[Music Copying - Engraving Services]

 A Short Introduction on Music Copying - Engraving

Traditionally, the task of a music copyist or engraver is to produce a clear and polished sheet music from an often scribbled score of the composer. No doubt a score written hurriedly by a composer or orchestrator is not easy to read by a professional musician or a music student. It is similar to a patient who finds it difficult to decipher a doctor's prescription. Furthermore, music copying or engraving is necessary for publishing new pieces and songs which are then sold worldwide.

Notating music have gone through various techniques and technologies based on inventions for text printing. From the 'illuminated manuscripts' of the Middle Ages that were laboriously handwritten by scribes, to systems such as woodblock, music type, engraving, and lithography. The Music Printing History website is a great resource for exploring music engraving and printing. Also, the Open University in collaboration with the inventors of the music notation software Sibelius produced a series of very interesting videos on music printing.

Today, practically every music publisher, freelance music engraver, and musician in the world use a computer software to produce and print sheet music. Digital engraving using software applications like Finale, Sibelius and others, is utterly different from the early days of music engraving. At that time, sheet music was handcrafted by physically carving and punching metal tablets by hand. The Henle Publishers have produced a wonderful video demonstrating music engraving on metal plates which is now obsolete.

Undoubtedly, a music notation software allows the 'digital engraver' to quickly and precisely update, revise and change a score and extract parts. However, just as a graphics editing program (e.g. Adobe Photoshop) doesn't make one a designer, a notation program doesn't either make one a music engraver. That's why the majority of notable music engravers (or typesetters) prefer to call themselves engravers rather than copyists, because it expresses the skill and craft that is involved to professionally produce sheet music on the computer. Nevertheless both titles are used interchangeably in the music business.

 How to Choose a Music Copyist - Engraver

The following skills are essential when seeking the collaboration of a music copyist or engraver. In addition, a professional music copyist should provide a client with references and ample examples of scores from previous projects. An accomplished music engraver should have:

• • A good aural skill: a proficient music engraver should be able to spot any wrong notes, either in the material provided by the client or entered by him/herself during the score preparation process
  • Accurate workmanship: attention to detail and a practical approach when preparing score and parts (e.g. page turns, placement of symbols, clarity, etc.), in order to avoid unnecessary stress and wasted time and money during rehearsal and recording sessions
  • Music notation knowledge: using the latest version of a music notation software is not sufficient without a complete understanding of the practices and conventions of modern music notation
  • Music theory, music terminology, and instrumentation knowledge: a music engraver may not identify inconsistencies or errors in the material supplied by the composer or arranger, unless he/she is proficient in music theory and the properties and capabilities of individual instruments
  • Technological proficiency: extensive experience in notating scores in a music notation software such as Finale or Sibelius, and equally comfortable in using music technology applications and equipment, and personal computers. If anything goes wrong with a music engraver's software or equipment, he/she must be able to resolve it promptly
  • Superior organizational and communication skills: a professional music engraver has the ability to organize his/her time and daily obligations to accommodate a client's deadlines, and punctually and effectively communicate with him/her in the course of the project

  Our Music Copying - Engraving Services

ScoreMasters® has been providing professional music copying services since 1997. The team is led by Berklee-trained composer and orchestrator Samy Elgazzar, who has being engraving by hand and computer since 1991. Our scoring materials have been performed internationally in concert halls, festivals, TV shows, recording studios, etc. Our philosophy as music copyists is paying attention to music and text font selection, adequate page margins, proper and uniform placement of symbols and markings, convenient page turns, and complete clarity and legibility. Our sheet music are often described by our clients as polished, pleasing to the eye, and easy to work with and read.

You may send us a composition or arrangement for engraving in any format, including hand-written manuscript, printed score, MIDI file, CD or audio file, notation file (Finale or Sibelius), pdf file, or any graphics file (e.g. jpg, tiff). The finished score and parts will be delivered to you in a high resolution Pdf file. However, if you desire a printed copy, we will use both a high quality paper and laser printer. Either way you have the choice to select the music and text font, the general scoring style, the page format (portrait or landscape), and page size (A4, A3, etc.). Our intention is to appropriately present your music.

Since music engraving is charged by page, we set the notation size and spacing to allow the largest number of measures per page. Concurrently, we also ensure to adjust the layout to make page turns practical without sacrificing the music. It is our absolute goal to deliver error-free score and parts, and we will endeavor to offer the outmost attention to your music. And in case you later require further printing or revisions, we always archive all produced notation files. Our music copying - engraving services include:

• • All levels and genres of music are welcome
  • Sheet music is delivered as Pdf file or printed on a high resolution printer
  • Highly experienced in Finale since 1989
  • Immaculate professional music copying
  • Commissions are completed on schedule
  • Creating musical examples for textbooks, papers and articles
  • Transposing sheet music to a different key
  • Creating piano reductions of any orchestral or ensemble work
  • Transcription of your audio recordings and midi files into Finale

 Music Copying - Engraving Examples

Please find below a few samples from previous music copying commissions. You will find many more on the Portfolio page.

Granada: (Score Sample)
Composed by Agustin Lara 
ScoreMasters service:  Orchestration, music engraving

Eres Tu: (Score Sample)
Composed by Juan C. Calderon 
ScoreMasters service:  Orchestration, music engraving

Music For Four Saxophones: (Score Sample)
Composed by Dinos Constantinides 
ScoreMasters service:  Music engraving

Like an Invisible Troupe at 'Sacred Road': (Score Sample)
Composed by Michael Karras 
ScoreMasters service:  Orchestration, music engraving

Contact us to hire our music engraving services