As a professional orchestral music librarian (also a composer and copyist), I'm usually the first one to see poorly engraved and laid-out orchestra materials sent from publishers and composers. As recent posts lament, there are too many music copyists (including self-published composers) who learn the basics of entering scores in Finale and think they're ready for the big time.
I won't go into horror stories of the godawful messes I've received from major and minor publishers, but I can say it doesn't hurt to complain loudly and ask for price discounts for materials that have to be extensively edited before they're playable. I've also frequently directed copyists to refer to the MOLA (Major Orchestra Librarians' Association) downloadable guidelines for music preparation: http://mola-inc.org/m/articles/view/Music-Preparation-Guidelines-for-Orchestral-Music If there is time, I tell them to read the pamphlet, revise their materials to fit the guidelines and resubmit them. There are always things to be fixed, even in editions of music that have been in print and performed for decades. Mistakes happen, publishers and copyists are human and prone to laziness and carelessness, and it's my job to correct the materials and help the musicians of the orchestra give the best performance possible. That said, laying out a page of music so that it's legible and scans easily in the heat of rehearsal and performance is a skill that no computer program can automate. We know the "look" of well-copied music, and it's important that we give (helpful) feedback to composers and publishers and insist on high standards. Matt Naughtin Music Librarian, San Francisco Ballet Orchestra _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
