Sheet Music

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Started 1 year ago by mlw279
Latest reply from Netleigh
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mlw279
Member

I'm a musician and I have a sheet music problem. I have photocopied scores, parts and handwritten music, with copies of scores and part as well as sketches(I compose too) and of course music books for the 3 different instruments that I play. It was always a nuisance and never a problem until recently, I needed sketch I think is now lost since I've been going through all the papers day after day for the last month wasting countless hours searching for it.

I can't exactly get rid of the papers yet, since I need it for my profession, but I don't know how to organize it so that I can find what I need. I have two tall bookcases that I've dedicated to my music papers but I have no idea how to organize it. One of my teachers used manila file folders that were labeled and stacked in rows on his bookcases. He used post-it notes or taped index cards to the side of the folder that stuck out enough to write the name and composer. But that kind of seems like it's adding more stuff, more fuel to the fire so to say, and no less chaotic. What do I do? Any advice?

Posted 1 year ago #
Periwinkle
Member

Tell me about it! I have a similar problem - loads of sheet music, books of music (and most of them split into piano and top part)...and as a recorder player I have endless issues with (a) the sheer number of instruments that I own and (b) having music for all the different sizes.

I don't actually have a solution :( My current system is to keep whatever I'm currently using either on the stand, on the piano or in my bag. Anything else joins the Great Heap of Uncategorised Music I Don't Know What To Do With. A while ago I stuffed loads of sheet music into a ring binder (which is overflowing) to stop it falling all over the floor (the perfect solution except I can't find anything). I'd love to hear some suggestions!

Posted 1 year ago #
susanintexas
Member

This is a good product to assemble things like sheet music into binders:
http://www.amazon.com/J-H-Smith-Company-Protector/dp/B0026JYK3Q/ref=pd_sbs_op_5

They are relatively inexpensive, and can be used to hold things of different sizes, including small paper-bound books.

Bag Unlimited has several organizing solutions for sheet music:
http://www.bagsunlimited.com/c-271-sheet-music.aspx

Posted 1 year ago #
Another Deb
Member

I subbed in a classroom of a piano teacher and noticed that her music was stored in a tower of those plastic drawers that stack. You could have drawers for different instruments, composers, purposes (holiday, concert, etc) File folders would fit in each drawer for subdividing.

Another suggestion would be to use a labelmaker to place an identification label longways on the very outside edge of the booklet, next to the fold. I do this with a lot of the skinny workbooks I use in my own classroom. The label is visible in a bookshelf arrangement, especially as you run your thumb down the row of booklets to browse, but does not stick out. Labels can be color-coded with markers as well, for subdividing.

Posted 1 year ago #
SunshineR
Member

I'm very low-tech. I sorted out my music first by instrument; then by category (such as wedding, holiday, etc). Haven't made any earth-shaking progress beyond that. I just love my music. I stack it according to instrument so at least I have accomplished that much.

Posted 1 year ago #
Jude2004
Member

I inherited my grandmother's sheet music. I bought a filing cabinet and acid free file folders and filed it alphabetically by title. I play 4 instruments, and my kids each play at least 2. My dad was into barbershop music, I have lots of hymnals from different traditions, and so so so so much music. I was given a music storage stand, and I keep music books in it divided by instruments; I've scanned books that were falling apart that I couldn't repair (I'm a librarian, so I can repair almost anything). I recycled all photocopied music since it's illegal anyway. I suppose my advice would be to file what you want to keep but don't use a lot (for me, that's Grandma's sheet music, which I do pull out once in awhile). Keep music books by the instrument if possible. Since it isn't fun to organize it, hire an organized friend to help you deal with it (pay them with a concert or lessons).

Posted 1 year ago #
chacha1
Member

I would probably go with the plastic drawer organizers. They aren't beautiful, but relatively inexpensive, lightweight, and will keep things mostly dust-free. Maybe one per instrument, and use the different drawers for categories of music? And then alpha by composer within categories?

My first idea was the classic mailroom sorter, but compartments are only 9x11.5 inches, and I know that's not big enough for most sheet music to lie flat.

Posted 1 year ago #
klutzgrrl
Member

oh yes, how I wish publishers would use standard sizes.

I use those books of clear plastic sleeves for anything photocopied.

Everything else is just kinda stacked in a basket. Luckily I don't have much cello music as yet. There's a small mountain of clarinet and recorder music in the closet.

I've recently switched to using drop files for EVERYTHING. On the one hand it does create extra stuff and volume, but on the other, it does make it easy to find stuff - no rummaging through piles. I found some nice paper ones that have the paper wrapped over the supports, so you don't get that awful nail-scratching with the usual metal edges.

I use them for all my paperwork now, in plastic file storers (the size of a standard archive box, quite large, not the narrow ones) and have a separate colored one for work papers; I think it might work well for music also - though oversized sheets might be a problem.

part of uncluttering is making sure things are accessible and well maintained. Stacks and piles lead to damage, so I think good storage is a good idea.

Posted 1 year ago #
needtocleanhouse
Member

Mine (small collection) is stored in the piano seat. I'll ask my girlfriend who has a music school how she does it.

Posted 1 year ago #
soleseoulsoul
Member

It was quite a task when I started to organize my sheet music. I invited my older students over and we made a few days of fun out of it. I have 2 lateral file cabinets that I bought as well as some 2 drawer plastic storage things (from Target). Per the cabinets, one holds all my chamber music and the other holds all my solo music. I organized by instrumentation for the chamber (duet, trio, quartet, etc... (by composer)) and for the tall cabinet, they hold my music organized by composer and categorized within composer by concerto, sonata, others. For compilation books, I leave them all in a plastic drawer by difficulty (top drawer for students and bottom for myself) and also keep all my teaching materials separated in the plastic drawers by instrument and difficulty. All in all, I have about 4 of those plastic bin/drawer things (8 drawers in all) but everything is organized in hanging folders with the plastic tab that shows the name of the piece and composer. It's the easiest way to find anything. I also have quite a bit of piano and vocal music that I have separated into crates that sit stacked up (open-faced) in a closet in my music room. The crates are a really easy way to keep your music (though many originals don't fit in there very well, which is why I invested in the cabinets). I keep a bucket thing I bought on clearance after Easter on top of on of the plastic storage things to drop any music that I've pulled and have yet to put back. I go through the bucket at the end of the week and put back the music to where it's supposed to go.

I keep seasonal (read: Christmas) and wedding music books separated on a bookshelf in the basement. I find that since I don't use them as often, I don't like to have them cluttering the rest of my space. Of course, when wedding or Christmas season approaches, they are put back into the rotation as necessary. =)

As I was organizing, I made sure to put everything I owned into a spreadsheet so when I lent music to someone, I could keep track of it. I also make sure to keep the list with me so that I don't accidentally make double purchases of music I don't need since it can get quite expensive!

Anyway, good luck to you and let me know what you come up with!!! I'm always up for new ideas and new ways to organize all my clutter!

Posted 1 year ago #
Laetitia in Australia
Member

Go to your local music store and take note (bad pun, I know) of how they organise their sheet music in terms of labelling and storage. Granted, they have floor space they can dedicate to this that you may not have but you may pick up some ideas. I also generally find that they tend to organise by instrument and then either by genre, piece / book title or composer.

Posted 1 year ago #
Netleigh
Member

ds has a lot of music, it's in a filing cabinet with hanging files, organised by instrument, ensemble, composer. Any collections, such as those specifically suitable for wedding or christmas, are filed by the event type instead of composer.
What he's using tends to live in a magazine rack by his music stand for violin or viola or in another magazine rack by the piano.
Basically we copied his violin teacher's organisation system, it worked for her but she had 4x4 drawer cabinets, ds only has one so far.

Posted 1 year ago #

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