When you look at a piece of sheet music, it’s often easy to tell whether it looks professionally published or homemade. But what exactly makes music notation look polished and publish-ready? What formatting rules, engraving standards, and visual details elevate a score to the level of the big publishing houses?
Composers and editors rely on a variety of trusted resources when preparing their music for publication. Below are a few essential tools that never leave our desk:
1. Behind Bars by Elaine Gould
No list of music engraving resources is complete without Behind Bars. Written by Elaine Gould, this book is widely considered the industry standard for music notation and engraving. Its comprehensive guidelines cover everything from basic rhythms to complex orchestral scores.
2. Writing About Music: A Style Sheet by D. Kern Holoman
While Behind Bars covers the visual and technical aspects of notation, Holoman’s Writing About Music focuses on the textual side. This concise style guide is indispensable for composers, editors, and musicians when crafting program notes, titles, and other written materials related to music.
3. Berklee Contemporary Music Notation by Jonathan Feist
Produced by Berklee College of Music, this guide is tailored for modern music notation. While not as exhaustive as Gould’s work, it’s especially useful for composers working in jazz, pop, or contemporary classical styles. Clear, accessible, and practical—a must-have for any modern composer.
4. The Study of Orchestration by Samuel Adler
Primarily a textbook used in orchestration courses, Adler’s book is also a helpful reference for engraving. It provides insight into instrument ranges, transpositions, and common orchestration practices—key considerations when formatting professional-looking scores.
5. MOLA Guidelines for Music Preparation
What’s best for the performer? That’s the question behind the Music Preparation Guidelines published by the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA). This free resource outlines best practices for formatting performance parts and scores, especially for orchestras, bands, and other large ensembles.
Get the free PDF here.
These resources provide a strong foundation for any composer or music editor striving to create professional-quality scores. Many more tools and reference materials are available to support the editing and engraving process, and we’ll explore additional, more specialized resources in a future article.
Need help editing your sheet music?
Our award-winning engravers are here to support you. We offer professional engraving and editorial services for all types of sheet music. Let us bring your music to life—reach out at contact@songburdmusic.com.