JimmyThird

Hello everyone,

In this ever-changing world of technology and immediate access, I am considering changing the way I sell things, and would be interested in your input.
Right now I sell my music the "old-fashioned" way: I receive an order through my website, and once I receive payment, I pack and ship the music as soon as possible. Some shorter pieces run $10-15, my trumpet sonata runs about $25; other trumpet/chamber pieces may run anywhere between $15-30 depending on length, instrumentation, etc.. I believe this to be somewhat similar to other publishers of original music: Leduc, Editions BIM, International, etc...
I noticed at ITG that I sold out of the cheaper works, even though those were the ones of which I had no recording, whereas others, where I had amazing recordings, did not sell quite as many.

So - I'm considering including a much cheaper PDF option: instead of the sonata costing $25, for example, one could pay me $2.99 a movement (3 movements), and upon payment received, I would send a PDF electronically, for the customer to print and bind however he/she wishes.

Of course, what a publisher/composer then fears is the exponential distribution possibilities of sending a PDF by email. A click of a button by one unscrupulous person, and the piece is sent everywhere for free.

If you have a moment, I'd love your input. If you're curious to hear this music I'm selling before forwarding your opinion, click here: James Stephenson compositions for brass

Thanks everyone!!
Jim Stephenson, composer/arranger
Music of composer and arranger James Stephenson

note360

I think that the PDF option would encourage me to buy your music and indead more music in general. I myself when I compose soemthing worth while (working on a trumpet sonata, but it will probably be horrible...) will offer pdfs and waht not as well as a published version (eg printed out double sided and ring bound, by me)

__________________
"I'll play it and tell you what it is later." - Miles Davis
"Do not fear mistakes. There are none." - Miles Davis

Trumpets:
TR300 Bach [marching horn]
Big Apple Bach Strad (ML)

Cornets:
1952 Olds Ambassador L.A

Mouthpiece: Curry 5c, Olds 3 (for the cornet atm)

carteru93

I think a paper option and an electronic option would be ideal if possible.

Khora

PDF versions are certainly a lot quicker and cheaper to produce and send, and one can get it wherever, which isn't always the case with a paper copy.

I believe there are several security options available if you use the professional version of Adobe to create PDFs. One way is to password protect the document, so it can't be duplicated easily, and one needs a password to open it. You can create and send the password with the file, but I think that can't be duplicated if someone sends it along to an unauthorized user. Certainly worth looking into those options.

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Sandy

siarr

Hey, Jim -

I sent you a PM a few days ago, did you get it? I'm not sure my PM's have been working - let me know, OK?


Best,

Chas Reskin
(fellow Naples alumnus)

Bach219

JimmyThird, I agree with Khora. If you can password protect the PDF then thing should turn out fine, otherwise yes, people will duplicate them and it will be passed around the net for free. But if you can password protect them, your safest bet is to send them the paper way!

Bach219

__________________
Bach TR300
Vincent Bach 7C & Vincent Bach Corp 10.5C

I didn't want to get that ring around my lips from practicing the trumpet, because I thought the girls wouldn't like me. So I never practiced.- Wynton Marsalis

ecarroll

Jim,

Please accept my opinion for what it's worth, but I'd go with the PDF option expressed above. No music is safe as long as it can be photocopied and in my experience immediate availability is what most young musicians are looking for these days.

I personally prefer older, mouldy, frayed-at-the-edges, pages that have been marked up over many performances and by many hands, but I fear that I'm simply nostalgic.

Best,
EC

cobragamer

Me personally I prefer regular paper originals than pdfs because you almost have a sense you are collecting a reare trumpet part or somthing

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Bach Sradivarius Trumpet
Yamaha Xeno Cornet
Bobby Shew Artist model Flugelhorn