I took advantage of the piano books sale at sheetmusicplus.com and ordered a bunch of books. Prior to that, I already own four different method books, pop piano and big-note books, a folk song book, one RCM and one Contemporary Piano Literature book, not to mention a gazillion sheet music pdfs in my laptop's harddrive. Now I've got 8 more books coming, all of them graded classical repertoire which should last me up to intermediate level. I'm up to my ears in sheet music and I don't know how on earth I could work on all of them when I already have my hands full with the 3 books I'm currently working on with my teacher.

It's crazy and irrational, I know. When I get interested in something, I tend to buy all the books on that subject. But it could take months to finish a thin piano booklet while any other book could be finished in just a few hours.

At least my latest shopping spree has temporarily relieved the itch, but I'm not sure I can hold myself back the next time I visit the local music store.

Is there anyone else suffering from this 'syndrome' and how do you cope with it? Is there a cure?

I'm afraid it's incurable. I've had it for at least 40 years and I don't see any signs of improvement. However, I don't think it shortens your life

Currawong is correct. It's incurable. I not only have scads of sheet music,and books of music, but several duplicates--well almost duplictes. 4 Complete two vol. sets of Beethoven Sonatas but different editions. Ditto Bach, and Mozart. Urtect editons, edited editions, unedited editions, etc. etc.

Welcome to the chronic sheet music collectors group. I for one don't see any need to curtail this mania for collecting music. As far as I am concerned it sure beats collecting thimbles, beer steins, tupperware, and other oddities. I have a friend who collects Barbie Dolls. I will stick to sheet music. Gaby tu

There's no remedy, so don't even loose time trying to find a solution. Instead, put this time to good use and buy more sheet music.

My sheet music collection is like the universe: inmense and in constant expansion. It includes many other instruments appart from piano (harp, cello, violin, oboe...) which I never intend to play but it doesn't matter. If it's a score, I must have it.

Of course, I have also several copies of the digital scores (of things I'll never play), just in case some of the hard disk drives crash.

Hey, if some people enjoys free jumping, what's wrong with music shop raiding?

Ahaha it seems I'm not alone. Maybe some of you are even worse off than I am. And you've been playing piano longer so you must have an immense collection. Sure beats collecting Barbie dolls, I'm sure I think Boira is a bit extreme, though...sheet music for instruments you never intend to play? But I guess it makes sense if you 're trying to build a comprehensive sheet music library.

I just said earlier that I've temporarily relieved the itch...but I guess not. I ended up buying a couple of piano solo books a while ago, because they're rare and I just have to play those songs (someday)!!

Oh well.... I could be addicted to worse.

Fess up MK...own it, it's best to open up to all...lol

Hey, I feel a *lot* better after reading these other posts. At least I don't own any cello or harp music!! (Though I was cleaning out my basement last weekend and found myself incapable of tossing out my accordion music...)

Hello, my name is Susan and I'm a sheetmusicaholic. I have my John Thompson first book from 40 years ago. I never plan to teach. Nuf said.

I have it too....One of the best thing I ever bought was a used 11 volume set of "The International Library of Piano Music". I am also at a university and have the entire music library to dive into as well.

In order to keep organized, most of my sheetmusic and books are in a closet and I keep photocopies and downloaded copies in 4 black binders:

1. Classical Big Pieces: Beethoven Sonatas, Chopin Ballade etc.
2. Jazz, Pop, and Rags
3. "Easy Pieces": Pieces I can play even after a couple glasses of wine!
4. Practice folder. Current works in progress. Tips on techinque, repertoire lists etc.

I am currently working on "Pictures at an Exhibition" Of course, I have a downloaded copy, there is a copy in the Intl. Library, and I checked out an Urtext copy from the music library. I decided I liked the Urtext best so I bought a copy.

Oh come on, you're surfing the net, you find a page with free sheet music and what do you do then? Download EVERYTHING! No matter if it's for bongos or triangle or whatever playable thing ever known to man.


PD: This time I admit I'm exaggerating

PD2: But it was true about the cello and harp and the other instruments.... scores are just... beautiful to see! (and to have)

Ok, so I have this to add: After many years of living in NYC, I instituted a rule for myself and my hubby. When you bring something into the house that you don't need, but really really cannot resist, then it is a treat. There is a cost to that--it takes up space! So, the only harm is that at some point you will run out of room or make yourself crazy b/c you can't even FIND the things you love. So the rule is to get rid of one 'thing' for each 'thing' you buy. (I would suggest things that take room on shelves as a strategic measure). You can sell, give away to friends or donate the stuff. But just purge.

This serves three purposes: It makes you responsible for your choice in a really authentic way (if you are willing to purge for this stuff, it has real value to you), it keeps your space sane, and it helps you to focus on your current interests so your energy is focused. If you need a shelf for all your new music, and you are willing to give up your old shelf worth of unused college text books to make room, then you are doing something healthy all around.

Stuff is fine, and lots of it is fine too, so long as it doesn't overwhelm you, and so long as you can find it when you are ready for it! That is basically the difference between collecting (good) and hoarding (bad).

(also, don't be afraid to give some pf those books away if you don't love them after they arrive! Then you have made mental and physical space for a better book later!)

SMA is no joke. Even if you can barely sight-read a note it still doesn't stop people buying/downloading every Beethoven Sonata they can find. At least downloading from the imslp is only taking up space on you hard-drive and not burning a hole in your pocket.

"unused college textbooks" - choke, choke, cough, cough. And I still buy them sometimes at book sales. Thanks for the advice, Monster - I feel better now.

I do the "other instruments" trick, too, but in my defense I play from lead sheets, so I'm only getting melody and chords any way.

But a friend of mine - oh dear, here comes confession time again - did photocopy a couple of books on the history of traditional tunes that are out of print and he got on inter-library loan and made copies for me while he was at it.

And I do have a *big* set of 3x5 card binders that index the tunes to the book they're in

But I use Excel for my Sheet Music Magazine index. Because then I can sort it by composer or lyricist, too

LOL! I have my easy Christmas classics for exactly the same reason, but substitute wine for eggnog.

I have a book on conducting an orchestra. Needless to say, I never intend to conduct, but it was music related and I had to have it.

phew! It's comforting to know there are others out there.

Our house is a no-kill book shelter (sigh).

And wait til your syndrome advances and you Must Have high quality beautifully bound books...printed in Germany...with blue covers....that can cost $30-40 each volume for a multi volume set of a single composer's sonatas

Edited to ask: Whose sig line on this forum is it that says "collector of sheet music I can't play"? I love that line.

Regretfully, there is no cure and as you can tell - it's highly contagious here on the forum. My recommendation? Take two aspirin, get plenty of rest and I'll meet you at the music store, say 10AM? It's Saturday, we can do lunch afterwards. See, it's this bad.

Woody

My music collection continues to grow, but not as quickly as my regular book collection. I am rapdly running out of space for my books, Yet I refuse to part with any. I am a readaholic. I will read almost anything. Once I find an author that I enjoy reading, I must have all his or her previous books. Now, I'm not talking nonfiction here, folks. These are about 95% novels. I do enjoy the occasional nonfiction book as well, though. I'm going to have to buy a bigger house just to contain my books. Help! I'm addicted to books!

Yikes. Today I was brousing through the used book section of our local book store, and there, begging to be taken home was a pile of sheet music.

Now, I am strictly a classical music lover, yet I bought the whole kit and kaboodle of what was available (at bargain prices), and lugged them home. I now own St. Lous Blues, a batch of Scott Jopin, some Victor Herbert songs, Suppe's Poet and Peasant Overture. (wow that one looks like fun), and a bunch of songs from the 40's and 50's. Some of them have Bing Crosby's picture on the cover, so that gives you an idea of what I got. Also, some Russ Columbo.

Hope Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart are not too annoyed with me. Gaby tu

Wow, Poet and Peasant - that brings back memories. I played that back in my teens. It was probably the hardest piece I played, tho I don't really remember much. I still have it around some place. I buy sheet music in thrift stores, too - it sounds like you got a treasure trove.

Cathy

Oh me too, me too! I had completely forgotten! I played it when I was 11 and I thought I had arrived. It was the pinnacle of all my pianistic ambition at that age.

Sheet music ....hm......that's the big sideboard in my study.....with 16 feet boards full of maps, books in several heights and sizes...........where I always immediately find what I was looking for.........

My wife 'loves' my study and my way of organizing.

0veral the whole world same with that same pianists....

Best regards,
Johan B

When my friend in high school moved she gave me all her old lesson books and I kept them for almost 20 years before I actually started playing. Most of this time I didn't even own a piano. I'm getting rid of quite a few of them but I've started my own collection of the stuff I want and it is addictive. Just over tha past year or so I've gotten the music books for 5 differnt Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five albums,2 volumes of Billy Joel music and I've started going album by album collecting Elton John stuff(have about 6 or so already). I can play almost none of it. Of course then there's the transcriptions that I've gotten free on the internet...and the lesson books that I did keep...

To look at the shelf next to the piano you'd think I can actually play

I rationalize it by telling myself that when I'm finally able to play at this level some of these books may not be available anymore.