FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to pay for extra copies of parts?

No. We not only permit photocopies of parts, but we encourage you to make them - as long as you have purchased the piece, and provided that the copies you are making are for the band/organization which has made the purchase. We understand that instrumentation varies widely from ensemble to ensemble, so the ability to generate extra parts for your program is an important convenience that you should have immediate access to without the worry of extra fees. Duplicating parts and sending them to other bands is not legal, but for the band which initiated the purchase, it's absolutely fine.



Do I need to pay for extra copies of scores?

Yes. We do not permit photocopying of scores and ask that you please purchase extras for festivals, adjudications, etc.



Can I purchase Bandworks titles through music retailers?

Yes. However, since dealers do not directly stock our titles, the orders will take longer to fill that way. Also, when you order directly from us, we pay our composers a royalty of 22.5%, which is more than double the industry standard (10%). When ordering through retailers, that percentage decreases since we have to pay dealers for their time and service. Even so, our composers receive a royalty significantly above the industry standard.



How is it possible to pay composers a royalty significantly higher than the industry standard?

No frills packaging. Our music is nothing to look at on the shelf, but you're not buying it to look good - you're purchasing it for its musical and artistic merit. Fancy covers and beautiful artwork are attractive, but they significantly increase production costs, so we forfeit that luxury in order to remunerate our composers more amply.



What charities does Bandworks support?

Bandworks donates approximately 10% of our annual gross sales to various charities, most recently the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. In the final sales quarter of each year, at holiday time, we donate to Feeding America - a charity that we have supported now for several years. And a few years back we donated a significant amount to a high school band program in West Virginia which was decimated by a flood which destroyed the programs entire music library and instrument inventory. We like to help where we can.



Do you solicit compositions for review?

Generally, no, we don't. We are smaller than small, so we can't allocate enough time to thoroughly review dozens (or hundreds) of submissions, and we only release a few new pieces each year. But if you have something that you'd like us to consider, contact us first (bandworkspublications@gmail.com) and we'll let you know if we can review your work. Sometimes we can, and if we can, we'd be happy to. Note: We will never even consider publishing an arrangement of a work that is not in the public domain, so please be sure that if you have done an arrangement of someone else's work, that it is no longer subject to US or international copyright restrictions. This is for your protection as well as ours.



Can I return a piece of music after I have purchased and received it?

No. We are a print-on-demand business, and we encourage our customers to make copies of parts to suit the partcular needs of their ensembles, so accepting returns would jeaopardize our ability to remain viable as a company. Naturally, if we have made an error with the fulfillment of your order, we 'll make it right for you as soon as we can.