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Here's a noob question for ya. I never owned one of those compilation books like "Best ***** songs ever!!", but I am thinking about picking one up.

How do you use those things if they don't have spiral binding? I can't imagine they would stay open on the music stand. If you clip the pages to keep them open you can't turn them while playing. Thanks for the help.

There have been threads on publishers not using sprial books.

A few of the larger books do. When looking on line, look for "plastic comb" or sprial.

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Fake-Book-C/dp/0793529395/ref=pd_ys_qtk_rvi_img/002-1277604-9009619

The "regular" books tend to fall apart over time, from breaking the binding to stay open.

Check with Kinko's - I believe you can have them chop off just a bit off the spine and spiral-bind (plastic or coil) them for you. If the books are oversized, they may not have the spirals long enough; you may have to go to a specialty binding shop.

I would probably use the book until the binding fell apart before getting it bound by Kinkos. Might as well make use of it first right? How do you keep it open if you don't get it bound? Do you use music stand clips?

That's a great question, agent. One that probably has been vexing pianists for a long, long time. What I've done (and I don't necessarily recommend it for everyone), I carefully tear the piece I want to learn from the book. Then I go to Kinko's and have it enlarged on a 11x17' paper (I wear trifocals and reading notes on small lines is a nightmare). I then trim, cut in half and paste the enlarged pieces on heavy paper that will stand up on the piano. So one page of the music becomes two pages, two/three lines per "page."

I then tape the original back in the book. This sounds complicated, but it solves two problems:

1) I can actually see the notes and have plenty of room to write in fingering and (sh...) the chords notes, if necessary

2) The music stands very nicely on my piano. No more falling over, rubber bands shooting off into space and scaring the living day-lights out of you or broken bindings on the music books.


Kathleen

Now THAT is what I call love Kathleen. I would be too exhausted to play after going through all that.

Could you please explain the rubber band method? Do you wrap the rubber band around the whole music stand or just the book?

You know, there should be no excuse for not using spiral binding on these books. We spend so much money on these things they should at least make them functional. Give us the extra $0.50 in binding!

I bring my books to Staples and they put a spiral binding.

Serge

The problem I see with any kind of anthology
or collection type of book--spiral or
regular bound--is that you'll end up
playing only a couple of pieces and the
rest go to waste. For example, amateurs
go and buy the full WTC because Bach is mentioned
so often; all of the pieces in it are diffcult,
and an average amateur might end up playing
only one with the rest going unplayed.

These "Best of ..." type of books are something
of a marketing gimmick in my opinion. The
title catches the eye, and it appears that
you're getting some kind of bargain, getting
the "best" of something, but you'll end up
playing only a few pieces and the rest
go to waste, not much of a bargain, ultimately.

I used to buy tons of this kind of stuff
when I was younger, but now that I'm
more experienced, I'm much more selective
and try to buy single sheets if possible
and only get a collection type of book
when some piece that I'm interested
in is not readily available anywhere else.

Not bad advice at all, Gyro. I, for one, am guilty of buying these books, and not even learning one piece.

The handful of individual pieces I have purchased have been used, at least.

Hmmm. Good points. I purchased my first Best of book yesterday so I'll let you guys know how much I use it.