Storing sheet music

[david cainer]

I am eagerly awaiting delivery of my first grand piano, and my wife and I are preparing our living room to show off what my wife sees as a new furniture adornment, whereas I see it as a chance to sound my best before age and arthritis limit my digital capabilites (I mean "fingers", not electronics )

While my old upright is always covered in piles of music that I happily riffle through, the rule is to be that the mew baby (grand) will not be subject to such clutter!

Can anyone suggest a piece of furniture which looks good in a living room amd provides easy access to stored sheet music and music folios?

And where would I get one, please?

[rhapsody in orange]

A nice bookshelf with glass doors to keep the dust out =)

[david cainer]

Dear Rhapsody

Thanks.  I'm not so sure about glass-fronted.  Music tends to get a bit dog-eared, so displaying it may not be the best idea.  I was thinking in terms of a cabinet full of shallow drawers with no sides so that the music could be accessed easily.  I've seen one such but the price almost rivalled that of the piano!

Thanks for replying.  It's very helpful to have a chance to discuss.

Yours

David

[bernhard]

Here is what I use: Magazine files.



These can then go into standard book shelves. It is very functional. The ones in the picture probably will not have a huge aesthetic appeal (so your wife may disapprove). However I have seen this sort of magazine file in wood, and they looked very nice. Also, it is better to get slimmer ones – they will fit less sheets, but the sheets will be better stored.

You can also try these office cabinets with very slim drawers ) – I usually see tehn in medical/dentist’s offices, but that is what they use in my local library to store music sheets (so they are stacked horizontally rather than vertically).

Finally, you may get a local craftsmen to make a piece of furniture to your designs/specification. Perhaps something like this:



Congratulations on the new piano.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[BoliverAllmon]

I am eagerly awaiting delivery of my first grand piano, and my wife and I are preparing our living room to show off what my wife sees as a new furniture adornment, whereas I see it as a chance to sound my best before age and arthritis limit my digital capabilites (I mean "fingers", not electronics )

While my old upright is always covered in piles of music that I happily riffle through, the rule is to be that the mew baby (grand) will not be subject to such clutter!

Can anyone suggest a piece of furniture which looks good in a living room amd provides easy access to stored sheet music and music folios?

And where would I get one, please?

what kind of grand is it? If you don't mind me asking.

boliver

[Floristan]

You could buy a sheet music cabinet, like this one:

https://www.pianosupplies.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=209MusicCab&Category_Code=furniture

[rhapsody in orange]

Personally I am using this set of drawers but I am finding it too troublesome every time i need to use a book that happens to be at the bottom of the drawer (remove whatever books that are on top, take the book I want and place back all those books again)

[rlefebvr]

I am a sheet music freak. Make sure you get something where the sheets and or books are standing up and you can easily get too with minimum effort.

Any other solution and they will just sit there and you will never ever use them.

All my individual sheets are in binders with a plastic sheet covering them. Each binder is separated by style and type. I also have one with work in progress and I have one with everything I can play and one with things I would like to play.

All my books are in a upright level and all I do is reach to get one.

A bookcase is best, probably with doors unless you plan on a divorce.

[apion]

I typically don't confront your issue: I memorize a score upon first viewing and thereafter store it in a dust free archive room.     

[galonia]

I don't understand how people can store their music upright - doesn't it all slide around and the books start to bend?

I have a bookcase with doors - I was told to keep the sun off my books (here in Australia we take sun damage very seriously) - and I have very shallow shelves so all my books lie flat, and only a few books sit on top of one another, and I have no trouble accessing them or keeping it all fairly tidy.

Only weird thing is when someone comes and opens my cupboard and is shocked by the number of shelves inside!

[allchopin]

Shelves and paper are obsolete!  How about this:  Invest in a cheap, ($150) 17" flat screen monitor and set that right there in place of the stand.  A good 160 gb hard drive can keep all the sheet music you'd ever want.  This is the clear solution and the way I'll be doing it in the future.

[nomis]

Shelves and paper are obsolete!  How about this:  Invest in a cheap, ($150) 17" flat screen monitor and set that right there in place of the stand.  A good 160 gb hard drive can keep all the sheet music you'd ever want.  This is the clear solution and the way I'll be doing it in the future.

It may work for you, but computer screens strain my eyes so I prefer to buy books.

[galonia]

Shelves and paper are obsolete! How about this: Invest in a cheap, ($150) 17" flat screen monitor and set that right there in place of the stand. A good 160 gb hard drive can keep all the sheet music you'd ever want. This is the clear solution and the way I'll be doing it in the future.

How do you turn pages???  Or draw on your music?

[rlefebvr]

Shelves and paper are obsolete!  How about this:  Invest in a cheap, ($150) 17" flat screen monitor and set that right there in place of the stand.  A good 160 gb hard drive can keep all the sheet music you'd ever want.  This is the clear solution and the way I'll be doing it in the future.

I just knew someone would mention the computer.
I have been working on computers for over 15 years so I have a right to say this. Computers will destroy mankind.

No need for sheet music, heck just use a computer. No need to tune a piano, just buy a digital and contrary to what some say, it will surpass the sound and feel of a real piano one day. That is inevitable. Heck why even learn to play, the future holds for us a 3D pianist sitting eight there in our living room playing the daylights out of that piano.

Computers don't just make things easier, they take over and re-define everything it touches and makes everything you do obsolete sooner or later.

[xvimbi]

Computers don't just make things easier, they take over and re-define everything it touches and makes everything you do obsolete sooner or later.

Yes, I wish they would take over the LL vs. YL discussions

As usual, new technology (in this case, computer vs. sheetmusic) opens up new possibilities while abandoning the "old ways." That's not necessarily better, nor worse, but often enough just different.

Page turning can be done automatically, because the computer would know where one is in the score. There are also mechanical page turners, so what's the difference? There is also software on some high-end digitals that have built-in LCDs that display scores. It will even tell people when they make mistakes (and it will then send electrical shocks through your bench...). So, there are indeed new possibilities for teaching and learning.

BUT, that's a different ball o' wax, and I am with rlefebvr: I'd like to do some things with my own hands.

However, I do like the idea of storing scores as pdf files. When working on a new piece, one can print out the score when needed. I do similar things with expensive editions: I make copies that I can then abuse to my heart's content without permanently ruining my original. Those originals could easily be stored as pdf files.

Endless possibilites...