Klarinet Archive - Posting 000241.txt from 2008/11

From: Roger Hewitt <rogerclarinet@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] Organizing your music library.
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:44:50 -0500

Some of the problems with a straightforward alphabetical title list include=
:
1. Exclude articles; i.e. file as "A Winters Tale" or "Winters Tale, A". =
A good idea, but most lists only do it for A and The, but not La and El, et=
c.? Is it Arlesienne, L' or L'Arlesienne?
2. Remembering the title is important in cases such as "Portrait of Cole P=
orter". If you've forgotten that it is "portrait" then it's more difficult=
to find. So a common solution to this is list it a second time as "Cole P=
orter, Portrait of (see Portrait of Cole Porter)", this gives the added ben=
efit of some grouping (useful for anniversaries) and alieviating forgetful =
memories of (e.g.) "some piece we did 15 years...".
Double (or more) listing does mean more work if you lose (...!) something f=
rom the library!
3. Language usage. Sometimes a piece is published with translated titles =
- "Nessun Dorma" or "No one sleeps while we're on" (small joke I've heard u=
sed in an introduction, but you get the idea); the solution is the same as =
in 2.

Computer listings (even simple spreadsheet or word-processor) can make a lo=
t of these problems easier to deal with, by using searches, but only if you=
have the computer to hand when you need to look.

An interesting system I have experience of uses a set of categories (A is O=
vertures, B selections, C waltzes, D suites, E Marches, ...) and then numbe=
ring within that (initially alphabetically, but then chronologically by whe=
n bought!). This system automatically gives a location since the music is =
stored in the alpha-numeric order, but sometimes is it a B-selection or E-m=
arches for a selection of marches? And the miscellaneous section tends to =
get a bit full, if you don't categorize strongly. The advantage is that if=
you want an overture to start a concert, they are all together to browse f=
or inspiration.

Just some (lengthy) notes which I hope help (rather than bore) you.

Roger H

--- On Mon, 17/11/08, Oliver Seely <oseely@-----.edu> wrote:

> From: Oliver Seely <oseely@-----.edu>
> Subject: Re: [kl] Organizing your music library.
> To: "klarinet@-----.org>
> Date: Monday, 17 November, 2008, 10:16 PM
> For what it is worth, here is the library of the Huntington
> Beach Concert Band:
>=20
> http://home.pacbell.net/jlowe2/hbcblibrary.html
>=20
> Note that there is only one list, alphabetized by title.=20
> Were it for=20
> me to do, I think I'd offer two lists, the other
> alphabetized by=20
> composer, but it is no big deal. Maintaining such a list
> and=20
> watching over the file cabinets which contain the music is
> a genuine=20
> labor of love (not mine, thankfully)
>=20
> Oliver
>=20
> At 01:48 PM 11/17/2008, you wrote:
> >I was at one point helping out with organizing the
> music library for
> >one of my community bands. We have more than 800
> titles, and the
> >library was kept at the longtime director's home.=20
> When she retired it
> >was moved to a new location and we realized we
> didn't even know what
> >we had.
> >
> >Our first step was exactly what you're doing -
> create a spreadsheet
> >and list each item. We included title, composer,
> arranger, genre, and
> >maybe some other info, I don't remember. The very
> *first* thing we
> >did was to label each file cabinet with a letter and
> each drawer with
> >a number so we could note the location of each piece.
> >
> >Next step (which is still ongoing and will probably be
> for quite some
> >time) was to look through each piece and determine
> whether the set was
> >complete, what was missing, would it be possible to get
> replacement
> >parts, would we ever want to perform it and if not did
> we want to
> >bother keeping it, and so on.
> >
> >Eventually, we want to be able to reorganize the
> collection in some
> >way that makes sense. Perhaps by genre and then
> alphabetically by
> >title or composer. With a database to work from, and
> knowing where
> >everything is, that part should be pretty simple.
> >
> >So, fwiw, I think you're on the right track.
> >
> >Donna
> >
> >Quoting "Maria D'Aura"
> <madaura@-----.com>:
> >
> > > I have been struggling for some time to find an
> efficient way to
> > > organize the massive amount of music I've
> collected over the years.
> > > I know there are others out there with the same
> issue and I'd like
> > > to know what methods are working for you. Perhaps
> I just have too
> > > much, but somehow I still can't seem to part
> with any of it.
> > >
> > > In my latest attempt to organize my collection I
> created a database
> > > and have been entering all the info for each
> item, including a
> > > location. So far my location is just where it
> currently is located.
> > > I'm not attempting to group like items
> together at this point. To be
> > > able to at least know what drawer to look in is a
> big improvement.
> > >
> > > I only have two drawers worth entered so far.
> Before I go any
> > > further I thought I'd ask this list to see if
> maybe there is a
> > > better way.
> > >
> > > Looking forward to you replies.
> > >
> > > -Maria
> > >
> > >
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> >
> >--
> >L'enfer, c'est les autres
> >
> >
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