# Adler's The Study of Orchestration 4th ed.



## bigcatJC (Sep 28, 2020)

I'm thinking about diving into this book and would like to pick the brains of anyone who's used it. The WWNorton web site says that you can log on to access the referenced audio and video...But only for 360 days. Does anyone know if it's possible to download this video and audio? I'm not a college student, and life gets in the way of my best efforts. It may take me more than 360 days to get through it! I'd hate to spend that much on the book and run out of time to view videos and hear the music. It would be much more convenient to have it all sitting on my hard drive to go at my own pace. Thanks for any help!


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## samuel.beliveau (Sep 28, 2020)

Hi, I bought it and received it yesterday. I'm only at chapter 6, but I can give you some information about the online content. It's not possible* to download the audio and video in an official manner unfortunately (they even seem to disable right-clicking to download each link...)

*However if you know how to view the source of the webpage, you can download each file separately, but that might be time consuming depending on your technical expertise...


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## Henrik B. Jensen (Sep 28, 2020)

Just open your sequencer and loopback the audio input, then record.

Edit:
I'm not sure if there are legal issues with recording the audio in question.


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## bigcatJC (Sep 28, 2020)

hbjdk said:


> I'm not sure if there are legal issues with recording the audio in question.


That was one of my concerns. Saying it would only be for my use doesn't mean squat...I understand them protecting their content.


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## joebaggan (Sep 28, 2020)

I bought it and it's very good. But for the big $$'s you pay for this thing, I was expecting that I'd be able to login to the online content for the book as long as I'd like, without any time restrictions ( I mean this book content, whether hard copy or online, is what I've paid for). So it is lame that the publisher has the 1 year restriction.


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## mikeh-375 (Sep 28, 2020)

...if there are restrictions then perhaps they should be respected and not subverted. Composers have been decimated by a lack of respect for copyright.


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## Rick McGuire (Sep 28, 2020)

I've had this book for a few years as I'm nearing the end of my undergraduate study. I'm sure there are definitely ways to download the audio so you don't have to keep paying the fees. I'd wager this has everything to do with Norton and not Adler. That being said, it's probably best to play by their rules. 

The book still is great even without the accompanying recordings (my understanding is that the previous editions all came with CDs for the audio examples). I think the real value of the book comes from the scores it recommends to study (which most you can get for free on IMSLP).


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## mikeh-375 (Sep 29, 2020)

..and what gives one the right _not_ to pay fees .....just askin'


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## Henrik B. Jensen (Sep 29, 2020)

3rd edition comes with CDs, so you can get that one instead.

4th edition apparently is expanded in some areas, as one would expect, but it's not like 3rd edition has suddenly become unusable


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## gst98 (Sep 29, 2020)

mikeh-375 said:


> ..and what gives one the right _not_ to pay fees .....just askin'



Only US users are allowed to purchase more time. In europe they will tell you to buy the book again to get more access.


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## mikeh-375 (Sep 29, 2020)

gst98 said:


> Only US users are allowed to purchase more time. In europe they will tell you to buy the book again to get more access.



why is that, any idea?


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## gst98 (Sep 29, 2020)

mikeh-375 said:


> why is that, any idea?



Tbh I don't know. They also require a university email to register, as if anyone who isn't at university would not be ineterested in using the book. I think it probably comes down to a book publishing company attempting something online and they don't have any experince in doing so. Maybe there is also some stupid legal thing getting in the way of international users. But in the near 5 years its been out they haven't change their policy, so it's unlikely to change anytime soon.


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## mikeh-375 (Sep 29, 2020)

...it does sound odd. Still, I'm not sure advocating or attempting any subversive action is warranted just because their terms don't suit. Perhaps they might explain themselves to a written enquiry asking about their policy.


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## gst98 (Sep 29, 2020)

mikeh-375 said:


> ...it does sound odd. Still, I'm not sure advocating or attempting any subversive action is warranted just because their terms don't suit. Perhaps they might explain themselves to a written enquiry asking about their policy.



Sure, I wasn't advocating anything, but I wouldn't blame others for doing so. No one was coming round to your house taking away the CDs of 3rd edition owners after 360 days. And there are lots of people online who have asked them, and thats when they said the only option is to repurchase the book. I think it is such a strange policy to not let people download the audio and video files


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## mikeh-375 (Sep 29, 2020)

...yeah it is strange if they've been initially purchased with the book, I don't see why you have to rent for 1 year, It smacks of profiteering or subscription. If the book and CD's are available still that's the answer I suppose.

Sorry I didn't mean you as such, I meant a general 'them', just careless wording on my behalf.


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## gst98 (Sep 29, 2020)

mikeh-375 said:


> ...yeah it is strange if they've been initially purchased with the book, I don't see why you have to rent for 1 year, It smacks of profiteering or subscription. If the book and CD's are available still that's the answer I suppose.
> 
> Sorry I didn't mean you as such, I meant a general 'them', just careless wording on my behalf.



No worries. I think it would wouldn't have hurt them to still include the CD and add the online function as an option. And yeah the fact that it is a subscription sucks. As I'm in Europe I haven't looked to see what it would cost to add another 360 days

edit: it is another $40 (ex-vat). wow.


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## RobbertZH (Sep 29, 2020)

Given the amount of audio and video, it seems to me that is way to much hassle to try to download each of them (and not allowed). 

I have the 3rd edition and the complementary 6-CD set that I bought separately.
Even all those years ago, the CD set was not cheap.
You can still find the CD set for the 3rd edition for sale on Ebay (for $150 and more).


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## gst98 (Sep 29, 2020)

RobbertZH said:


> Given the amount of audio and video, it seems to me that is way to much hassle to try to download each of them (and not allowed).
> 
> I have the 3rd edition and the complementary 6-CD set that I bought separately.
> Even all those years ago, the CD set was not cheap.
> You can still find the CD set for the 3rd edition for sale on Ebay (for $150 and more).



Yes, but how do we know that the CD for the 3rd ed has all the naming conventions and order as the 4th ed?


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## mikeh-375 (Sep 29, 2020)

...wasn't there a workbook too?


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## bigcatJC (Sep 29, 2020)

I think buying a used 3rd edition and the CDs might be the best bet for me. I definitely don't have a university email to register with...Didn't know about that! BTW, I didn't mean to imply stealing when I brought up downloading the video and audio. I just didn't know if it was possible, let alone allowed.


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## samuel.beliveau (Sep 29, 2020)

FYI, even though they suggest you to enter an university email, you can enter your personal email just fine.

This whole online subscription thing puts some shade on an otherwise stellar book.


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## MauroPantin (Sep 29, 2020)

I don't know what changed from 3rd to 4th edition, but I have the 3rd (with the CDs) and it is great.

Although it is an expensive textbook, I would normally buy a new edition of something so fundamental since it is more than that to me, it is a constant reference. But I find the subscription thing almost insulting, so I haven't and I won't. College textbooks are expensive enough as it is to also be handled in ways that (I feel) are profoundly unfair to the consumer, not to mention the average student.

As alternatives (or complements) I would recommend:

1- The Rimsky-Korsakov textbook (a classic)
2- The Walter Piston book
3- The Peter Alexander Professional Orchestration series also has great insights. It's too bad he couldn't finish it, but the available volumes are fantastic.
4- An oddball but "On The Track" (which covers far more content than just orchestration) has a great section on the craft, although brief.

Having said that, Adler is my go to as a reference, so you can find it and get the CDs, that's the way to go. But those are solid, too.


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## Uiroo (Sep 29, 2020)

bigcatJC said:


> I think buying a used 3rd edition and the CDs might be the best bet for me. I definitely don't have a university email to register with...Didn't know about that! BTW, I didn't mean to imply stealing when I brought up downloading the video and audio. I just didn't know if it was possible, let alone allowed.


I'd actually be curious if it is illegal to record the audio examples. Distribution, absolutely. 
But just recording what comes through your speakers? That could very well be legal (but what the hell do I know)


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## Gingerbread (Sep 29, 2020)

Uiroo said:


> I'd actually be curious if it is illegal to record the audio examples. Distribution, absolutely.
> But just recording what comes through your speakers? That could very well be legal (but what the hell do I know)


I quite suspect they'd never know! (As long as you kept it for your own use only)


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## MauroPantin (Sep 30, 2020)

Not familiar with the particulars, but if any other similar situation is the same, I'm sure it is prohibited somewhere in the terms of service that nobody ever reads.

Frankly, even if it is allowed it would likely mean recording, double checking, categorizing and labeling a lot of examples. It just seems like too much work and tons of time that would be better spent elsewhere.


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## toomanynotes (Sep 30, 2020)

gst98 said:


> No worries. I think it would wouldn't have hurt them to still include the CD and add the online function as an option. And yeah the fact that it is a subscription sucks. As I'm in Europe I haven't looked to see what it would cost to add another 360 days
> 
> edit: it is another $40 (ex-vat). wow.


said it before and i'll say it again...Criminal behaviour. Wanna be a sucker? Let's keep paying the annual fee so everyone can keep their cd's. Afaik, the audio online wasn't even complete!!


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## JohnG (Oct 1, 2020)

-eBay?


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## robgb (Oct 1, 2020)

I think I'd hunt around for a used version rather than pay a subscription fee, which is ridiculous.


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## b_elliott (Oct 1, 2020)

Here is how I study Piston's Counterpoint which has no CD or audio resources:

0. Note each brief transcription Piston provides includes a composer, title and usually mvt #.
1. Look it up on Youtube.
2. Listen while following along with the short transcription.
2a. Conditional: For an expanded score check out IMPSL, then do step 2.
3. Move on.

My thought is I would likely do the same for Adler and simply let the publisher go pound sand for more $.

Forgive me if I am left field on this book.


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## toomanynotes (Oct 1, 2020)

I wanted to give you good people a heads up..fwiw read this thread
Link


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## antonikoll (Oct 4, 2020)

mikeh-375 said:


> ...wasn't there a workbook too?


Yes i bought the workbook. But if you want to study by yourself, they dont send the worksheet solutions. They did not mention nowhere. I mailed them and they refuse to send me the solutions of workbook because I am not an professor or study music at university. The book is okay, but as reference guide.


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## akhill jain (Oct 4, 2020)

bigcatJC said:


> I'm thinking about diving into this book and would like to pick the brains of anyone who's used it. The WWNorton web site says that you can log on to access the referenced audio and video...But only for 360 days. Does anyone know if it's possible to download this video and audio? I'm not a college student, and life gets in the way of my best efforts. It may take me more than 360 days to get through it! I'd hate to spend that much on the book and run out of time to view videos and hear the music. It would be much more convenient to have it all sitting on my hard drive to go at my own pace. Thanks for any help!


Google Chrome has many extensions that enable media download off any websites, that did the trick for me to be backing up the data before it expired. Other browsers might have it too... Both audios and videos can be downloaded.


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## joebaggan (Oct 4, 2020)

antonikoll said:


> Yes i bought the workbook. But if you want to study by yourself, they dont send the worksheet solutions. They did not mention nowhere. I mailed them and they refuse to send me the solutions of workbook because I am not an professor or study music at university. The book is okay, but as reference guide.



Yes, that Norton is weird, they think only college students or teachers would buy their books and put all these limitations if you're not, like it's some sort of mafia or something (someone also mentioned above that they assume you have a college email address!). That publisher must be living in the academic bubble world.


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## Casiquire (Oct 4, 2020)

Kent Kennan's orchestration book often gets overlooked for some reason even though I'm my opinion it's the best for getting started with learning. I've never seen another orchestration book take one single line of music and repeat it with every single section of the orchestra several times to show how the orchestration affects the color of it, and then do it again with the whole orchestra together. Fantastic.


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