Music folders

[youngman]

Just wondered if anyone could suggest where and what to buy as replacement music folders. Our band has used A4 ring binders with clear wallets but they are big and bulky as well as being tired. Have tried A4 plastic wallets but they soon split. Any ideas :?:

 

[Sellers_Bird]

one of those a4 organiser things with pockets labelled a-z, theyre normally good... u know which ones i mean? :?

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

I bet half the music in the pack is hardly used... I remember having this problem in my first band... If you take out the stuff you dont use then it'll be tonnes lighter...

;-)

 

[Di]

one of those a4 organiser things with pockets labelled a-z, theyre normally good... u know which ones i mean? :?

Yep, I prefer those, much easier to just "drop" a piece of music into rather than trying to squeeze on of those awkward "its bigger than the *beep* folder" pieces into those plastic wallets! :?

 

[Jo Elson]

we just have those cardboard folders. They aren't really sterdy but they are cheap enough to replace and you don't have to bother with plastic wallets or any system.

 

[Big Twigge]

The problem with the cardboard ones is that if you pick them up from the wrong side they rip and in the space of 2hrs tonight i managed to lose an empty one somewhere in the band room....ooo the mysteries :?

 

[Jo Elson]

lucky it was empty!

 

[Vickitorious]

We use those organiser things, and my mum organises everyones folder in the band so that we always have the right amount of music, and it lightens them all up! V. quick and easy!

 

[Big Twigge]

lucky it was empty!

I know! Thankfully tonight I was so keen, that all my music was waiting for me on my stand...phew

 

[Dave Euph]

I've always used card folders. Not particularly organised, but they don't weigh anything. Just keep the masking tape nearby for when you rip the fold off!

 

[PeterBale]

We've just had a new set of folders, sticking with the traditional style of a pocket each side so that one programme can be slotted each side. For our forthcoming trip to Holland, because of the variety of programmes involved, all the music we're taking has been numbered, so all we need to do is keep it in order, and replace it when it's finished with.

With the wind ensemble we use folders containing plastic pockets, enabling the programme to be put in order beforehand, but it is not so convenient if you need to change things over for any reason.

I would also endorse Naomi's suggestion of keeping the amount of music in the folder to a minimum - not only will it make it lighter, but it will reduce the risk of things getting lost, and make it easier to find what you are looking for.

 

[Aidan]

we just have those cardboard folders. They aren't really sterdy but they are cheap enough to replace and you don't have to bother with plastic wallets or any system.

same here

 

[Lauradoll]

Yeah we use the cardboard wallety ones as well, and we get new ones with the new music in it after each concert/ contest so we just have to hand in one "full" folder and recieve a new one with our new music in it. It works quite well.

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

We used to use the A4 Document Wallets. They were cardboard-y and light, we could buy them in a set in different colours (red for Christmas, blue for contest etc....) but they tend to show their age.

There's apparently a similar concept made out of plastic woth a velcro buckly.... :? Or even some of my little kids have plastic ones witht hose little buckles like on kids raincoats.

The popular choice is the Display folder. Two plastic covers, a 50 godzillions spiral centre with 30-50 inserts. The spiral spine coems apart to add extra inserts. Catch there is the spiral breaks quite easily.....but everything has a negative, right??

We currently use an A4 Ring binder. Yes the heavy, awkward shape can bite the big one at times, but ours have a plastic layer on the front so you can slide a title page onto the front cover. Ours look verrrrry pretty!!

Finally, a more expensive option is the professional folio. A plastic-over-A5-cardboard design, it has 2 plastic slips (one per side) to insert music. Then they fold in Galf to look like an A4 book. They are capable of holding HEAPS of music, a good weight, and shape. YOu can get them professionally labelled and such too. I think in Australia they're $30 EACH(!!!!) through Allans Music (no relation - different spelling!!).

 

[Australian Euphonium]

We is in the habit of using 2 sets - One for our brass band concerts and contesting repertoire and another set for our 'showband' concert series music. Mentally it's a good way of preparing yourself for rehearsal to have 2 different systems for 2 different genres

 

[geordiecolin]

We have those big, old, heavy "vertical" folders with the 2 pockets, 1 on each side. These are rammed full of various bits of music that haven't been played for ages, but are kept out "just in case". I also have a cardboard wallety thing for the current concert/contest programme which I take home to practice. It works quite well as a system, the "store" pad saving the librarian a lot of hassle when the conductor wants to try something a bit different. Saying that though, we are slowly reducing the amount of music in the "store" pad - removing 6 pieces per rehearsal.

 

[2nd man down]

We have A4 folders with plastic wallets but it's not a problem because our librarian is like the spawn of hitler (You know who you are wahoolies!!)and god forbid there should be any music in there that isn't in the current play list (it's early, couldn't spell repertoire) so they never get too full.

And I'm probably dead meat for posting this one!!

 

[WoodenFlugel]

We use the A4 organiser type things. They have nice shiny plastic covers which look great but have the friction properties of greased eels. This makes carring more than one folder under your arm with Flugel case in one hand and random bit of awkard percussion in the other, up the flight of steep narrow stairs to our bandroom a particular challange!

 

[sparkling_quavers]

We have 2 pads. I think the theory is one for current concert music and one for music that is generally out of the library. We use those cardboard folders but as our librarian is so organised we only have the music needed in them therefore they don't get too overloaded. Those A-Z folders can be good too...

 

[Gavin]

JAGRINS are now offering a service where we make music folders in whatever shape, style and size you want! These can also be personalised with band name/logo, intsrument name etc. for an additional cost. They will be made from real leather, so they will last a long time.

For more information, send an email to info@jagrins.com

Gavin Pritchard
JAGRINS Music Publications - www.jagrins.com