How to Make Your Scores Look Professional - Advice for Young Composers
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Have you ever finished a Piece, turned it into a PDF and then immediately found a thousand mistakes? That though the score is finished, from a music perspect...

Paper Size

  • For Large ensemble Works, use Tabloid (US Paper Size).
  • Letter is really more for Chamber Scores and Parts.
  • Publishers will use different sizes, but for your average composer who is printing on their own, tabloid is the way to go.

Title Page

  • Make it nice for a good impression on conductors and music directors

Info Page Should include the following:

  • Instrumentation
  • Duration
  • Notes to Performers
  • Symbol Key
  • Program Notes
  • Bio and Your Website Information
  • Related Works (Optional)
  • Program Notes (Yes they can really suck, but you should write them then!)

Transposition

  • Indicate whether your score is Transposed, especially if you aren’t using a Key Signature
  • Generally, Transposed Scores are more common, but some conductors prefer Scores in C.
  • If you can, ask them, and if you can’t assume Transposed. Do not skip this small step, it is crucial.

Score Order

  • Always in score order for large ensemble scores.
  • The only exception is in Chamber Music, where unusual combinations of instruments can occur. Chose what makes sense.

Tempos

  • Don’t miss the opportunity of telling your players how to play/characterize the music.
  • It is easy to write Quarter equals 120 and leave it at that. Give them more, a word, a direction. It doesn’t have to be much.

Time Signatures

  • If in Film World, use Gigantic Time Signatures.
  • For Wind Ensemble and Orchestra in Concert World, Huge Time signatures are preferred.
  • In Choral and Chamber Scores, the standard size is fine.
  • General rule of thumb, if conducted go with Huge, if not, standard is fine.

Measure Numbers

  • In any large ensemble score, you should have every single Measure number written out.
  • For Choral and Chamber, it depends. Chose whichever keeps the score clear and not cluttered.

General Formatting

  • Use 6-8 Bars per page, especially in large ensemble scores. Let it breathe.
  • For conductors, don’t hide staves, keep the layout the same.
  • In Film World, remove measure rests so that the score can be written on in the event of an on-the-fly reorchestration.

Section Checks

  • Check Commands for the Strings. Arco to Pizza, Pont. To Ord. Etc.
  • For Percussion and Woodwinds, double check the time you have given people to change instruments.
  • For Brass, check your mute changes.

Dynamics

  • Watch out for Orphaned Dynamics across the score.
  • Be as clear and accurate as possible when using dynamics and give clear destinations.

Lastly, Get a Friend to look it over if possible. Ideally you can print it and go over it

SOURCE: https://www.davidvessmusic.com/post/how-to-make-your-scores-look-professional