These are general guidelines put together by many experienced composers, performers, conductors and programmers who have worked with spnm. Follow them and you shouldn't get many complaints about the way your performance materials are notated – leaving the performers free to get on with your music. Remember that some of these guidelines will not apply if you are submitting your score to a call for pieces which requires it to be anonymous! Scores Cover must include title of work, name of composer Inside cover must include: title of work name of composer list of movements if applicable duration instrumentation: number of performers should be clear, all doublings given. State whether transposing instruments are written in C or transposed. Include instructions on preparation required in advance (e.g. for prepared piano), non-standard instruments, any acceptable alternative instrumentations, specific requirements for electronics and amplification specific performance requirements, e.g. stage layout notation: glossary of all non-standard terms All scores instruments / voices should be listed in standard order unless there is a specific reason otherwise (e.g. an orchestra divided in two distinct sections) instrument / voice names should appear by each stave; in full on first page and in an abbreviated form on all others. Abbreviations are not necessary on small scores for standard instrumentations, e.g. string quartet ensure that notes are vertically aligned between instruments tempi should be given with metronome markings if possible (give a range if you don't want to be specific) Vocal scores choirs prefer to sing from a vocal score, not from individual parts text should appear below music and should be laid out clearly in line with the notes. Dynamics should be above time-signature changes should appear on all parts –not just above the top part singers appreciate having a full copy of the text at the start of the score Scores and parts be scrupulously clear at all times! if in doubt as to whether a marking should be included, put it in –especially cautionary accidentals performers often appreciate a short programme note printed in their part present scores in a standard size and layout. Parts should be in portrait format and usually no larger than B4. firmly bind performance materials, ensuring that pages can be turned easily and noiselessly time signature changes must be very clear, with a cautionary indication at the end of the previous stave if the change is over a line-break show the beats in bars such as 5/8 and 7/8 – /\ & |–| symbols are useful if key-signatures are used they should appear on every line. Use cautionary indications as for time signatures provide clear and frequent bar numbers, and rehearsal letters if they would be useful articulation markings must be unambiguous – particularly distinguish between slurs, tied notes and phrasing use white paper, heavier than normal photocopier paper – preferably 100gsm if computer-produced, avoid using fussy or unclear fonts for any text. Use italics for dynamics and expression marks, roman for technique (e.g. arco, pizz) never send off original hand-written scores or parts without taking a good-quality photocopy. If possible (and definitely if they are in pencil) use the photocopy for performance materials as originals can smudge and fade. If using pencil use a dark lead so that it photocopies clearly use waterproof ink Parts include relevant information on doublings, instrument preparation, non-standard terms, etc. as they appear on inside cover of score each page should be numbered and include the instrument name spacing is important – give each note within a bar the space equivalent to its duration give as much time as possible for page turns, leaving blank spaces at the bottom of a page if necessary give cues if these could be useful. Make sure that they are clearly marked as such and that they appear after rather than before any page turns. Remember that it's not always the cue most obvious to the audience which is actually the clearest to a performer. In complex unconducted music a separate cue-line is useful. Always make sure that cues are in the transposition of the part you are producing in instrumental parts dynamics & expression markings appear below the stave; tempi and techniques (e.g. arco) above if possible avoid parts which fold out to more than three pages strings: mark instructions such as open strings (use a zero, 0), harmonics (use a small circle, o) and double stops clearly and unambiguously. if using a computer, stave size 6.7mm is good for parts. If the music is particularly complex use 7mm. don't change clef unnecessarily!

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