A library that rents digital sheet music to concert bands… legally
e-Musidesk is an application that enables music societies to rent digital orchestral music scores. The society’s librarian selects a piece, and e-Musidesk distributes it to all the orchestra members. None of the musicians get the complete score; they only get to see the sheet music for their own section. Once the renting period has expired, the work is no longer available in e-Musidesk. It’s easy … and legal!
Publishers and music societies
With e-Musidesk we developed an accessible way to distribute new music scores legally, so that publishers and composers are paid for their work. Together with the publishers involved, Musidesk is continually evaluating what works well in e-Musidesk, and what needs improvement. That’s why input from music societies is very important.*
*Limited market area: e-Musidesk is only available for music societies located in the Netherlands
Convenient and legal
Convenience is the main priority in e-Musidesk. It’s simple for both librarians and musicians to use. The librarian selects a piece of music and sets the renting period. At the start of this period, all playing members receive an e-mail notifying them that the sheet music is available for them. When they log into e-Musidesk they can retrieve the sheet music, but only for their own section.
So, if a musician registers with several societies, does that mean they can access the entire score? No, musicians always have to be given access to a society registered with e-Musidesk by a librarian, who then indicates which orchestra the musician plays in and which section they can download music for.
Want to know more about how e-Musidesk works? Watch the video
Building awareness
Through e-Musidesk we are building music societies’ awareness of how music scores are distributed, legally and illegally. In our communication about e-Musidesk we address the consequences for composers of the illegal distribution of sheet music. Together with the music societies involved, we are working hard to create a healthy climate in which writing new musical works pays off.
Win-win
e-Musidesk represents a win-win for all stakeholders, from composers and publishers to musicians:
• Sheet music is made available per instrument section, so complete sets of music are not distributed
• It's accessible, affordable, and secure at the back end (tags include concert band name, borrowing/lending dates, etc.)
• Legal through licensing
• A convenient and legal solution discourages illegal distribution
• Transparency: publishers can monitor loans directly
• Publishers receive a fixed payment per loan
Acknowledgements
This service was developed by Musidesk, in cooperation with several publishers, and with support from Stichting Pica and a subsidy from the Province of Overijssel (NL.)
