: rant :
Sheet-music publishers are HYPOCRITES.
Yeah, you already know that, but I'm really PO'd right now so pardon my venting.
I'd estimate that 90% of the official published, licensed sheetmusic I'm given to work with in my praise band is not in any way, shape, or form an accurate representation of the actual song.
Example: Start with a guitar-based tune, played by a four-piece band (lead and rhythm guitars, bass, drums; rhythm guitarist is the vocalist too.)
Now arrange the song for solo piano. How do you do that? Well, we can take the vocal melody and arrange it in the treble clef, add a few "chords" on the 1 and 3 beats, and toss in some root-only quarter-notes in the bass clef. We'll completely ignore any lead lines played by the guitarists. Done! A good sight-reading piano player can finger the 88s and people will instantly recognize it as an elevator-music version of the tune.
Now, we all know that the piano is at the center of the universe and is the lead instrument in nearly any band situation, so we're ONLY GOING TO PUBLISH THIS ARRANGEMENT.
But, in case there are any guitarists out there who might want to play along beside (and subordinated to) the piano, we'll throw them a bone - we'll put some chord labels above each measure. We even have software that will automate the process - based on the "chords" chosen by the person who did the solo piano arrangement, not by the original band!
So a progression that went C#m - A - E - B in the original (I got the correct chords from the band) now looks like this in the published sheetmusic:
C#sus - A 4/2 - Ema9 - B7
Let's focus on the A 4/2 chord. I can't post it correctly in text, but the 4 is over the 2. Maybe a picture will clarify:
We've now gone from something simple to something indecipherable! Woot! Woot!
As I said above, this is the only way we're going to publish it. No way we're going to let an actual guitar player come in and proof-read it for accuracy or playability. Moreover, if anyone tries to post it correctly on the internet, WE'RE GOING TO SUE THEM!!!
And one of the arguments we'll make is that internet tabs are not accurate!!! :twisted:
That'll be $4.95 for the sheetmusic download; thank you very much.
: /rant :
(Note: This is NOT in any way meant as a dig against piano players! It is aimed squarely at the music publishers!)
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
Nothing wrong with the occasional dig at piano players, they are kind of uppity :wink:
Immature? Of course I'm immature Einstein, I'm 50 and in a Rock and ROll band.
New Band site http://www.myspace.com/guidedbymonkeys
But, but, but, standard notation is so much better than tab... who cares if it's right or not? :mrgreen: :wink:
There's actually a couple of issues going on here . .. but it's hardly the sheet music publisher's fault.
Issue 1)
Consumers don't want to pay that much for sheet music and are buying less and less, so publishers need to target "sure" market segments
Issue 2)
Guitarists by and large can't read music, piano players do. Piano players are a more reliable market segment.
Issue 3)
Most consumers of sheet music are interested in playing the song on a single instrument, not in an arrangement for a band
Issue 4)
Consumers who want a band arrangement think that they should be able to buy sheet music for a single instrument and get what htey're looking for.
But frankly, what it comes down to is this -- if you want the band's arrangement of the song, then go ask them how much they want for it. My guess is that you will quickly decide that the sheet music is good enough.
And that's why it's done that way -- because for the publishers and 99% of the consumers it's good enough too . . .
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST
But, but, but, standard notation is so much better than tab... who cares if it's right or not? :mrgreen: :wink:
Yeah...what he said!
I may grow old, but I'll never grow up.
There's actually a couple of issues going on here . .. but it's hardly the sheet music publisher's fault.
Well, and there is even more than that. Very generally speaking, the folks that run the music shows in church are often not very knowledgable about anything other than piano. Their perceptions are often that the drummers, guitarist, bassist, etc can just figure it out cause they can play by ear. They made grand decisions from their 1000 foot view and obviously they must be right in their decisions cause they are the leader. Good leaders, and there are some, talk to their people and understand the instruments and their artistic concerns.
Now, may or may not apply to Mitch's concerns but I've been reading alot of messages on another board I visit that is directed towards church music and these same type arguments are brought up there. So.. just thought I would share. :)
Jim
“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)
But frankly, what it comes down to is this -- if you want the band's arrangement of the song, then go ask them how much they want for it. My guess is that you will quickly decide that the sheet music is good enough.
I stated above that I got the correct chords from the band, so that argument is moot. Artists in this genre are quite generous with such information; some even post it on their websites, along with detailed tablature and mp3 examples. Perhaps the publishers should sue them too?
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
But, but, but, standard notation is so much better than tab... who cares if it's right or not? :mrgreen: :wink:
careful, 8) the sarcasm police are about
#4491....
Nothing wrong with the occasional dig at piano players, they are kind of uppity :wink:
Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?
"That’s what takes place when a song is written: You see something that isn’t there. Then you use your instrument to find it."
- John Frusciante
The day this 'problem' is fixed will be the day more then 0.01% of guitarists can read notation and are willing to pay for it. It's no more then logical that most arrangements of popular music is for piano. And the day that such arrangements will do the song any justice will be the day more then 0.01% of pianists can play more then 'chords + melody'. In any case, if you're looking for good scores don't become a pop/rock guitar player, you're asking for it.
The day this 'problem' is fixed will be the day more then 0.01% of guitarists can read notation and are willing to pay for it. It's no more then logical that most arrangements of popular music is for piano. And the day that such arrangements will do the song any justice will be the day more then 0.01% of pianists can play more then 'chords + melody'. In any case, if you're looking for good scores don't become a pop/rock guitar player, you're asking for it.
The issue of reading standard notation aside, if there weren't demand for reasonably accurate and affordable arrangements for guitar then tab sites would not exist, or they would be so small as to not be a nuisance to the publishers. Clearly they are. I get more accurate chord charts from tab sites than from the publishers!
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
Yes, tab. There is no demand for accurate and affordable standard notation because nobody can read it. There's plenty of demand for free and accurate tabs.
There is no demand for accurate and affordable standard notation because nobody can read it.
That may be true, but software can easily convert sn to tab, so the publishers can publish sheet music either way, or with both.
And, they already provide chords above the sn for guitarists. The point is, the chords are not accurate! What's an "A four-over-two" chord? (Publisher's response: we don't know, but we'll sue any tab site that tries to provide clarification!)
The "free" issue is a separate topic, but it is well noted that people will pay for the quality and convenience of iTunes rather than stealing music. It's reasonble to think guitarists would pay a fair price for accurate sheet music downloads, whether it's sn+chords or full blown tab. Asking $4.95 for a piano arrangement with the wrong chords (and labeling it "For Piano, Guitar, Voice", by the way) is not smart business. The publishers have missed the boat, and rather than make an effort to get on board, they'd rather sue.
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
The point is, the chords are not accurate! What's an "A four-over-two" chord? (Publisher's response: we don't know, but we'll sue any tab site that tries to provide clarification!) Asking $4.95 for a piano arrangement with the wrong chords (and labeling it "For Piano, Guitar, Voice", by the way) is not smart business. The publishers have missed the boat, and rather than make an effort to get on board, they'd rather sue.
That indeed is totally unacceptable, regardless of the circumstances. I still think it's very logical that there is so little sheet music for guitar but if you publish it you better do it well.
The "free" issue is a separate topic, but it is well noted that people will pay for the quality and convenience of iTunes rather than stealing music.
Far more steal than pay.
It's reasonble to think guitarists would pay a fair price for accurate sheet music downloads, whether it's sn+chords or full blown tab.
Only a very very small percentage of guitarists are willing to do that, as only a very very small percentage of guitarists can read music.
Asking $4.95 for a piano arrangement with the wrong chords (and labeling it "For Piano, Guitar, Voice", by the way) is not smart business.
Sure it is. You bought it. They made money. It may not be the kind of business you want to associate with in the future, but I guarantee you're in the minority.
The publishers have missed the boat, and rather than make an effort to get on board, they'd rather sue.
What is to get on board? Put all the cost into making guitar arrangements when they're going to sell 3 copies nation wide?
Much better to just tack on guitar chords to a piano arrangement and pick up the extra income. It's better ROI.
Oh, and before you whine again about the publisher's suing everyone. You do realize the ARTIST signed the contract giivng a certain publisher the rights to publish don't you? If you don't like what the publisher is doing, don't support the artist. They were free to not sell those rights.
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST
