My favourite DAW is Logic X because it was the first digital audio workstation in which I learned to produce music. There are many reasons to love Logic X, and the score editor is one of them. Logic X is not the only DAW with a music notation editor; Cubase takes it to another level […]
Up-Tempo Publishing
Noteflight music notation software
I use Sibelius, or at least I have since I bought my first copy of the software on disc over a decade ago. Sibelius and the digital audio workstation Logic Pro were the main programs on my 17-inch Mac laptop computer, which I no longer have. Despite all my efforts, my old laptop finally gave […]
Conductor’s score title page
I wanted to create title pages for the conductor score and orchestral parts in Sibelius and other music notation programs. No matter what notation program I used, none could make a decent title page. While the conductor’s score requires a title page, it’s optional for the instrument parts. Sibelius and the other music notation programs […]
Orchestral part title pages
Unlike conductor scores, orchestral parts do not require title pages; however, they can have them if the publisher decides. Why don’t orchestral parts need title pages? It probably comes down to necessity and cost. If you consider a forty-piece orchestra, that’s a lot of extra printing, paper and shipping weight. You may also ask yourself […]
Orchestral score file organization
Having an organized file system is crucial. If you’re like me, your file system always needs work. Think of the score and all the parts required. It’s important to know where each score’s elements are. I have a long list of files I continually move between when working on any orchestration. I have so many […]
My process for assembling orchestral scores
Every orchestrator refines their workflow throughout their years of composing and orchestrating. Each time you write a song or orchestrate a piece, you learn something new and streamline your process. In this post, I share my approach to each orchestral score and other compositions I write. I can break down my process into six steps. […]
Proofreading your work
It’s essential to proofread your score before publishing. Proofreading any printed piece of music is challenging; however, proofreading an orchestral score on your own is a monumental task. If you have a ninety-piece orchestra, you must proofread the conductor’s score and orchestra parts. My last orchestral score was around six hundred pages; that’s a lot […]
Consistency in self-publishing
I discussed creating templates for your conductor’s score and parts in previous articles. This way, your orchestral scores have the same or almost identical feel and look. I’m not overly artistic with the look of my scores because I like consistency in my published works. While doing this is unnecessary, consider it. I’m talking about […]