The Printing Process 

 by Roe Lewis

You’ve just finished proofing and correcting your copied parts and everything is perfect. So you’re finished, right? Well, maybe you are and maybe you aren’t. It all depends on your client and the purpose your music will serve. If your product is going to a publisher, the publisher will take care of the printing needed. However, if you product is going to be used in a recording session or for a live performance, you may be required to print out your copywork on card-stock paper and provide the appropriate amount of copies for the engagement. As a full-service copy house, Express Music Services prints out the great majority of its copywork so that it is ready to use “out-of-the box”. On the surface this may seem to be a simple task (albeit tedious) but there are many details to tend to. I’m sure there are a great many ways to go about the printing process. We have received many accolades on the look of our finished product, so we’ve stuck to our method. Here are the highlights on how we put that extra polish on our copywork.

Note: Most of the printing assignments I get are rather lengthy, usually several days to a week’s worth of work. The information herein is geared toward sizeable and frequent assignments. Also, EMS has maneuvered some treacherous deadlines. (Try a 10-hour turn around time on for size sometime!) This information is from a tight-deadline point of view as well.

Before You Print Anything:

Checklist:

If possible you should have a list of all the tunes in the show or session you are working on. You should use this as a checklist throughout the project

Check the Score:

Before you begin printing you’ll want to take a look at what it is you’ll need to print. Generally, I have a score that I will be reproducing as well. (More on this later.) I will refer to the score to make sure I have all the parts that I should have. Remember, just because there are no notes on the first page of the score of a particular instrument, doesn’t insure that that part is necessarily tacet. LOOK THROUGH THE WHOLE SCORE.

Instrumentation:

Find out what the copy requirements will be for your engagement (number of copies etc.) This is often referred to as the instrumentation. Specifically this means how many multiple copies you will need of the percussion and string sections. At this time you should make inquiries about any special requirements. Generally the violas and violins will share a stand (so you can print half as many as there are players) while the celli and basses will need their own parts.

Tacets:

If you’ve got great copyists like I do, (and the score is marked) they will create tacet sheets where necessary. This is particularly important when you have an orchestra (or larger ensemble) for a live performance and of the utmost critical importance if you are in a recording session. Recording sessions cost big bucks. The music director should not have to take the time to consult the score because a performer does not have a part. Having tacet sheets will also help with the final collating. Again, look at the score.

Look over the Parts:

Take a look at the parts before you begin. Yes, they have been proofed, however whenever a page is corrected and reprinted there is the possibility of “shift”. Page numbers and title info can get cut off. Check the secondary pages for labeling. Some copyists like to use previous parts as templates. Make sure the second viola page is not labeled violin. Check title information for typos and misspellings. Usually this information is typed in once and cut and pasted into the subsequent parts. Imagine how the composer will feel at the recording session when he prepares to conduct and his name is misspelled on the parts! Now is also a good time to make sure that your parts are in score order.

The Essentials 

Supplies:

Before you get started make sure you have enough supplies to complete the project you are working on and the one directly on it’s heels that you don’t know about yet. If your budget allows, it is best to keep your supply cabinet well stocked. What supplies do you need? Depending on what your client requires your supply needs may be slightly different. Here’s my list.

Paper:

EMS uses what is termed “100-weight” paper. This is basically heavy card stock paper with a matte finish that accepts pencil marks readily. Just to give you an idea of the thickness of this paper, regular copier paper is 20. Lbs. This paper is 5 times that thickness. EMS also enlarges its copy work 110 %. A typical single 8 ½” X 11” page will be enlarged to fit a 12 ½” X 9 ½” sheet. You will have to choose what best suits your needs. Keep in mind what you choose will have to work with your copier. The reason for the heavy paper is that it will not blow away as easily in outdoor performances and it is much more durable.

Tape:

Parts that are two pages in length are folded in half with the music on the outside of the fold. Parts that are more than 2 pages in length need to be folded and then taped into accordion fashion. I am fortunate enough to have a taping machine. (This is a dandy machine with little gears that allows you to slide the two pages through while you turn the handle and it neatly folds the tape, joining the two pages together. It’s a handy machine but it takes some practice to master.) If you don’t have a taping machine you will have to do so manually. While you may be tempted to use household “invisible” tape, this is not the best choice for the job. It tends to be a bit flimsy for this purpose, just a few bends and folds and it will tear. Transparent tape is a better bet. The tape I use is labeled as “shiny, glossy tape for general purpose use, transparent and non-yellowing.”

Copier:

You will want to use the best quality copier that you can afford or have available to you. You will only need black and white copies so skip the more expensive color options. You will want something that you can make ample enlargements on. Quality counts! You don’t want to go through all the trouble of creating great copywork only to have terrible reproductions.

Space:

Depending on the size of your project you will need room to assemble your work and to store parts while you are completing your project. You don’t want dog-eared parts ending up on the music stands!

Band-Aids:

Keep a supply of Band-Aids on hand. I’m serious. Heavy card stock paper will give you killer paper cuts. The last thing you want is to bleed all over your beautiful copywork. 

Finally, Printing!

I like to start at the back of the file and work my way forward for two reasons. 1.When I’m done printing my file it is in the proper order. 2. This means I will print the never-ending string section first and I prefer to get the “big stuff” out of the way quickly. I print the entire piece and then get to the folding and taping. Two page parts are printed on one 12 ½” X 19” page and are then folded in half with the music on the outside of the fold. Parts that are more than 2 pages need to be taped together. When a part ends on an odd numbered page the last page is printed on a single sheet (12 ½” X 9 ½” page) and taped to the end. If you are using the same size paper and your originals are 8 ½“ X 11” the enlargement is 110%. You should be looking at your parts as you print, tape and fold each one. Make sure everything on the original ends up on the copy (no cutting off at the bottoms or sides.) Also watch for fading staves, notes etc. (If you’ve been reading our articles you’ve heard Lee talk about thickening up stave lines. Here’s why it’s so important. If the stave lines are too puny they will virtually disappear in the 2^nd generation copy!)

Check Through Your Printed File

Once you have printed, folded and taped your piece you should go back and check it again. Make sure that you have the required parts and the correct number of copies for each part. Place your files in a place where they won’t be moved around or damaged.

Do the above for each piece in your show or session. Check off your checklist as you complete each chart. The bigger your show the more you will appreciate keeping track of your completed tasks at the end.

Collating

You will need to collate each file into the individual parts for each player. I like to set out the music on a large table. If you were given a specific order in which each piece will be performed or recorded, put your parts in that order. (Again, you want to make things as simple and easy as possible for the musicians.) Here is where you will appreciate those tacet sheets. Be careful with this process and be sure not to grab more than one piece at a time.  If you are assembling for a live performance you may need to put the individual instrument parts in a labeled folder. Remember neatness counts! When time permits I like to use computer generated labels with the instrument and show name on them. If you are assembling for a recording session you may want to separate the individual parts with 11” X 17” paper so that they are less cumbersome.

Scores

In one way shape or form the scores for the production will have to be provided. For a live performance we generally either tape the full size scores together for conducting off of or enlarge scores to 11” X 17” and tape them together to be used. Pretty much the same is done for a recording session with the addition of reduced sized copies of the score for the engineers, also known as booth copies (8 ½” X 11”).

Packaging

I tend to save all the boxes and packing material I get and reuse it as needed. Carefully pack your material so that it is not damaged and receives minimal shifting during shipping. I like to use the boxes my paper is delivered in because it’s the same size and the copies fit snuggly. Use paper or any other material to pack into empty spaces once you’ve packed all your material. If you use newspaper, place a clean sheet of paper around or on top of your music so that the newspaper ink does not smear onto your copies. During our rainy season here, I sometimes put a plastic bag inside the box and then pack the music inside it to keep it from getting water damage.

Shipping

You may not need to ship your package, but if you do there are additional concerns to be aware of. Although I don’t usually like to spout name brands, I have to tell you that I have had great results with Fed Ex and would recommend it. This is simply my personal experience. Whomever you wish to use, it would be in your best interest to use a shipper that allows you to track the package. I once had a client in France; we’ll call her Madame X. She phoned me to say she had not received the package I had promised. I place her on hold and called my shipper who confirmed not only had the package been shipped, but also had been signed for by none other than Madame X! Keep copies of your shipping labels and learn the ins and outs of your shipping company. If you will be shipping international packages create a good export declaration with all of the disclaimers necessary. Most places in the US are reached with “overnight” service. However, shipments to places like Budapest, Hungary have taken anywhere from 4 days to a week!  These are concerns you should keep in mind and adjust your deadline accordingly.

This may seem like a great deal of work, especially when you are pressed for time. No matter how tight your deadline is, it is important to remember as many details as you possibly can. Although kudos and thanks seem to be few and far in-between in this business, you will have a great sense of accomplishment when your music director tells you everything went flawlessly. Performances and recording sessions require a great deal of dedication and hard work from many different areas. It is vital that each individual or group does their part to smooth things along. Well, that’s all of it. And you thought it was “just printing”. (Moo Ha Ha… insert evil laugh here.) Good luck and good printing!

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Roe Lewis

Roe Lewis is responsible for Printing Projects for Express Music Services and the Librarian for the Walt Disney World Music Library. She is also the Marketing Manager for Express Music Publishing and the Editor of Staff Notes.

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