06-27-2026, 06:57 AM
Backstory: I wrote my own music sheet management software in 2004 using Visual Basic, but that toolchain is now obsolete, so I was thrilled to find MobileSheets as a commercial, current and supported replacement! Migrated the 2500-song database (in Microsoft Access) including setlists and attached audio, with some help from AI to transform the data, and MobileSheets' batch import capabilities. I did have to re-enter any nonstandard page sequences manually, but still, success!
But the old custom software supported half-page turns, with a timed automatic completion of the rest of the page turn. I triggered page turns with a Roland sustain pedal and a little Arduino board to simulate a single PageDown keyboard action. The pedal still works for full page turns in MobileSheets, but requires a second press to complete a half-page turn. I think others have requested this feature but it doesn't appear in MobileSheets (Windows) to the best of my knowledge. Couldn't find it in any of the commercial Bluetooth page turn pedals either.
Problem: my dear wife, an 80-year-old retired professional opera singer and self-accompanying pianist, is firmly conditioned to the half-page turn with automatic completion. She really hated the loss of this feature and resisted migration to MobileSheets despite all the other nice features. I don't blame her -- she's has been simultaneously sight-reading 3 staves of music, singing, playing, and pedaling once at the end of each page for over 20 years.
So I updated the Arduino board and firmware in my DIY pedal (photo attached). It uses Bluetooth, the cable is just for power. (I didn't bother making it battery-powered but that would be possible.) It has two modes: "simple" where the pedal press sends a keyboard command; and "auto-completion" where the pedal press sends a command, followed after an adjustable interval by a second command. You can speed up the second turn (e.g. when you're jumping to a segna that's on the second half of the new page) with a double-click; or slow it down (for slow, complex music) by holding down the pedal. Finally, you can select the mode and choose the auto time delay, all just by pressing the pedal and watching the LED.
It's an easy thing to build with a ready-made Arduino Nano ESP32 board, any kind of pedal, 3D printed case, and minimal wiring. If anyone wants to know more, I'm happy to share. Photo here
Bottom line though, THANKS for MobileSheets that has kept her (and me, another pianist but totally amateur) playing into our eighth decades.
But the old custom software supported half-page turns, with a timed automatic completion of the rest of the page turn. I triggered page turns with a Roland sustain pedal and a little Arduino board to simulate a single PageDown keyboard action. The pedal still works for full page turns in MobileSheets, but requires a second press to complete a half-page turn. I think others have requested this feature but it doesn't appear in MobileSheets (Windows) to the best of my knowledge. Couldn't find it in any of the commercial Bluetooth page turn pedals either.
Problem: my dear wife, an 80-year-old retired professional opera singer and self-accompanying pianist, is firmly conditioned to the half-page turn with automatic completion. She really hated the loss of this feature and resisted migration to MobileSheets despite all the other nice features. I don't blame her -- she's has been simultaneously sight-reading 3 staves of music, singing, playing, and pedaling once at the end of each page for over 20 years.
So I updated the Arduino board and firmware in my DIY pedal (photo attached). It uses Bluetooth, the cable is just for power. (I didn't bother making it battery-powered but that would be possible.) It has two modes: "simple" where the pedal press sends a keyboard command; and "auto-completion" where the pedal press sends a command, followed after an adjustable interval by a second command. You can speed up the second turn (e.g. when you're jumping to a segna that's on the second half of the new page) with a double-click; or slow it down (for slow, complex music) by holding down the pedal. Finally, you can select the mode and choose the auto time delay, all just by pressing the pedal and watching the LED.
It's an easy thing to build with a ready-made Arduino Nano ESP32 board, any kind of pedal, 3D printed case, and minimal wiring. If anyone wants to know more, I'm happy to share. Photo here
Bottom line though, THANKS for MobileSheets that has kept her (and me, another pianist but totally amateur) playing into our eighth decades.