Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a money-back guarantee?
How is merchandise from Ned Gerhart Publications shipped?
Do I have to pay sales tax on purchases from Ned Gerhart Publications?
I review new music for (a magazine or other periodical) - will you send me a complimentary copy?
Is there a wholesale discount?
I don't want to buy the whole book - will you sell me the sheet music for just a couple of these tunes?
Can I send you a check rather than ordering on-line?
Can I perform this music in a (recital, concert, somebody's wedding, etc.)
Can I make a recording of one of these tunes and use it (on my CD, in a radio/TV commercial, etc.)?
Can I use the MP3 audio from www.nedgerhart.com for (any other purpose besides my own personal listening pleasure)?
Do you accept submissions of music to be published?
What is meant by the term "standard song"?
Why do you write this stuff?
How does one achieve total musical enlightenment?
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Yes! If for any reason you find you don't like
Studies in Song after purchasing a copy,
just mail it back in good condition within 30 days of the date you received it, and your money will
be refunded. So far, no one has asked for a refund, but I hope this guarantee will give you
additional confidence about your purchase!
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How is merchandise from Ned Gerhart Publications shipped?
U.S. Mail. Let me know if you prefer another delivery method.
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Do I have to pay sales tax on purchases from Ned Gerhart Publications?
If the ship-to address for your order is in the state of Washington, sales tax must be collected. This is calculated when you place
the order at PayPal.com.
Tell you what, if you live in King County, I'll refund your shipping fee, and will deliver your book personally!
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I review new music for (a magazine or other periodical) - will you send me a complimentary copy?
Absolutely! Please
email me your phone number, the name of your publication, and where I might
find a copy if it is not generally available in libraries.
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Is there a wholesale discount?
I offer traditional music/book/gift retailers a significant discount below
prices posted here, and I am happy to to buy back unsold copies. You don't often see printed music in gift shops, but this
could be something that sells well for you. There are lots of piano players in the world who might love to stumble over my book
in a gift shop. I can provide a handsome display box for my music books
suitable for counter or table use as well.
Let me know if this sounds interesting to you.
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I don't want to buy the whole book - will you sell me the sheet music for just a couple of these tunes?
After long consideration of this question, I came to the conclusion that it would be in the best interest of both of us if
the answer here is "No, sorry." The book really isn't all that expensive. And without the opportunity to browse the whole
collection of pieces, you might miss something you find you like even better than the single you bought!
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Can I send you a check rather than ordering on-line?
Certainly, not a problem. Just mail a check, international money order, etc. for the amount of your purchase in US funds (plus $6.00 shipping and
8.8% tax if you live in the state of Washington) to: Ned Gerhart Publications,
8012 Roosevelt Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115, USA.
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Can I perform this music in a (recital, concert, somebody's wedding, etc.)?
Sure! Please do!
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Can I make a recording of one of these tunes and use it (on my CD, in a radio/TV commercial, etc.)?
If you make a recording of one of my compositions, then are able to realize some kind of
profit from the recording or use it in some commercial manner, I am going to want a piece of your action. But don't be discouraged! This sort of licensing won't be
hard to arrange. Just send me an
email describing your plan, and be sure to also include
the name, address, and phone number of your attorney.
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Can I use the MP3 audio from www.nedgerhart.com for (any other purpose besides my own personal listening pleasure)?
No. This audio − which is entirely computer-generated − is provided only to help you make a decision about purchasing my book, or to help you when you are learning to play these pieces. Please don't copy it to
other servers, redistribute it by any means, use as theme music for your website, make direct links to it, etc.
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Do you accept submissions of music to be published?
Sorry, no. Maybe someday, but for the time being, Ned Gerhart Publications will focus soley on distribution of music
by Ned Gerhart. But don't be discouraged! It might not be necessary to build your own website and set up a business
as I have. Rather than becoming just another bitter unpublished genius, you might
look into the "print on demand" publishing scheme currently offered by
www.lulu.com.
This company will accept just about any PDF document you send them, then will set up a web page on their site for your product where
people can place orders for it. When someone buys a copy online through their store, only then is a copy printed and sent to the
buyer. You set the price people will pay. After the cost of printing is deducted from the sale,
www.lulu.com will keep 20% of the net profit,
then sends the remaining 80% to you. No fees at all are required from you to get started with this...only when something is sold
are you charged for printing. The result is that after you sign up and send them your PDF document, all you do is sit around and wait
for royalties to come in. Their catalog is predominantly regular books, but there is a music section too, currently sparsly
populated, but I don't see why composers shouldn't take advantage of
www.lulu.com just as well.
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What do you mean by the term "standard song"?
A "standard song" does not only mean that it is (or has been) popular and often performed. It also
describes a common format; a common way of organizing the melodic material within a song.
This is summarized very well at
musicals101.com, an excellent
web site with scads of commercial-free information on all aspects of the American music theatre.
JazzStandards.com also has an extensive discussion of
the attributes of a "standard" song.
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Why do you write this stuff?
I find it diverting. Maybe you should read my
explanation page. Actually....somehow I decided it was either piano music or becoming a fanatic model railroader, and not having time for both and be one traveler, I took the high road.
Lately my local public television station has been broadcasting a series of shows all about the neat-o world of
model railroading. It amazes me to think that a large enough audience of model railroad fans exists to support
programming like this, but apparently it does. Such an audience will probably never exist for a series of
programs about do-it-yourself music composition, which is really a shame. So, I am saddened to think that I
will probably never be featured on a Sunday-afternoon public television show to talk about my crafty ways
with harmony and melody. If I had chosen years ago to become a fanatic model railroader rather than a composer
of piano music, and had spent an equal amount of effort on that hobby as I have on music, I might well have been
named model-railroader-of-the-year by now.
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How does one achieve total musical enlightenment?
This cannot be accomplished exclusively through devotion to the piano. One must also own a ukulele, know how to
strum some chords, and be able to sing a song or two. Playing the ukulele will expose truths about music to you
that otherwise cannot be observed. See for yourself.
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