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Keeping sheet music from flying off the stand during a windy outdoor gig or getting a book to stay open at the piano requires a sturdy music book clip. Paperclips or clothespins can be useful — though inelegant — solutions in a pinch, but we’d recommend getting a product actually designed for the purpose of keeping your music together.
Things to Consider When Buying a Music Book Clip
Music clips are pretty straightforward construction-wise, but there are a few different types to think about.
Pronged: These page holders, often metal, look a bit like old-fashioned hair combs. Theyhave a curved horseshoe shape and four prongs which slip between the pages of your book, basket weave-style, to hold the book open at the correct place. We think these are the most attractive clip solutions and our favorite for holding a book open. They are less useful for loose sheets, however.
Clear Plastic: A pair of translucent plastic clips are hardly heirlooms, but they are extremely practical for loose sheets. The see-through material is intended to not obstruct your view of your music while you play, while strong plastic keeps your pages securely in place.
Binder: Many music book clips are designed like binder clips. You could, in fact, use a regular binder clip for your music sheets, but we like music book specific clips because they have a wider and thinner shape, which is less likely to get in the way of the music you’re trying to read. Also, they’re more attractive.
