CD to Sheet Music

2003-09-30 06:00 pm

Hi folks...
What is the shortest distance between these two points?
I have accompaniment CDs that I need to turn into Sheet Music in order to adapt different pieces into one.
Thanks.

Re: CD to Sheet Music

Reply #1 – 2003-09-30 06:18 pm

CD -> Ears -> Brain -> Fingers -> NWC

Re: CD to Sheet Music

Reply #2 – 2003-09-30 06:34 pm

If the accompaniments are in the public domain, you may be able to find the sheet music on-line, in a format that can be edited with suitable software (such as NWC).

For example, a lot of art songs from the late 19th century were written for voice and piano accompaniment. The original accompaniment (but not a more recent arrangement) would likely be in the public domain.

One place you can look is in the NW Scriptorium. Go to the home parge for NWC, scroll down to the lower right, and you will see a link to the Scriptorium.

Keep in mind that even if the music itself is in the public domain, the coding of the music into a computer file, or into printable sheet music, may not be in the public domain. (Shakespeare's plays are in the public domain, but a modern book or CD-ROM of Shakespeare's plays would usually be a copyrighted product.)

If the accompaniments are of modern works, which necessarily includes rock and roll (etc.), then the music definitely is NOT in the public domain.

But if you cannot find the music already prepared, Fred's advice (above) is the only way to go.

If you arrange music that is the copyrighted works of others, even if you paste various works together to make a new original, then you may need to obtain licenses for the music. Likewise, if it is to be performed. But all of that is beyond the scope of anything that can be discussed here.