Music Preservation

[Hal Allert]

In an earlier post we were discussing how each of us files his/her music in their own library.  Most of the music we have is a copy of the original with some exceptions. I would like to know if any of you have given thought to your libraries and their continued existence after you are gone. I, for one, have a large library that I have been adding to over the years and I am concerned that when I die my library will just be thrown away with no thought as to its value. But, is there any value to your library? Most of us have the same songs in our libraries so it isn't like mine are the only copies of these rare songs.

What would you like to see happen to your library when you are gone? Should there be a central clearinghouse where one copy of each song is kept for posterity? The American Banjo Fraternity has a very large collection that is not easily accessed. Should we be sending them digital copies of our libraries to enable them to complete their collection? Would they have the resources to manage the digital versions of their paper copies? Should I be the one to put my library online for all to access. Should you send me your library and have me add it to my library online? What happens when I die, who would become the archivist of this enormous collection?

I have been thinking of these things because now is the time to plan for that time when your name will be written down by a bony hand in the cold diary of death.

[thereallyniceman]

Hi Hal,

I have just been discussing with my web developer the possibility of incorporating a database of scores to this Ning site. We have, as Hal says, many scores available to us all that are now within the Public Domain. Hal has many available on his site and also the yahoo site has scores and Tabs available. I intend to offer a search and download facility for scores that have been uploaded to the  NING photos section, but there is no reason why this could not be extended to become a library of Classic Banjo music. There is no competition to see who can have the 'biggest' library !

Now that digital technology allows it, everyone who wants to try to play classic style could have easy access to the music and there should be no reason why players should struggle to prise copies off people or organisations who wish to charge for it. Obviously new arrangements or new TAB versions will be copyright and not included.

It could be easy for Hal to host such a database or Ning or Yahoo CB.. but it really doesn't have to be exclusive. We have many scores posted in our PHOTOS section but this is a very unfriendly facility for searching scores, that is why I want to develop a database for them.

TO BE CONTINUED!

 

[Trapdoor2]

LOL. If I were run over by a breadtruck tomorrow, my wife would probably have no clue what to do with it and it would probably be thrown out. I love her dearly but if an item isn't in her direct interest, it is simply trash. She knows it has some value to Banjo Geeks but would not lift a finger to sell it...unless I put a price-tag on every piece (which is what she keeps telling me I ought to do).

Unless I digitize it, it will end up in a landfill somewhere. Eli Kaufman is concerned with the ABF's music as well but unless someone actively takes over the duties of Bill Morris, I doubt anything will be done with it. AFAIK, almost all of the ABF collection is copies of copies of copies...except for the rare few which have been 'upgraded' by Paul Heilman to a digital format (something like SmartScore...I forget which software he uses).

The ABF collection needs to have someone scan it all in situ. If I were retired, I'd offer to drive up and spend a week doing it...after I did the same with mine, of course!

There are some libraries which will take digital scans of stuff if you send it to them. Last year, I contacted the Library of Congress regarding their collection of Sousa banjo arrangements (I offered copies of mine, stuff they didn't have) and they were happy to get my scans...they want nothing to do with original paper.

I would say that we should make a concerted (group) effort to create a digital library of Banjo Sheet Music which stands alone. Once complete, including database, etc., it should be offered to a large public or college library for hosting. It wouldn't surprise me if this project couldn't be subject for a grant...if someone is interested in pursuing it.

[Adam]

Hi All,

As some of you know, I started a database of tunes a couple years back.  The database wasn't compiled from my personal library, but rather from pieces posted here, on Hal's site, and elsewhere.  This was entirely a personal project to help me find a tune when I wanted it; but I was (and am) willing to make it available to others.

Here's a link so you can see what I'm talking about:

Classic Banjo Tunes

The project stalled not long after it started; it's a big undertaking that raises a lot of questions as to how to organize these things - as you're all aware, I'm sure.

Anyway, it's there to give an idea of possibilities.  Of course it would ultimately need a "search" option for the database, but that's easy enough to implement.

Just contributing to the dialogue at this point - eager to hear what others have to say.  :)

thanks,

Adam

[Hal Allert]

J. Adam, I did not know your site existed. It is an interesting start to what we are talking about. Perhaps the song's description could have a link to whoever has the music in their library. For instance, I have a large number of Alfred Cammeyer pieces. If they were listed in your database, one could click on a link and be taken to where I am posting the pieces in my library.  Another  could click on a link to where Ian is hosting his library. This would negate the need for one massive library. It would also insure that the entire library would not be destroyed if one or another website went down. We would all post to you when we added a new song to our respective libraries.

Boy, I can sure see this becoming a monster to manage with every passing minute. But it is exciting.

[Adam]

Hi Hal,

Interesting idea to create a database of links, essentially.  It solves the problem, as you mentioned, of losing tunes if someone's website goes down, for whatever reason. 

But it also preserves the potentially higgledy-piggledy nature of a lot of libraries in a lot of places - if someone renames a folder in his/her webspace, e.g., the database now is faulty.

Nonetheless, it's an idea worth considering.

Thanks, Adam.

[Russ Chandler]

An online database would be a great resource, and wouldn't be that hard to code but would need someone to drive and maintain it. A physical library somewhere would be good too. Would Phil Spires be worth speaking to - he has a nice if unstructured database on DVD.

[thereallyniceman]

I am currently working on a scores database and, hopefully, it should be available to test out soon. As Adam suggested, links to files may fall into disarray rapidly, so I would prefer our files in one place and under sole control of one person. I have adequate hosting and am in the process of creating a new "Scores" section on the site but the fine tuning can be done later.

TO BE CONTINUED!

;-)

[Hal Allert]

I was thinking of Phil Spires also. He has done a marvelous job of categorizing his collection. His collection is very extensive. Is he a member of this group? I would like to contact him anyways about some other matters. Does anyone have his address?

[David Wade]

Greetings from Basse Normandie folks, this is the first time we've got access to the net from here and our last day for a couple of months. This is a big issue, one I originally suggested to people 11/12 years ago would have made a good Millenium Project and as such could have have attracted Arts Council funding.

 

[Russ Chandler]

Before my time, David, but you're right it might get funding.

They are still around but you need to know how to go about getting them - anyone on here know anything about grant applications?