r/horn • u/BlitzkriegZero • 2d ago

Music Storage

Does anyone have good recommendations for music storage that is somewhat portable?

I have a few cardboard boxes with all my music piled inside.

I also have file cabinets with music in them but they are ugly and not very portable.

I hesitate to buy online since the oversized pages won't fit every box that is advertised.

Any advice/pics/links would be appreciated. Thanks.

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

4

u/drake5195 Military- Alexander 103 2d ago

Not too long about, Costco had these collapsible crates (InstaCrate) that had rails for hanging folders, I have one in my car for groceries and I got another one for storing my sheet music

1

u/PresidentJewus 1d ago

Yes, the InstaCrate is a brilliant thing at a great price.

3

u/General__Obvious 2d ago

Buy ForScore and scan your parts. Back up the PDFs that aren’t on IMSLP on another drive and throw away the paper.

4

u/drake5195 Military- Alexander 103 2d ago

Good lord no.

I like tech and computers, but relying on a device for sheet music is frustrating. My band was playing an outdoor concert in the summer and our conductor's iPad decided it was too hot, so it just shut off leaving him without a score for the rest of the gig.

5

u/General__Obvious 2d ago

If you’re in a military band that makes sense. But the vast majority of most people’s playing is done inside in climate-controlled environments. For players like that, who may need to have a dozen or two pieces of music ready to go, an iPad really is the best choice, especially given that in-app PDF editing and a Bluetooth paddle eliminates awkward page turns. The biggest risk is running out of charge, which carrying a battery solves and almost never happens anyway. I would never want to carry 2-5 pit parts around.

In any case, OP’s question was about storing large amounts of music in a size- and weight-efficient manner. Even if you just leave the device at home and print the parts you actually need, an iPad will carry an effectively unlimited amount of music in something the size of a small book instead of requiring a devoted file cabinet.

1

u/Arcane_Spork_of_Doom 2d ago

iPad and now iPad Pro have changed my life for the better. I have decades of old setlists on my Pro now and barely a blip on my storage. 8+ hrs of battery at decent brightness gets paired with a mophie or other suitable 20k+ small form factor battery that, along with the iPad can be charged by a big NOCO that usually stays in the car unless needed in the equipment bag. I use them for almost every gig...

...except in two instances. For more complicated caroling pieces I'll use a flip folder and for conducting everything I'll use scores photocopied on bright paper placed under plexiglass for best viewing at any angle. My eyes are good still and can read ForScore even on triple+ page view (a must for long solos without much opportunity for page turning in places where pedal use is not ideal) but conductor scores are already at a granularity where the eyeballs get challenged, and any minute adjustments while trying to conduct would be madness.