Are you tired of playing boring piccolo sheet music all of the time? You should know where to find fun and exciting pieces to help beef up your music library.
Luckily, you can find a lot of resources online or in your area. That way, you can find pieces that make you want to practice and get better, so read on for some sheet music shopping ideas.
Start With Your Flute Sheet Music
An easy way to find some piccolo sheet music is to review your current library of flute pieces. While not every flute piece works well on the piccolo, plenty of them do.
I especially like playing Baroque flute works on the piccolo since they don’t go too high. The flutes at that time also couldn’t play below D, so the low register works well.
But even some newer pieces can work, at least when it comes to practicing solo. You might not want to play flute pieces on your piccolo for a performance, but they’re nice for practice.
Look at Flute Shops
Another place to find good music is to shop at a specialty flute store. You can go in person if you live near one, but you can also shop online to see what music they have.
The stock might vary between flute shops as well, so that’s even more of a reason to shop around. I’ve bought music from Carolyn Nussbaum Music Company, and they’re good about shipping and delivery.
I tried to order something from Flute Center of New York. One of the items I ordered came just fine, but they emailed me that the other was out of stock, and I don’t understand why they couldn’t say that on the website.
Consider General Music Stores
You can also look for piccolo sheet music at more general music stores. However, I’d keep my expectations low because most music stores focus more on piano and voice sheet music.
Sure, those pieces can easily transfer to the flute or piccolo. But the flute specific pieces are rare, and piccolo specific pieces are even less common.
So while a music store could work for method books, don’t expect to find concertos or other solo pieces there. Instead, search for some flute shops online to buy those types of pieces.
Find Individual Composers
If you know you like the music of a specific composer, look at their website. Many composers self-publish sheet music nowadays, so you can buy directly from the creator.
Another option is to commission a new piece of piccolo sheet music. You’ll have to wait for the composer to write the piece, but it can be a fun longer project.
Of course, you can also peruse the composer’s library of works that you can purchase now. Then, you’ll have a new piece that you can play on your piccolo.
Head to IMSLP
Another way I’ve found piccolo sheet music is through IMSLP. You can use the website or download the free app if you have an iOS device, which will store the music for you.
Either way, the music on IMSLP is all free, and you can download about anything in the public domain. Now, some works on there are PD in some countries but not others, so you can’t download all of the works, especially if you’re in the US.
Still, there are a lot of great pieces on there. Of course, you can look specifically for piccolo sheet music, or you can find flute music or even oboe or violin pieces that fit in the range of the piccolo.
Try Flute Tunes
You can also use Flute Tunes to find more free sheet music in the public domain. Now, I don’t think they have a ton of stuff labeled for the piccolo, but once again, flute music can work well on the piccolo.
The website posts something new each day, so it’s a great place to find piccolo sheet music to sight read. You won’t have to worry about what piece to read through each day.
I was in a pretty good routine of sight reading something from Flute Tunes every day during grad school. While I’m not as on track, it’s still a great resource to use when I need new music.
Go to Flute Events
One of my favorite ways to find piccolo sheet music is to attend flute festivals, conventions, and events. Even smaller festivals attract at least a few vendors, such as flute shops.
So you can find a few pieces that you might not have accessed otherwise. I like that you can view the pieces in person when you’re at a flute event.
Sometimes, the one or two preview pages don’t encapsulate a piece enough. Also, before I switched to using an iPad, I liked being able to see the layout to learn if page turns would be easy or not.
Arrange Your Own Music
If you can’t seem to find the piccolo sheet music you want, I’d recommend arranging your own. Now, arranging takes practice, and it’s not something everyone wants to do.
However, if you’re at all interested, it’s a fun way to make your own piece. You can arrange something that was for violin or cello, and you can make it work on the piccolo.
Then, you’ll be able to use the music yourself or with your students. If you follow copyright laws, you might even be able to sell the music for a bit of extra cash.
How Do You Choose What Piccolo Sheet Music to Buy?
When deciding what piccolo sheet music to buy, consider a few things. First, you should know what level you’re at so that you don’t get a piece that’s too easy or too difficult.
I’d also recommend looking for music in a style you like, such as Baroque or Modern. You can then think about the instrumentation you have access to if you want to perform the music you learn.
Is Piccolo Sheet Music Expensive?
Piccolo sheet music can be expensive, but some is available for free. It all depends on the type of piece you’re buying, the format, length, and who the composer or publisher is.
Buying a shorter piece from a self-published composer will probably cost less than buying a concerto through a traditional publisher.
Where Will You Buy Piccolo Sheet Music?
If you want to find some new piccolo sheet music, you have multiple options. The best places to look are online and at flute stores or events.
But consider a few options, and don’t hesitate to commission a new work if you can’t find something you like. The piccolo repertoire could always stand to grow!