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Messages - littleplum

1
The very best free downloads / Re: Free Sheet Music
August 14, 2015, 09:33:15 PM
Hi Tony and other members

Long time no speak, but I just spotted this thread that I had contributed to before and had a look at whats been happening since.

I have a couple of thoughts to throw into the ring for you regarding Wikifonia and Midi Files.

Lets start with Midi Files.

As Tony said this is a great way to get free sheet music and I use this method all the time, just be careful as some midis dont have a melody line, they are designed to be useed as a backing track.

I have a wedding to play at tomorrow and the Bride has asked for the theme to Batman (1960s version) as they come back up the Aisle???? the only way I could make this work was by using a midi file both for the dots and for the backing track.  We will see how that goes tomorrow.

Tony also mentioned using Sibelius to open the midi files, which is great if you have a copy. however it is pretty expensive to buy, so I use Musescore.  This is a free music writing programme that is easy to use.  There is a great help section and online forum for any help you may need.  Version 2 is also offering the oppertunity to scan in a pdf of some music and it will allow you to manipulate the pdf to change key etc.

The second point is regarding Wikifonia, as Tony rightly said it has closed down, however, just after it closed down a link was circulated giving you access to all 6000 plus songs and it was only 39mb big.  If any of you want all of the songs you can contact me at dave.saxteach@yahoo.co.uk and I will put them into Dropbox for you. These can also be manipulated in Musescore.

Hope that helps

cheers

Dave
2
Thanks for the link Tony, Ive had downloaded a copy to reed later.

There are loads of saxophone Thesis available for downloading, some pretty weird others very readable.

regards

Dave
3
Hi Folks

After the success of our last StaxofSax workshop in Thirsk, I wanted to let you know that we have booked another one.  This is happening on the 3rd of March 2013 at the Rural Arts Centre in Thirsk.

This is a great venue with a lovely Cafe for lunch and they made us feel very welcome in October.

We had a lovely day last time and met some great people, and made some excellent music.

This event will be run on similar lines, with large and small ensemble work and an improvisation session in the afternoon.

It is open to players of all abilities as long as you have been playing for 12 months or more and are aged 11 or above.

Parts are sent out before hand to give you chance to practice before the day.

We start playing at 10am and finish at 3pm with 30 mins for lunch in the cafe.

Cost of the day is ?30 per person and we limit the event to 20 players so that we can get around to those that need help.

It would be lovely to see some of you for this workshop, if you feel that you are interested you cn contact me on 07736 471861 or staxofsax@gmail.com

best wishes

Dave Plummer

check out staxofsax page on facebook or www.daveplummer.net
4
Just and update:

We have 19 out of the maximum 20 places booked for Sundays workshop and we are looking forward to it.

All the parts have been sent and the sight reading is ready to go.  We start playing at 10am so be prepared for a good days blowing.

take care and safe journeys

regards

Dave and Chris

StaxofSax Saxophone Workshops
5
Well after our Manchester event which was a success, we were approached to run one in the York area.  After a bit of research we have found a venue and the event is booked for the 14th October (Sunday) 2012 in Thirsk

The address is:-
The Rural arts centre
The Old Courthouse
4 Westgate
Thirsk
N. Yorkshire
YO7 1QS

The day will consist of 3 sessions

1. large saxophone choir
2. Small groups and performance
3. Improvisation and performance

The day is open to anyone aged 11 upwards and with a minimum of 12 months playing experience.

Registration starts at 9.30 and playing begins at 10am until 3pm with 30 minutes for lunch.  The premises have free parking and an onsite cafe for lunch time.

Cost of the day is ?30 per person and the aim is to make it fun and challenging at the same time.
Some of the music will be sent out 2 weeks before the event, and a little bit is kept back for working on sight reading.
Tony came on the Manchester event and enjoyed himself, it would be great to see some others from this forum joining us.

Check our face book page StaxofSax or www.daveplummer.net  there are both videos and pictures to look at.

Feel free to contact me on 07736 471861 or staxofsax@gmail.com

Look forward to hearing from you

regards

Dave Plummer
StaxofSax saxophone workshops :)
6
General Discussion / Re: Busking Licences
August 30, 2012, 10:58:12 AM
Just updated my site with a couple more places for busking.  www.daveplummer.net

Some one on here must have an idea about their own area?  Let me know so we can pass the information on

regards

Dave
7
Hi Tony

Thanks for posting this advert, we had a really good day with 19 of the 20 spaces filled.

We had a really good Beatles medley for the large ensemble piece that everyone seemed to enjoy.

If you check the Staxofsax facebook page there are some videos and photos of the day.

I just about to start a new thread for a workshop in Thirsk if anyone is interested.

Thanks again and best wishes

Dave Plummer
8
Just an update on the Manchester playday.  We are pleased to announce that we have 10 players booked for the day including Tony from the learnsax forum and looking forward to  meeting everybody.

If  anyone else is interested then please let me know as we have spaces available still.

The large ensemble piece will be My funny valentine and parts are available in advance to give you a chance to have a practice.

hope to see you soon

regards
9
Thats great Tony, I will send you full details on the next day or so.  Anyone else fancy it?

Dave
10
Hi Glenys

I have been to Dublin, but it was for a work related jolly, so we didn't get much time to look around. My wife and I would like to visit for a few days at some point, but not sure when.

I have had some lovely comments from people saying it brightens their day to hear the music being played and I personally like to hear it too when visiting places.

I read an article somewhere about somewhere in the states (Washington I think)  that a local newspaper had got one of the worlds top violinists, playing on a $3,000,000 stradivarius to go busking in the tube, and the only people who stopped to listen to the most beautiful music where children, but their parents kept dragging them off because they were 'busy'  Such a shame!

I played in Northampton on Monday, the weather was great, I even got a little bit of a tan!  The people where very nice and I had a decent days earnings too.  I will definitely go back again.

I think too that buskers should be allowed to sell their cd's without the need for a licence other wise it's very difficult for them to make a living.

I am planning on a days busking on Thursday (weather permitting) but not sure where yet.  No time before then as I have got the Leicester workshop to prepare for and some more advertising for the Manchester event to get out.

I will let you know how I get on

regards

Dave
11
General Discussion / Busking Licences
April 02, 2012, 09:27:42 PM
I am going to put an article on my website, with names of towns and whether a busking licence is needed or not.  Just so that people have a reference point for this sometime difficult to obtain information.

If you know of the busking licence rules for any town then please let me know so that it can be added

www.daveplummer.net

many thanks

Dave
12
General Discussion / Busking
April 02, 2012, 09:24:51 PM
Hi Folks

I am a pretty regular busker, but so far have only managed 1 town in a day.  Well today I did 2, Northampton and Market Harborough.  Northampton was a new venture, but will certainly be visited again.  Luckily the weather forecast was wrong and it was a lovely sunny morning.  I met some lovely people and had some very nice comments, including one chap that reckoned my tone was 'west coast' just like Stan Getz! if only.

Moving on to Harborough, the weather was definitely colder, but still worth doing.  I was asked for my card for a possible wedding gig next year.  I like playing at weddings, they are great fun.

I am hoping to try some other new towns later in the week, so I will give you an update.

regards

Dave
13
Hi Glenys

This area can be a bit of a Nightmare.

If he is playing popular music then I assume its been composed by someone else.  If so you need a licence that means the composers get paid.

If he is using backing tracks then you need to ask the makers of the backing tracks if you can use them and they may well want paying.  www.pocketsong.com want $150 per track to use theirs on recordings.

Then, you need to contact the council where you are busking and check on the need for a street trading licence.  For example when I approached Leicester council, I explained that I would be selling maybe 4 or 5 cd's a month (I only busk twice a month) they wanted ?2174 per annum.  The cost is the same for a burger van working 24 hours a day 7 days a week as it is a busker!
However, they did say that if I played inside, then I didn't need a licence.

I asked about given away the cd and asking for a donation and was told that was still street trading.

The answer that we came up with was to give the cd away and just have a message on the case that says, 'the cd is free but if you enjoyed then please make a donation to my paypal account.

I hope not all councils are the same as mine because they are just going to kill musical enterprise.

Good luck to your friend and let us know how he gets on

Dave
14
The very best free downloads / Re: Free Sheet Music
March 23, 2012, 07:59:40 PM
Hi Tony

I use Wikifonia for my busking tunes along with spotify for the backing tracks, it can be a little long winded but the process goes something like this.

Decide on a tune.
Check wikifonia for the dots
check spotify for a karaoke track that is good quality.
play track and work out what key wikifonia needs to be in
Buy track
Workout geography
practice and play it.

That takes about 15 minutes (apart from the last item) and the jobs a good one.

try it, its fun

Dave
15
Hi Tony

Just thought that I would give you an update on the workshop.  So far we have 10 players booked including someone who has only been playing for 3 months.

Our Leicester workshops are now over subscribed and are thinking about holding 2 events each school holiday instead of 1.

Our plan is to make the Manchester event a regular one also, but unless we can attract 10 people to this one as a minimum it won't work musically.  Which would be a real shame because as you can see the Leicester ones are definitely enjoyed by the participants (3 people have been to all 10 of the previous workshop)

We have actually had someone from Germany loo at the cost of flights for the Manchester day, now that is dedication for you, and a Lady is trying to get over from Newcastle.

We love to see some of the people from the learn saxophone forum join us for a great day of music making.

Here is the link to our flyer for the event, please feel free to look and print or pass on to other saxophonist that you may know, it would be greatly appreciated

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B8Y8-UhwS1R3ZmNOLXJUMW9TMGVyLWEwN1FWem84Zw

Let me know what you think folks

Hope to hear from you soon

regards

Dave

ps Tony, do you fancy having a go?
:)

regards

Dave Plummer
StaxofSax saxophone workshops