How to Write Music Part 5

Legibility.

52.--A common cause of illegibility in ma.n.u.script music is what may be called a spider-like sameness in the web. Stems and hooks--indeed sometimes stems and note-heads!--are much of the same thickness and blackness. Compare them in printed music, and it will be seen that a dozen, perhaps a score, of stems could be spun out of one hook.

53.--Should it be necessary to erase and rewrite a note, the blurred effect too often resulting may be almost entirely avoided by _penciling_ the correct note before tracing it in ink. This produces a lead-lined groove and prevents the ink from running.

Facility.

54.--Orthography is taught by the careful making--drawing rather than writing--of large letters. The formation of a more rapid and individual hand does not come till later. So with musical phonography. The student, at whatever cost of time and patience, must first acquire _accuracy and clearness_. Not till _these are gained_ must he think of rapidity and ease. Hence the consideration of facility has been deferred to the last.

Facility is well worthy of consideration, especially on the part of those who have much music to write. A little thought will often show how a character may be made in one stroke, which in any other way will take two or more, and that without any loss of clearness.

Thus a half note can be made in one stroke if begun at the point where the ring joins the stem; that is, at the _top_ of the ring for upward stems, at the _under part_ for downward stems.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 41.]

Quarter notes may be made in one stroke if the head be begun first when the stem is upward, and the _stem_ first when the stem is downward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 42.]

If this very simple expedient were more generally known, the practice of writing downward as well as upward stems at the right-hand side of the note-head--never done in printed music--would not be as common as it is.

It should be added that to make a quarter or half note satisfactorily in one stroke, a pliable pen, fine, but spreading under pressure, and rapidly recovering itself, is necessary, otherwise the head will be too thin or the stem too thick.

Eighth notes, especially those with downward stems, are best made in two strokes. They can, however, be made in one if begun at the _bottom_.

That is to say, those with upward stems must be begun at the head, and those with downward stems at the hook. This hook must be drawn thin, if made thick the pen will scratch when making the stem: if the head be made first the pen ends at the wrong side for a _downward_ stem.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 43.]

Each shorter note requires an additional action.

The G clef can be made in one stroke if begun at the innermost part of the curl, or at the downward extremity. The F clef requires three strokes, owing to the dots, each of which takes one to itself.

The C clef requires four movements, so does a sharp. A flat may be made in one stroke, but is very apt to look like a half note. A natural requires two movements.

Chords may be expeditiously formed, if with _downward_ stem, by making the top note, with stem, first, and then adding the other notes. Chords with upward stems should be begun at the bottom.

(The joinings are purposely left imperfect to show the method. The numbers show the order of the four actions for the four notes.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 44.]

Copyright.

55.--A primer on musical orthography is hardly complete without a few words on Copyright. As long as a work is in ma.n.u.script and copies are not offered for sale it enjoys the same protection, under the common law, as if properly entered for copyright. It is an infringement of copyright to copy, reprint, publish, or vend the whole or any portion of a copyright work for any purpose whatsoever. It is an infringement to copy a hymn tune, a portion of an anthem, orchestral parts, or to transpose a song; such infringements can be prosecuted and the full penalty exacted. It can be readily understood that such copying deprives the composer or proprietor of his just returns from the sales of his work. To secure a copyright in the United States of America it is necessary to print on each and every copy, Copyright (date) by (name of proprietor), and to send to the Registrar of Copyright, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C., two complete copies with a fee of one dollar for registration and a certificate under seal. The copyright is secured for twenty-eight years from the date of first publication with the privilege of a renewal for twenty-eight years, provided that notice of renewal is given the copyright office one year prior to the expiration of the first term.

Securing an international copyright is usually undertaken by the publisher, as are also such matters as mechanical rights.

56.--When the finished composition is ready for publication, a fair copy should be made and care exercised to see that it is legible and correct in every particular. A few suggestions as to proofreading and correcting may prove useful. There are certain symbols in universal use which are as follows:

[Ill.u.s.tration: move over]

[Ill.u.s.tration: take out]

[Ill.u.s.tration: turn over]

[Ill.u.s.tration: transpose]

[Ill.u.s.tration: close up]

[Ill.u.s.tration: s.p.a.ce]

[Ill.u.s.tration: wrong font]

[Ill.u.s.tration: lower case]

These symbols should be marked on the margin of the proof (see sample page), and no other instructions are necessary. Notes are indicated by their position on the staff not by their names. The value of a note is indicated by a fraction. Slurs are drawn in and indicated by the word "slur." Dots are encircled with a line to give them prominence.

[Ill.u.s.tration]