"Souvenirs" by Voyage: print options?
Giovanni
On 30 Dec 1997 22:51:52 -0600, cr...@omnifest.uwm.edu (Chris Roth)
wrote:
>X-No-Archive: yes
>
>Earlier today I posted a request for some of the words
>to "Souvenirs" by Voyage. That posting included some of
>the lyrics, but I preserved the gaps and asked for help.
>12 hours after my posting first appeared, I've noticed
>no follow-up postings and no incoming e-mail messages. (Hopefully
>someone will post something.)
>
>Question: If no one on this forum can "fill in the blanks"
>then what are my other options? Anyone have advice on
>hunting down obscure sheet music?
>
>Chris Roth
First, you should know as much as you possible about what you're
looking for. You should know the artist's complete name, as well as
any stage names or pseudonyms they operate under. You should be aware
of the genre of music their work falls under, and how it might be
categorized. Take time to note copyright information, professional
affiliations, and other often-overlooked information, as this as well
can prove invaluable in your search.
Perhaps the best way to locate such obscure music is to pester the
people at a local retailer, particularly one that specializes in sheet
music, not one that handles cassettes and CDs. They have a wide
variety of ordering sources available to them, and are more likely to
have ordering information readily available.
If that doesn't work, hit the Net for it. (This is usually my first
option, as local music retailers are a bit irritable.) Search with a
good engine (like Lycos or Altavista) for the title and/or any
snippets of lyrics you have available. Try searching for the most
unique line of lyrics, with the rarest words in it, for better hits.
Also try looking for fan sites of the particular artist, or even the
label their music is under (if applicable). Even the copyright on the
piece can help track it down, if registered with BMI, ASCAP, and other
artist societies. Hitting some of the major music clearinghouses can
also often unearth some rarities that they have lying around
collecting dust.
While it isn't a glamorous method of searching, the United States
Copyright Office maintains an incredible mass of records about music,
and it might be worth the effort to contact them if the particular
piece is extremely difficult to find (if it's copyrighted, they should
still have it in some form or other somewhere). They maintain records
available from the Net via Telnet and other methods.
As a last possibility, you might try contacting the artist themselves
or the companies they have been associated with. Some artists
maintain strong ties to their labels, and can still be reached through
them. This can sometimes work, if you ask in the right manner. (I've
scored the lead singer's personal copy of a very-famous CD this way,
but have been asked not to mention who for fear of similar pestering.)
Ask nicely, be complimentary, and be persistent until they give in or
tell you to bug off.
The best advice is always persistence. Don't overlook any
possibility, as an unlikely source is usually the one to get you what
you're looking for. Hope this helps in your search!