What are your criteria for the type of pieces you post?
(OR)
I am requesting insert song title so can you do it?
(OR)
How come you haven't done song title yet?
You may want to call me a snob or somebody who is stuck in a rut, but I do have criteria for the music that I choose for inclusion on this site, which ultimately will result in over 2000 listings (years down the road) of related music. I hate to say no to any request, but I need to make certain that it fits the scope of what I do. While the following falls just short of a personal mission statement, it does provide some indication of my intentions with this site, and will help explain my focus.
The goal of RagPiano.com is to provide both an entertaining ragtime experience along with an historical treatise of the ragtime era and related music styles. The primary focus is on American popular music and ragtime written between 1895 and 1925 with an emphasis on inclusion of facets not always heard or regarded, such as original melodies, complete verses, excised interludes, etc. This also includes pre-ragtime music that contributed to ragtime style in some ways, alternate styles by ragtime composers, direct siblings or offspring of ragtime such as blues or traditional jazz, contemporary pieces that are cast in ragtime format or style, and occasional Americana in the form of patriotic melodies or Christmas Tunes. The goal is enlightenment through entertainment, with the visual and audio components designed to enhance and convey the overall context and historical value of each item. |
This means that I have to turn down lots of swing-era numbers, blues written in the 1930s or later, and even some pieces by Paul McCartney and Billy Joel. If I stray too far from my focus I have to create new categories and new selections from a different genre to fill those categories. Even though ragtime is a major part of my life, it is supplemental income to my job as a web programmer here in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, meaning that I have a hefty commute in addition to work responsibilities. I also have a music ministry at a large church that takes up part of my time, I personally and gladly answer an average of 100 of your emails or Facebook requests each week, and my family needs a piece of me as well. So I pour my passion and free time into the art in which I am degreed and have spent most of my life studying. Altering or expanding my focus too far would not be fair to me, all of you, or the music. I also try to avoid pieces still in copyright (1923 to present) unless I can secure proper permission or a license to include them on a CD recording, providing income to offset those costs and keep things above board.
So when formulating any request, please keep the parameters listed above in mind, including the style of the piece, era of composition, composer, etc. In the Mood, Sing, Sing, Sing or Root Beer Rag are exceedingly unlikely to ever make an appearance here. You can use the search engine hints listed in the Search topic to find such pieces elsewhere on the internet. Again, I apologize if it sounds like I am narrow-minded. In reality, we just may share different expectations about the focus my personal talents and resources, but I am willing to accept that.