# Electronic Sheet Music and Books **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2000, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electronic-sheet-music-and-books/5756 "2000-01-03T09:24:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Snark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2000, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electronic-sheet-music-and-books/5756/1 "2000-01-03T09:24:00Z")
I used to play the violin and currently play the piano. What gets my goat is, I usually have to stop playing, turn the page, then start playing again. Does anyone know if there is “e-sheet music” where you could use a foot pedal to move onto the next page without having to stop playing the instrument? Also, what’s the status on “e-books”? How soon will they become available to the general public’s [inexpensive] usage? I’d love to read the next Great American Novel on a book-sized LCD “e-book.” ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electronic-sheet-music-and-books/5756/2 "2000-01-04T01:05:00Z")
That is actually a brilliant idea. I have no idea if someone is doing it, but musical notation doesn’t require very high resolution. One could make a vertical LCD screen, with the battery/Memory in the bottom. You could up-load what you will play, and have that for concerts. As far as rehearsals, nothing is faster than a pencil. Still, there’s money to be made here. Cartooniverse " If you want to kiss the sky, you’d better learn how to kneel." ---
**Author:** ![Snark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Snark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electronic-sheet-music-and-books/5756/3 "2000-01-04T01:18:00Z")
Well, I hereby renounce all my rights to the patent on this “e-sheet music” idea of mine and give them to the public domain. Whoever wants to make a quick million, be my guest! I’m only thinking of the children! ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electronic-sheet-music-and-books/5756/4 "2000-01-04T04:40:00Z")
Here’s a webpage with a ton of books. Enjoy: [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/books.html](http://www.cs.cmu.edu/books.html) * * * Mr. K’s Link of the Month: [Why Plastic Grocery Bags Are Better Than God](http://www.flud.com/ass/bag.html) ---
**Author:** ![Snark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Snark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electronic-sheet-music-and-books/5756/5 "2000-01-04T05:32:00Z")
Whoah, that’s one major stash of books! Thanks, MKIA. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Per](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9f8e36/32.png) [@Per](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Per)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electronic-sheet-music-and-books/5756/6 "2000-01-04T07:01:00Z")
I use .pdf files (Acrobat) to read sheet music on occasion. Acrobat does have buttons to turn from page to page, and I imagine there would be an easy solution to doing so without using your hands (putting the mouse pad on the floor…)