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Topic: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open  (Read 13949 times)

Offline pianoplayjl

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Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
on: February 18, 2012, 02:31:56 AM
This especially applies to the thick Schirmer's edition books typically with something like 200 pages.

Any tips?

I often just randomly sight read some parts from a very thick Beethoven sonata book or when I borrow a book from my teacher.  I often find the best way is to bend the spine but that causes wear to the book and some pages to fall out. So, any tips?

JL
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Offline jimbo320

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #1 on: February 18, 2012, 02:40:42 AM
Clothes pins...
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Offline 49410enrique

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #2 on: February 18, 2012, 03:47:10 AM
i use this for new books until they break in, problem is to turn the page you must remove it, turn the page and put it back on, it's aquick 5 second procedure so i don't mind especially with short pieces or pieces i am just beginning to learn




paid about 3 US dollars for mine on from amazon, i think hal leonard distributes them (i saw the name on my tag i believe)

Offline jtguru

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #3 on: February 18, 2012, 11:12:32 PM
I always get my thick books spiral-bound. It is very inexpensive to have it done, and makes it so you never again have to worry about the book closing on you in the middle of playing.

Offline b_nghiem

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #4 on: February 19, 2012, 01:16:53 AM
I just take 2 even thicker books and put one on each side.
- it's effective!

-Brian
"Music must be given to those who love it. I want to give free concerts; that's the answer." - Richter

Offline thalbergmad

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #5 on: February 19, 2012, 12:32:39 PM
That is exactly what I do.

Solves the problem for me.

Thal
Curator/Director
Concerto Preservation Society

Offline quantum

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #6 on: February 19, 2012, 01:10:43 PM
I just take 2 even thicker books and put one on each side.
- it's effective!

-Brian

I do this as well.  If the book is stubborn, I'll add spring clips. 
Made a Liszt. Need new Handel's for Soler panel & Alkan foil. Will Faure Stein on the way to pick up Mendels' sohn. Josquin get Wolfgangs Schu with Clara. Gone Chopin, I'll be Bach

Offline cjp_piano

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #7 on: February 19, 2012, 01:34:14 PM
2 solutions:

1. Spiral bound
2. Make copies!!

Offline oxy60

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #8 on: February 19, 2012, 04:45:06 PM
Upgrade your membership and download the sheets you want here!
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."  John Muir  (We all need to get out more.)

Offline roseamelia

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #9 on: February 24, 2012, 04:06:32 PM
try bending the book the opposite direction and then bend it back the way it was and it should sit tall.   
But Jesus looked at them and said "With man this is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible!"<br /><br />~Jesus Matthew 19:26

Offline thorn

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #10 on: February 24, 2012, 05:04:08 PM
I just photocopy, there's no problem with it as far as I'm concerned because it's for my own personal use. I always memorise before public performance, so I don't have a load of sheets of paper everywhere when playing, and in exam situation I play from memory and give them the original book. No one besides me knows a photocopy even exists, so no potential legal problems.

Offline jtguru

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #11 on: February 24, 2012, 09:17:01 PM
I just photocopy, there's no problem with it as far as I'm concerned because it's for my own personal use. I always memorise before public performance, so I don't have a load of sheets of paper everywhere when playing, and in exam situation I play from memory and give them the original book. No one besides me knows a photocopy even exists, so no potential legal problems.

No one besides you, and all the people that read this thread now. ;D
But anyway, as far as I am aware, there is no legal problem with making a photocopy for your own personal use of something that you have already purchased yourself.

Offline pianoplayjl

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #12 on: February 24, 2012, 11:31:39 PM
try bending the book the opposite direction and then bend it back the way it was and it should sit tall.   

But then that would only make the book wear and deteriorate in condition faster, and that is the last thing that I want. I used to like the very old editions where people use strings to bind sheet musictogether, often in large volumes but I find that a bit of carelessness is all it takes to stuff up those types of sheet music books. Also pages fall out easier.

JL
Funny? How? How am I funny?

Offline oxy60

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #13 on: February 25, 2012, 04:47:11 PM
I know a high end music school where they own a huge library and students simply make copies of the pieces they plan to study. Some fo the editions are over 50 years old.
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."  John Muir  (We all need to get out more.)

Offline cjp_piano

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #14 on: February 25, 2012, 09:45:53 PM
I know a high end music school where they own a huge library and students simply make copies of the pieces they plan to study. Some fo the editions are over 50 years old.

That's totally illegal

Offline pianoplayjl

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #15 on: February 25, 2012, 11:42:47 PM
That's totally illegal

But it is done so often nowadays that illegally photocopying sheet music is hardly frowned upon. Everyone does it and every must have done it at least once in their life. Of course printing/ photocopying sheet music is the easy way out, but I can't be bothered doing all that stuff. The question at hand is 'what is the best way to keep sheet music books like Schirmer's open?'. I think using two books and put one on each side is the best way afterall.

JL
Funny? How? How am I funny?

Offline cjp_piano

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Re: Best way to keep thick sheet music books open
Reply #16 on: February 26, 2012, 02:13:02 PM
But it is done so often nowadays that illegally photocopying sheet music is hardly frowned upon. Everyone does it and every must have done it at least once in their life. Of course printing/ photocopying sheet music is the easy way out, but I can't be bothered doing all that stuff. The question at hand is 'what is the best way to keep sheet music books like Schirmer's open?'. I think using two books and put one on each side is the best way afterall.

JL

So if everyone does it, that makes it ok? What if everyone started murdering innocent children? Ha ha, ok too far I know =)

But it is legal to photocopy your own musical scores. And that is my suggestion for keeping books open, just copy it! But don't copy someone else's music, that's illegal =)
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