnSong, an app that enables musicians to use digital chord sheets on stage. His passionate is to help worship teams and musicians become more effective in their abilities through the use of appropriate and easy-to-use technology. He believes this technology promises to foster a spirit of creative collaboration around the world.
Since graduating from Messiah College in 1999, Jason has been on the forefront of technology leadership. He has successfully started three companies over the past 13 years and continues to evolve the state-of-the art in music technology in the mobile computing space.


Jaime
Co-Founder, VP Customer Support
Jaime graduated from Messiah College in 1999 with a Certified Athletic Training degree.  Her training gives her excellent skills when working closely with people and developing risk assessment plans.  When OnSong became popular in early 2012 she took on the VP of Customer Support role and also leads product testing.





Kendra
Customer Support
Kendra is a 21 year old Customer Technical Support specialist with a heart for missions since the age of 12. She has been to Mexico three times and the Philippines once.  When she's not traveling or working, she's also creating her own art.





Joel
VP Business Development, Marketing
Joel has been an Entrepreneur his entire life, from fabricating and selling wooden towel holders at 8 yrs old, to starting a SCUBA salvage company at 13.  He's always loved trying new things and innovation.  After earning a doctorate in Optometry and practicing as an Optometrist since 2004, Joel got the startup bug and began applying innovation to triathlon, obstacle racing, and technology.  Jumping into the startup scene, he attended Startup Weekend Pittsburgh in Sept. 2012 where he helped Team GLDLX (Goldilox) take 2nd place, and hasn't looked back since!


Brandon
Video Tutorials, Artist Relations
Brandon has been a touring musician for many years and a worship leader. He has made a name on Youtube and won several singing competitions throughout Pennsylvania. His dream is to be a musician full time. He studied Mass Comm in College with a music minor.





Chris
Junior Developer
Chris graduated from Duquesne University in 2011, and worked as a web developer from graduation until 2012.  When he's not training and caring for his dogs, he's out playing Disc Golf (Frisbee Golf).  Chris is one of the top ranked amateur Disc Golfers for the state of Pennsylvania.

Changing the look of your songs or changing the key (transposing) is easy with OnSong and we've got a fresh tutorial by Brandon to show you how.  We often refer to this as formatting or display settings, but whatever you call it, OnSong can change the key and adjust the fonts of titles, lyrics, and/or chords on-the-fly.  Plus, OnSong let's you choose what to display by turning parts of your music on and off easily so you can concentrate on playing the music you love.  Brandon will even discuss how to apply a capo without having to transpose in your mind.


Don't have the App?  Download OnSong Now

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Join the OnSong Community Group to interact with other musicians like you.

TheGigEasy is an iPad stand / holder transforming the way musicians work and play music by providing an easy way to view your iPad hands free.  It is essential equipment for anyone using OnSong on an iPad, especially when playing live.  In this video Brandon will talk about the key features of TheGigEasy, review the product, and show you how to set it up.  TheGigEasy is available now in the OnSong Store.



Key features of TheGigEasy:

• 4 Spring-loaded arms - Hold your iPad firmly
• 360 Degree Rotation - Allows for Portrait or Landscape viewing
• Smooth One-handed adjustment - When you're playing live, it's got to be easy
• 12 Different Color Combinations - To Match your look
• Easy Tilt Mechanism - For getting the viewing angle just right
• Made in the USA

Transferring your OnSong Library by creating a DropBox backup takes all your songs, sets, styles, and everything you've already customized in OnSong and transfers it easily to your new iPad.  Whether you got a new iPad for Christmas or just need to restore a backup, this quick tutorial by Jason will teach you how to transfer your OnSong library.



Don't have OnSong yet? Download it Now

Follow OnSong on Facebook and Twitter

Join the OnSong Community Group just for musicians like you!

The OnSong Community on Facebook is a place for OnSong users to connect with each other.   Do you have a question about using OnSong?  Ask the community.  Do you have a new favorite song, a hack, or unique way to use OnSong that we've never even thought of?  Share it with the community.  We'll be there to kick out the spammers, inappropriate posts, or personal attacks, but the rest is up to you.  It's your page!  Join now - OnSong Facebook Community

Photo Courtesy Grzegorz Chorus http://www.flickr.com/photos/gchorus/

Tons of new fixes and features!  Check out all the details of the OnSong 1.972 update on our release page Click Here

We recently added Brandon to the OnSong Team to help musicians make the most of our App and he created a new overview tutorial to get you started with using OnSong.  Brandon is a bandleader, worship leader, and touring musician who recently started using OnSong just like you!  This gives him a fresh look at how to begin using OnSong effectively and will teach you which features will quickly get you up and running.

Onsong is an app that turns your iOS device into an interactive mobile music library that lets you take your chord charts anywhere you practice or perform.  Use it to import or edit your songs then organize them into set lists (books).  Pull chord charts from your library and share them with your band without the hassle of paper or bulky binders.  You can interact with your music by transposing keys, applying capos, or adjusting how the song is displayed, all with the swipe of your finger.  OnSong replaces the paper binder with a simple, compact, mobile solution.

The full video is 11 minutes long and if you're new to OnSong it is highly recommended that you watch the whole thing and follow along to get the most out of the OnSong App.  Watch the full video here, or scroll down to get jump links for specific topics.



How to Add Songs in OnSong

How to Make a Set List in OnSong

How to Search for Songs in your OnSong Library

How to Change the Look of your Chord Chart in OnSong

How to Make Notes in OnSong

How to AutoScroll your Music in OnSong

How to Setup Foot Pedals in OnSong

We hope this helps you learn how to use OnSong for the first time, or gets you started on some features that you haven't used yet in the OnSong App.  Enjoy!

The AirTurn BT-105 Pedals are Wireless BlueTooth Pedalboards that allow you to control OnSong hands-free.  Jason and Brandon teamed up to review the AirTurn pedals and give you a quick tutorial on how to use them with OnSong.  Watch the video review and read the highlights below:



Features:

• On/Off/Reset switch on the back
• Status indicator light for connection and charging
• (2) 1/8" audio stereo jacks 
• Internal 430mAh lithium polymer battery
• 1 meter USB charging cable
• AirTurn BT-105 2-Pedal $119, lower cost, great for basic page turning and scrolling
• AirTurn BT-105 4-Pedal $159, allows for more functions to be controlled in OnSong

The iRig BlueBoard is a Wireless Bluetooth MIDI Pedal Board that works well with OnSong to allow musicians to perform multiple hands-free operations.  OnSong team member Brandon is a band leader, worship leader, and gigging musician who regularly performs live.  Here's a video of his iRig BlueBoard Review, and you can read below for his highlights.


Features:

• 4 backlit assignable foot switches
• (2) 1/4" inputs for assignable expression pedals or switches
• Bank, MIDI Program, and MIDI Control Changes
• BlueBoard iOS App runs in the background, translating Bluetooth messages into MIDI instructions
• Runs on AAA batteries (Standard or AAA NiMH Rechargeble batteries)

I'll admit, I used to hate those guys in college that would pick up a guitar and start strumming, just to steal the attention of every girl in the room.  I'd be carrying on a nice conversation with a cute brunette and suddenly "Name" by the Goo Goo Dolls would start drifting across the student union.  It was frustrating and I'd lose my chance at a phone number, but I never got mad enough to just go learn guitar for myself.  I tried learning to play the guitar growing up and in 6th grade music class I even mastered "Ode to Joy," but I was an active guy (soccer, camping, martial arts), so guitar lessons just didn't fit into my schedule.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a musical guy:  I can read music, sing, and played a number of instruments during my school years including drums, saxophone, sousaphone (a round tuba), and the equivalent of a french horn (mellophone); but the guitar just wasn't for me.  I'd pick it up, play an open chord, or just pluck a few strings while I made up lame blues songs about an unsuccessful day of hunting or not getting a job I applied for.  The truth is, I was jealous of those long haired, goateed, narcissists.  Please don't send me hate-mail about how you've never had a goatee, I realize that's just a stereotype, and that guitar players come in all shapes, sizes, hair lengths, and genders, but the desire to learn to play the guitar has never left me.

When I met Jason, the founder and genius developer behind OnSong, at a February 2013 Startup Weekend  event in Lancaster, PA we clicked immediately and he asked me to help him in growing OnSong.  At the time I didn't know anything about the app and didn't even own an iPad (I want the Android version just as badly as everyone else!), but I immediately saw how amazing and useful the app was.  One of the first, and coolest OnSong features I noticed was that tapping on a chord would reveal the fingerings for multiple instruments like ukulele, bass, piano, but especially guitar.  That was my Eureka moment..... I realized that I could learn to play guitar using OnSong!
My strategy is pretty simple:

1. Find the easiest songs to play on a guitar with a simple internet search.
2. Import them into OnSong.
3. Check YouTube or Spotify if unsure of what the song is supposed to sound like.
4. Once the song is open in OnSong, click on the chords above the lyrics to display the finger placement chart for guitar.
5. Strum the chord over and over again until happy with how it sounds.
6. Move on to the next chord in the song and tap it. (Many simple songs are only 2 or 3 chords!)
7. Once a feel for the chords needed to play is attained, try to put them together switching back and forth.
8. Now put it all together and actually try to play the song.
9. Rinse and Repeat with different songs, exploring different chords.

Keep in mind that this method of learning to play guitar will not turn you into Yngwie Malmsteen, but it might get you playing around campfires and in coffee shops with your friends, so you no longer have to sit on the sidelines when some one busts out an impromptu jam session.  Are there better or faster ways to learn guitar?  Maybe, but if you're reading this blog, you probably already have OnSong and if you're a singer, drummer, or pianists that wants to add guitar to their musician's toolbox, this might just be the easiest way.  If you don't have OnSong and you randomly found this blog looking for information on how to play the guitar, you can download it here.  It might also be the cheapest way to learn guitar.  Check back often, since I'll be posting my "Learn to Play Guitar" journey to this blog, and on youtube.