In the last eight years, I estimate that I have read over two thousand pieces of music, and probably about four to five hundred in the last three months alone. I am consistently surprised by the low quality of the sheet music I see, both in terms of syntax (bars not adding up, misplaced rehearsal marks, other engraving issues) and creativity (awkward leaps in walking bass lines, unpleasant horn arrangements, incorrect styles for drum and bass). If the standards for written English were this low, my essay on dinosaurs from the first grade would be on your bookshelf next to Tolkien.

So, hyperbole aside, here is the first in a series of articles that I hope will contribute to the evolution of the written music world. This information will be of use to people who write music, and even to people who don’t, but might purchase written music or hire an arranger (like a vocalist or other soloist). This article will focus on the widely agreed upon standards of what makes good sheet music. For the most part, I will assume you are familiar with the basics of written music. If you’re not, enjoy the gibberish! Here we go! Continue Reading