Replacement Parts

We adhere to principles of notation as outlined in the booklet Standard Music Notation Practice available from the Music Publishers’ Association and Music Educators National Conference, in addition to the Style Sheets from BandMusic PDF Library.

A few observations

We are looking for professional layout in transposed parts.

  • If the original printed part is on one page, then the replacement should fit on one page. Adjust staves, measures and page reduction until it looks good.
  • Make collisions go away. Dynamics, articulations and notes must not overlap.
  • It often helps to use the same number of staves on each page and put the same number of measures on each staff.
  • Never carry over onto a fractional page.

There are often errors in the originals; they need to be fixed.

  • It often helps to play back the notation files in slow tempo to discover clunkers.
  • Copy and paste all parts onto a temporary score for playback.
  • If a sound is suspect, consider it an error and do what is needed to correct it.
  • Complete harmonies can usually be found in Horns and Tuba.
  • Resolve conflicts in chords, dynamics, repeats, articulations and phrasing–this is a judgement call.

Sibelius, Finale and their related notation programs are preferred. Free notation programs seldom give the quality layout that the professional programs do. Our goal is always to improve BandMusic PDF files.

If using Finale, please send PDFs and Finale files. If using Sibelius, please send playable Sibelius files and PDFs.