[Trombone-l] Publishing

Thu Jun 5 12:25:42 CDT 2008

I'm fortunate, in that one of my adult students is a professional engraver, so she will be engraving my stuff (whew!).

I'm a weird guy, in that most of the arrangements I do are pieces I want to hear and play, and for me that rarely means anything after 1750, so copyright has - one might assume - expired long since.  Grieg's the youngest guy I think I've touched.

I'm only "going to the holes", that I see.  If I couldn't or can't find an arrangement of a baroque or renaisance work, I'll make one.  So I'm fairly free and clear on "originality" (so to speak) as well, I hope.

Such great advice so far - I'm so grateful!

J.c.

---- Charles DePaolo <chuck at hickeys.com> wrote: 
> Wayne,
> 
> Your advice is right on, as usual.  As a publisher myself and someone who 
> makes his living in the business, I would like to add just a few thoughts:
> 
> 1. Make sure you own the copyright or have permission (in the form of a 
> written release or license) from the copyright owner before you publish. 
> Nothing gets under a publisher's skin more than seeing yet another 
> unauthorized arrangement of one of their copyrights.  Federal copyright law 
> provides for a $20,000 fine per item.  Unless you also happen to be sitting 
> on Fort Knox (or these days, a gas station), it's not a good idea to get 
> into tangle with corporate copyright attorneys.  Regardless of who wins, you 
> lose.
> 2. Please don't give the world yet more arrangements of the same tired old 
> stuff (you know, Wedding March, Trumpet Voluntary, Jesu Joy, Mouret Rondeau, 
> etc etc ad nauseum).  Put stuff out there that's new, different, exciting.
> 3. Just because a person can start, run and print from Finale, doesn't make 
> them an engraver or publisher.  Far from it.  I love Finale because it lets 
> you do what you want to do (unlike Sibelius, which tends to be slightly more 
> regimented, helping prevent you from doing stupid stuff).  This is a double 
> edged sword however, as Finale also lets you make an ass of yourself pretty 
> easily.  Just a few hints:
> 
>  a) look at your percentage reduction.  100% is generally not cool;
>  b) placement of dynamics;
>  c) slurs/phrase marks that crash with other elements;
> 
> and two of my personal favorites:
> 
>  d) measure 1 containing a measure number (with the exception of studio 
> charts where every measure is numbered);
>  e) left hand system barlines and/or brackets for single staff systems.
> 
> The list goes on...
> 
> If these things don't bug you, then consider spending more time learning the 
> program and proper engraving techniques before submitting things for 
> publication.  Trust me, it will increase your chances of being taken 
> seriously.
> 
> My Two Cents
> ---Chuck
> 
> 
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Wayne Dyess
>   To: thetubameister at adelphia.net
>   Cc: trombone-l: server5.samford.edu
>   Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 6:52 PM
>   Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Publishing
> 
> 
>   I'll bite.
> 
>   Sorry to be brief, but I'm working a LOT with Finale right now mah-
>   own-self.
> 
>   1)  Assemble the best musicians you can muster together, and record
>   your works with the best recording equipment available.
> 
>   2)  Do a little online research, or ask around (trombone-l is a
>   valuable resource, of course), and find out what companies are
>   publishing the kind of material you are writing.  Chamber music?
>   That limits the number of publishers, but they are out there.
> 
>   3)  Send a brief, one-page introductory letter that tells a little
>   about you, and what it is you want from them.... along with a CD and
>   a CD backup of your works.
> 
>   4)  Sit back and wait for the rejections.
> 
>   5)  When a rejection letter comes, go back to #3 and do it all over
>   again.
> 
>   Eventually, you might find a publisher.
>   Good luck!!!!
> 
>   --Wayne Dyess
> 
> 
> 
> 
>   On Jun 4, 2008, at 9:39 AM, <thetubameister at adelphia.net> wrote:
> 
>   Okay, I'm clueless...
> 
>   I have been working on Finale of late.  In 1995 I spent the whole
>   year doing brass chamber music arrangements - all in pencil  Now, I'm
>   starting to get some of these into a "publishable" format, and I have
>   no idea as to what to do next.
> 
>   Self publish on ebay?
>   Find a Publisher (who?, more to the point, HOW?)
> 
>   Any thoughts would be apprecieated.  I just have no idea what to do
>   with these; I've been able to get some of the exnsembles I play with
>   to play them, and they sound as I hoped, so I'd like to capitalize on
>   my efforts a little bit if possible.
> 
>   Thanks for any ideas y'all can offer!
> 
>   J.c.S.
> 
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> 
> 
> 
>   Dr. J. Wayne Dyess
>   Professor of Trombone
>   and Director of Jazz Studies
>   P. O. Box 10044
>   Lamar University-Beaumont, Texas 77710
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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