So it seems that the Herrick library resource page was just experiencing a glitch yesterday when Eileen and I failed to access the free music page. Later in the evening we were more successful.
As near as I can tell “Freegal” is a library service provided (sold?) to libraries by Sony Music. It allows library card owners to download three trax a week free. Sony really does have an extensive catalog and much of it (if not all) seems to be part of this service. I recommend you check out your library (if you in the US) and see if your library card privileges include access to this service.
I downloaded two of my weekly three last night. I chose recordings of two Ligeti piano etudes.
I think it’s a clever idea because it limits library card holders to three trax. Three trax are actually not very many. At that rate, it would take several weeks to download an entire album. In the meantime, their music is on your machine. Which to my way of thinking it the best kind of advertising and distribution. Consumers (for that dear reader is what we are the eyes of Sony and other recording companies) will be prodded to “consume sound commodities” when they are attracted to it. How will they be attracted if they cannot hear it?
Little extracts are not enough. How does the piece begin, proceed throughout and end? I find myself liking something and then being disappointed in how it is worked out. On the other hand familiarity in music does not necessarily “breed contempt” and is often an integral aspect of how we enjoy music. So that sometimes I find myself more drawn into music after a few repetitions.
I also started exploring the public library online databases access. Camio stands for Catalog of Art Museum Images Online. Again one is required to have a library log on and then one has access to images of several musuems’ online collections including the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Lynda.com is not just for library users. It is a fascinating collection of online information videos a good number of which are free to anyone who goes to their website.
It began as a software tutorial project and expanded into other interesting, even technical, instructional videos. I found several on the music mixing software, Pro Tools. wow.
I found Lynda.com in my libraries list of databases.
I also found these two:
Amazing really. Both of these are search engines but also include access to numerous entire articles. Again I say “Wow.” I’ve linked in information sites on both of them. You will again need to access them via your library.
So after looking at this stuff my head was spinning. I spent the rest of yesterday giving a piano lesson, playing with my piano trio and practicing organ and piano. Lots of Mendelssohn yesterday for some reason. Just in the mood.
Ended up the day by making a nice supper for Eileen and me. Made blueberry cobbler, grilled fish and veggies and made fresh lemonade. Not bad.
Then laying in bed, read Debating the Value of College in America : The New Yorker out loud to Eileen until she asked me to be quiet so she could read her own book. Heh. Still. I recommend this article highly.