Custom Large Music Box Tune Arrangements

Exceptional Custom Music Box Arrangements (Like the Old Days) are Still Available!

Our arranger - an excellent classical keyboard performer and composer - is one of the small handful of great music box arrangers still keeping this musical craft alive. A great music box arranger must have strong musical skills (including music theory) and a thorough understanding of the mechanical limitations imposed by the music box mechanism. He must also have invested years studying antique music box arrangements to fully grasp the specific kinds of harmonic structures and embellishments that music boxes excel at - and when to use which. Anyone can call himself a music box arranger, but very few truly understand all the intricacies that great arrangements display. Some arrangements are little more than a plain copy of the basic melody. A great music box arrangement will bring your melody to mind in the context of all the elaborate harmonies and glistening elements that make music box movements so unique and beautiful. If you are familiar with antique music boxes, you know what we mean!

Generally, older tunes will work better on a large music box. This is because modern compositions are usually not as deeply rooted in music theory. Deep rooting in music theory provides a better foundation on which to build a great music box arrangement.

Approximate Pricing & Lead Times

Notes from Our Arranger

Is there a melody that is special to you, a certain someone, or a special group? Would you like to preserve that special melody? Is there a special occasion you'd like to commemorate? Would you like to offer music boxes to a specific market? Perhaps I can help you do just that with a custom-arranged music box tune.

I can also offer music composed especially for a music box. I can Paint an Emotional Picture in a style that will showcase all the potential of a music box - including exceptional harmonies, chord progressions, and ornaments. As an added bonus, custom compositions also eliminate any potential copyright licensing headaches and costs.

Have you ever been to an old-fashioned music box shop or museum? I went to my first music box museum in 1960 at Knott's Berry Farm, as a child. About three years later, I discovered a shop there that actually sold music boxes. At that time, I did not know anyone was still making any movements larger than 18 notes. But, there it was, I saw it: a three-tune, 50-Note music box! I loved it. However, due to my youth and finances I was not able to get it. It was sold before I could save up enough money. Who would have thought that I would not only build a collection of other such music boxes, but I would also become a custom composer and arranger for Music Boxes?

I want everyone who gets a custom arrangement from me to experience some of that golden era of long ago. Be assured my arranging styles do indeed embrace those of the antique music boxes. I remember the days when I would go to a music box shop - after they called me to come and see their newest music box. Once I heard the magnificent instrument, I remember saving as much money as I could to pay for the music box. What days those were!

The store owner and I had quite a celebration!

Rick Epperly

Examples of Custom Arrangements

For examples of our custom arrangements, German Folk Tunes, The Musical Snuff Box, Texas Tunes, and The Great Bath. We've also done Disney's Bambi, custom tunes for Shevach Art, Chris Hüelsbeck and others (we will also be glad to play these arrangements over a phone).

Testimonial

The following is an excerpt from Mike's Full Article:

"I sent my wedding song "This Day In September" to Rick and asked him to do what I thought would be impossible. Take a standard song, re-score it to sound like a classic music box should sound and still keep the original feeling and emotion of the song intact. Rick listened to the song and suggested I choose a 72 note Nidec/Sankyo movement. I listened to some of the samples Better Music Boxes has online and was taken by the exquisite quality of the 50, 72 and 100 note movements. I trusted his judgment and decided to go with the 72 note.

Within a week, my phone rang. I answered and all I heard was Rick saying, "Are you sitting down?" I answered "Yes" and he proceeded to play me the score over the phone. When it finished, I heard Rick say, "Well, what do you think". I sat quiet for about 30 seconds. I was trying to compose myself as I was overtaken my emotions. I'm not an overly emotional guy, so this was quite surprising to me. Rick on the other hand was very emotional and so excited to have me listen to this arrangement for the first time. This emotion is why I wanted Rick and Better Music Boxes to take on this challenge. What I heard on the other end of the phone that day was purely magical. I had no idea what to expect, but obviously what Rick had delivered was beyond any expectations. I told him it was perfect and to not change a thing.

Sincerely,

Mike F.
Alabama"