Music Folder Management

jhatpro · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2017 11:39 am Post subject: Music Folder Management

Here's a question for anyone who has a band (or is in one, for that matter). What system do you use for having the right music at a rehearsal and/or gig without having to carry the whole bloomin' library around with you?
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"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
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CRoberts8 · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2017 11:59 am Post subject:

1) Number each piece. Calling by numbers is a very effective and practical solution that makes shuffling through parts a lot easier.
2) Go digital. I have begun making this transition. After a bit more startup investment in both money for the equipment, and time in PDFing the library, it has made things hugely simpler for me, and I recommend it as an option depending on capacity and needs.

lewins · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2017 12:08 pm Post subject:

I would highly recommend an iPad, but either the regular size one or the iPad Pro, not the mini. It's automatically backlit, and even the ones with the smallest amount of memory (16GB) is more than enough to store your entire sheet music library. There are several apps that can help organize your sheet music, but the one I really like is forScore, and I think it's only around $15. The only challenge might be digitizing your music if it's not already in PDF or JPG format.

The other bonus is that you get GarageBand for free, and that app will keep you busy for a long time. For example, it's real easy to setup a drum track for your practice routines, which is a lot more enjoyable to use than any metronome.

Turkle · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2017 12:13 pm Post subject:

jhatpro · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2017 12:15 pm Post subject:

We definitely number everything and organize by number, not name. And there's talk of going digital but not everyone is in this century yet.
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

dstdenis · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2017 12:16 pm Post subject:

One band I'm in has a librarian who keeps a bunch of boxes in her basement--I mean a lot. She stuffs folders and gets help carting them back and forth. It's a big job, and I heard about it only because she's turning it over to another librarian.

Another band I'm in doesn't have a librarian. The music director scans the parts as PDFs and sends them to members via emails with links to download the parts from his box.com account (sort of like Dropbox). Members download the parts and either print them and put them into their own binders or upload them to their iPads (that's what I do, after I upload it to my Dropbox account).

I much prefer the second arrangement because I don't have to scan parts. Either way, the Dropbox and iPad arrangement means I can fetch any part I need during rehearsal from my Dropbox account without lugging around a huge binder full of parts.
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jengstrom · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2017 12:27 pm Post subject:

+1 for the iPad and Forscore. I condensed two massive folders of music into the iPad - several humdred charts, and there's plenty of room for more. I hated carting around those binders.

John
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dershem · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2017 6:44 pm Post subject:

Everything is numbered. The various books max out at 250 tunes per book (which means one of my bands has 6 folders, which get rotated through). That leader keeps a database of what's been played lately. Make sure your band librarian is treated well.

SALUKIGUY · Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:36 am Post subject:

I am not clear on how to get the sheet music onto the I-pad. Can someone explain please? Not carrying 400 charts around sounds like a dream.
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CRoberts8 · Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:40 am Post subject:

dstdenis · Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:25 pm Post subject:

RandyTX · Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 3:46 pm Post subject:

I agree about the ipad, but expecting an entire big band to have them, particularly when you often have subs for a gig or rehearsal, is silly. A few people might do it on their own, to good effect, but you'll still need the hard copy book(s) anyway.

Plus, many players just... how do I put this? Don't know jack about electronics and couldn't set up their own book without help.
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dstdenis · Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 8:53 am Post subject:

Tony Scodwell · Heavyweight Member Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1961

Being your own librarian is one of the most unpleasant things about having a band. That said, it's something you have to do and to make this easier (and lighter) estimate the length of the gig and pick tunes to cover the time and add extras for security. You may need several sets of folders to cover different gigs and most music stores are glad to give them to you. I'm not a fan of the electronic items some are using now. For my old eyes they are too small and only good under the correct lighting conditions which usually are found only in your practice room.

Tony Scodwell
www.scodwellusa.com

brassmusician · Veteran Member Joined: 25 Feb 2016 Posts: 273

There is a large photocopier at my work with a sheet feeder which will automatically scan and send to a nominated email address. Very cool and time saving except for dog eared or taped pages which catch in the feeder and they have to be done by hand.

eyeshouldbebetter · New Member Joined: 04 Mar 2017 Posts: 6 Location: Michigan

I've been using an app on my iPads, it keeps all of the music there, and you don't have lighting issues if you play a venue that is dark. Also, your music won't blow off the stand. Issue for me: the size of the page is about half of what sheet music is, and is pixillated, so it can be a struggle to see clearly.
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eyeshouldbebetter · New Member Joined: 04 Mar 2017 Posts: 6 Location: Michigan

I forgot to mention, I used to use a bluetooth device to change pages, but I didn't like that as much as just having two iPads. That way if you have to repeat or DS or go to the Coda, you can have that page at the ready and don't have to suddenly find it when the page changes.
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dstdenis · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 6:38 pm Post subject: Re: iPads

trumpet.sanity · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Oct 2016 Posts: 763

I don't want to be perceived as a Luddite, but I personally prefer paper charts to using IPads etc.

Too many things can and do go wrong. Run out of battery, no place to plug in. Swiping endlessly looking for a misplaced chart. Lighting. Needing another device to quickly change pages. Accidentally deleting charts, files at the worst time.

Plus, I also can never see as well and just prefer paper.

I am cool with scanning the charts, so there is a back up for lost charts. But otherwise, I'd rather show up and have charts in front of me.

A short email with the set list a day before the gig or rehearsal should be enough for the players to organize their book.

eyeshouldbebetter · New Member Joined: 04 Mar 2017 Posts: 6 Location: Michigan

@dstdenis: my main problem with visibility is I have the "normal" sized iPads. Not the mini (thank God), but not a larger one either. And then...I have older eyes. But I do like your suggestion on the FourScore app. That sounds like a great feature to be able to go straight to the right spot. Thanks for the tip, my Trumpet Brother!
Eric
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