What does a minimum order of arrangement copies mean?
Via ArrangeMe, the minimum order of an arrangement is 10 copies. I get notified whenever music is sold, and the vast majority of orders is for just that – 10 copies.
I’ve long assumed that these are typically conductors trying to maximize their budget by purchasing the fewest they can, and then making the copies they need to make. Since I don’t rely on ArrangeMe for income, it doesn’t make a huge difference to me. (I receive just 10% of the sale price.)
Recently I had two other scenarios offered to me as counterarguments. First, many choir directors struggle with small ensemble sizes, and are purchasing more than one per singer – ten copies for their seven students, for example. Second, some directors buy the minimum to use as a perusal score – to decide if they want to use it. They then supplement that with the rest if they decide to use the piece. It’s expensive but the only available solution for online-only scores, because you can’t buy single copies.
While I still think most of my 10-copy sales fall in the first theory, I’m happy to hold space for the second and third, and don’t hold it against the first.
If you want to buy my music, I have many arrangements available. They’re all listed here, or you can seek my works at Anchor Music, Sheet Music Plus, and Sheet Music Direct.
As I wrote, I don’t consider publishing a primary source of income – but I hope you program my works and consider commissioning me to write something original just for your ensemble!