Score Prep
Score Prep
🤓 This Document…
This document is not intended to be the end-all, be-all score prep document but rather a good reminder of some of the important things you should consider when preparing a score and parts. There are almost always exceptions to every rule, so please consider everything found here as a guideline, not a requirement.
Print-a-Palooza
What you’ll need to print
During our all-day print session each composer will prep the following:
| # of Copies | Document | Paper Size | Paper Weight | Binding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Score | 11” x 17” (Tabloid) | Heavy | Taped |
| 4 | Score | 8.5” x 11” (Letter) | Standard | Stapled Left |
| 1 | Parts | 8.5” x 11” (Letter) | Heavy | Tapped |
| 1 | Parts | 8.5” x 11” (Letter) | Standard | Paper Clip |
How you will deliver your score and parts
You will organize everything in to two packets:
| Performance Packet | Spares Packet |
|---|---|
| 2 - Tabloid Score | 1 - Tabloid Score |
| 2 - Letter Score | 2 - Letter Score |
| 1 - Heavy Parts | 1 - Thin Parts |
🎹 Exporting MIDI
- Save a new version of your DAW project (e.g.
DRD_1m01_The-Chase_MIDI-Export-Prep_V001) - Delete all tracks that will not appear in the score
- Remove any doublings that were for mockup purposes only.
- Quantize everything to their exact rhythms and durations.
- Transpose all notes to their correct octave.
- Remove all key switches that may appear in the piano roll.
- Remove all CC, Program Change Messages, or other unnecessary MIDI Data that may appear in the piano roll.
- Rename tracks to more score-appropriate names
- Combine all regions/clips on each track that will be exported.
- Export your DAW Project as both a MusicXML file and a MIDI file.
- Open the MusicXML file in your engraving software and check for pitch and rhythmic accuracy. Return to DAW to correct any mistakes, then reexport.
📖 Kubi’s Score-Prep Commandments
General
- Thou shalt let the machine do the work.
- Thou shalt have friends.
- Dr. Dan added this one
Notation
- In general no brackets on full tuplets
- Courtesy accidental always with parentheses
Scores
- SCORES ARE CONCERT (except octave-transposing instruments are transposed, like contrabass, piccolo, or Glockenspiel.) AND INDICATED AS SUCH ON PAGE ONE
- No key signatures, ever. (no C Major, no key!)
- Clear names/abbreviations in front of EVERY staff
- Boxed Measure numbers in every single measure, located between sections, at minimum above the strings.
- NO rehearsal marks.
- Double bar lines at every meaningful musical transition, and certainly no less often than every 16 bars or so. (Between every 8 and 16 measures is a good frequency.) Double barlines cause multi-rests to stay separated in parts. This way, musicians can follow the form easily even if they don’t play until measure 56. They also help conductors stay oriented.
- The SCORE should include as many measures per page as possible while being decently legible. As Eimear Noone said, “I don’t have to sightread every note. I do have to turn every page.” On the same token, no “sleek new music” excess of empty white space. Use the space to convey information, without overloading it. So neither sleek new music all-white-space score, NOR 19th-century black-page publishing.
- AMPLE hairpins with both beginning and ending dynamic markings
- NO phrasing slurs, ever. Slurs are only for bowing on one bow (strings), or absence of tonguing (winds)*
- All dynamics in a single imaginary line, so they don’t move up and down vertically as you scan the score or part.
- All dynamics are ABSOLUTE. Meaning a fff alto flute in the bottom octave is impossible. Write f, and they will play as loud as they can.
- Place playing instructions above the strings and on top of the score. In large scores, it’s OK to have them in three spots (i.e., above the top line, above the brass, and above the strings.)
- PRE-RECORDS go into reduced-sized staves above the strings, below everybody else. If need be, they can be condensed into “reductions” (i.e., multiple percussive synths combined into one percussion line, or multiple pads combined into one grand staff.)
Parts
- Same as score more or less
- PARTS ARE TRANSPOSED.
- Measure numbers are small (with no borders) but legible at the bottom left front of every measure, and Multi-measure numbers as ranges in the middle under every multi-measure rest (and, of course, on the same imagined horizontal line as the measure numbers).
- Make parts large and easy to read. Some of your musicians may not be 19 years old.
- There is no award for cramming everything on a single page. Two pages require no page turning, so using two is okay. Do keep the lines close enough together so that they are easy to scan, but far enough apart so that it is easy to read dynamics, playing instructions, etc.
Examples
Scores - 👍
Parts - 👍
- BHerald_Fugue for the King_CELLO.pdf
- BHerald_Fugue for the King_VIOLA.pdf
- BHerald_Fugue for the King_VIOLIN 1.pdf
- BHerald_Fugue for the King_VIOLIN 2.pdf
Additional - 🙋🏻♀️
Practice Materials - 🧪
Logic Project:
v2022-11-14
Finale: The King.musx
Sibelius: The King.sib
Dorico: The King.dorico
How-To
Prepping MIDI for Export
Import MIDI Files
Sibelius
Finale
Dorioco
Large Time Signatures
Sibelius
Finale
Dorico
Bar Numbers
Sibelius
Finale
Studio-style bar numbers in Finale - Scoring Notes
Dorico
Smaller Staff for Cues/Pre-Records
Sibelius
Press “I” on your keyboard and select the staff in the right-hand column and down below is a checkbox for Small Staff. Check that and push OK. To adjust the small staff size go to: Engraving Rules>Staves (in left-hand column)>Small staff size.
Finale
- Click on 100% tool.
- Click on staff you want to make smaller.
- Set percentage.
Dorico
- Right click on staff.
- Select “Staff Size”
- Choose size.