Music Preparation Guidelines

for Orchestral Music

Prepared by the
Major Orchestra Librarians Association
Publication Committee

The Major Orchestra

Librarians Association
The primary goals of the Major Orchestra Librarians Association (MOLA)
are to improve communication among orchestra librarians, to provide support
and information to the orchestra administrations, to present a unified voice in
publisher relations, and to assist fellow librarians in providing better service to
their orchestras.
MOLA is an international organization that includes libraries from
symphony orchestras, opera and ballet companies, professional bands and
ensembles, and educational institutions. Our membership includes musical
organizations in North, Central, and South America, Europe, the Middle East,
Africa, Asia, and Australia.
MOLA periodically invites representatives from music publishers to its annual conferences in order to address the publication and condition of printed
musical materials. This collaborative effort has led to the formation of the
MOLA/Publisher Committee.
MOLA is represented on the MLA (Music Library Association) / MPA (Music Publishers Association) / MOLA Joint Committee. In addition, MOLA has
cultivated relationships with other music service organizations. These include
the International Association of Music Librarians, the American Symphony
Orchestra League, the American Federation of Musicians, the International
Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians, and the Regional Orchestra
Players Association.
For further information, contact the orchestra librarian at your local
symphony, opera, or ballet orchestra or visit the MOLA website at:

www.mola-inc.org

MOLA Guidelines
for Music Preparation

Introduction
These guidelines for the preparation
of music scores and parts are the result of
many hours of discussion regarding the
creation and layout of performance material that has come through our libraries.
We realize that each music publisher has
its own set of guidelines for music engraving. We wish to encourage music publishers to work together to standardize those
guidelines. In the meantime, we would
like to express our thoughts regarding
the preparation of new music in the hope
that an agreement about format may be
reached.

Use of the Computer

Advantages and Disadvantages
With the advent of computer software
for composing and arranging music, it
is possible to produce clear and readable music from a desktop printer. Music
publishers and professional composers
and arrangers are creating scores and
parts that are as functional and beautiful
as traditionally engraved music.
The technology allows the composer
or the copyist to enter the music into the
score through various means, including
electronic (MIDI) instruments. Once the

score is completed, individual parts are

extracted, transposed, formatted, and
printed, saving countless hours of work.
This technology provides a great level of
flexibility for editing, reproducing, and
storing music.
These advantages can come with
hazards, however. For example, if the editing process of a new work continues after
the parts have been prepared and distributed to the musicians, this will require
additional work by composers, copyists,
and librarians to keep up with revisions in
the composition and provide an accurate
and suitable set of parts. Also, as digital
storage and distribution of music data
files becomes more common, there is the
danger that the librarian will be obliged
to assume the role of music publisher, expected to print, duplicate, and bind all of
the sheet music. Not all libraries have the
facilities, staff, or time to accommodate
these projects, and while librarians can
advise on the format and layout of printed
music, they should not be expected to act
as a surrogate publisher.
Nonetheless, whether a score is
handwritten or produced from a desktop
printer, there are common, specific elements that make this music readable, and
ultimately usable by musicians.

The Score
Cover
Although each music publisher will
have its own publication guidelines and
style requirements, there is some informa3

tion that is important to see on the cover

of any score. The title of the work and the
name of the composer should be printed
prominently on the cover and spine of
the score. If applicable, the name of the
arranger should appear, but need not be
as prominent as the title and composer.
Additionally, the name and address of the
publisher should be easily located.

Front Matter (Title Page,

Preface, etc.)
There should be a page at the
beginning of the work that provides basic
information about the composition. This
should include a list of the full instrumentation, identifying any doublings, the
keys of transposing instruments (clarinets,
horns, and trumpets), and all percussion
instruments.
An indication of how many percussionists will be required is helpful, though
each orchestra may or may not adhere
to that number. Any special equipment,
synthesizer settings, or other electronic
keyboard requirements should be noted
here, as well as on the cover page of the
instruments part. These instructions
should be as specific and understandable
as possible. Any special instructions for
prepared instruments or other uncommon instruments should also be noted
here, as well as on the cover page of the
instrument involved. Any special staging
instructions should also be mentioned on
this or a subsequent page. Detailed diagrams are helpful to illustrate particularly
4

complex staging. If there are deviations

from standard musical notation, an
explanation should appear following the
instrumentation page.
The full title of the work should be
printed as it would appear in a formal
concert program, to include appropriate
capitalization and diacritical markings,
along with movement titles in their proper
order. There should be an approximate
duration given for each movement and a
total duration for the work.

The Music
At the beginning of the musical score,
the full name of each instrument should
be listed to the left of the corresponding system. On subsequent pages, abbreviations of
the instrument names should be used.
All instructions for tempi and dynamics should be in a conventional language such as English, Italian, German,
or French. All tempo indications should
appear above the top staff and above the
first violin line on each score page.
Each measure (bar) should be numbered, beginning anew with each movement. Placement of measure numbers
should be the same throughout the work,
i.e. above, below, or on a special line of the
grand staff, such as above the first violins.
If rehearsal letters are used, they should
correspond to landmarks in the music and
must be used in conjunction with measure
numbers.

Score Readability
If traditional engraving or computer
output is not possible, it is preferable to
produce a completed score done in ink.
(Pencil is acceptable, but the publisher
must provide some kind of quality control
for the final outcome of the reproduction.) This should be done on either
vellum or opaque paper and clearly reproduced, back to back on the page. Righthand pages must be odd-numbered and
left-hand pages must be even-numbered
in the top right or left corner of the page.
The score should be proofread by the
composer and a professional proofreader
before it is presented for reproduction.

Instrumental Parts
General
Standard music notation practice should
be observed and any deviation from the
standard should be clearly explained prior to
the first page of music. The front of each part
should clearly identify the composer, title of
the work, and instrument, including doublings and key(s) of transposing instruments
where appropriate. Percussion parts should
include a list of the instruments required.
It is preferable to have complete
computer-generated parts, which should
not have any handwritten additions. If the
parts are written by hand, they must be
copied legibly in black ink, using an italic
or technical pen. Right-hand pages must
be odd-numbered and left-hand pages
must be even-numbered in the top right
or left corner of the page.

Avoid creating wind parts that have

multiple parts on a single stave (e.g.,
Flutes 1 and 2 should be separate parts).
String parts should be created with one
part per section. Complicated string
divisions should be written on separate
staves. Avoid dividing the music for the
string section into multiple parts unless
necessitated by multiple and continuous
division of the voices.

Paper
The paper for parts should be of
substantial quality to avoid show-through
of music from the reverse side, to ensure
durability, and to stand up to on-stage wind
patterns caused by ventilation systems. The
minimum requirement is usually 60 or 70
lb. [100 gsm] offset paper.
The page layout should allow comfortable page turns. Fold out pages should
be avoided or, if absolutely necessary, used
sparingly.
Eight or ten-stave paper should be
used for any instrument that is subject to
multiple ledger lines. Twelve or fourteen stave paper may be used as long as
symbols are not crowded and clarity of the
notational elements is maintained.

Instrumental Part Readability

The most readable staff size for all instruments is 8.5 mm (measured from the
bottom to the top of the staff). Although
8.0 mm is readable for winds, it is less so
for strings. Wind players can read music
5

from staves that measure 7.5 mm, but

this is very problematic for string players.
Anything smaller than 7.0 mm is unacceptable for orchestral parts. Anything
larger than 8.5 mm should be avoided, as
it is distracting to players.
Measure (bar) numbers should appear at the beginning of the first measure
of each line. Numbering each measure
should be avoided, except in the case
of multiple measures rest, where measure number ranges are helpful (e.g.,
27117).
In hand-copied parts it is recommended that all stems, beams, and bar
lines be ruled with a straightedge, especially multiple-staff harp and keyboard
parts.
Logical cues are expected during long
period of rest, the cues being transposed
to the reading key of the instrument. Cues
must be audible to the musician reading
the part.
Tempo and meter changes must
shown on all parts, even during periods of
extended rest. The use of Tacet until. . .
is not acceptable.

Specific Suggestions
Clefs and key signatures must appear at
the beginning of each line.
Parts for transposing instruments must
be written in the proper key.
Harp pedaling should be left to the
performer.
6

The Timpani part should NOT be

included in the percussion part.
Percussion parts may be in score form
or individual instrumental parts. Each
has its advantages depending on the
requirements of the music. It is preferable
to consult with an experienced orchestral
percussionist. In the case of a work written
on commission, consult with the principal
percussionist of that orchestra.
Percussion instruments should be
notated on the staff from high to low,
according to their relative pitch. These
positions must be maintained consistently
throughout the work. A notation key
printed at the beginning of the part may
be helpful to the player.
If any parts are reproduced with a popular transposition (for example, Horn in
E-flat transposed for Horn in F), a part in
the original key should also be included
with the set.
Care should be taken with the use of the
abbreviations 8va and 8va basso, avoiding
their use if possible.

Proofreading
It is mandatory that prior to reproduction the parts be proofread by a
qualified professional proofreader and
NOT only the composer or the copyist who
prepared the parts. Please do not expect
orchestra librarians to provide additional
proofreading services.

Formatting and Binding

In North America, the parts should
be prepared within an image area of
no less than 8 x 11 inches on paper at
least 9.5 x 12.5 inches. These minimum
requirements leave a 0.75 inch margin
surrounding the image area. A common
page size among many publishers is 10
x 13 inches. Parts larger than 11 x 14
inches are inconvenient and unwieldy.
If using the ISO A and B series paper
formats, parts should be prepared within
an image area of 170mm x 257mm on
paper no smaller than A4. These minimum requirements leave a 40mm margin
surrounding the image area. Common
page sizes among publishers who use the
ISO paper sizes are A4 and B4. While A4
parts are considered the minimum, paper
larger than A4, such as B4, is preferred
and recommended among librarians.
Likewise, parts larger than B4 are inconvenient and unwieldy.
Regardless of what paper size is used,
parts should be reproduced with music
printed on both sides of the page.
Parts and scores should be bound
so that they lie flat on the stand. Plastic
comb or coil binding may be used for
scores but not for parts. Multiple page
parts can be set into signatures and saddle
stitched or stapled at the spine. Another
method uses a single strip of flexible cloth
tape affixed to the left margin of the part.
(Tape manufacturers include Vital Presentation Concepts Inc. [www.vpcinc.com]

and 3-M Corporations Micropore surgical

tape [www.3m.com].) All pages should be
attached to the center spine. Loose pages
should be taped or attached to the center
margin of the spine. Accordion fold parts
(single-sided sheets taped side-to-side) are
not acceptable.

Bibliography
Powell, Steven. Music Engraving
Today: The Art and Practice of Digital
Notesetting. New York: Brichtmark Music,
2002.
Ross, Ted. The Art of Music Engraving and Processing: A Complete
Manual, Reference and Text Book on
Preparing Music for Reproduction
and Print. 2nd ed., Miami, Fla.: Charles
Hansen, 1970.
Solomon, Samuel Z. How to Write
for Percussion: A Comprehensive Guide
to Percussion Composition. New York:
SZSolomon, 2002.
Stone, Kurt. Music Notation in the
Twentieth Century: A Practical Guidebook. New York: W. W. Norton, 1980.

Music Preparation Guidelines

for Orchestral Music
Prepared by the
Major Orchestra Librarians Association
Publication Committee
1993 Edition
Clinton F. Nieweg, Philadelphia Orchestra David Bartolotta, San
Francisco Ballet Peter Conover, Houston Symphony Gary Corrin,
Toronto Symphony Marcia Farabee, National Symphony John Grande,
Metropolitan Opera Robert M. Grossman, Philadelphia Orchestra
Paul Gunther, Minnesota Orchestra James Kortz, St. Paul Chamber
Orchestra Mary C. Plaine, Baltimore Symphony Rosemary Summers,
Metropolitan Opera Lawrence Tarlow, New York Philharmonic John
Van Winkle, San Francisco Symphony

Revised in 2001
John Campbell, San Francisco Symphony Russ Girsberger, New
England Conservatory Margo Hodgson, National Arts Centre
Orchestra Carol Lasley, Florida Philharmonic Cathy Miller, The
U.S. Army Field Band Patrick Zwick, Utah Symphony

Revised in 2006
Stephen Biagini, Los Angeles Philharmonic Russ Girsberger, New
England Conservatory Kazue McGregor, Los Angeles Philharmonic
Clinton F. Nieweg, Philadelphia Orchestra (retired) Gregory Vaught,
San Antonio Symphony Justin Vibbard, Florida West Coast Symphony

Additional Publications
The publications committee of MOLA has prepared two other
brochures entitled:
What is MOLA? A Guide to
the Major Orchestra Librarians Association
and
The Orchestra Librarian: A Career Introduction
For Further Information about MOLA visit our website at:

www.mola-inc.org