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| Before the Internet, searching for sheet music could be a time-consuming and difficult process. Musicians that went directly to music shops would often find that the sheet music they needed was out of stock or completely out of print, and they were often faced with trying to track it down in libraries or through friends. Even if they were lucky to find the music still in print but not in the store, they would most likely have to wait months for it to arrive, and would also have to return to the store to pick it up once it was ordered. The Internet has brought forth many resources for musicians, from one-click access to research of songs, pieces and bands, to easy access to catalogues full of thousands of instruments and other products that can be ordered and shipped directly to them with a few simple clicks. Perhaps one of the most valuable resources that has emerged has been digital sheet music, which allows musicians to not only buy sheet music through the Internet, but literally have access to the music immediately. Digital music provided by reputable companies allows musicians to start working on a song minutes after it pops into their heads, and is far less expensive than buying sheet music outright because there are no shipping costs or printing costs involved. Musicians buying digital sheet music through well-run, dependable companies know they are satisfying all applicable Copyright Law, which means they are supporting fellow musicians, including composers, songwriters and performers and saving themselves from future legal trouble. Many online companies claim to offer digital sheet music for free to anyone that wants it. While this may seem like an unbelievable opportunity, these sites do not comply with Copyright Law, and eventually serious legal issues could catch up with not only those free digital sheet music companies, but also musicians that use their services. Many musicians and music companies are starting to crack down on illegal digital music file sharing and also digital sheet music sharing, and individuals and companies participating have been heavily penalized. Penalties can equal over $300,000 (USD) in fines per infraction plus jail time. Purchasing digital sheet music from companies such as MusicNotes.com |
