I too use a tablet and a page turner but I have a problem in that the page turner doesn't always turn the page as you would want it and may miss a line out or something similar. There probably is a solution to this, but I haven't found it yet.
Maintaining a Repertoire
- Thread starter Waldo
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Repetition is the mother of mastery. Want to maintain a repertoire? Nothing short of regular playing of the songs is likely the only thing that keeps things in "performance form". 
What kind of page turner are you using? If its not user error it or a lower quality bluetooth pedal, those wear out fairly soon and start displaying such issues. I use an iRig Blueboard, and though one has to use a firm press, I've never missed a page turn.
When I revisit a tune that I haven't played in a while, my son will always say "oh, yeah, I remember that tune. Why don't you play that anymore?"
I have a little room in my house and if I close the door, I can usually get away with practicing without bothering the family.
As to learning tunes, I am not an expert. But, I like lists. The songs that I am working on are on one list. Once I can play them well enough, they move to the 'set' list. I have another list of tunes that I haven't started yet, but really enjoy listening to. I also have a list of tunes that I can play, but aren't my favorites, and another of tunes that are a bit above my current level. I try to spend time with each list.
My rep can certainly use more tunes.
I have a little room in my house and if I close the door, I can usually get away with practicing without bothering the family.
As to learning tunes, I am not an expert. But, I like lists. The songs that I am working on are on one list. Once I can play them well enough, they move to the 'set' list. I have another list of tunes that I haven't started yet, but really enjoy listening to. I also have a list of tunes that I can play, but aren't my favorites, and another of tunes that are a bit above my current level. I try to spend time with each list.
My rep can certainly use more tunes.
Valski
Well-known member
Great input Nick! We all have to develop a method to organize our music which works for each of us individually. Every accordionist has to decide what can make them a better musician. Lists are really good regardless of how they are organized.
As an aside, I was in a group that did top 40 cover music and cocktail jazz. (Not on accordion). We made lists all the time--not just of tunes, but everything. It became a running joke that the first item on the list was: "1. Find old list."
Now, everything is in one notebook and I often go back to look through it.
Now, everything is in one notebook and I often go back to look through it.
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JeffJetton
Prolific poster
True. For most tunes, I'll go so far as re-notate the whole thing in MuseScore, usually in leadsheet format so that no page turns are needed. Or often I'm transcribing off a recording in the first place, so I'll just make it a leadsheet from the get-go.
I then get those three-hole punched plastic sheet protector thingies--preferably the no-glare kind--print out the tunes and slip the pages in. I keep various binders, organized by gig type. One with German music, one with Italian, one with French, etc.
Is that old-school these days? Probably. But at least I never have to worry about the battery running out.
![Monty [IIIII]](/data/avatars/m/3/3264.jpg?1644210365){kind=avatar}
Does that program have play back features where you can scroll through the music on the screen, turn pages or "follow the bouncing ball" as in older programs such as Cakewalk ?
I just use the standard Hard Copy printed page. However, what I like to do is make my own "music booklets". I name each booklet, Favorites 1, Favorites 2, Christmas Songs, Hymns, etc. What I do is scan each song to a PDF file organized in the order I want. I then combine all the files into 1 PDF file. I then open the file with Adobe Acrobat and select "Print" However, the "Printer" I select is Adobe PDF. Also, I select "Booklet" and "11" X "17" paper size. Adobe then creates a file that can be printed as a "Booklet". I then take the file to "Staples", "Office Max" or any place that has an "11" X "17" printer that will print from a PDF file. Then I staple the pages in the middle from the "17" side, fold in half and I have each song in 8-1/2" X "11" format. Using the "11" X "17" paper I get 4 songs on one page. The last booklet I made has 60 songs on 15 printed pages. The booklet sits good on a standard music stand. The other bonus is it doesn't fall off the stand which is always a problem for me when I have sheet music or a song on a single sheet of paper.
John M.
John M.
Thanks for the tip. I had been doing something similar for years instead of carrying around all my many tune books and notebooks. But more recently I have been scanning my favorites into PDF files which I display on a tablet computer which is clamped to a photographer's tripod. I can keep thousands of tunes on the tablet and find them quickly with a file search function. The whole kit is very compact, and illuminated for playing in a dark room. I was going to use it for a casual Irish session I attended at a pub. ( note: sheet music is taboo at "serious" Irish sessions) But COVID put my plan on hold.
I thought this was a great concept for Irish tunes which are usually only a few lines with repeats, all of which fits nicely on a small screen. For more complicated and lengthy sheets, I thought it would be good to have a scrolling or "bouncing ball" type program which could be adjusted to the player's speed. I saw this once at a parlor session where the host had the tunes scrolling by on a big screen tv. Great way to keep all the novices on the same page, as it were. The program or app that made this possible was called Cakewalk. I suppose it or something like it is still around. Maybe I should open up this discussion in another thread devoted to computer assisted sheet music. But first I have to do some more homework.
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Valski
Well-known member
I have a lot of sheet music from different sources and in therefore in different fonts. Some fonts are much cleaner and therefore easier to read so when I create a booklet of songs it's not as good looking and pleasing to the eye as it could be. I've seen positive reviews on a program for scanning music called scanscore. This is supposed to allow scanning using a flatbed unit or even your cellphone camera into an editable format which can then be imported into something like Musescore to clean up the fonts.
I almost decided to spend around $1,000 a few years ago but no one could tell me how easy it was to import existing charts into the most prevalent scoring software so I postponed the purchase. Since I have already invested in purchasing the song books and scores it's important that I could make corrections and even to edit the key signatures. This should be helpful for both electronic and paper copies of the sheet music.
I almost decided to spend around $1,000 a few years ago but no one could tell me how easy it was to import existing charts into the most prevalent scoring software so I postponed the purchase. Since I have already invested in purchasing the song books and scores it's important that I could make corrections and even to edit the key signatures. This should be helpful for both electronic and paper copies of the sheet music.
Many years ago I bought a scanner and program that was supposed to convert any sheet music into midi files and a score which could be arranged for multiple instruments, keys changed and all sorts of things. Trouble was the system was so primitive that any fly speck or odd mark on the sheet music would throw off the scan, leaving one to take more time making corrections than simply entering the music with a keyboard. Twenty five years later, I thought about upgrading the software and scanner to see if it would actually work now. But then that's time on the computer and scanner instead of the accordion which pretty much defeats the purpose of creating perfect scores if I can't play the music when I'm finished.
Man, I was in a rehearsal last night with two of these "only paper for me" dudes. Stuff fell on the floor twice,Is that old-school these days? Probably. But at least I never have to worry about the battery running out.
and how about the batteries of your clip-on music stand light?
Valski
Well-known member
Yes, exactly. I also am torn between spending time on the computer versus spending time playing the accordion. From what I've seen in the videos the scanning seems to be very much improved and for the price it's something that I'm willing to risk. One of my "to do " tasks would be to remove the Bass cleff from the pages in order to remove the requirement to turn pages, either manually or via a bluetooth pedal. I can dream, can't I?Many years ago I bought a scanner and program that was supposed to convert any sheet music into midi files and a score which could be arranged for multiple instruments, keys changed and all sorts of things. Trouble was the system was so primitive that any fly speck or odd mark on the sheet music would throw off the scan, leaving one to take more time making corrections than simply entering the music with a keyboard. Twenty five years later, I thought about upgrading the software and scanner to see if it would actually work now. But then that's time on the computer and scanner instead of the accordion which pretty much defeats the purpose of creating perfect scores if I can't play the music when I'm finished.
I too use the "notebook" method with the plastic sheet protectors, with the tunes mostly alphabetical (except when they go so logically together, like 2 Stephen Foster songs). My main repertoire book has songs I know and play by memory. This is the "mother lode" which in theory just slowly increases over time. However, due to various circumstances, tunes drop out. You know how that goes! Every time I'm ready for that grim determination, I endeavor to fill this book because it's what I play at (pre covid) events. It shall return!
Then there is the notebook of tunes that are "not quite ready for prime time." I play from this book during my zoom jams. This is the fertile ground of tunes that are destined one day for the good book.
Then there is a notebook of the repertoire for my previous accordion club, and one of tunes I planned to play for some reason and don't. Also one of Christmas tunes.
I'm in the process of upgrading (or should I say downgrading?) my repertoire from volunteer events (which I would like to continue soon, I used to do 3 or 4 per month) to restaurant/bar/coffee shop/farmers market type events. I think those tunes will go into a new repertoire book.
I also tried the scanner software snd didn't like it. I almost never find arrangements that I like so arrange all my tunes with abc notation. My new accordion club will have a web page of entirely my own arrangements.
Goid luck to everyone
Then there is the notebook of tunes that are "not quite ready for prime time." I play from this book during my zoom jams. This is the fertile ground of tunes that are destined one day for the good book.
Then there is a notebook of the repertoire for my previous accordion club, and one of tunes I planned to play for some reason and don't. Also one of Christmas tunes.
I'm in the process of upgrading (or should I say downgrading?) my repertoire from volunteer events (which I would like to continue soon, I used to do 3 or 4 per month) to restaurant/bar/coffee shop/farmers market type events. I think those tunes will go into a new repertoire book.
I also tried the scanner software snd didn't like it. I almost never find arrangements that I like so arrange all my tunes with abc notation. My new accordion club will have a web page of entirely my own arrangements.
Goid luck to everyone
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Valski
Well-known member
This is very interesting Tom. Thanks for sharing your experience. We're all a bit different in our requirements and although your current method looks very much like I use, I think that the electronic pages are probably the best way to go.
With multiple song books there seem to be just too many pages to manage and the electronic versions are starting to look more attractive. Yes, there will be a period of frustration with the new method but I believe in the mid to long term the benefits will outweigh the drawbacks. Since I have over 1500 pages scanned as PDF files, and the program is supposed to be able to handle that data I'm cautiously optimistic about success.
I have a 3 ring binder with the music I am focusing on. Stuff that’s actively being worked on or has been learned is in the first half. I then update a document that is basically a table of contents every week with notes from my weekly lesson. I keep this in the front inside sleeve of my binder. Making bold the tunes that should be my first priority along with any notes about areas to focus on or what BPM I should be practicing to. Any tune that needs specific attention gets a note on what to work on, those are my second priority. After I work through those if I have time left I do maintenance on some of the other tunes. During my practice I can write on the table of contents if I have a question or identify something to work on. I update the document every week during my lesson and print it out for that next week. This allows me to make the most of my practice and is good for visibility of where I am.
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Thanks and good luck with your tunes, Valski! I imagine I will go the digital route too at some point, especially since I have arrangements for most tunes already in digital.
Valski
Well-known member
You're amazingly organized. I don't have your discipline and you impress me with your approach.
Yes it's probably a lower quality bluetooth pedal but it turns the pages perfectly. Not sure what is going wrong sometimes but I suspect it is probably to do with the original format before it was converted to pdf.Repetition is the mother of mastery. Want to maintain a repertoire? Nothing short of regular playing of the songs is likely the only thing that keeps things in "performance form".
What kind of page turner are you using? If its not user error it or a lower quality bluetooth pedal, those wear out fairly soon and start displaying such issues. I use an iRig Blueboard, and though one has to use a firm press, I've never missed a page turn.
I guess my only problem with converting my collection of sheet music to PDF files is the inability to make notations about fingering and such as I get more familiar with a tune. I think there are computer tablets with stylus to solve that problem. Just one more thing to figure out. Probably worthy of another thread.
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