In the online environment, free guitar scores generally
can be found and downloaded in either of two ways:
(A) One can search the online
catalogs of libraries that have special collections of mostly older, public domain
guitar music that has been digitized as a public service. GFA member Robert Coldwell has
developed a cross-platform search engine for the 14,000+ public domain scores that are now searchable online. It also allows you to search the specific collections that offer digitized scores. The world-class collections that freely provide digitized guitar scores (facsimiles, usually PDFs) online include the following
at this time; links are provided to each collection for those who wish to search them directly:
Boije, 1661 scores
Hudleston
Collection of guitar music, over 1,000 scores of solo and chamber music
Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music, guitar items only,
384 scores
Library of Congress - Music for the Nation, guitar items only,
1187 scores
The
Music for the Nation catalog includes sheet music deposited for copyright
in theU.S. from 1820 to 1885. The guitar related items total 1187 out of 62,500
items. Source: Library of Congress Music for
the Nation
Library of Congress - Edison Sheet Music Collection, guitar
items only, 51 scores
The
Edison Sheet Music Collection appears to be the music library of the recording division
of Thomas A. Edison, Inc. and/ or its predecessor, the National Phonograph Co. Its
purpose is assumed to be to provide Edison's recording artists with music for recording
sessions. Source: Library
of Congress Historic Sheet Music Collection, 1800-1922
Rischel & Birket-Smith, 1553 scores
Remember that the foregoing are a subset of a larger universe
of some 13,000+ cataloged guitar scores, the majority of which are not yet digitized.
At least their cataloging information is available online! The latter, held in collections
around the globe, are searchable at Mr Coldwell's Digital
Guitar Archive search site.
(B) One can search peer-to-peer
sites, and take one's chances. The results can sometimes be surprising. Some links to peer-to-peer sites are provided
at the bottom of our Guitar Music Scores page - a part of the GFA's Guide to Research Resources Online.
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