How do I get this book to stay open?

[donjuan]

I have Beethoven's Sonatas on Urtext Wiener Universal edition, and I am getting so frustrated with the book because the book is so huge the pages wont stay open, and the whole thing flops closed whenever I take my hand away.  I have tried everything- Bending the book backwards, putting something behind it, tilting the music stand so it is more horizontal, and I still cant get the book to lie flat and stay open.  Can I buy Page clips for my piano, or is there a solution someone here knows of and has used successfully?

any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanx,
donjuan

[Shagdac]

DonJuan, I have used those big page clips and they have worked...also, don't know if this is an option for you or not, but many times I've had this problem (expecially when playing from a volume with many pieces in it)..I just make copies of the pages I need, punch holes and insert them into a binder. Instead of carrying around 3 or 4 big books...I just have a small binder with the pieces I need. You could also use a large elastic band to put around the piano stand (the part that the back of the book goes against)...insert the book under the band and it won't move. This would be inconvienent if you were having to turn pages frequently, however if you are on the same page for a while, it should work well.

Hope this helps.

S

[donjuan]

DonJuan, I have used those big page clips and they have worked...also, don't know if this is an option for you or not, but many times I've had this problem (expecially when playing from a volume with many pieces in it)..I just make copies of the pages I need, punch holes and insert them into a binder. Instead of carrying around 3 or 4 big books...I just have a small binder with the pieces I need. You could also use a large elastic band to put around the piano stand (the part that the back of the book goes against)...insert the book under the band and it won't move. This would be inconvienent if you were having to turn pages frequently, however if you are on the same page for a while, it should work well.

Hope this helps.

S

I havent thought of using elastic bands before, but it would be a paini if I have to turn pages...

Can you explain how those big page clips work?  Where can I get them? I havent seen anything around my city.

I do get photocopies for the pieces I work on, but I would like to sightread from the book- turn to any page and work from the book, without having to photocopy the whole thing.

donjuan

[Shagdac]

Is it just the pages that will not stay turned to where you want, or does your book have trouble staying open as well?

S

[donjuan]

the whole thing doesnt stay open, and the open page doesnt lie on the adjacent pages behind very well.  It is designed so that no amount of wear and tear will make it lie flat as well.  I am interested in the clips, provided they wont hurt my piano..
donjuan

[Shagdac]

I have not ever purchased the type actually designed for that use. I know the ones at the music store by me have a rubber backing to them so they don't hurt or scratch the piano. The look like a l_l  ...but the top ends come together more. The have "give" to them so you can pull them slightly apart, putting on end behind the piano stand back...and the other on your page. Again, if you turn the page you must put the new page under the clip. I have just always used one of those HUGE plastic paper clips or binder clips to hold mine back.
I've also tried putting a book on either side to hold it down...again this works fine, but turning pages can be a problem. I know its frustrating.

S

Oh, by the way, the clips at the store by me are about
$3 - $4 dollars each.

[Shagdac]

You may find this helpful...here are to sites where they sell bookclips designed to hold books/pages open:

www.bookaddicts.com

www.ezbookclip.com

The second looks good in that it would be easier to turn the pages.

Hope this helps.

[Tash]

that's where my very annoying music stand on the piano comes in- it tilts up towards the back side of the piano so prevents the pages from flipping over. however when i do need to turn pages it likes to destroy the bottoms of the pages grrr.

but that's no help to you. my tip would be to memorise the music as quickly as possible so you don't need to use the music

[donjuan]

You may find this helpful...here are to sites where they sell bookclips designed to hold books/pages open:

www.bookaddicts.com

www.ezbookclip.com

The second looks good in that it would be easier to turn the pages.

Hope this helps.

thanks for those sites, I will keep that in mind.
Tash, I really need to practice sightreading, not memorizing- one of the reasons why I bought the Beethoven sonatas..
donjuan

[seepiano]

For me, the bookclip works fine for thin books, but when I applied that with very thick books, they didn't stand on my score rack (is this what you called in english?).

So I have to make the book into a spiral bound book. In my country there are many store doing that, it costs me about $2-$4. Some copycenters also provide the puncher so I just buy the coil and making that myself.

[joeltr888]

I would second seepiano's post... search around your area for a bindery or similar store/retailer that will ring or comb bind the book for you... that way it will lay completely flat on any surface.

[Tash]

oh well then you should just ignore everything i say. how incredibly helpful am i hahaha