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Archive: 2014 (9 Posts)

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Sigma Alpha Iota’s Bold Contributions

Posted by: John Hanson

We have several times mentioned on this blog that the Music Section has a substantial collection of “large print” scores and books. They provide a collection of readable music for young and old alike, whether a middle or high school student beginning on the trumpet or those of a certain age wanting to remember and …

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Braille Music Transcribers

Posted by: John Hanson

The Music Section often touts the large number of braille music scores in its collection (20,000+).  Without braille music transcribers, there would be no such scores.  Some of you may know or know about music transcribers and may even have made use of their skills.  You should also know that these transcribers transcribe for everyone …

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Who Needs Country Music?

Posted by: John Hanson

The following is a guest blog by Benjamin Bass who was the recorded sound technician in the Music Section of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. If you’ve ever had a conversation asking someone about what kind of music they are into, I’m sure you’ve heard something along the lines of …

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“Do You Have Music for Listening?”

Posted by: John Hanson

What else do you do with music?  Well, you can read it and write it, too.  Or learn about it, a particular piece or song or genre.  Or even analyze it. The Music Section has traditionally not provided music that is strictly for listening.  This is because such music is readily available and accessible to …

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Digitizing Braille Music — How We Do It

Posted by: John Hanson

My last post presented a list of new digital braille titles that had recently been added to our collection. This post is to make clear that we have a program of digitizing our braille music collection, and to describe how we have been doing it. It might also be good to underscore why we have …

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New Braille Titles in the Digital Collection

Posted by: John Hanson

The Music Section regularly adds new music to its collection. In this first post to address new additions, we highlight recently added titles that are in digital format. Each can be embossed and loaned in hard copy, if needed, but this list shows new titles in digital format. Strictly hard copy paper acquisitions are made through purchases …

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Quincy Jones and Who??

Posted by: John Hanson

  While reading through a Billboard magazine article that celebrates Quincy Jones’ 80th birthday, a Music Section staff person stumbled on a name that looked very familiar.  In the article, from the March 16th issue of Billboard, she found that longtime NLS music patron Justin Kauflin was named one of the “Six Acts to Watch …

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Welcome to the NLS Music Notes Blog

Posted by: John Hanson

This post was a collaboration with Mary Dell Jenkins, Amanda Smith, and Katie Rodda. Welcome to the inaugural post of NLS Music Notes! This blog is designed to share information about the services of the Music Section and its special format music collection: in braille, large print, and audio. We are located in Washington, DC, …