by Nurhak Tuncer-Bayramli
Introduction
As a music librarian at Elizabeth City State University, I find myself at the forefront of a rapidly evolving landscape where digital music scores and AI are transforming the way we approach music curation and distribution. My roles as a digital repository coordinator and music cataloger, coupled with my doctoral studies in Educational Leadership and Management with a focus on instructional technology, have given me a unique perspective on these changes. However, it’s crucial to recognize this evolving landscape; while they offer significant benefits, they pose challenges for traditional collection development and should supplement, not replace, our existing collections.
Advocacy for Digital Music Score Platforms
Digital music platforms like Nkoda and MuseScore are reshaping access to music scores and compositions. Nkoda offers a vast repository of scores, valuable for accessing a wide variety of works, including those that are less commonly available. Libraries and academic departments increasingly provide subscription access to platforms like Nkoda, easing the financial burden on students and educators.
MuseScore stands out with its social networking capabilities, allowing users to engage through features like liking, commenting, and sharing scores. This interactive aspect builds a community among composers and musicians, promoting collaboration and feedback. MuseScore’s role as a communal and creative platform makes it a unique resource for composers and students looking to expand their musical network and exposure. MuseScore offers a more interactive experience, allowing composers to create and share music freely. David MacDonald, a self-publishing composer, provided an insightful review of the Nkoda music subscription service. He highlights Nkoda’s extensive library as its most significant asset, offering an array of scores and parts from a broad spectrum of composers and publishers. However, he notes some limitations, such as the need for more comprehensive coverage and issues with image quality in some scores. MacDonald also mentions the app’s functionality for uploading personal PDF files but points out the limitations in their usage and integration within the app. (his post from “scoring notes” in 2018. https://www.scoringnotes.com/reviews/nkoda-review/#)
Compared to traditional composition software like Finale and Sibelius, MuseScore offers a distinct experience. While Finale and Sibelius are renowned for their comprehensive professional tools and capabilities, ideal for intricate and detailed score writing, MuseScore emphasizes user accessibility and community engagement. Unlike the more professional orientation of Finale and Sibelius, MuseScore’s social network features cater to a broader range of users, from hobbyists to budding composers. This makes MuseScore not just a tool for score creation but also a platform for sharing, learning, and connecting with other music enthusiasts.
These platforms democratize music distribution, making it more accessible to a broader audience, which is a significant step forward for music education and appreciation. For self-publishing composers, these platforms offer unprecedented visibility and access to markets that were previously unreachable. They can now share their works with a global audience, receive immediate feedback, and collaborate with other musicians and composers worldwide.
While platforms like MuseScore and Nkoda significantly enhance access to music scores and foster community engagement, they still can not replace the actual archival function of digital repositories in libraries. Library repositories offer more secure and permanent archiving capabilities, ensuring the long-term preservation of works. This is particularly important considering the potential risks associated with composer accounts on commercial platforms — for instance if a self-publishing composer loses access to their platform account or decides to delete it. In such scenarios, the permanence and stability offered by library repositories become invaluable, maintaining access to compositions regardless of changes in the digital platform’s status or individual user accounts.
The Dark Side: Challenges in Collection Development
While digital platforms are a boon to accessibility and distribution, they present significant challenges in collection development for music libraries. One of the primary concerns is the over-reliance on these platforms, potentially leading to the neglect of physical collections. Physical scores and manuscripts have an intrinsic value and historical significance that digital copies cannot replicate. The tactile experience of handling a physical score, the nuances in annotations, and the historical context they carry are irreplaceable.
Moreover, digital platforms often operate on subscription models, which raises concerns about long-term access and ownership. Libraries may have to continually invest in subscriptions to ensure ongoing access, unlike physical collections, where a one-time purchase guarantees perpetual access. This dependence on external platforms for access to scores can be a precarious position for libraries, especially in the face of budget cuts or changes in the platform’s policies.
Supplementing, Not Replacing, Traditional Collections
In today’s music libraries, the integration of digital music platforms is becoming increasingly prevalent, reflecting a significant shift in access to music scores. While the enduring preference for traditional print music among many musicians and educators remains due to its tangible presence, historical richness, and the unique experience it offers, the use of digital scores is on the rise, more so now than at any previous time. This trend towards digitalization should be viewed as a complement to, rather than a replacement of, the existing traditional collections in music libraries. Such an integrated approach facilitates a comprehensive and diverse collection, harmonizing the classic allure and physicality of print scores with the modern convenience and extensive range that digital platforms provide. This balanced strategy caters to a wide array of preferences and needs, ensuring that music libraries continue to serve as versatile and dynamic resources in the evolving landscape of music education and performance.
The Role of AI in Music Libraries and Education
Integrating AI in music libraries and education is a rapidly evolving field with immense potential. In music education, AI-driven tools can provide personalized learning experiences and adaptive feedback and even assist in composing and arranging music. For self-publishing composers, AI can offer insights into music trends and audience preferences and enhance their compositions with sophisticated algorithms. However, this integration has its challenges. AI algorithms, while efficient, may need a more nuanced understanding of cultural contexts and the subjective elements inherent in music. There’s also a risk of AI perpetuating biases present in its training data, potentially leading to a narrow representation of music styles and cultures. Libraries must, therefore, be cautious, ensuring that AI tools are used ethically and in ways that enrich rather than diminish the diversity of their collections.
While not fully realized yet, the prospective integration of AI in music libraries and educational platforms like Nkoda and MuseScore holds significant potential for the future. This development could revolutionize these platforms by introducing advanced personalization and analytical capabilities. For music libraries, this means transitioning towards more AI-driven tools that could offer enhanced user experiences, from personalized score recommendations to insights into evolving music trends.
In the future, we can envision a scenario where AI assists in understanding and predicting broader musical patterns and preferences. This evolution could enable music libraries to become more adaptive and responsive to the needs of their users, offering a more tailored and insightful experience. However, this forward-looking integration must be approached with a careful understanding of its implications, ensuring that AI’s use in music libraries and platforms like Nkoda and MuseScore enriches the diversity and cultural richness of the collections they offer.
Conclusion
As we navigate the integration of digital platforms and AI in music libraries, embracing these technologies is essential while preserving the essence of traditional collections. By striking a balance with human interaction, we ensure our libraries remain dynamic resources that honor the past while embracing the future. In doing so, we continue to support the evolving needs of composers, educators, students, and music enthusiasts in an increasingly digital world.