Getting Started
Music Board Pro Live is a professional audio cue app for iPad designed for live performance. Here's how to get up and running quickly.
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The Button Grid
Your main workspace. 25 customizable audio buttons per page. Gray buttons are empty — tap one to load a track. Blue buttons are loaded and ready to play. Green means currently playing.
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Pages
Organize your sets with unlimited pages. Add a page with the + button, rename by double-tapping the tab, change its color with a long-press, and delete with the X on the tab.
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Loading Audio
Tap any empty gray button. Choose Music Library for tracks on your device, or Browse Files to import from Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud Drive, or any Files app source.
First launch tip: Music Board Pro Live will ask for permission to access your Music Library. Tap Allow — this is required to load tracks from your device. If you accidentally denied it, go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Media & Apple Music and enable access for Music Board Pro Live.
Features
A quick reference for every feature in the app.
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Playback Controls
Tap a loaded button to play. Tap again to stop. The top bar shows the current track with play/pause, a progress scrubber, time display, and master volume slider. The fade button smoothly stops playback instead of cutting abruptly.
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Volume Controls
Master volume lives in the top control bar. Each button also has its own individual volume — swipe up on a loaded button to reveal the per-button volume slider, swipe down to hide it.
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Button Options
Swipe right on any button to reveal its options panel: Auto-Next (automatically plays the next button when this one ends), Loop (repeats), Cue Points, and Lyrics/Chord Charts.
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Cue Points
Mark specific moments in a track for quick navigation during a live service. Tap "Add Cue Point" during playback to set a marker. Navigate between cue points using the skip button. Cue points appear as markers on the waveform display.
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Waveform Display
When a track is playing, the active button shows a live waveform that pulses to the audio level in real time. The waveform also serves as a visual progress indicator for the current track.
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Button Colors
Customize button colors to organize your set visually. Long-press a button to access color options. Use Reset Colors in the top bar to return all buttons to their default state.
Audio Import
Music Board Pro Live supports two ways to load audio into your buttons — your device's Music Library, or any file accessible through the Files app.
1
Tap an empty button
Any gray button can be loaded with audio. Tap it to open the Import Audio chooser.
2
Choose your source
Music Library — Browse audio files already stored in your device's Music app. This includes songs imported via iTunes/Finder, purchased tracks, and any audio downloaded to your device.
Browse Files — Import from any source in the Files app: Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud Drive, OneDrive, or files stored directly on your iPad.
Browse Files — Import from any source in the Files app: Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud Drive, OneDrive, or files stored directly on your iPad.
3
Select your file
Navigate to your track and tap it. For Browse Files imports, the file is automatically copied to the app's local storage — it will play reliably every time, even without an internet connection.
4
Button loads and is ready to play
The button turns blue and shows the track title. Tap it to play. All settings, cue points, and lyrics are saved automatically.
Apple Music subscription tracks are not supported. Due to Apple's DRM restrictions, tracks from an Apple Music streaming subscription cannot be accessed by third-party apps. This is an Apple limitation, not a Music Board limitation.
Workaround: Upload your backing tracks to Google Drive or Dropbox and use Browse Files to import them directly into Music Board Pro Live.
Workaround: Upload your backing tracks to Google Drive or Dropbox and use Browse Files to import them directly into Music Board Pro Live.
Using Google Drive or Dropbox? Make sure the Google Drive or Dropbox app is installed on your iPad and enabled under Files → Browse → Locations. Once enabled, it will appear automatically inside the Browse Files picker — no additional setup required.
Chord Charts & Lyrics
Display chord placements above your lyrics directly in the app — perfect for guitarists and pianists leading from Music Board Pro Live.
1
Open button options
Swipe right on any loaded button to reveal its options panel.
2
Tap Lyrics / Chord Charts
Opens the lyrics editor for that button's track.
3
Enter your lyrics and chords
Type lyrics in the text area. Add chord placements above each line. Select the song key and set capo position if needed — the display will adjust chord names accordingly.
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View during performance
Tap the eye icon in the top bar during playback to display the chord chart overlay. Chords appear above each lyric line, clearly readable on an iPad screen.
Capo support: Set your capo position and Music Board Pro Live will display the chord shapes you actually play — not the sounding key. No mental math during a live service.
Troubleshooting
Solutions to the most common issues reported by Music Board Pro Live users.
Music Library picker doesn't appear after tapping Music Library
Music Library access has been denied in your iPad's settings. To fix it:
- Open the iPad Settings app
- Go to Privacy & Security → Media & Apple Music
- Find Music Board Pro Live and change the permission to Read & Write
- Return to the app and try again
App won't open — flashes and returns to home screen
This is almost always caused by a low battery. iOS prevents power-intensive audio apps from launching when battery is critically low.
- Plug your iPad in and charge it above 20%
- Try opening the app again
My Apple Music tracks don't show up in the Music Library
Apple Music streaming subscription tracks are protected by Apple's DRM and cannot be accessed by third-party apps. Only tracks that are fully downloaded and stored on your device will appear.
The best solution is to upload your backing tracks to Google Drive or Dropbox and use the Browse Files option to import them directly into Music Board Pro Live.
The best solution is to upload your backing tracks to Google Drive or Dropbox and use the Browse Files option to import them directly into Music Board Pro Live.
A button that was working now shows as empty after an update
If the track was loaded from the Music Library, the file reference may have changed after an iOS update or Music app sync. Simply reload the track:
- Tap the empty button
- Select the same track again from Music Library or Browse Files
- Your cue points and lyrics will need to be re-entered if they were lost
Google Drive / Dropbox doesn't appear in Browse Files
The cloud storage app needs to be installed and enabled in the Files app first:
- Make sure Google Drive (or Dropbox) is installed on your iPad
- Open the Files app
- Tap Browse at the bottom
- Tap the three dots (···) in the top right → Edit
- Enable Google Drive or Dropbox in the locations list
- Return to Music Board Pro Live and try Browse Files again
Audio plays but sounds distorted or at wrong speed
This can happen with certain file formats or very high/low bitrate files.
- Try converting the file to MP3 (320kbps) or AAC (256kbps) on your computer first
- Re-import the converted file using Browse Files
- If the issue persists, contact support with details about the file format
App is slow or freezes during use
Music Board Pro Live is optimized for iPad but older devices may experience slowdowns with many loaded buttons.
- Close other apps running in the background
- Restart your iPad before a performance
- Make sure your iPad has adequate storage space free (at least 1GB recommended)
- If importing from cloud storage, allow the import to complete before navigating away
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Music Board Pro Live a one-time purchase?
Yes — $29.99, one time, forever. No subscription, no monthly fees, no "Pro tier." You pay once and own it. Every feature is included.
What devices does it work on?
Music Board Pro Live is designed primarily for iPad and requires iPadOS 18.2 or later. It is also available on iPhone (iOS 18.2+) and Apple Silicon Macs (macOS 15.2+), though the iPad experience is optimal.
Can I use tracks from my Apple Music subscription?
No — Apple's DRM restrictions prevent third-party apps from playing Apple Music streaming tracks. Tracks you've purchased from iTunes or imported from CDs will work fine. For streaming tracks, the workaround is to upload your backing track files to Google Drive or Dropbox and use the Browse Files import option.
Can I use Dropbox or Google Drive?
Yes — as of version 1.5.0 you can import audio directly from Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud Drive, OneDrive, or any source in the Files app. Tap an empty button and choose Browse Files. The file is copied locally so it plays reliably even without internet.
How many buttons and pages can I have?
25 buttons per page, unlimited pages. The only practical limit is your iPad's available storage and memory.
Are my boards saved automatically?
Yes — all button assignments, page layouts, colors, cue points, and lyrics are saved automatically. There is no manual save step.
Can I back up my boards?
Currently there is no built-in export/backup feature. This is on the development roadmap. For now, the safest practice is to store your original audio files in cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox) so you can re-import them if needed.
Does it work without internet?
Yes — once tracks are loaded into buttons, Music Board Pro Live works completely offline. Files imported via Browse Files are copied locally so they don't require a connection to play.
What audio formats are supported?
MP3, WAV, AIFF, AAC/M4A, and most standard audio formats. DRM-protected files (Apple Music streaming, purchased movies, etc.) cannot be played.
I have a feature request — how do I submit it?
Message Steve directly on Facebook or send an email to sa91899@gmail.com. Feature requests from real users shape every update — your feedback is genuinely read and considered.
Contact Support
Steve Adams builds and supports Music Board Pro Live personally. You're not contacting a support ticket system — you're messaging the developer directly.
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Facebook
The fastest way to reach Steve. Send a message to the Steve & Lisa Adams ministry page.
Message on Facebook
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Email
Prefer email? Reach out directly and Steve will get back to you as soon as possible.
sa91899@gmail.com
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