How does one go about getting sheet music for popular music? I'm looking especially for the 'real thing', a writing out of the actual notes that the band is playing, rather than a fakebook with melody and chords. I've been trying to figure out the piano/keyboard parts to favorite songs, but the more complicated stuff--Laura Nyro, Tori Amos, Mark Cohn, and Phish especially--have got me stumped. Just too much going on at once. Anyone know where I could find this sort of thing?16 responses total.
Look in the Yellow pages for Music Stores, not Record Stores. A
good relationship with those at a music store can, if anything else, help
you order some of what you want, if available.
More and more music is available on the Internet/WWW.
Full scores with complete notation and all parts is something I've never really seen. I've seen what once was called 'off-the-recording arrangements,' but not much more than that. Most popular musicians play songs that are so technically difficult that he sheet music is usually simplified for the general public. This also protects some copyrights-- if everyone had the score as it truly was, therwould come danger of copyright infringement. I'm not sure how many musicians really write down their music, really-- I'd bet some other composer/arranger just figures out the basic structure of the music and goes with that. I say all this because you will find sheet music wqith full notation at the music stores, but it will likely be a simplified arrangement. Likely, they will list the chords along with the melody so you have some room to work with the music. So, if you're looking for sheet music that will sound like the recordings the artists do (compositionally, aside from extra instruments and studio wizardry), you may be disappointed. What instrument do you play? If you play piano, you'll have no trouble finding arrangements with full notation (grand staff, etc.). if you're looking for tablature to play guitar, then you might have a more difficult time.
Most sheet music is for those having fun playing the basic song. There are
a couple odd tunes ("Heartbeat" by King Crimson is one) that I would like to
get some more detailed music on, since the tricky stuff *is* the cool part,
not just the bare bones arrangement.
I get all the music I want to play (which is modern rock and often power chord related anyway) off of the web.
My instrument is Piano, and so I'mn looking for transcriptions of good pianists so I can see 'how they do it'
No idea, sorry.
Hrm-- I can't remember many pop piano artists besides Billy Joel and Bruce Hornsby. Unless they're dead composers, I'd suggest just getting the best sheet music you an find and then learn arrangement techniques. As I said, I'm sure copyright protection is involved.
"transcriptions" is the word orinoco should be searching for. Sometimes they are available: arabella has a book of transcriptions from jazz pianist Bill Evans. But in general, I think the fake book style stuff is all you are going to find in print. Jon, it's not an issue of protecting the copyrights which leads to the publication of simplified scores, though one could portray it as a trade secret issue. In a Newsweek review of the new Louis Armstrong biography, there's a story about how Armstrong and his band leader King Armstrong would play their trumpet solos with handkerchiefs over their hands, so that rivals couldn't spy on their fingering. But that's less of an issue today: even if you could copy Tori Amos' piano fingerings, you'd also have to work on the red hair and the pouty lips. I suspect the real barriers are marketplace ones. Pop musicians don't write down all the notes -- most of them probably *couldn't* write down all the notes -- and there isn't enough demand for a full transcription to pay someone to write down a full score, and then manufacture it for publishing.
Carty's in Ypsi has lots of sheet music, and will special order.
orin, why is it i can see you with red hair? :)
Yah...I'll have to work on the 'pouty lips' bit though ;) I'll give carty's a try as soon as I'm back in Michigan. Do you know where the Bill Evans transcriptions came from?
The Bill Evans transcriptions came from a music store in New Jersey, about 25 years ago, Leslie says.
Oh.
I almost forgot-- if you're interested in Mannheim Steamroller, I believe Dots and Lines Inc. had a clause in the liner notes somehwere that said they could do full transcriptions on request. Of course, most of the Fresh Aire series albums were arranged by Jackson Berkey (the pianist) into 4-hand piano score already. The best of these books is "Fresh Aire Interludes," taken from the compliation album of the same name. These particular pieces are mostly piano instrumentation in the recordings, save a few sound effects in one piece and string accompaniment in the other, so you'll sound like the album.
Hmm...Haven't heard any Mannheim Steamroller, but I'm keeping an eye out for their albums. I'll keep that in mind if I find one. Thanks
Amsco Publications has out a book of sheet music from Tori Amos' album Boys for Pele, which appears to have the real piano parts, and includes some lyrics that aren't printed in the liner notes. I belive that they also have books out for her other two.
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