Free Scores for RCS Music Students!

Okay, everyone knows about IMSLP, otherwise known as the Petrucci Music Library.  It's free.  (Check that you're not breaching copyright in the country where you live).

http://imslp.org/

If you're a university or conservatoire music student, your library may well subscribe to additional, premium, services offering you more "free" music.  (The library pays, so patrons don't have to.)

FREE SCORES FOR RCS MUSIC STUDENTS!

Get music free online through Alexander Street Press Classical Scores Library - if you’re off-campus, you’ll need to login first.  

Classical Scores Library, Volume I* (part of the MOP collection)

Classical Scores Library, Volume II* (part of the MOP collection)

Alternatively, if you search the whole Alexander Street Press music database, you’ll find videos, recordings AND these scores.  Start here, selecting the music drop-down before you search:-

 http://search.alexanderstreet.com/ 

Look down the side to single out videos, audio or scores.

MORE FREE SCORES TO DOWNLOAD ON-CAMPUS

Download sheet music from LibraryMusicSource (on-campus only):  

http://www.librarymusicsource.com/  

ESSAY TO WRITE?  COPY EXCERPTS FROM THESE SCORES!

Use your computer’s “snipping tool” to copy little excerpts for musical examples to back up your arguments or illustrate what you're describing.

Finding Old Scores - go digital at Archive.org (and more)

Most people have heard of the Petrucci Music Library, otherwise known as IMSLP.  But have you come across the Internet Archive, at https://archive.org/?

They're really useful. Don't assume they're only for printed texts, either.  Today we were looking for a vocal score of the opera, L'Inganno Felice, by Gioacchino Rossini.  We found an old edition in the Petrucci Music Library.  (See here.)


We checked Archive.org, and there was a solo piano rendition in all its early 19th century splendour.  (It's dated 1812, to be precise.)

So you see, these sites are useful, you really should favourite them!  Save to your Diigo account and you'll be able to access them from any of your digital devices.

Staff and students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland also have access to Library Music Source via our database page.  It's only accessible on-site, but it's another valuable source of performance materials.  

• Library Music Source 
• Whittaker Library Databases
• Petrucci Music Library, aka IMSLP
• Internet Archive, at https://archive.org/

Finding Digital Sheet ("sheet") Music

NEWS!  Staff and students of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland can freely download music from Library Music Source using any wi-fi enabled device on Conservatoire Premises.  There's so much there, you'll have to take a look to see for yourself!

Here's the link:- 

• Library Music Source
• http://www.librarymusicsource.com/index.php

NB This great resource is only accessible by subscription.  The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland subscription can only be accessed on Conservatoire premises.  The subscription does not allow Conservatoire users to access it elsewhere.

This seems a good opportunity to mention other resources available on the internet.  Some of these are free, others have to be paid for:-

• IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library - Free Public Domain Sheet Music; an online database with a lot of historic collections, free to download.
• Sheet Music Direct: Download and Print Sheet Music for Piano, Choir, Guitar Tabs and More   
• OnlineSheetMusic.com    
• CD Sheet Music Online   
• Sheet Music Plus - For Piano, Guitar And Choral Music
• National Library of Scotland - Digital Gallery (hundreds of early Scottish music scores, free to access and download.)
• The Internet Archive at Archive.org  offers old music and old recordings, besides the more expected old books  - well worth a look!

Sheet Music Library Trial Access for Royal Conservatoire of Scotland readers

Whittaker Library trials new online resource!

We have trial campus-only access to a sheet music library, Library Music Source, at  http://www.librarymusicsource.com/ until 19 October 2013.  Staff and students of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland can try it out on Royal Conservatoire premises.*  If you like it, tell us!

There's some really good stuff on this database - give it a go!

* because it's a trial, we had to register all Conservatoire IP addresses.  Therefore, registered staff and students can only trial this resource in Conservatoire buildings - there is no external access.  You don't need a personal login.