2012 Arrangers’ Marching Band Titles Available for Preview

The 2012 Arrangers’ Publishing Company marching band titles are now available for preview at both Stantons.com and Stanton’s Listening Library.  Highlights include the Beatlemania show (Magical Mystery Tour/Lady Madonna, Blackbird/Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band/The End), Maroon 5’s Moves Like Jagger, the latest from Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, We Found Love and Where Have You Been by Rihanna, and 30-Second Blasters for the stands.  All of these titles, and more, are in-stock at Stanton’s – call, fax, or click to add them to your shopping cart today, and visit Stanton’s marching band webpage for more show planning ideas!

Memorial Day Recommendations for Concert and Marching Band

It’s the beginning of May, and even though the school year is beginning to wind down, there are still a few important band performances left.  Memorial Day is just around the corner, and the band staff at Stanton’s is honored to help you salute the men and women of our armed services with the following recommendations for marching and concert band.

Perfect for parade or ceremonial use are long-time staples Service Songs Set 1, containing Anchors Aweigh (Navy) and The Caissons Go Rolling Along (Army), and Service Songs Set 2, containing the Marine’s Hymn and U.S. Air Force Song, both arranged by Jerry Burns.

Ideal for parade use is Paul Lavender and Will Rapp’s Patriotic Parade Sequence featuring My Country, ‘Tis of Thee; America the Beautiful; and Battle Hymn of the Republic with easy drum cadences in between.

For concert band we highly recommend Armed Forces – The Pride of America, arranged by Larry Clark and Greg Gilpin.  This is the only arrangement available for either concert or marching band that pays tribute to ALL 5 service branches. It also includes settings of the Pledge of Allegiance, America the Beautiful, and the Star-Spangled Banner.  This distinctive arrangement has optional 2, 3, or 4-part choral, and string sets available.

Armed Forces on Parade, arranged by Michael Sweeney is a stirring medley of American military marches (Marine’s Hymn, The Caissons Go Rolling Along, Anchors Aweigh) also perfect for the concert setting.  A part of Hal Leonard’s Flex-Band Series, this arrangement contains 5-part writing plus percussion making it a great choice for bands with incomplete or unbalanced instrumentation.

We hope you find these recommendations to be helpful, and wish you a safe and happy Memorial Day.

USE IT OR LOSE IT!

School Teachers – we’re talking your budget allotment here!  In these tough economic times, you will want to make sure that you use what you have been given!  If you have money left on any of your Purchase Orders, we recommend that you get it spent before someone in the office decides to pull it out from under you and buy soccer balls with it!  Plus if you don’t use your allotment, there is a chance you won’t get as much next year because the clerk/treasurer sees that you don’t spend what you’ve been given, so they’ll give you less the next time!

With that in mind, Stanton’s Sheet Music has some great music with which you can finish out the school year.  Whether you want serious literature or something on the lighter side, we have plenty of choral, band and orchestra music that would be perfect for your Spring Concerts, for graduation, for teaching new concepts or practicing sight-reading or just to get a head start on next year. 

Check out the recommendations on our website, or call Stanton’s at 1-800-42-MUSIC (1-800-426-8742) and talk to one of our knowledgeable sales people about top notch music to finish out your budget.  The music we recommend is educationally valid, the best sounding and the most highly programmable, so you can count on getting just the right pieces for your groups to get your precious money’s worth.  Contact Stanton’s today!

New Marching Band Titles Available for Preview

If you haven’t already, begin planning for the 2012 marching band season NOW!  All of the new titles from Alfred and Hal Leonard are available for preview on our marching band page and listening library – the Alfred titles are already off the press!  Highlights for 2012 include several classic jazz favorites, Motown and 80’s hits, the latest from Lady Gaga, Adele, complete shows for Little Shop of Horrors and Harry Potter, as well as 2 new stands collections.

For those looking for show ideas or to mix and match arrangements, visit the show planning section of our website.  You can also find complete shows by artist or show theme.  Keep track of the arrangements you like with our new Wish List feature.  Your wish list can be divided into sub-lists by marching season, show, or any way you want!  You can also email your list directly to your school treasurer for purchase order requisitions.

Our website and listening library will be updated with the latest Arrangers’ Publishing and Jalen/Matrix titles once they become available, and for those who like to go ‘old-school’, keep an eye on your mailbox for Stanton’s 2012 Show Planning Guide.

Digitally Download Sheet Music

Do you ever need sheet music in a big hurry?  Check out Stanton’s Digital Delivery to browse our digital sheet music library. There are pop songs, Broadway songs, sacred songs, guitar tabs, and much more!

You’ll need to download a free Scorch program that allows you to see the first page of each song you look up, and it allows you to print on your own printer.  Many songs can also be transposed to whatever key you need! Just pay with a credit card, download and print.

This service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Happy browsing!

Copyright Resources for Musicians and Educators

Copyright law and its implications affect musicians and educators every day, yet most of us have little to no understanding of it.  Whether majoring in performance or education, undergraduate courses of study rarely present an introduction to the subject, let alone offer any courses that study it in detail.  It is challenging to know what is permissible under the law, and what exactly is allowed under the doctrine of ‘fair use.’  Violations of copyright occur frequently in our schools mostly due to the lack of education on the subject, and, like it or not, use in an educational setting alone does not necessarily constitute compliance with the ‘fair use’ provision of the law.  With increased scrutiny and debate over copyright infringement on the internet, the staff at Stanton’s would like to recommend the following resources to shed light on the subject for musicians and educators alike.  They are presented in order of increasing detail, and we highly recommend The Teacher’s Guide to Music, Media, and Copyright Law for music educators.  In addition, YouTube in Music Education is a great resource for those looking to use this technology to enhance their programs, but have concerns about how to do so appropriately.

Music Copyright Basics – Joel Leach
What is copyright?  This seemingly simple question often causes confusion with its complex answers.  In Music Copyright Basics, professor and expert copyright witness Joel Leach answers frequent questions in a straightforward, easy-to-use format.  Whether you are searching for a simple answer to a common question or want a general knowledge of the copyright procedure, this book will quickly provide you with the information you want.  Music Copyright Basics features: a convenient question-and-answer format; easy-to-understand answers to all your copyright questions; coverage of copyright basics, copyright submission process, copyright ownership, copyright and earnings potential, and international copyright; and a compact, portable design that keeps information easily at hand. (2003)

The Teacher’s Guide to Music, Media, and Copyright Law – James Frankel
The easy-to-understand guide for teachers using copyrighted music and media in the classroom.  In this era of unprecedented access to information, teachers have a wealth of readily available resources for lesson planning, but determining what you can and can’t use legally in the classroom is a difficult task.  Written by a 15-year veteran of the New Jerseypublic schools, The Teacher’s Guide to Music, Media, and Copyright Law helps explain just how information, images, video, and music can be incorporated into any kind of lesson plan without running afoul of copyright laws.  This resource includes: what resources you can use without obtaining permission, how to obtain and license the works you need permission to use, how to check the copyright status of any media item, and how to apply copyright legality examples to real classroom situations. (2009)

Music Copyright Law – Moser & Slay
Music Copyright Law will help you gain an in-depth understanding of a topic that is vital to the success of anyone in or entering the music industry.  From songwriters and performers to managers, producers, and agents, everyone is affected by the issues covered in this book.  Avoiding the technical jargon and “legalese” that bogs down other books on the subject, this book explores the world of copyright law and homes in on how it applies to music.  It begins by building a foundational knowledge of the fundamentals of copyright law – what it protects, the benefits of registering a copyright, and what to do when copyright has been infringed.  Once the fundamentals are established, coverage expands to include controversies involving copyright and music in the digital age and the debates over online music.  Packed with practical examples that bring complex concepts to life, this book is a must-have for any professional in or entering the music business. (2012)

Get a real, LIVE person on the phone!

We’re always talking about our knowledgeable staff—you’ll find that very phrase on much of our printed advertising, as well as on our website. Stanton’s sales staff is separated into departments to ensure that each staff member is well informed about a specific area of the wide variety of music that we carry. So when you call and ask about music for trumpet, you’ll be speaking with someone who has first-hand knowledge of repertoire, not just a phone operator with no musical experience. Here’s what you’ll find in each department:

CHORAL DEPARTMENT (ex. 1)
Church Choral Music
School Choral Music
Elementary Classroom Music
Classical Solo Vocal
Handbell

BAND DEPARTMENT (ex. 2)
Concert Band
Marching Band
Jazz Ensemble
Orchestra
Solos for all concert instruments
Instrumental Method Books
Music Software/Technology

POP/KEYBOARD (ex. 3)
Sacred & Secular Piano
Organ
Piano Method Books
Popular/Broadway Solo Vocal
Contemporary Christian Vocal
Guitar Solos and Methods
Music for Folk Instruments

BILLING AND ACCOUNTS (ex. 4)

You can direct emails to the exact department you need by clicking the links above, or press the appropriate extension when you call 1-800-42-MUSIC (1-800-426-8742). If you’re unsure of which department to choose, we’re always happy to direct you to whoever can best address your needs; press “0″ to have your call directed, or send a general email. At Stanton’s, it is important to us that you receive the most educated answers to your questions and the finest music recommendations.

Stanton’s “21-Day Trial” Program

Did you know that you can preview music from Stanton’s before you decide to buy? We know that it’s difficult to tell if a particular piece of music will fit your needs without actually reading it through, so similar to checking things out from a library, you can “borrow” resources from our store using the “21 Day Trial” program!

Each of Stanton’s departments has slightly different guidelines about what/how many items can be sent on “21 Day Trial,” but in general we can send printed sheet music that is currently in stock. You can request items for trial by phone, email, fax, online or in person—any of the ways that you can place a regular order—but make sure that you specify “21 Day Trial.” You can list the music you’d like to peruse, or you can give us some specifications (like “Christmas piano solos,” “SSA choral music on the theme of friendship,” or “new publications for 8th grade jazz band”) and Stanton’s knowledgeable staff will find some suggestions for you!

We require account or credit card information so that if you choose to keep the music we can charge you accordingly, or return the music within 21 days of your invoice date and you’ll never be charged! (You’ll just have to pay return shipping to get the music back to us.)

As you return from Winter break and begin programming the rest of your school or church year, remember that Stanton’s Sheet Music is here to help!

Are You Ready for Basketball Season?

Things have finally calmed down from the long marching band season, your concert band is beginning to lose its ‘outdoor sound’, and your holiday program is starting to come together, BUT basketball season is right around the corner.  Never fear, the band staff at Stanton’s has what you need for a successful pep band season from collections of complete song arrangements perfect for quarter breaks and halftime (Stanton’s recommends Classic Rock Hits, Jock Jams Super Book, Stadium Hit Mix, and The Ultimate Collection) to groups of cheers and ‘shorties’ ideal for timeouts.  Visit our marching band webpage for more ideas, and order online or give us a call: 1-800-426-8742!

Rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard…

What song hit both #3 on the rock charts and #1 on the country charts and featured the violin, of all instruments?  The year was 1979, and the group was The Charlie Daniels Band.  Yes – it was “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” which won the group a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance that year.  We were all saddened to hear that one of the co-writers of that song, and the keyboardists for the band for 40 years, Joel “Taz” Gregorio, was killed in a car accident in October, 2011 on the way to meet the band’s tour bus for an upcoming performance.  Perhaps a special tribute is in order!

“The Devil Went Down to Georgia” has been a frequently requested song at Stanton’s.  The story line, which is more spoken than sung, involves a challenge by the Devil to a fiddle playing contest with a young man named Johnny.  If Johnny wins, he gets a fiddle of solid gold.  If he loses, the Devil gets his soul.  After each of them plays, it is obvious that Johnny is the better fiddler and wins the golden fiddle – ’cause he’s “the best that’s ever been!”

There are three sheet music formats in which this song is currently available.  There is a Piano/Vocal Sheet that comes with a pull-out violin part.  It is also available in a Marching Band edition arranged by Michael Brown that features the mallet percussion on the “fiddle” solos.  There is also a Concert Band edition arranged by Michael Brown that features a soloist on the “fiddle” parts (solo parts included for flute, violin, clarinet, alto saxophone or mallet percussion) as well as an optional narrator to tell the story.  All have been best sellers for years.

So why not pay tribute to one of the writers of this famous tune and get your copy of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” in whichever format suits your situation.  Then you can do your part to become the “best that’s ever been!”