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Recommended Books on Notation

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Behind Bars The Definitive Guide to Music Notation. Composed by Elaine Gould. Book; Reference Textbooks; Textbook - General. Faber Edition. Published by Faber Music (AP.12-0571514561).


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look inside 		Essential Dictionary of Music Notation The most practical and concise source for music notation. Reference Textbooks; Textbook - General. Essential Dictionary Series. Reference. Reference book. With introductory text, instructional text and musical examples. 352 pages. Published by Alfred Music (AP.16638).
Music Notation in the Twentieth Century: A Practical Guidebook by Kurt Stone



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The Art of Music Copying by Clinton Roemer, out of print, but available used

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Music Notation by Gardner Read



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Music Preparation: A Guide to Music Copying by Ken J. Williams (out of print, but available used). The book focuses on handwritten notation.


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Cover tiny file Guide to Standardized Drumset Notation Percussion. Percussive Arts Society #0966492811. Published by Percussive Arts Society (HL.6620063).
Cover tiny file How to Write for Percussion Composed by Samuel Solomon. Instructional. Method book. Published by Bachovich Music Publications (B2.0736).
Cover tiny file look inside The Salsa Guidebook Composed by Rebeca Mauleon. This edition: spiral-bound. The only complete method book on salsa ever published! Afro-Caribbean. Method book. Published by Sher Music Company (SR.SGB). For latin style notation.
Handbuch der Blasmusik by Willy Schneider (in German Language). More than 40 pages on notating dance rhythms in percussion sections and many other subjects on scoring for concert or brass bands.

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Cover tiny file look inside Berklee Contemporary Music Notation Berklee Guide. Softcover. 200 pages. Published by Berklee Press (HL.202547).
Cover tiny file Music Notation Preparing Scores and Parts. Berklee Guide. Softcover. Published by Berklee Press (HL.50449540).

Recommended Books on Arranging

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look inside 		Sounds and Scores Composed by Henry Mancini. Artist/Personality; Reference Textbooks; Textbook - Instrumental. Book & CD. 256 pages. Published by Alfred Music (AP.P0732SMXCD).
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look inside 		Inside The Score (Book & CD) Composing/Arranging Book. A Detailed Analysis of 8 Classic Jazz Ensemble Charts by Sammy Nestico, Thad Jones, and Bob Brookmeyer. Instructional, Jazz and Big Band. Instructional book and examples CD. 191 pages. Published by Kendor Music Inc (KN.20870).
The Complete Arranger by Sammy Nestico



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look inside 		Arranging for Large Jazz Ensemble Berklee Methods. Softcover with CD. Published by Berklee Press (HL.50449528).
Modern Arranging Technique by Gordon Delamont. Out of print, usually available used.



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Arranging for Rock String Quartet by John Reed
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look inside 		The Contemporary Arranger Composed by Don Sebesky. Reference Textbooks; Textbook - General. Book & CD. 252 pages. Published by Alfred Music (AP.1427).
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look inside 		Modern Jazz Voicings Arranging for Small and Medium Ensembles. Berklee Guide. Softcover Audio Online. Published by Berklee Press (HL.50449485).
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look inside 		Reharmonization Techniques Berklee Methods. Softcover. 192 pages. Published by Berklee Press (HL.50449496).
Cover tiny file The Professional Arranger Composer - Book 1 by Russell Garcia. Criterion. Softcover. Published by Criterion (HL.4020).
Cover tiny file The Professional Arranger Composer - Book 2 Criterion. Softcover with CD. Published by Criterion (HL.4021).
Cover tiny file Arrangieren und Instrumentieren Barock bis Pop. By Ulrich Kaiser; Carsten Gerlitz (in German Language). Paperback. Barenreiter Studienbucher Musik 14. Book. 177 pages. Published by Baerenreiter Verlag (BA.BVK1662).
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look inside 		The Jazz Theory Book This edition: spiral-bound. The most comprehensive Jazz Theory book ever published! Theory and Jazz. Instructional book (spiral bound). With instructional text, musical examples and black & white photos. 522 pages. Published by Sher Music Company (SR.JTB).
Cover tiny file Neue Jazz-Harmonielehre Book/CD (in German Language). Composed by Frank Sikora. Schott Pro Line. Book with 2 CDs. 608 pages. Schott Music #SPL1032. Published by Schott Music (HL.49016270).
In German language.
Theory of Harmony by Arnold Schoenberg



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Recommended Books on Orchestration

The Study of Orchestration by Samuel Adler. Fourth Edition.



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look inside 		Essential Dictionary of Orchestration The most practical and comprehensive resource for composers, arrangers & orchestrators. Reference Textbooks; Textbook - General. Essential Dictionary Series. Reference. Reference book (pocket size). With introductory text, instructional text and musical examples. 352 pages. Published by Alfred Music (AP.17894).
Cover tiny file Orchestration With 23 Illustrations and 296 Music Examples. Composed by Cecil Forsyth. Reference Textbooks; Textbook - Instrumental. Dover Edition. Book. Published by Dover Publications (AP.6-243834).
Free IMSLP e-book version.
Cover tiny file Principles of Orchestration Composed by Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908). Masterworks; Reference Textbooks; Textbook - General. Dover Edition. Masterwork Arrangement; Romantic. Book. Published by Dover Publications (AP.6-212661).
Free IMSLP e-book version.
Free interactive material of all musical examples of the book is available here.
The Cambridge Guide to Orchestration by Ertugrul Sevsay. 2013



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Technique of Orchestration by Kent Kennan and Donald Grantham


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Orchestration by Walter Piston. 1955.



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Instrumentation and Orchestration by Hector Berlioz, revised and enlarged by Richard Strauss.
Free IMSLP e-book.
Cover tiny file The History of Orchestration Composed by Adam Carse. Textbook - Instrumental. Dover Edition. Book. Published by Dover Publications (AP.6-212580).

Recommended Books on MIDI Orchestration

The Guide to MIDI Orchestration by Paul Gilreath



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Acoustic and MIDI Orchestration for the Contemporary Composer: A Practical Guide to Writing and Sequencing for the Studio Orchestra by Andrea Pejrolo and Richard DeRosa


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Das digitale Orchester by Mike Novy. In German language.



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Please note: these are paid partner links.
Elbsound.studio gets a tiny commission from these external vendors (Amazon and SheetMusicPlus) when you purchase a book through their websites.
It's still the same price for you. These commissions help Elbsound.studio to continue offering its free services, like the JW Lua scripts.

However, all of these book recommendations have been handpicked by Elbsound.studio based on our experience as arrangers and composers. They are not suggestions from SheetMusicPlus or Amazon.