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3-ring BindersDate: July 15, 2009 by Daniel Bayless  Views: 11910
I am wondering if anybody else has encountered the issue we
have with purchasing new 3-ring binders for our choral music. Plain
1", three-ring binders seem to hold music securely as students
carry them around in their backpacks and who knows where else
between rehearsals and services in the church. These binders are
often destroyed by the end of the academic year no matter what
quality we purchase.
The issue we are facing is that most of the major manufacturers have redesigned their binders so that the rings are attached to the back cover rather than the spine, making them very awkward for choristers to hold for any length of time. Does anyone know of any suppliers who still make them the "old" way for $2-$3 each rather than $5? Thanks! Replies (11): Threaded | Chronological
Stephen Stomps on July 15, 2009 11:12am
Staples has $2 three-rings attached to the spine. Yes, many will not last the to next year but neither will the $8-16 choir folder. In fact, the paper folders last longer even if put in backpacks. If you have students keep their 3-rings in slots and not in backpacks you will 1. keep your music 2. most 3-rings will last for more than one season. Still, there is no balance between $8 folders and $3 folders.
S
John Drotleff on July 16, 2009 5:11am
Would you have students keep their math, history, science and English textbooks in slots or take them home?
JD
on July 16, 2009 5:00am
If you can't find the binders designed the way you like, one solution I've found for adapting 3 ring binders to make them easier to hold is to take a black elastic head band (you could buy or make) and slip it around the binder. It acts as a hand strap, much like the expensive "black folders" have.
on July 17, 2009 6:32am
I have found that most of the binders wtih the 3-ring mechanism on the spine have gotten extremely cheaply made. I have had better luck with the binders which have the 3-ring mechanism to the side. The other advantage, once the singers get used to it, is that it closes without tearing out the top page or two.
I do have to shop around for price. GreenLight often has a good deal, as do some of the other web-based or mail-order sources. Big box retail stores rarely have really good discounts.
I have also been using xerox 4200 "ring tuff paper, which has a mylar stripe down one edge, with pre-punched holes for 3 ring binders. This stuff does not tear out. More expensive, of course, but for the preservation of the music, worth it.
And, finally, I almost NEVER let my singers take binders home. That helps. Still, by the end of the year, some of the binders look pretty shabby, but only some, not all.
Thanks,
Brooks Grantier
on July 17, 2009 9:45am
Daniel,
We have had the same experience in our local commuity college choral society. If you continue to have difficulty purchasing the folders you want, try having your students hold their folders (ones with rings attached on the back cover) by folding the spine outward and backward toward the back cover. Some in our choirs have tried this and it gives them a sort of "handle" to hold onto. They say it works great. Just a thought -- good luck!
Bev Mendoza
Terra State Community College
Fremont Ohio
on July 17, 2009 10:49am
I prefer using The Black Folder, but that's expensive and (I admit) heavy. In some ensembles in which I sing, I must use the three-ring binder that the whole choir uses. In these cases, I attach a nifty device called a Choro-Grip to the binder. It's a flexible, adjustable black band, about 1" wide, that clips to the top and bottom of the outside of the binder cover. Each singer can position and adjust it as desired. It is attached or removed quickly and easily without damaging the folder or binder. A relatively inexpensive way to convert a simple binder into a more comfortable choral folder.
info and photos at http://chorogrip.biz/origchoro.htm
order form at http://chorogrip.biz/chorogrip_order_form.pdf (not easy to find on the website)
i have no interest in this company or product except my own experience and satisfaction.
Sarah Hager Johnston
GraceNotes
on July 17, 2009 6:14pm
Hey Daniel, I am not sure off the top of my head whether these folders are attached to the spine or to the folder, but for about a dollar, you can get three ring binders at walmart. If you do not have a walmart near you, check out walmart.com =)
on July 20, 2009 5:26am
Thanks for all of the suggestions! I will certainly check out
some of these distributors.
We have the unique challenge that all of our liturgies and one rehearsal per week is in the Basilica, but we warm-up and rehearse once a week in our rehearsal rooms in a separate building. Of course, these locations alternate through the week, making it necessary for someone to cart them between locations. We have very nice rolling music storage cabinets which are great for going between the rehearsal room, the choral library, and the chapel which are all in the same building. However, we cannot roll the cabinet between buildings. Also, I am very fortunate that many of my choir members actually look at their music between choir meetings. Of course, I encourage this and would hate to do anything to dampen this enthusiasm! For these reasons, we have decided that replacing binders annually is the best option until someone invents a binder that is indestructible, relatively cheap, and looks good during performance. (Anyone up to the challenge?)
on August 10, 2010 11:04am
I decided it was easier and cheap to buy three-ring binders for my students every year. I bought 1" black 3-ring binders from www.officediscountclub.com for under $1 each. For $60-$100, everyone could have new binders every year. That was a small amount, considering for the cost of a $20 deluxe folder that might last a few years longer, I could buy brand new binders for each student at $1 for 20 years. Just my approach.
BTW--Sarah's note about ChoroGrips--they are now available from www.jwpepper.com. The manufacturer will not ship direct by credit card, only through JW Pepper.
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