DingDing

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Information from Music Publishers Association
www.mpa.org/copyright_resource_center/faq

Do I need permission to make an arrangement or transcription?
The first thing to do when you want to make an arrangement is check if the work is in the public domain or if it is protected by copyright. If the work is protected by copyright, you cannot make an arrangement without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
[the copyright owner of a piece of music is also referred to as the ‘publisher’, whether or not printed sheet music is available. S. B]


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Hal Leonard is the world’s largest publisher of printed sheet music, and also the largest ‘print representative’ for other publishers (song copyright owners). For the many publishers it represents, Hal Leonard is responsible for authorizing print related usages such as photocopying, arranging or adapting, and reprinting lyrics and/or music. I have found it the most efficient contact for getting permission to publish arrangements. Re non‐U.S. arrangers, they informed me that they “do handle print rights to various catalogs in territories outside of the United States. As with any licensing request, foreign arrangement requests are considered on a caseby‐ case basis.”
www.halleonard.com/permissions
www.halleonard.com/permissions/faq.jsp

From the Hal Leonard FAQ page:
How do I get permission to publish and sell music which Hal Leonard Corporation controls in print?
You will need to submit your request in writing by mail or fax on your company
or organization's letterhead or electronically [i.e. email] to the following address:

• Your complete name, address and either a telephone number, fax number or e-mail address;
• The title of the composition(s) you wish to publish, including the writer
and/or arranger along with the complete copyright information.
• The type of arrangement you wish to publish (i.e. Guitar, SATB Choral, etc., etc.)
• The suggested retail selling price
• The estimated print run [how many you plan to print]
• The territory of distribution for each published arrangement [which countries’ residents you plan to sell it to]
• Total number of copyrighted songs contained in publication (if you are
requesting permission to publish a collection of compositions)

Please note: permission to print sheet music is NOT compulsory (i.e., they can refuse permission). They can negotiate whatever royalty rate they see fit (the royalty rate is not set by law). And they can place whatever restrictions they want to on permission (e.g. they can forbid you to distribute PDFs, as that’s too easy for the recipient to misuse; they can require that your arrangement carry THEIR copyright, in fact considering your arrangement a ‘work for hire’ that they control - even if YOU paid THEM.)

How do I find out the copyright owner [aka the publisher] of a work?

The publisher may be the composer, or may be a company that has bought the copyright from the composer, or may be a company that has employed the composer to create the work. (For example, film score music is usually owned by the film company, not the composer.) The publisher may be represented by another company such as Hal Leonard for print licenses (sheet music) or Harry Fox for mechanical licenses (recordings).

If you own a legal CD or LP, or a legal copy of the sheet music, the publishers will usually be listed there. If you don’t have those, you may have to poke around a little.
You can search at:
http://www.harryfox.com/public/songfile.jsp
the Harry Fox site is mainly for mechanical licensing (getting permission to record your version of a song), but you can use the song search feature to find the publishers that you need to contact for arranging permissions, too.
You can also find publisher info at the Performing Rights Organizations. The U.S. ones are:
www.ASCAP.com, www.BMI.com, www.SESAC.com
(there are other PRO’s in other countries.)
Music Publishers Association’s Copyright Search page
www.mpa.org/copyright_resource_center/copyright_search
The contact information for many publishers can be found at:
www.mpa.org/directories/music_publishers/
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How can I find out whether a song is public domain?
There is no one definitive list. There are some songs for which the music is public domain while the words are copyrighted, and vice versa. Don’t accept rumor in determining that a song is public domain, but rather research it in several sources.

Here are lots of things you can do to help make your orchestra experience more comfortable and enjoyable for both you and your conductor. Elizabeth has listed invaluable ideas that it sometimes takes orchestral harpists decades to discover for themselves. If you are a teacher, you might help your student edit or make pedal markings, listen with him or her for cues on a recording, or conduct while your student is playing the part, including starting at rehearsal markings or numbers.


Before the first rehearsal:

Get the harp part as early as possible. Make copies of all the difficult parts you get, catalogue them, and file them away for the future. When a piece is programmed in a subsequent season you will not have to solve the same problems again.

Mark the pedal changes before you start practicing. Draw pedal diagrams at every starting point (rehearsal letter or number). They may not match the key signature! Look for chromatic passages and make them more efficient by using enharmonics where possible.

Keep the part tidy! Put the right pedal marking above the left, either in the middle of the staff or just underneath. Never obliterate dynamic markings or other important notations by writing pedal changes too close. Always use lead pencil that is easily erased. Eliminate awkward page turns by copying a page to be folded out, or copy in the next bars on the bottom of the page.

Use fingerings that allow you to look at the conductor and make the right accents. Split single-line parts between both hands to avoid over-use injuries. It helps to look for patterns and use the same fingerings for all similar configurations. Avoid jumping around; place whenever possible, and use the same finger on the same note if you can.

Edit impossible passages. If a part contains ten-note chords, stretches that require hands the size of platters, pedal changes so numerous that you are performing zapateado, lines so far apart that you need a third eye, lines so close together that your left hand is tripping over your right, chord jumps that should be in the Olympics….don’t be a hero! Just find a way to get the right effect, with the correct harmony, rhythm and line, and everyone’s happy. If there are two harp parts, re-distribute the parts to avoid nasty pedal changes, a host of awkward problems, and a frazzled second harpist.

Mark the part legibly with measure numbers and cues. If the part has numbered bars, figure out the bar numbers for all your starting points and mark them in. If you have a recording of the piece, listen to it, pencil in hand, and mark all the important cues that help you with your entrances. If you have 14 measures to count, and there is a trumpet solo in the fourth bar, write “m4 trpt” in the space provided. This will give you great confidence when you’re performing.

At the first rehearsal:

Continue to mark in cues as you hear them and get cues from other musicians’ parts during the breaks. Many conductors don’t give cues. Planning and preparation on your part will lead to self-sufficiency and success.

Write in “solo” over any exposed parts and “covered” over any places where all your hard-practiced notes are obliterated by thick orchestration or enthusiastic brass players. Harpists everywhere will bless you for this.

If the conductor says “We will start at bar 118” and you do not have that marked, start counting “118, 119, 120” until you get to the spot in your music where you do have a numbered bar. Often there is not enough time to do the math to figure out how many bars there are to your next spot.

Mark phrases and cues, especially towards the last bars of repeated patterns. Some pieces repeat the same pattern more than 20 times, and it is very easy to lose count. Write a “1” in the first of a lengthy section of repeated bars or patterns, a “2” in the second, etc., to help you keep track. Odd phrases, hemiolas, and other phrases and accents that do not match the bar lines may confuse you. Write in the melody and sing it as you practice.

Check the tempi! Sometimes a fingering works well at a slow tempo, but becomes completely impossible at the breakneck speed so popular with many conductors. Have a “Plan B” for any awkward passages. It may be necessary to throw away a few notes in order to facilitate beautiful, even playing. It is not helpful to give the conductor a speeding ticket as you remark, "Where's the fire?"

Divide the tacet bars into phrases so they can be counted that way, instead of the odd numbers that are unfortunately in so many parts. In “The Nutcracker”, for example, one finds rehearsal letters in bizarre places. It is much easier to count by the phrase rather than by 7, 9 or 15. “Candide” by Bernstein, and “Sleeping Beauty” by Tchaikovsky, are numbered in tens, making them excruciating to count. For some unfathomable reason, a few composers put the rehearsal letters on the last bar of a phrase! Other pieces feature a similar lack of logic. Be forewarned!

Don’t trust the part. If it sounds wrong, there is a good chance that it is. Ask the conductor. However, occasionally he or she may not understand or hear your question, so you should also check the score yourself at the next break. If there is a mistake, fix it legibly and permanently, so the next harpist doesn’t have to suffer.

Read “The Harp in the Orchestra” by Beatrice Schroeder Rose. It’s full of great examples of ways to fix unmanageable parts.

When an athelete trains for the Olympics, the work is 90% physical training and 10% mental.  iIn order to WIN at the Olympics, the same athlete must use 10% physical and 90% mental concentration!  We are very similar to athletes in the fact that we must perform at our highest level, and be able to totally disregard the environment, the pressure and our own self-doubt.

IN PERFORMANCE………………….

· Backstage, or before beginning your presentation, LOOK UP!!!!
Stage fright is a feeling; therefore it is stored in kinesthetic, accessed by looking down. DON’T GO THERE!

· Internal dialogue is helpful in practice but not in performance. Here are suggestions for “conquering” internal dialogue:

1. Make a deal. In performance you will put the suggestions for improvement (self criticism) into an imaginary box in your head. After each performance you promise to “open the box” and learn from the suggestions. Warning: don’t break your part of the
bargain.

2. DO NOT ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION WITH YOURSELF WHILE IN PERFORMANCE! If left alone, an extraneous thought will pass…..like a cloud in the sky. If you engage it, you have a thundershower.

3. Practice giving “pre-performances” where you learn to not be the victim of your own internal dialogue. I recommend 10 pre-performances before every concert.

4. In practice, do not always allow yourself to go back and correct any mistakes you make. In front of the public, you can’t go back and correct something you don’t like, so why practice how to do it? Instead, make a list of problem areas and work them separately after you finish running the piece.

· Before the presentation, walk into the space and establish it as 'your territory'.  Move the harp and the bench into a position to be perfectly comfortable for you.  Practice your entrance and exit, envision yourself being outstanding.

· Practice your presentation in the clothes you will be wearing… especially the shoes. If something feels tight as you speak, for example, it will force you into kinesthetic whether you want to be there or not!

· Enter the stage as a conquering artist!  ENERGY and ENTHUSIASM are an important part of your performance.  Walk with a straigt back, chin up, a SMILE!! and confidence in your step.  This will immediately impress the audience and put you into an ideal performance headspace.

· In performance, do not try and mind read what the audience
thinks. It is really not your business…you certainly have no
control over it and it will divide your energy.

· Try and focus as much as possible. This is a tool often used in meditation. You can concentrate on something like a green dot, a member of your family (even take them on stage in your imagination, and speak or perform for them alone!), or anything that you have established as a focusing tool. This is stronger if used consistently.

· Remember to BREATHE!

· “NEXT” or “DELETE”. If you have made an error…played a wrong note, whatever - FORGET IT!! Press the “delete” key
in your memory computer and put all your attention to what is
coming up, to making the next thought extraordinarily convincing and worthwhile.

· ANCHORING.  When you give a great performance or have a wonderful experience, ANCHOR that feeling and experience into a 'bank account' of 'good vibes'.  You can access this at times when you need to increase your belief in yourself or your energy.  Get in the habit of using your anchor to put yourself into an ideal performance space.

· P = p – i Performance = Preparation – Interference    This infers two things: 1. that we have prepared as much as we possibly can.  2, that we are aware that the mind can 'sabotage' us even if we have prepared appropriately. By using the guidelines presented above, each person can learn to eliminate interference and experience the joy of performing at their highest level of excellence.

Remember above all that we are COMMUNICATORS on stage.

If we are playing or speaking or dancing with joy and passion
and love for what we believe in, that is what the audience will experience, and they will respond with joy and passion…. And appreciation for the beauty you have brought into their lives.

Neuro Linguistic ProgrammingNeuro = nerves
Linguistic = language and communication systems
Programming = organizing the components of the system to achieve specific outcomes.


Representational Systems :
Visual (V)    Auditory (A)     Kinesthetic (K)

The Words We Use:
Visual:· looks like
· I can see your point
· a bright idea
· That clears it up!
· I get the picture
· Now I see where this phrase is going
· She has a sparkling technique
Additional words: perspective, see, look; observe, image, clear, vivid, hues, horizon, appear, focus, flashy, colorful, visualize, hazy, dark.

Aural
· It sounds like she is ready for the performance.
· I hear what you are saying.
· He just “tunes out” when I speak to him.
· I question if she is ready for the performance.
· His music really speaks to me.
Additional auditory-based words: tone, tell, talk, say, tune in, volume, give an ear to, harmonious, shrill, amplify, dialogue, cacophony of sound.

Kinesthetic:· Try and feel the phrase this way
· I sense you are concerned about something
· That passage tripped me up in performance
· She has a warm personality
Additional words: made contact with, have a handle on, toughened, softened, shook me up, geared up for, tight, tense, bond, excited, smooth.

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Everyone has a “leading representational system” that they favor over the other systems for speaking, internal dialogue and learning music!! If you can discover what is your “leading system” it will help you to concentrate on developing new learning strategies in the other systems.Ideal learning is TRIPLE CHANNEL LEARNING!


In Practice or Preparation - - - -To implant a strong VISUAL memory, try the following:· Hold your book or music up and to the left and study it .Look carefully at everything that is on the page.
· highlight in a bright color the Repair Points (pedal diagrams at the start of each phrase, where you can start from memory), Pedal markings and dynamics.
· Photocopy your material and highlight important sections and concepts in different colors. Coordinate similar colors to integrate ideas.
· Visualize yourself performing the task you are preparing for. See yourself playing the piece, giving the lecture, or taking the exam…and doing it well!
· Try writing the material out from memory ,especially difficult passages. Do this once a day (especially before going to bed). Only refer to the written material if you cannot
remember something or want to confirm your memory.

To learn in AURAL mode, try the following:· Solfege. Say the names of the notes out loud as you are learning. This installs an, “aural track” into your memory and in concert, you will hear your own voice telling you the notes.

· Say the pedals out loud as you practice tricky parts.
· Count the rhythm out loud. This sets up a solid foundation for all your practice and performing (and it is AWESOME for your students to learn!)
· At a quiet moment, present your whole presentation in your mind perhaps looking to your right at ear level (aural construct). Hear the beauty of your music and be impressed at how
confident you sound. If one area gives you any discomfort, review that area first in your next day’s practice. .
· In all preparation for a performance, daily repetition is imperative!! In order to have information passed from “short term memory” to “long term memory” (where it is most beneficial to us), we must have many repetitions of the same material, time after time. It is far better to work short amounts every day for a week or month than to “cram” for many hours before a concert.
· Learn in small sections. Much time is wasted trying to learn too much information at one time. Less is better, with a minimum of 10 repetitions of each idea, (preferably in all
three learning modes: Triple Channel it!)

To learn in KINESTHETIC mode, try the following:· For every phrase and piece, think about what mood or feeling you want to communicate. Is it happy? Irreverent? Brooding? Full of suspense? Elegant and inspiring?
· Feel how you will be, in front of your audience. Imagine how the floor will feel under your feet, if you will feel the heat of lights, if you will be in a small room or on a large stage.
· Be aware of your posture. Raise your chin, straighten the backbone and push back the shoulders. This puts you into visual mode which is the “safest” for a flawless presentation.
· To “feel the rhythm”; practice your music in your head as you are walking along.
· Press your fingers into the strings, and “press out” the tone. Be aware of the distance between each of your fingers.

In modern culture, "better" usually means "bigger, faster, and louder." We all know that's not necessarily true for the music we play - some of the most musically difficult and emotionally powerful pieces are the slow and transparently delicate ones - but it's also not true for our instruments. This presentation will address several ways to help bring the most music out of smaller harps, including ergonomics and techniques for playing, arranging, and composing.

FOUNDATIONSIt's never about the small harp, it's about your small harp.

Small harps are made in a wide variety of sizes, styles, and tonal characteristics. What seems "small" greatly depends on the perspective of the player. The most common small harps have either 29 strings (lowest note 2nd octave F/G), 26 strings (3rd octave C). and 22/23 or 19/20 strings (4th octave G). A lowest note of 3rd octave C has become increasingly common in recent years.

"How can I make my small harp sound like my big harp?" This is fundamental psychology: ifyou are prejudiced that small harps are inferior in tone, range, and volume, they will always seem inferior to you. If, however, you can think of a small harp as a legitimate instrument in its own right, you will be richly rewarded! You cannot turn a small harp into a big one, any more than you can turn a harpsichord into a grand piano. They are different instruments: appreciate their individual strengths. There is little need for "better."

Always play the harp in front of you. (This is not as easy as it sounds!) Listen carefully to the sound of a single note, to understand the harp's attack, sustain, and decay profile. Can you draw the contour of the sound? How would you describe the sound in terms of bright/dark, brilliant/mellow, sharp/smooth, or compared to a color or flavor? This experience gives you immensely valuable information about each particular harp's strengths and weaknesses, and clues about how to adjust what you are doing for greatest success.

If you need to be louder, use amplification. Gesture and careful tuning can also enhance projection; playing more forcefully is counter-productive for smaller instruments.

ERGONOMICSSit well, and adjust the harp to fit your body as much as possible. This is especially important with harps which do not reach the floor while being played. Avoid using the arms to hold the harp steady or upright. Several options are available to help stabilize and support the harp: a clamp-on "bridge" across your knees; an endpin or monopod; around-the-back straps; seat extender to sit on; a stand or stool for the harp; nonstick grip shelf liner.

PLAYING TECHNIQUES
Hand position: When playing a large harp^ notice how your technique changes as you move into the treble: your hand inevitably becomes much less vertical on the shorter strings, and the palm turns more toward the soundboard. This is good for most of a small harp's range; you are playing those same short strings as the upper ranges of your large harp.

Articulation: A fully articulated pluck, originating in the back muscles, will be far too much energy going into a small harp. The lighter-tensioned strings and smaller soundbox will respond far more beautifully to a gentler touch, with motion originating closer to the strings. (To extend our metaphor, you need a much lighter touch to play the harpsichord well.)

Placing: By pre-placing fingers, you are stopping resonance which is especially valuable on a smaller harp. Experiment to find the best compromise for each piece of music, to maximize the harp's sustain whilst maintaining smoothness and tactile security for playing.

ARRANGING AND COMPOSING TECHNIQUESAdapt to enhance the sound of the harp in front of you. If your harp has a short sustain and quick decay, use a higher "note density" to avoid unmusical silences. If your harp has a long sustain, use fewer notes, thinner textures, and judicious damping.

Transposition: Set your pieces in keys which use the lowest strings of your small harp as much as possible, for maximum resonance. Tune a low string down one or two steps for a piece, if it gains you a perfect moment. Harmonics can always expand your upward range.

Accompaniment patterns: Adapt large patterns as necessary to preserve rhythm and flow using fewer notes. 1-5-8-9-10 becomes 1-5-1-2-3; 1-5-10-9-10 becomes 1-5-3-2-3; etc. Conversely, can you make use of every single string on your harp somewhere in the piece?

Texture. Several strong horizontal lines (counterpoint) are more satisfying than a melody with simple chords. Think in terms of the composite rhythm, to create a fuller sound. Chord voicing. Inversions are especially useful on smaller harps, but keep good bass lines as much as possible. Close voicings (1-3-5) make the harp sound smaller; open voicings (1-5-10) sound larger. Remember that the melody can move inside the accompaniment.

www.HarpCrossing.com


Video on performance "Dance of Time" (Mark Geisler, an. Harper Tasche), from A Small Harp Visiting Friends