Nash_Sandy_MPD Professional Blog Post Monday 15 Sep 14

Note: I am a bassist/percussionist. There is nothing I love better than to read about or come across articles and/or materials talking about the subjects that I love so well. I could dialogue about these subjects all day; that is music, bass, and percussion, of course. For this post, I am going to continue to build upon my previous ones.

 “Covering The  Bass-ics...” is a continuing saga of what goes on in my life as a bassist/percussionist. And let me tell you, bassist/percussionists are some “special” folk. There is nothing like holding down the ”bottom line.”  Often times, we think all day long about nothing but rhythms and beats. We hear them in everything in our environments. I live in the heart of the city so most of my inspiration comes from the sound of a moving elevated train or the persistent pounding of a jackhammer or even the slight accidental tapping of a utensil against a glass of water at a swank restaurant. We, who hold down the “bottom line,” feel our day is not complete if we are not either on our instruments and/or discovering that new bada..s thump or beat in our daily existence.

With that said, my blog covers what it is like to live in my musical world, how I wake up in the morning, the tools of my trade, the musicians who inspire me, and how they each impact and direct my personal music journey.

So like I have said, this is what my blog is all about. At the start, I formally introduced myself. Then, I wrote a couple blog posts on two of my musical inspirations- Steinway pianist, Lenore Raphael and legendary bassist, Carol Kaye.

Subsequently, I will add some more personal stuff, such as my own live performances; including insights and encounters.  However, since this month, I have been dealing the subjects of publishing and distribution, I would like to talk about something else near and dear to my and many musicians’ hearts-transcription and sheet music.   More specifically, for this current post, I thought I would talk a little about a project that I am developing. This project is a computer program, potentially an app. It is my plan to produce this program in conjunction with the Hal Leonard Corporation.  “Hal Leonard Corporation is a US music publishing company founded 1947 in Winona, Minnesota, by brothers Harold "Hal" Edstrom, Everett "Leonard" Edstrom and musician Roger Busdicker.” Currently, the corporation is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

There are a number of reasons why I am choosing Hal Leonard. First ,the Leonard Corporation’s reputation, “for over 60 years, they’ve been publishing and distributing publications for virtually every type of instrument and ensemble.”  

Second, the company boasts it has the Internet home for “the world's largest music print publisher.” Third, as a serious bass player, I am always searching for the most accurate bass transcriptions I can find on some of the most prolific music of our time. Yet, I have found out how really difficult that is. Sure, a bass player can sit for hours and ear-tune a composition, but it just seems easier to me to have access to the composition readily available. And finally, I chose them because I would like to shop to the company a computer program that may resolve the entire issue.

This program would transcribe bass lines on the fly, in real time. Of course, the program would provide online access and not only enable note for note transcription, but bass tablature as well, nearly simultaneously.   Moreover, detailed sheet music would also be readily available to print right from the comfort of your own home or office. In addition, by the program being online, you would have access to the program playing the composition back just like what is being done on some other sites.  You would be surprised how difficult it is for a bassist to find really good, accurate bass transcription.

I choose Hal Leonard because of its international reputation for excellence in the business of music publishing and distribution. I also know the company has the enormous resources to make certain this program of mine would operate within the lawful scope of copyrights, royalties, etc.

 I will not go into the all of the details on my blog. I can say though, that with the Hal Leonard Corporation and my computer program we cannot lose. Of course, if the Leonard Corporation were not interested in my program… I could always shop it out to the corporation’s competitors- Musicnotes, Inc, Alfred Publishing Co., Inc or Music Sales Group Limited. Hmm, now there’s a thought!

References

www.halleonard.com/