Piano scores at the library!

twocats

I'm looking for a specific score (the one on IMSLP has a bunch of blank pages in the middle!) and I would have to buy the whole book for $55 to get it, which I wasn't thrilled about. But then I searched my local library and they have it! It's currently checked out but I put it on hold and will be the next in line.

So don't forget that this can be an option! 😃

pianoloverus

A very good source for scores not available at IMSLP
https://www.pianophilia.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=11

You have to join but it's free. Make sure to use one of the existing threads to request a score and not start a new thread for a single piece or the mods will get upset.

Another huge site is
https://waltercosand.com/#Scores

thepianoplayer416

Whether you want to pay for a piece or not, sometimes if you can't find it anywhere. I think of buying sheet music as a 1-time fee. Sheet music is not all very expensive.

A lot of times I'd do a Google search to see if anything comes up. And then I'd go to YouTube and see anybody uploaded a video version of the score. On the screen I usually see the notes displayed 2-3 lines at a time as the music is playing.

ShiroKuro

thepianoplayer416 I think of buying sheet music as a 1-time fee. Sheet music is not all very expensive.

I don't know about your budget, but to me, $55 for one piece is a bit steep.

I use library books all the time, either for the same scenario as @twocats when I need just one piece, or when I'm trying to decide whether I want to buy something or not.

I am a bit spoiled though, because I've always had a university affiliation, so I've enjoyed great access to all kinds of scores as a result.

pseudonym58

I recently purchased a book of short pieces by Rossini which was not available in the USA, and had to be imported. I wasn't particularly irritated at that, but what was annoying was when the book finally arrived, it had the so-called "perfect binding", meaning about as imperfect as could be: a simple glue binding that refuses to open flat. If I really want to play some music from the book I either have to awkwardly photocopy (which doesn't work that well either, since the book doesn't open completely), or take it to a service which will simply chop off the existing binding and punch holes for a comb binding instead, which will certainly lie flat.
Worse, one of the pages was printed backwards so that it would need to be two-sidedly photocopied so I can position it front-and-back in the correct order. Such careless editing!

twocats

pseudonym58 Worse, one of the pages was printed backwards

😮😮😮

That's terrible!!

thepianoplayer416

In the old days when I was in school, some university students would get around buying expensive text books that they would use for just 1 term by finding it in the library and photocopy pages. Even at 10 cents a page, some people would find it cheaper to copy the book than a new copy.

The end of the year some students would get rid of their books and others would buy them second-hand if they're still in use. Today there is Amazon or eBay to find new & second-hand books for a good deal if you're lucky.