Answers to frequently asked questions:
Licensing and recording:
Retailers (Music Sales Publishing Group):
Classical (G. Schirmer/AMP):
I would like to license a song for use in film, television, or advertising. Who should I contact?
Please contact:
Iris Torres, Synchronization License Manager
Music Sales Corporation
257 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
Tel: 212-254-2100
Fax: 212-254-2013
Email:
or
Robert Knight, VP Film, TV & Advertising
Email:
Karen Kloack, Director of Creative Services: Film, TV & Advertising
Email:
Music Sales West
1321 7th Street, Suite 300
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Tel: 310-458-9861
Fax: 310-458-9862
What type of music does Music Sales Corporation have available for licensing in film, television, and advertising?
We have nine decades of hit music in every genre. You can search our new Musicsource web site at
musicsales.musicsource.net. For a copy of our latest CD sampler package, please contact:
Philip "Flip" Black, Professional Manager
Music Sales Corporation
257 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
Tel: 212-254-2100
Fax: 212-254-2013
Email:
I would like to record a cover version of a song controlled by Music Sales Corporation. Who should I contact?
Please contact:
Mechanical Licensing Department
Music Sales Corporation
257 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
Tel: 212-254-2100
Fax: 212-254-2013
Email:
How do I purchase music from the Music Sales catalog?
To become a Music Sales dealer, you will need to contact our sales office:
Tel: 800-431-7187, 845-469-4699
What are the terms of sale for Music Sales (discounts, etc.)?
Our discount schedule will be forwarded to you along with our catalog, at your request. Credit applications are available for those wishing to apply for open account status. We also ship via COD or bill to a credit card (for faster service; also, because we offer an additional discount for prepaying, many stores opt to make all of their purchases this way.)
Discounts are based on two factors: the number of titles you are buying per order, and the total amount of business you do per year with Music Sales. Generally, your first order will also be given a special "opening order" discount.
I have a problem with my order (misshipment, damaged books, defective books, incorrect invoice, etc.). Who do I contact?
All Customer Service questions may be addressed to Heidee Johns, Customer Service Manager, 800-431-7187, x244.
I found a Music Sales book on the Internet (or, I saw a Music Sales book in a catalog, or on a trip overseas), but it is not in your catalog. Why not?
It is possible that the title is a new release that came out after our annual catalog. Check our
website or ask your representative.
It is is possible that the book in question is not legal for sale in North America:
The copyright system for printed music is usually divided into two areas: North America, and the remainder of the world. In many cases, Music Sales has the rights for an artist in the entire world, exclusive of North America. For example, Music Sales publishes dozens of books on the music of the Beatles — however, because the North American rights to the Beatles are held by a different publisher in the United States, those books are often not legal for sale on this side of the Atlantic.
Fortunately, many of the best personality books from overseas are sold to the North American distributor for sale over here. For example, "The Beatles: Complete Scores" is published in England, but is available from a different publisher (not Music Sales) in North America. Check with your local music store to see if the book you are looking for is available from a different publisher.
In other cases, a book published in England cannot be distributed in the United States because several different companies hold the rights for North America. For example, the "Moulin Rouge" matching folio is published in England by Music Sales, but is not available in North America because the rights to the songs in the book are split between three different publishers.
This is also the case for numerous method books published in England by Music Sales, which contain copyrighted musical examples (as well as instruction).
Certain method books from England are not imported simply because they use different musical terms than the North American market. For example, a 'quarter note' in North America is called a 'quaver' in England.
I need a Music Sales catalog. How do I get one?
New catalogs are available from your sales representative, for retailers only.
Is Music Sales a publisher or a distributor?
Both. We publish under a variety of imprints, and we also are the exclusive distributors to the music trade for many other titles.
We publish under the following names:
| Acorn (pennywhistles) |
Amsco |
| Ariel (Classical Guitar only) |
Ashley |
| Boston |
Bosworth |
| Chester |
E.J. Arnold (recorder books) |
| Kammen |
Larrabee |
| Lewis |
Nancy Music (Books of "Bugs" Bower) |
| Novello |
Oak (folk music books) |
| Oak (pennywhistles) |
Omnibus |
| Passantino |
Schirmer Trade Books |
| Schuberth |
UME (Union Musica Espana) |
| Wilhelm Hansen |
Wise |
| Wizoo (software books) |
Yorktown |
Several of our most popular series names include:
| 100 Classical Themes |
100 Solos |
| Absolute Beginners |
Anthology of Piano Music (Denes Agay) |
| At Your Fingertips |
Classics to Moderns |
| Complete Guitar Player |
Complete Piano Player |
| Concert Performer |
Everybody's Favorite |
| Fast Forward |
Gig Bag |
| His Greatest Piano Solos |
I Can Play That! |
| Illustrated Lives of the Great Composers |
It's Easy to Play |
| JamTrax |
Joy of (Denes Agay) |
| Library of... |
Little Books of... |
| Music for Millions |
Piano Bench of... |
| Primer Nivel |
Pro Start |
| Quick Start |
Recorder from the Beginning |
| Step One |
Solo Plus |
| The Academy Collection |
Three's a Crowd |
| World's favorite |
|
We exclusively distribute these publishers:
| Accent on Music (Mark Hanson) |
Allworth Press (music business books) |
| Blue Books of Guitar |
Clarke Tinwhistle Books |
| Feadog |
Gerard & Salzin (jazz) |
| GSP - Guitar Solo Publications (classical guitar) |
Jerome Headlands Press (Books of Diane Rappaport) |
| Jerry Jennings |
Mercier |
| Musical I Press (David Harp) |
Muska & Lipman (software books, "Power" series) |
| Ossian (Irish & Scottish music) |
Six Strings Music (Yoichi Arakawa) |
| Sterling |
Sundown (Kate Wolf) |
| Taigh Na Teud (Scottish music) |
Temple |
How do I purchase music from the G. Schirmer/AMP sales catalog?
First, to check on the availability of a piece, please visit the catalog section of our website at (
http://www.msc-catalog.com/). If you can't find the piece you are looking for, it may not be published by G. Schirmer/AMP or it may be out of print. If you're not certain who publishes the piece you want, the
ASCAP and
BMI websites are good references for publisher information. If you think the piece is out of print, please follow the instructions here:
I need music formerly published by G. Schirmer or AMP that is out of print. How do I get it?
Next, note that G. Schirmer/AMP does not sell music directly. The Hal Leonard Corporation is our exclusive print distributor, and you or your local music dealer should contact them when ordering items from the G. Schirmer/AMP sales catalog. They offer an "800" number and online service for consumers: Music Dispatch - (800) 637-2852 - http://www.musicdispatch.com. For international phone orders, please call 414-774-3630 or fax 414-774-3259. You must supply credit card and shipping information.
A few titles listed on this site published by Chester or Novello are available from Music Sales Corporation in the US. The phone number is (800) 431-7187. Many titles published by Chester or Novello are available in the US from Shawnee Press. Their phone number is (800) 962-8584.
If you are visiting our site from the United Kingdom, take a look at MusicRoom.com -- The Internet Music Shop. Publications from Chester, Novello, Schirmer/AMP, Shawnee, and many others are on sale.
How do I rent music from the G. Schirmer/AMP rental catalog?
First, to check on the availability of a piece, please visit the catalog section of our website at (
http://www.msc-catalog.com/). If you can't find the piece you are looking for, it may not be published by G. Schirmer/AMP. If you're not certain who publishes the piece you want, the
ASCAP and
BMI websites are good references for publisher information.
Items listed in the G. Schirmer/AMP rental catalog are available for rental or perusal only. To perform a piece listed in the G. Schirmer/AMP rental catalog, you must place a rental order with the G. Schirmer Rental and Performance Library by mail, phone, or fax. See our "Ordering Information" page for more information.
Send orders to:
G. Schirmer Rental and Performance Department
P.O. Box 572
445 Bellvale Road
Chester, NY 10918
845 469-4699 - Phone
845 469-7544 - Fax
If you would like to view a perusal score of a work listed in the G. Schirmer/AMP rental catalog, please follow the instructions here:
How do I get a perusal score?
I need music formerly published by G. Schirmer or AMP that is out of print. How do I get it?
Preliminary steps
If you're not certain who publishes the piece you want, the ASCAP and BMI websites are good references for publisher information.
To find out whether a G. Schirmer/AMP publication is in print and still available for sale, please contact Music Dispatch, a sheet music sales service which sells our music, on the web at www.musicdispatch.com or by telephone at (800)637-2852 or (414)774-3630.
Please note:
If you already have access to a copy of an out-of-print work, it will be simpler, faster, and possibly cheaper to obtain permission to make your own photocopies, rather than asking us for archival photocopies (as long as it is a G. Schirmer/AMP publication). For this permission, please write to "Permissions" at the address below. You can also print our "Permission Request: Copy Out-of-Print Music" form and fax it to the number on the form.
Making a request for archive music
If you are fairly sure that the music you need was published by G. Schirmer or AMP and that it is out of print, please make your request for archival photocopies in writing, by letter or fax (no phone calls or E-mail messages, please), to:
Archive Dept.
G. Schirmer, Inc.
257 Park Ave. South
New York, NY 10010
fax (212) 254-2013
Please include as much identifying detail as possible: composer, title, publisher(s), instrumentation, date, plate numbers, catalog numbers, etc. If you are not certain that the music was published by G. Schirmer or AMP, please indicate your reasons for thinking that it might have been (this will help us locate the music).
In your request, please include your mailing address, an e-mail address and/or fax number if possible, and the number of copies you require.
If a copy can be located, a confirmation will be sent to you with a price quote for the music. Shorter items will typically cost $5.00 to $12.00 per copy; longer items will be more expensive. In addition, there will be copying & shipping charges usually between $3.50 and $5.00 (more for overseas shipping or heavier packages). Any additional questions about pricing should be addressed to the Archives Department in your written request.
Once you have responded to the confirmation, photocopies will be shipped to you along with an invoice. You may then pay by check or credit card (Visa/MasterCard only).
Please note:
Normally, photocopies will be double-sided, not bound. Also, it may be 60 days or more before we can get the music to you. If you have a deadline or an urgent need for faster action, please explain in your request and we will try to accommodate you.
How do I get a perusal score?
You can examine a rental score for works with eight players or more for a period of 30 days. You are responsible for return postage, import fees (if applicable), overnight shipping charges (if requested), and replacement costs (if lost or damaged). Perusal orders should be placed with the G. Schirmer Promotion Department by mail, phone, or fax.
Send your request to:
Perusal Scores
G. Schirmer Promotion Department
257 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
Phone: 212 254-2100 x 490
Fax: 212 254-2013
I need a catalog. How do I get one?
Take a look at the "
catalogs" page on our site. Internet versions of some of our
rental and
sales catalogs are available. If you don't find the catalog you are looking for, please send a written request via mail or fax. Specify what kind of catalog you need (orchestra rental, opera/ballet rental, instrumental/keyboard music sales, vocal/choral music sales). Please allow one to two weeks for us to process your request.
Send your request to:
G. Schirmer Catalogs Department
257 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
The fax number is (212) 254-2013.
How do I obtain permission to . . .?
All permission requests must be submitted
in writing via mail or fax. You can call our permissions hot line for instructions: (212) 254-2100 extension 190.
I'm a composer. Does G. Schirmer accept submissions of manuscripts?
G. Schirmer will accept small unsolicited submissions of concert music by established composers (up to 4 of your best works) for review.
Each submission must include:
- A printed score or photocopy of the manuscript for each work. We will not review computer files.
- A CD or cassette recording for each work. We strongly discourage MIDI recordings, and prefer CDs to cassettes. If sending cassette recordings, each piece should be on a separate tape and each tape should be cued to the beginning of the work. If you wish to have a particular section represented the tape should be cued to that section and the score should be clearly marked. Likewise, if you send a CD and would like us to review a specific section of your work, clearly mark it in the score and provide us with the proper time stamp.
- Brief biographical/career information, reviews, and other relevant background information.
Address submissions to:
Submissions
G. Schirmer, Inc.
257 Park Ave. South
New York, NY 10010
Before you send your submission, please note the following:
- We will not respond to your submission unless we are interested in your work.
- Please understand that because of existing publishing commitments we very rarely accept unsolicited manuscripts.
- We will only return submitted materials if they are accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE). We are not responsible for the loss of materials during shipping. Please do not send original manuscripts or any other irreplaceable materials.
- Editorial staff will not offer technical or artistic critique of your submitted materials.
Please do not telephone or send faxes or e-mail messages.
I need a program note and composer biography. How do I get them?
We have biographies for many of the composers we publish, but not all. Take a look at the "
composers" page on our site for a list of current biographies. Internet versions of a few composer notes are also available. Refer to the the "
repertoire" page on our site.
If you don't find the information you are looking for, please send a written request via mail or fax. We will provide the information if we have it. Some program notes are protected by copyright; you will need permission from the copyright holder before using them. Please allow one to two weeks for us to process your request.
Send your request to:
G. Schirmer Promotion Department
257 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
The fax number is (212) 254-2013.
Is this Schirmer Books?
The music publisher
G. Schirmer, Inc. is a member of the Music Sales Group of Companies.
Schirmer Trade Books is now a division of
Music Sales Corporation. As of May 1, 2000, there are three sources for Schirmer Books:
Hal Leonard Corporation continues to be the exclusive distributor for printed music published by G. Schirmer and Associated Music Publishers:
http://www.halleonard.com/.
I am looking for a recording. How can I order it?
G. Schirmer/AMP does not handle the sale or distribution of its composers' recordings. For information as to the availability of a particular piece of music, you should ask your local record dealer. You might also consult publications which specifically target the market for classical music such as
Schwann Opus,
Penguin,
American Record Guide, and
Fanfare, among others.
Good sources for purchasing compact discs online are sites such as CD Now and Music Boulevard.
I need information about a composer, or particular work by a composer, that is not on your website.
G. Schirmer/AMP may not be the primary publisher of your composer. You may wish to consult service organizations such as
ASCAP and
BMI for such information. Publications such as the
Grove Dictionary series or
Musical America are also good sources for publisher information.
I am very interested in a particular composer and need more extensive information about him/her.
Your library or local bookstore is a wonderful resource for magazine articles and books that G. Schirmer may not have on file. College and University libraries are often good sources for more obscure texts -- check with your local colleges or universities about their policies for checking out/studying publications in their collections.
The Library of Congress online catalog is a great starting point for your search if you are unsure as to whether books have been published about your composer.
I found a Schirmer publication from over 75 years ago. How valuable is it?
We really have no way of knowing how valuable one of our old publications may be. In most cases, it will probably not be very valuable, simply because so many copies were printed. But, as with any collectible item, the value probably depends on who wants it for what purpose, as well as its physical condition. We recommend that you give it to a friend or relative who is interested in music; or donate it to a public library and take a tax deduction; or take it to an antiquarian book dealer. These dealers occasionally buy/sell old music.
What does the motto Laborum dulce lenimen in your logo mean?
The translation is "Sweet solace of my labors," a quotation from an ode to his lyre by Horace. Learn more about the Schirmer Library
here.