Which iPad is best for me?

You can directly compare the iPad models here:

https://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/

If you only intend to use your iPad for the purposes that you list, you do not need (and will derive little benefit from) the high specification iPad Air or iPad Pro models. With your stated uses in mind, you might be well advised to choose the entry-level iPad8.

The iPad8 forgoes the higher specification camera arrays and other advanced features - and instead concentrates solely on basic features. The performance of iPad8, whilst very good, will obviously not match the considerably more expensive models. The cost saving is substantial.

All current iPad models all run the same full iPadOS.

All current iPad models all either use the original, 1st or newer 2nd gen Apple Pencil.

( iPad 8th gen and iPad Mini 5 all use the original, 1st gen Apple Pencil )

( 2018 and 2020 iPad Pro and 2020 iPad Air 4 models use the 2nd gen Apple Pencil )

So, iPads are more like cars, now.

You are paying for iPad optional features, now.

Do you want/need larger internal data storage space for data, like music. movies and photos/images and room for other types of data?

Do you need a larger or smaller iPad screen?

Do you need/want an iPad model in a variety of colors?

Do you want/need a bonded, laminated display?

Do you/want/need higher color gamut display with Tru-tone room brightness calibration?

Do you want/need faster, more powerful internal CPU?

Do you want/need more internal processing RAM?

Do you want/need better iPad cameras?

Do you want/need better/more iPad speakers?

Do you want/need the improved, 2nd gen Apple Pencil?

Do you want/need to have the new Magic Keyboard portfolio for the 2018/2020 iPad Pro/iPad Air 4 models?

All of these options are what you need to decide if you really need, or not, and to decide to pay for accordingly.

The more iPad features you decide you need, the more you pay.

It all comes down to how much money you are willing to spend on iPads with additional, premium features.

You can now pretty much do everything on any current iPad model, now.

All current iPad models are sufficiently powerful enough to do pretty much any task put to them now.

https://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/

Purchase the largest internal data storage capacity iPad model you can afford as no Apple mobile iOS/iPadOS devices have ANY internal expandable storage.

Best of Luck to You!

It is impossible for us to tell which iPad would be best for you. Determine your budget, then decide which iPad you can afford and compare models if there is more than one that you might like. It is usually recommended to get the one with the most memory that you can afford.