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The David Bailey Music Studio
 Computer Typesetting of Music

Using the computer programs Finale or Sibelius, I will make your music suitable for printing.
Pricing varies depending on the indivual projects so it is difficult to give a true sense of cost here.
My pricing is based on $40/hour (with a 1-hour minimum billable) and I have been doing this long enough that my prices are quotes and not estimates.
One hour typically buys 2 pages of a typical manuscript score submission, or 2 pages of a previously engraved score submission,
but this varies based on the density of the music. For 1-page lead-sheets, one hour will typically buy two such lead-sheets, or one 2-page leadsheet.
All prices will be quoted to you before any work is begun, based on the pages you submit for my appraisal,
thus there won't be any surprise additions to the cost of the project along the way, unless the specifications of the project are changed.

Submissions for my appraisal may be sent electronically as PDF files (you scan in your manuscript and save it to one or more pdf files) sent as e-mail attachments
or via US Postal Service or UPS or Fedex. If you wish me to continue with Finale files or Sibelius files you have started on,
then submissions may be made simply by zipping those files up and e-mailing them to me as attachments.

Packages include:
  • typesetting of your score or song
    (with or without extraction of parts)
  • creation of lead-sheets
  • creation of a score from individual parts
  • straight copying of score or parts for preservation
  • recording of your music to audio files for demo purposes
  • burning such audio files onto CDs which you can then duplicate (or have me create as many as you wish)
  • completing or repairing a project you have already begun
Other packages are available to fit your needs.
Price quotes are available by request.
Contact David Bailey via e-mail about the computer-typesetting of your music.

Engraving Samples PDF
For best clarity, this needs to be printed to see the quality of the engraving.
If you can't view these samples you need Adobe Acrobat Reader.
To download the free Acrobat Reader, click (This will open a new browser window.)

Price quotes include the following:
(these are all part of the quote for NO additional fees)
1) accurate reproduction of the music you send me, according to the pre-arranged agreement;
2) fixing of any mistakes which I made in the course of the project, at no additional charge to you;
3) delivery of the materials as per schedule, in the format agreed upon:
on paper, as Finale or Sibelius files, as pdf files;
Price quotes do NOT include the following:
(these are all available for additional fees)
1) alterations to the size of the score made after the price was agreed upon;
2) significant rewriting of the music which results in the need for me to re-enter the music;
3) fixing of any mistakes which are present in the original materials sent to me.



"Engraving" isn't really the proper name for this service and neither is "typesetting" since nothing gets engraved on metal plates and no type is ever really set, but there isn't really a better term to use. The use of computers to "engrave" music was begun about 30 years ago, but only in recent years has desktop computing allowed it to achieve a price point and a quality to be of great value to the musical world at large. In the early days of desktop computer music notation software, the output was far better than much manuscript but it was still very far away from matching the beauty of a properly engraved score. While there are other notation programs available Finale and Sibelius both allow the kind of control over the musical details necessary to achieve elegance and clarity on the printed page.

Many people have gotten mistaken impressions of what computer-notation software can and can't do because of seeing the output from people who are novices both to the particular program being used as well as to proper music layout principles. Many people who think that output from computer notation software is not on a level of excellence with traditionally engraved music would be very surprised to find that much of the music they think is "engraved" is actually output from Finale, Sibelius or another high-end computer notation program. Many publishers have gone completely to computer notation software, and some actually require submissions to be in either Finale or Sibelius format.

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People who wish to enter the world of computer music notation themselves can find great resources at
NPC Imaging. (This link will open a new browser window.)
Dr. Nick Carter has compiled in one location many fine products and books to get people started working on notation at the computer.

Since many composers and arrangers (and publishers) can't find the time to master notation using a computer,
The David Bailey Music Studio is a great resource for you to consider using.
You do the creating and I'll make it look great!
Be sure to contact me via e-mail about the computer-typesetting of your music!



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