MI Pro

Release Date	Out Now
Vendor	Mel Bay, Faber, Backbeat, Music Sales

SECTOR GUIDE -Sheet Music

It’s an interesting fact, but it almost seems that no matter how bad things get, you can always make a good bob or two out of sheet music. This is strange.

Until a couple of years ago, the tiny South Bucks town where I live had two bookshops and a record store. First the smaller bookshop went, then the indie record store closed early last year, and a few months ago the two-storied bookstore vanished. You know why, of course. Multiples and the internet took a mere four or five years to completely annihilate the indie store, which at the beginning of the century was as prevalent and as healthy as ever. Yet sheet music continues, seemingly against the odds, to be a best seller.

Record companies have struggled, too, of course, but not so much publishers, because while music can be transferred digitally and played through a computer without the need of any other aid to the ears, a printed book does not lend itself to being read on screen or being printed out from your Epson – in fact the latter will cost a similar amount to buying a nicely bound book.

Combine this with the fact (and I am going to say it again and again) that at least 85 per cent of the music playing community still prefer to buy their instruments and accessories from an MI retailer, and you have a sure-fire seller if you keep a healthy selection of music books somewhere accessible.

As Phillip Littlemore, the sales director of Faber Music Distribution (FMD) puts it: “If you are running a small store that sells instruments at an average price of £150, then you are still going to have people thinking twice about spending. The average price of a book of music is around £6.50 – there is so much more scope for the customer to buy on impulse.”

Sheet music, then, fits into the accessories or add-on sector – and the margins, as with those sectors, remain particularly good, whichever supplier or publisher you happen to be buying from.

It’s not that printed music is exactly recession-proof. The major publishers had something of a battle to maintain targets last year as everyone did, but the fact that there was barely any slowing in the new titles published each month (or even each week) shows that the follow through is a lot easier than for instruments when the going gets tough.

“Whatever your hardware,” adds Littlemore, “you need the software to run it.”

Another illustration of how much easier life can be when sheet music is in the equation is the newly revamped Mel Bay. Opening a new UK operation just after the Musikmesse in 2006, Mel Bay has managed to carve a significant chunk of the print market for itself in the UK with, let’s face it, a largely US-centric catalogue.

“From Mel Bay Music Ltd’s point of view, the sheet music market is very buoyant at the moment,” says Chris Statham. “We have seen substantial increases across the UK over the past year and January has been better again than previous years. To treble your business in just under two years shows the direction we are going.”

On top of this (or maybe this is the reason for their success) sheet music publishers tend to understand the importance of getting involved and encouraging their dealers to get behind them, whether it is ongoing offers, road shows, or special trade show deals. Faber, Music Sales and Mel Bay have all recently had some pretty impressive offers of late.

This year, Faber is already tempting dealers with trips to Frankfurt (some 30 retailers are to be shipped out to the Musikmesse courtesy of the Harrow-based supplier) and is taking the LIMS show very seriously, with no less than three stands at the London International Music Show – one in the guitar hall, another with the drums, and a third in the acoustic hall.

“However difficult 2007 might have been, 2008 is a clean slate and you have to approach it in a positive frame of mind,” explains Littlemore. “In my opinion there has never been a better time than now to stock Faber titles – in fact there never is a better time than now to stock Faber.”

Phillip Littlemore has an agenda, of course, but his sentiments ring true across the board. Stocking sheet music is really something of a no brainer now. The quality and know-how of these companies, now that catalogues can be stored and recalled instantly on computer, bringing up dozens of suitable titles at any moment, means that sales are virtually tailor-made for each participating store. And if 2007 is anything to go by, selling printed music does take the sting out of the more difficult times.

Here then is a run down of the books publishers are flagging up for March. There is a good selection of titles that will doubtless be flying off the shelves – although what will be 2008’s High School Musical 2, no-one can yet say, but have a word with your rep, and don’t miss out…

MEL BAY

Modern Guitar Method Grade 1
Book and DVD: £9.95
This book and DVD combination is an excellent illustration of just how far Mel Bay has come over the past couple of years in maturing its catalogue from largely US folk styles to a more universal modern music platform. The book not only teaches the student how to play, but also how to listen as the DVD that accompanies the book features a cover band playing the songs (including Sunshine of Your Love; Proud Mary; Like a Rolling Stone; House of the Rising Sun; Blowin' in the Wind and Midnight Rider). Includes chords, strum patterns, guitar lines, improvising scales, appendices with rock power chord studies and warm-up, flexibility and technique studies.

Guitar for Seniors
Book and CD: £12.95
This is a beginning guitar method that presents the fundamentals of playing guitar in a particular sequence, making the material logical and easy to learn. The primary difference between this method and many others is that this book is written for seniors wanting to learn to play the guitar. While many would say that getting on in years is only a state of mind, the fact is that some of the body parts (including the eyes) don't function quite the same as they did in younger years. With this in mind, the font has purposely been enlarged. Care has been taken to select repertoire familiar and appealing to a more mature audience and attention has been given to the pacing of the material.

FABER

You’re The Voice: Michael Bublé
PVG book and CD: £15.95
The You’re The Voice series of piano, vocal and guitar arrangements continues, offering a short, comprehensive biography. This book has an accompanying CD, which has full backing tracks for each song, professionally arranged and recorded to recreate the sounds of the original recording. Songs include Always On My Mind, Come Fly With Me and Moondance.

In Rainbows: Radiohead
PVG book: £14.95
Renowned indie experimentalists Radiohead are one of the most creative and ground-breaking bands of recent years – backed up by this, their seventh studio album, which caused no little stir by being released as a ‘pay-what-you-want’ digital album for online download, courting publicity and creating a furore within the industry. Radiohead have sold millions of albums, effortlessly straddling the popular/avant garde divide. This album has already been labeled by some (possibly excitable) people as the true heir to OK Computer, which was recently voted the ‘best rock album of all time’. This songbook contains all the tracks arranged for piano, voice and guitar, with four extra pages of colour photographs.

The Greatest Love Songs... Ever!
PVG book: £14.95
An ingenious compilation that spans the decades from the 50s to the present day, bringing together classic standards and chart hits as well as some expertly chosen lesser-known gems with contributions from artists such as Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, The Righteous Brothers, 10CC, Carole King, Van Morrison, Carole King, Robbie Williams, Katie Melua, James Blunt and many more. ‘Quite simply,’ the blurb tells us, ‘the greatest love songs ever’. Definitely one to stock for Valentine’s day.

Time For Heroes: The Libertines
Guitar tab: £15.95
This new ‘best of’ album brings together the tracks that defined a generation, from one of the most notorius bands of the early noughties. The book includes six top 40 hits, spanning their all too brief reign from 2000-2004 and also features previously unavailable tracks Don’t Look Back into the Sun and What a Waster, as well as fan picks, live favourites and popular b-sides. A great retrospective of one of the most talented songwriting partnerships and most influential British bands of recent years – an absolute must for Albion boy fans.

Shotters Nation: Shotters Nation
Guitar tab: £15.95
From the past into the present and ex-Libertine Pete Doherty continues his excellent career, almost despite himself. As with most things Dohertyesque, huge hype surrounds this album, which some have been saying marks a welcome return to form for Doherty. Edgy, ramshackle punk pop with influences from the Kinks to Blondie to Britpop, it includes the hit single Delivery (which reached number six last September). This songbook features all the songs from the album arranged for guitar and voice and four pages of colour artwork from the album.

BACKBEAT

The Guitar Player Book
Magazine compilation: £15.95
This lengthy collection of articles, including interviews, gear reviews and lessons, from the respected US publication’s 40-year history will provide some guitarists with valuable information, while offering non-players plenty of interest. Lessons from the likes of John Scofield and Larry Carlton, interviews with everyone from Duane Allman to Frank Zappa (although there will always be absentees in these sorts of books that will disappoint some), and a host of other guitar-centric goodies, such as repair and maintenance, and recording techniques. There are also prefabricated bits, such as the 50 greatest guitar tones of all time and the 101 greatest moments in guitar history.

MUSIC SALES

The Little Black Songbook: Oasis
Chordbook: £9.95
Nearly 90 songs from the Mancunian combo, the vast majority penned by Noel Gallagher, although there are a smattering from brother Liam and Andy Bell, as well as the rightful entry of some Lennon & McCartney numbers (after all, Oasis must be given credit for popularising many of the Fab Four’s less accessible tunes for the 21st century), the wipe-clean cover and pocket-sized format of the Little Black Songbook finds probably its best subject matter yet. The good thing about this series is that while opportunism is the undoubted motivation for them, there is no let up for the guitarist that wants to have a stab at the songs as unusual chords used are reproduced here and so they become as much of a tutor for the beginner or intermediate as they are references for the more experienced player.

Easy Pickings: Paul Simon, Bob Dylan
Guitar tab: £12.95
An interesting new series from Wise Publications that presents fingerstyle playing of featured artists in a specialised tablature. Chord boxes are placed above the staves where right hand picking sequences are expressed. For those that have struggled with fingerstyle (but still want to give it another go) or for newcomers to the techniques, this is as good a starting point as any. The first books in the series include songs from Bob Dylan (17 songs) and Paul Simon (16). Metronome not included.

4-Chord Songbook
Chordbook: £7.95
Unlike the Little Black Songbook series, the 4-Chord Songbook does exactly what it says on the cover and supplies the beginner with nearly 20 songs (which at less than a tenner has to be good value alone), using only the chords G, C, D and E minor. Hell, that’s what a lot of well known guitarists use anyway, so this is an excellent series that not only shows the beginner how accessible the guitar actually is, but also provides a memory jog or a reference to more advanced players.

Big Chart Hits Now!
PVG: £16.95
A curious collection, not so much because the selection of songs is strange – that comprises much of what one would expect from a contemporary collection of 43 hits from the past year or so: artists that will be recognisable to all, and others that require a particular age and inclination – but because of the inclusion of a DVD. This alone wouldn’t be strange if it contained demo songs or backing tracks, but no: this is a Music Games DVD with what is billed as The Ultimate Music Trivia Game on it. A good idea, when you think about it, as such game DVDs tend to cost more than the cover price of this issue, so some may buy it on the strength of that alone. Whether it will then prompt the purchaser to pick up an instrument is another issue entirely.

The Art of Spanish Guitar: Celino Romero
Turorial: £16.95
Quite literally, everything you need to begin learning a number of styles under the umbrella of ‘Spanish guitar’, and then some. This methodical, cautious book takes the absolute beginner through the basic and builds up – after years, it has to be said – to a highly proficient level. Should a student follow this book through, it would become a member of the family – or at least the choice of reading for an appearance on Desert Island Discs. Romero is from a family of Flamenco players (most of whom seem to appear in the book in the introductory pages) and his knowledge and love of the instrument and the style shine through what is a largely dry book. He clearly sees the magic of the music as inspiration enough to keep the learner going. An awful lot for your money, but lackadaisical players need not apply.