strathspey@strathspey.org:2111

David R. Quarrie

Re: musicians and music boxes

July 5, 1995, 8:28 p.m. (Message 2111, in reply to message 1932)

> Most SCD musicians in North America record under their own
> individual   labels, using their own funds.  Unlike the
> support given to musicians   in Scotland, we're on our own.
> My recent recording venture cost   around $8,000 US to produce.
>
> Some of my colleagues also have fine SCD CDs available
> including   Fiddlesticks and Ivory, Terpsichore to name a few.
>  To my knowledge none of us have the support of recording
> companies or wealthy   patrons.

I have a plea for musicians recording SCD music on CDs. All the  
ones I've seen to date have only the titles & durations (in mins &  
secs) visible on the outside cover. If you want to discover whether  
a track is a Reel, Jig or Strathspey (I know a fair number of these  
by heart, but certainly not all), and of how many bars and  
repetitions, you have to open the jewel box, take out the cover, and  
look inside. Not ideal. For me as a teacher, the duration of a  
dance is of no interest whatsoever - I need to know the type, no. of  
bars and repetitions. Can you please persuade the recording  
companies to put that information on the outside cover? Presumably  
the liklihood is actually small given the influence that this small  
audience has with the recording companies, but you never know...

	David