DPWiki:Music Guidelines (superseded)

Attention This page has been kept for Archival and Historical Purposes and does not reflect the latest information and documentation regarding DP. Please see the Official Documentation for the latest information, or ask around on the Forums. Thank you.

The updated Music Guidelines are now here.

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NOTE: The Music Guidelines are currently undergoing revision. Please post comments and suggestions in this forum thread, or send them via PM to the DP Music Coordinator, LCantoni.

The following are guidelines for DP projects containing music notation, with specific advice to Content Providers, Project Managers, Proofers, Formatters, Post-Processors, and Music Transcribers.

If you are a music transcriber and are willing to be called upon to help with a music project, please add your name and preferred notation software to the Volunteer Music Transcribers list at the end of this page — we need your help!

These guidelines are not intended to address issues in pure music projects, e.g. sheet music and scores, which are not generally appropriate for DP treatment. See the Sheet Music Archives page for more information on this.

Feel free to contact the DP Music Team with any questions you may have about handling music in a project, for help with transcribing music, or if you have any suggestions regarding these Music Guidelines.

Introduction

Having links to audio and other music-related files in an e-book provides a very rich experience for the reader. Depending on what files are provided, readers can listen to the music, print out sheet music, and download notation source files to edit and use for their own purposes.

Turning printed music into an audio file is what we call music transcription. If you're a PM or a PPer, you don't have to know music to handle a music project. DP's Music Team Draft Note: link is always ready to advise you and to transcribe music in your project.

A Note about E-Pub and Mobi

Right now, most e-reading devices that use the epub or mobi e-book format don't support links to external files, which means that readers using such devices won't be able to hear, view, or download external audio or other music-related files in your project. But PMs and PPers should still include such files to enhance the HTML version, and in the hope that someday, epub and mobi will catch up to HTML in providing a rich e-book experience with external resources. Draft Note: audio may be embeddable, but PG's epubmaker does not support that.

Audio File Formats

MP3 and WAV

The high quality of MP3 (.mp3) and WAV (.wav) audio files make them ideal where the music is more complex (e.g. orchestral music), and a more realistic and reliable sound is desirable. Unlike MIDI, MP3 and WAV files are WYHIWYG — what you hear is what you get.

WAV files are uncompressed and therefore tend to be very large. MP3 files are compressed but maintain very good quality. It would be wise to use audio-conversion software (such as the free audio editor Audacity) to convert WAV files into MP3 files before including them in a project.

See Principles of Orchestration for an example of the use of MP3s in a PG e-text. Draft Note: update sample?

MIDI

MIDI audio files (.midi or .mid) have a very small file size and are capable of reproducing a wide range of instrumental sounds. But the quality of those sounds will depend entirely on the user's sound card. Unlike with other audio file formats, what you hear when you play a midi file is not necessarily what someone else will hear. You can read more about that here.

MIDI files can also be imported into a number of music notation programs in order to create an editable score.

Note that some browsers don't automatically play MIDI files when the link is clicked. The user may have to adjust some browser settings or install a plugin.

MusicXML

MusicXML (.xml) is now the primary universal Internet standard for sharing music notation code. It is readable and/or writable by hundreds of music notation programs. Including MusicXML files in a project means that the music can be edited by anyone, if corrections are needed, and downloaded by anyone who wants to use it in their own music notation software.

A MusicXML file contains all the musical and text elements in a music piece. The code can be viewed in any text editor and most browsers, and there are plug-ins allowing browsers to play/display MusicXML files as music.

You can find more information on MusicXML here and here.

For a sample e-book with links to MusicXML files, see Principles of Orchestration. Draft Note: update sample?

PDF

PDF files (.pdf) are downloadable, printable versions of engraved music that the reader can use as sheet music. They can be created with many music notation programs. In most cases, however, PDFs are not necessary, as the PPer is expected to use the original images from the book.

PDFs can be useful where an alternative music image is desirable (e.g., where the original music image is not of acceptable quality, or a modern version of medieval notation is wanted). See Indian Story and Song for an example of a project with PDF files created from music notation software. Draft Note: update sample.

The original music images can also be combined into a PDF file for use as sheet music. This can be useful where there are many pages of music, and the PPer wants to avoid long image-loading delays in the HTML. In Music and Some Highly Musical People, for example, there were 149 pages of music. The PPer opted to display in the HTML just the first page of each piece, with a link to a PDF containing the original images of the full piece.

Music OCR

(under construction)

Guidelines for Content Providers

Choosing a Project

Music books are always welcome at DP, but you should be aware that pure music projects are not feasible for DP. They are not adaptable to the distributed proofreading model, mainly because there are so few DPers who can commit to transcribing large amounts of music. Please consult the Sheet Music Archives page for more information about this.

Before you upload your project, it would be a good idea to consult the DP Music Team for an evaluation of whether it's feasible for DP.

Preparing the Images

Music notation has a lot of very tiny symbols that are very important (e.g. a dot after a note, lengthening its time value; a dot over a note, indicating that it should be played short). So, to ensure that these are visible, music images should be scanned at the highest, crispest resolution possible. If the original is very clear, you can probably get away with black-and-white; otherwise, high-resolution grayscale may be the way to go.

If you are cropping the music images, be sure not to crop them too closely. Very often, music symbols, text directions, and even lyrics appear outside the staff boundaries. Better to have too much than too little.

When choosing file types, PDF is the obvious choice for a single stand-alone document, and PNG is the better choice for small snippets within HTML files. All browsers can display a PNG inline within the page, but not PDF. For resizing and other options, PDF is better. Keep in mind that some apps don't handle PDF, and others only work with PDF. There is so much out there in the mobile world we are trying to reach.

Guidelines for Project Managers

Planning the Project

When you're the PM for a new project containing music, the first thing you should do is set up a plan, i.e., decide how you want the music represented in the HTML and what files you want in the project. The DP Music Team can help you with your plan.

The easiest way of representing music in the HTML is simply the original image with a link to a midi file. You might also want PDFs generated by the music notation software; you might want MusicXML files; you might want proprietary source files; you might want all of the above. See the guide to Music File Formats above to help you decide.

It's a good idea to get a music-capable PPer in advance who can help you decide how the project should look, and who may be able to transcribe the music himself/herself during PP. Failing that, try to get a volunteer to transcribe the music in advance, while the project is going through the rounds. See the list of Volunteer Music Transcribers, or post in the Music Team forum.

If there is a large amount of music in the project, consider creating a DP Wiki page with links to the music images, so that a group of music transcribers can claim music to work on while the project is going through the rounds. See the Traditional Games project for an example.

Some PMs have specified that they want the music transcribed using a particular notation program, such as Lilypond. This is not advisable, as specifying a particular program will reduce considerably the already-small pool of available volunteers. If you are tempted, you should at least be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the most commonly used programs before you decide to do this. See the sections on Music Notation Software and Longevity for information on the most commonly used programs and the future utility of their output.

Writing the Project Comments

Once you have a plan in place, your Project Comments should be very specific about what you expect from the proofers, formatters, and PPer. Again, getting a PPer on board beforehand will be very helpful in formulating clear instructions. The DP Music Team can also help you with this.

Look through the project:

• How much music is there?
• Are the music illustrations snippets, or full pieces, or a combination?
• Does the music have lyrics, titles, composer credits, or other text elements that should be proofed?
• Has the author put music illustrations in the middle of a sentence or paragraph to illustrate a point?
• Are there music symbols (flats, sharps, and so forth) in the text?

The Project Comments must be clear on how to handle these issues.

Writing Instructions for Proofers

Music images are treated as illustrations, so the proofers won't be involved in formatting the markup. But if the music illustrations have text elements, you'll want them proofed.

The common practice is to have the proofers proof only the title, composer or other credits, copyright information, lyrics, and any other text information about the piece. Purely musical directions, such as tempo markings (e.g. Allegro), instrument designations (e.g. Voice, Piano), and dynamics (e.g. crescendo) are generally excluded from proofing.

Specify in the Project Comments what the proofers can expect to find and what you want proofed.

Lyrics

Lyrics present special issues. In music notation, syllables are hyphenated to match the notes, and dashes or long ellipses are often used to indicate a held note. Proofers frequently ask questions on how to handle these, so it's important to be clear about what you (and/or the PPer) want.

There are two schools of thought on how lyrics should be proofed:

• Ignore hyphens, dashes, and ellipses. For example, if the lyrics in the original read, "Ma-ry had a lit-tle lamb whose fleece was white as snow......" they are proofed as "Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow." Some people prefer this method because it's much easier to read, and because, in the plaintext version of the e-book, syllable divisions won't make sense without a music illustration. Moreover, hyphenation is often erratic or even wrong in the original.

• Match the scan. All hyphens, dashes, and ellipses are rendered as they appear in the original. Some people prefer this method because it is as close as possible to the original and easy for the proofers to follow (just match the scan). Also, music notation programs usually require the addition of hyphens for the lyrics to appear correctly under the notes. This method allows the music transcriber to simply copy and paste the pre-hyphenated lyrics into the notation program (editing to add missing hyphens or correct wrong ones in the original).

Music Symbols

Music symbols in the text will require special handling, as they'll need to be represented somehow in the plaintext version, and the PPer will need to be able to find them for HTML treatment.

Some suggested methods for proofing common music symbols:

• Sharp (♯): [#] or [sharp]
• Flat (♭): [b] or [flat]
• Natural(♮): [n] or [natural]
• Double sharp (): [x] or [double-sharp]
• Double flat (♭♭): [bb] or [double-flat]

So, for example, you could have the proofers represent B♭ as B[b] or B[flat]. (The latter method might be clearer for readers of the plaintext version who are not conversant with music notation, but if the former method is used, the PPer can always put in a Transcriber's Note explaining the symbols.)

The Project Comments should also mention that other music symbols in the text should be proofed with the name in brackets if the proofer knows what it is, e.g. [crescendo], or simply with [**music symbol] so the PPer can find it and add the name in later. For example:

62. The sign [crescendo-decrescendo] over a note indicates that the tone
is to be begun softly, gradually increased in power, and as
gradually decreased again, ending as softly as it began. In
vocal music this effect is called <i>messa di voce</i>.

There are also two methods of representing musical notes in text that can be useful in providing a text description, if desired, of a one- or two-note music example:

• scientific notation (in which middle C is C4), or
• Helmholtz notation (in which middle C is c´).

For example:

which is G above middle C, could be represented in text as [Music: G4] or [Music: g´].

This may be a bit too advanced for the proofers, however, so it is probably best to leave it up to the PPer (with the assistance of a music transcriber, if needed) to include this information. (Note: The PPer should also include a transcriber's note explaining the system used.)

Writing Instructions for Formatters

The formatters will be concerned with three issues:

• Adding [Music] markup.
• Marking lyrics as poetry, where appropriate.
• Determining whether the music illustration should remain in its original place, or be moved to the nearest paragraph break.

The [Music] Tag

Text elements in the music (title, composer, lyrics, copyright, etc.) should be included within the [Music] tag. For example:

[Music: MAKING BUTTER.

<sc>Emilie Poulsson.</sc>

<sc>C.C. Roeske.</sc>

/*
1. Skim, skim, skim,
With the skimmer bright;
Take the rich and yellow cream,
Leave the milk so white.
*/
]

For music continued on or from another page, formatters can use the same convention we use for continued footnotes, i.e. *[Music] or [Music]*.

Lyrics Formatting

You should specify in the Project Comments how you want lyrics formatted. In general, multiple-line lyrics should be marked up as poetry, using /* tags as in the example above. Single-line lyrics will not need /* markup.

You should also specify in the Project Comments whether you want the formatters to insert poetry line breaks in multiple-line lyrics, or simply match the scan. As can be seen in the "Making Butter" example above, and the "Lauriett" example below, line breaks in the lyrics depend on the length of the musical staff; one line of music may encompass more than one line of lyrics.

If you want the formatters to create line breaks, give them a guide as to how to do it. Usually a new line of lyrics begins with a capital letter. The rhyming scheme is also helpful in determining where the line breaks should go. Sometimes additional verses are set forth in text below the music image; these can also be a good guide as to where line breaks should go.

If the music image has multiple verses of lyrics, you need to specify how you want them formatted: separate them, or match the scan. For example, the lyrics in this image

can be formatted to match the scan:

/*
1. Lauriett! Ah! my
2. Fare thee well! Ah, my

dearest, I will often think of thee, When
dearest, Wilt thou often think of me, When I'm
*/

or separated:

/*
1. Lauriett! Ah! my
dearest, I will often think of thee, When

2. Fare thee well! Ah, my
dearest, Wilt thou often think of me, When I'm
*/

or separated with poetry line breaks:

/*
1. Lauriett! Ah! my dearest,
I will often think of thee,
When

2. Fare thee well! Ah, my dearest,
Wilt thou often think of me,
When I'm
*/

Music in the Middle of a Paragraph

Sometimes music illustrations, like regular illustrations, are moved to the nearest paragraph break. But the Project Comments should be clear that music illustrations that are used in the middle of a sentence or paragraph to illustrate a point (if they exist in your project) should NOT be moved. For example:

101. Other varieties of measure sometimes found are 9/8 and
12/8, but these are practically always taken as three-beat and
four-beat measures respectively, being equivalent to these if
each group of three tones is thought of as a triplet.
[Music] is identical in effect with [Music]

Writing Instructions for Post-Processors

Even if you've engaged a PPer in advance, you should lay out your requirements in the Project Comments, in case the project is later reassigned to another PPer. Many PMs simply ask that at least midi files be included, and leave the rest up to the PPer. If you do have further requirements for the final product, include them in the Project Comments. For example:

• All the file formats you want included in the e-book, such as midi, PDF, MusicXML, notation program source files (see Music File Formats above).

• Whether you want the original images displayed in the HTML, or, instead, images generated by the music notation software.

The easiest, and most common, way of representing music in the HTML is simply the original image with a link to a midi file. The PPer and music transcriber don't have to worry about the appearance of the music, and just about any notation software can be used to generate the midi.

Remember, the more you require, the more work for the PPer and the music transcriber, and the longer it will take for the project to get posted. Before you insist on images created from notation software, or the use of a particular notation program, think about whether it's justified. Here are some guidelines:

• The original image should be used unless it is of unacceptable quality.

• Where the original image is acceptable but not terribly clear, it can be used with a link to a clearer image or PDF file created by notation software.

• If you decide that you need images or PDFs engraved with notation software, decide whether you need to match the original image (which may have old-style or non-standard notation) or whether it is sufficient that the music be represented in equivalent modern notation. Remember that while most notation software can engrave modern notation very well, attempting to reproduce old-style or non-standard notation may not be successful, and could incur a disproportionate amount of effort.

• PDF files are appropriate where the music is a complete piece, and you want the reader to be able to view or print a piece out as sheet music. They're less useful for music snippets (unless, as noted above, the original music image isn't clear).

• MusicXML files are also appropriate for complete pieces. They do, however, have some utility for music snippets; if a reader comes across an error in the music, anyone with pretty much any notation software can make corrections to the music later on. Note that not all notation programs can create MusicXML files, however.

• Please avoid requiring the use of particular notation software; as noted above, you'll reduce the already small pool of potential music transcribers if you do. See the Music Notation Software section for the advantages and disadvantages of different programs.

• Important Note for Lilypond: If you feel you must require Lilypond, it is essential that you specify in the Project Comments that the Lilypond source files contain a \version statement, so that the source files can be converted to later versions of Lilypond.

Adding Music to the Project Files

If you have asked for music to be transcribed in advance, you might like to have a safe repository for the music files until the project gets a PPer. In the past, dpscans was available to PPers; the PM could park the music files in his or her folder and note in the project comments that the files are available there. Unfortunately, dpscans is no longer an option for PPers. The alternative of an individual PM or transcriber holding the files is not optimal, as there is the possibility that one or the other of them may become unavailable, and the files could thereby be lost.

To solve this problem, we now have the capability of adding music files to the project's "extra files," just as high-resolution images are stored there. The PPer will therefore be able to download the music files along with all the other project files.

Here's how to do it:

1. Name the music files using only lower case letters, numbers, the underscore or hyphen character, and the dot that separates the filename from the extension. See the PG FAQ concerning filenames.
2. Zip up the music files, naming the zip file with the project ID number, e.g., projectIDxxxx_music.zip. (Copy and paste the project ID number from the project page to avoid typos.)
3. Put the zip file in your dpscans folder. If you do not have a dpscans folder, upload the zip file to a storage website, such as Dropbox, from which it can be downloaded by a db-req Squirrel. Do not send it as an email attachment to db-req.
4. Send an e-mail to db-req asking that the music files be added to the project's extra files. Be sure to include the project name and ID number, and the location of the zip file, e.g. dpscans, Dropbox, etc. For Dropbox, or other non-dpscans locations, you will need to provide a direct link for downloading the zip file.
5. If you are the PM, you can put a note in the Project Comments telling the future PPer that the music files are in the project's extra files. If you are the not the PM, mention in your email to db-req that the PCs should be updated.

This method is optional, but is highly recommended to ensure that music files created in advance are preserved for the PPer.

Guidelines for Proofers

If you would like to learn how to receive email alerts when this page is updated, please read this document.

The following are guidelines for any project containing music notation (even if it's not in the Music/Musicology genre), for:

• Content Providers and Squirrels
• Project Managers
• Proofreaders
• Formatters
• Post-Processors
• Music Transcribers

Comments and suggestions for future revisions are welcome - send a PM to the DP Music Coordinator (currently LCantoni) or post in DP's Music Team thread.

Introduction

It is required that, at the very least, projects containing music notation, whether the project is primarily music-related or not, have audio files (MP3 or MIDI) to accompany them.

Why? Because links to audio and other music-related files in an e-book containing music notation provide a very rich experience for the reader. Depending on what kinds of files are provided, readers can listen to the music, download notation source files to edit and use for their own purposes, or download and print sheet music to play on an instrument.

Some exceptions to this requirement, such as illegible or non-standard music notation, are discussed below.

Why do this when the original books didn't have sound? In the days before recordings and radio and other forms of sound transmission, there were far fewer ways for people to hear music other than by going to a concert, and many had few opportunities of doing even that. But most educated people had access to a piano or other musical instrument. Knowing this, authors and publishers put passages of music notation in their books so that readers could play it for themselves and enrich the experience of what they were reading.

You don't have to know music to handle a project containing music. DP's Music Team and Music Coordinator, currently LCantoni, are always ready to advise you and to transcribe music (i.e., turn music notation into audio and other files). And these Guidelines are designed to help you every step of the way.

Guidelines for Content Providers

Choosing a Project

Music-related books are always welcome at DP, but you should be aware that pure music projects, such as those consisting entirely of scores or sheet music, are not feasible for DP. They are not adaptable to the distributed proofreading model, mainly because there are so few DPers who can commit to transcribing large amounts of music.

Before you upload your project, be sure to consult the DP Music Coordinator, currently LCantoni, or post in the DP Music Team, for an evaluation of whether it's feasible for DP. As a rule of thumb, if more than 10% of the project's pages consist of full-page music notation (e.g., 30 full pages of music notation in a 300-page project), it may not be feasible to run at DP. Because projects with music vary greatly, there can't be a hard-and-fast rule for how much is too much. The Music Coordinator will evaluate feasibility on a case-by-case basis.

For Squirrels: PP Reclaims

Before releasing a PP reclaim into the pool, you must ensure that all the music has been transcribed and the audio and/or MusicXML files have been added to the project through db-req. See #Adding Music to the Project Files for more information.

Preparing the Images

Music notation has a lot of very tiny symbols that are very important (e.g., a dot after a note, lengthening its time value; a dot over a note, indicating that it should be played short). So, to ensure that these are visible, music images should be scanned at the highest, crispest resolution possible.

If you are cropping the music images, be sure not to crop them too closely. Very often, music symbols, text directions, and even lyrics appear outside the staff boundaries. Better to have too much than too little.

Guidelines for Project Managers

Planning the Project

New requirement as of May 2025: A PM for a new project containing music MUST do the following BEFORE releasing the project into the rounds:

• notify the Music Coordinator
• arrange for transcription by the Music Team into audio files (where feasible), and
• ask db-req to add those files to the project.

Note that some music notation may not be transcribable; some notation may be just a single note and not worth transcribing. Decisions about what should or should not be transcribed should be made at this point in consultation with the Music Coordinator.

When posting your request in the Music Team forum, do not specify that you want the music transcribed using a particular notation program, as this will reduce the already-small pool of Music Transcribers. Note that Lilypond is no longer acceptable at DP.

In most projects, the music consists of snippets of notation to illustrate the text. In others, there might be complete musical pieces. And some projects may use musical symbols in the course of the text. This is all information you'll want to include when Writing the Project Comments.

If the project has musical symbols in the text, be sure to choose the Symbols Collection Character Suite when creating the project so that the proofreaders will have access to Unicode musical symbols. Note, however, that the project may also use symbols not in that collection; see Music Symbols below for more information on handling those.

In the final HTML e-book, the post-processor must use, at a minimum, the original image with a link to an audio file. Some PPers like to provide multiple audio formats (e.g., MP3 and MIDI); some also like to provide (optionally) a MusicXML file so that the music notation can be downloaded and imported into any music notation software. See the discussion of Music File Formats below. If you have a preference, please put it in the Project Comments.

Adding Music to the Project Files

Once the music has been transcribed, you MUST ask db-req to add the music files to the project's extra files. The PPer will then be able to download the music files along with all the other project files.

For db-req's purposes, the only file types that can be added to the project files are:

• MP3 or MIDI
• MusicXML (.mxl)
• A text file (.txt) containing transcriber's notes

Please do not include image or PDF files when asking db-req to add music files to the project. If the music transcriber has sent you a zip file containing anything other than the above file types, please create a new zip for db-req with only the permitted file types.

Before you send the files to db-req, LISTEN TO THE AUDIO to make sure it's at a reasonable volume and doesn't have extraneous non-music sounds (screeches, pops, static, etc.). Ask the Music Transcriber to re-do it if necessary.

Here's how to ask db-req to add music files to the project:

1. Make sure the music file filenames are all lower case and without spaces.
2. Zip up the music files, naming the zip file with the project ID number and the word "music" after an underscore (no spaces!), e.g., projectIDxxxx_music.zip. (Copy and paste the project ID number from the project page to avoid typos.)
3. Put the zip file in your DPScans folder. If you don't have one, upload the zip file to a cloud storage site, such as Dropbox, so that a db-req Squirrel can download it. Do NOT send it as an email attachment to db-req!
4. Send an e-mail to db-req asking that the music files be added to the project's extra files. Be sure to include your DP username, the project name and ID number, and the location of the zip file, e.g. DPScans, Dropbox, etc. For Dropbox or other external locations, be sure to provide the direct link for downloading the zip file.
5. Put a note in the Project Comments telling the future PPer that the music files are in the project's extra files, and post in the Project Discussion that you've asked db-req to add the files.
6. Do not delete the zip file until you've confirmed that the music files have been added to the project.

Writing the Project Comments

Once you have a plan in place, your Project Comments should be very specific about what you expect from the proofreaders, formatters, and PPer. The Music Coordinator can help you with this.

The Project Comments must be clear on how to handle these issues:

• How much music is there?
• Are the music illustrations snippets, or full pieces, or a combination?
• Does the music have lyrics, titles, composer credits, or other text elements that should be proofed?
• Has the author put music illustrations in the middle of a sentence or paragraph to illustrate a point?
• Are there music symbols (flats, sharps, and so forth) in the text?

You must provide a link to these Music Guidelines - but you must also give specific guidance to proofreaders, formatters, and the PPer based on what is in your project.

Writing Instructions for Proofreaders

Music images are treated the same way as illustrations, so the proofreaders won't be involved in formatting the markup. But if the music illustrations have text elements, you'll want them proofed.

The proofreaders should be proofing only these portions of music notation:

• title
• composer, arranger, lyricist, or other credits
• lyrics
• copyright information or other text information about the piece
• captions such as "Fig. 1" or "(2)" or the like

Purely musical directions, such as tempo markings (e.g. Allegro), instrument designations (e.g. Voice, Piano), and dynamics (e.g. crescendo) should be excluded from proofing.

Specify in the Project Comments what the proofreaders can expect to find and how they should be proofed.

Lyrics

Lyrics present special issues. In vocal music notation, syllables are sometimes hyphenated to match the musical notes, and dashes or long ellipses are sometimes used to indicate a held note. Unlike the actual words of the lyrics, these hyphens, dashes, and ellipses have no textual value but are instead part of the music notation. It is therefore best to remove them so that the text is more readable.

So, proofreaders should be instructed to remove hyphens, dashes, and ellipses. For example, if the lyrics in the original are "Ma-ry had a lit-tle lamb whose fleece was white as snow......" they should be proofed as "Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow."

Music Symbols in the Text

Music symbols in the text will require special proofing, as they'll need to be represented in the plaintext version, and the PPer will need to be able to find them for HTML treatment.

The Symbols Collection Character Suite contains the following Unicode symbols that the proofreaders can use and that will appear properly in the plaintext version:

• Sharp ♯
• Flat ♭
• Natural ♮
• Quarter note (crotchet) ♩
• Eighth note (quaver) ♪

Other music symbols in the text should be proofed with the name in brackets if the proofreader knows what it is, e.g. [**crescendo], or simply with [**music symbol], so the PPer can find it.

Time signatures expressed in numbers, like , should be rendered as fractions (e.g., 3/4).

In place of the stylized letter symbols for music dynamics such as

piano

forte

and the like, proofreaders should use italicized lowercase letters, e.g., p, f.

Writing Instructions for Formatters

The formatters will be concerned with three issues:

• Adding [Music] markup.
• Marking lyrics as poetry, where appropriate.
• Determining whether the music illustration should remain in its original place, or be moved to the nearest paragraph break.

The [Music] Tag

Be sure to specify in the Project Comments for the formatters that music notation must be marked as [Music], not [Illustration]. This makes the music easier to find so that the PPer knows where to add links to the music files.

Text elements in the music (title, composer, lyrics, copyright, etc.) that aren't musical directions should be included within the [Music] tag. For example:

[Music: MAKING BUTTER.

<sc>Emilie Poulsson.</sc>

/*
<sc>C.C. Roeske.</sc>
*/

/*
1. Skim, skim, skim,
With the skimmer bright;
Take the rich and yellow cream,
Leave the milk so white.
*/
]

For music continued on or from another page, formatters should use the same convention used for continued footnotes, i.e. *[Music] or [Music]*.

Lyrics Formatting

Lyrics should be formatted as poetry. Formatters should be instructed to use their best judgment in determining where each new line should begin. The most common clue is a capitalized word in the middle of a lyrics line, such as "With," "Take," and "Leave" in the example above.

Very often, songs with multiple verses have additional verses in text below the music notation, which will give a good idea of how the layout and indentation should look. For example:

The correct formatting for the above music:

[Music: SING A SONG OF SIXPENCE.

/*
Sing a song of Sixpence
  A pocket full of rye;
Four and twenty Blackbirds
  Baked in a pie;
When the pie was open'd
  The birds began to sing,
Oh, was not that a dainty dish
  To set before the King.
*/
]

/*
2. The King was in his counting-house
     Counting out his money,
   The Queen was in the parlour
     Eating bread and honey;
   The Maid was in the garden
     Hanging out the clothes,
   There came a little blackbird
     And pecked off her nose.
*/

Sometimes, multiple verses will appear in the notation itself, often numbered. These verses should be separated. Example:

Correct formatting for the above:

[Music: NATURAL HISTORY

/*
1. What are little boys made of?
   What are little boys made of?
   Frogs and snails and puppy-dog’s tails,
   And that are little boys made of.

2. What are little girls made of?
   What are little girls made of?
   Sugar and spice and all that’s nice,
   And that are little girls made of.
*/
]

/*
3. What are young men made of?
   What are young men made of?
   Sighs and leers, and crocodile tears,
   And that are young men made of.

4. What are young women made of?
   What are young women made of?
   Ribbons and laces, and sweet pretty faces,
   And that are young women made of.
*/

Multi-voice music, such as choruses or duets, needs to be formatted so that each voice part's line is separate. Note that there may be slight differences in the words for each vocal part. For example:

Proper formatting for the above:

[Music: A SIXTEENTH-CENTURY MADRIGAL

<sc>Soprano 1.</sc>

/*
Louange et gloire en action de grâce,
Chantons à Dieu de la
*/

<sc>Soprano 2.</sc>

/*
Louange et gloire en action de grâce,
Chantons à Dieu de
*/

<sc>Alto 1.</sc>

/*
Louange et gloire en action de grâce,
Chantons à Dieu de
*/

<sc>Alto 2.</sc>

/*
Louange et gloire en action de grâce,
Chantons à Dieu de
*/
]

Music in the Middle of a Paragraph

Sometimes music illustrations, like regular illustrations, are moved to the nearest paragraph break. But the Project Comments should be clear that music illustrations that are used in the middle of a sentence or paragraph to illustrate a point (if they exist in your project) should NOT be moved. For example:

101. Other varieties of measure sometimes found are 9/8 and
12/8, but these are practically always taken as three-beat and
four-beat measures respectively, being equivalent to these if
each group of three tones is thought of as a triplet.
[Music] is identical in effect with [Music]

Writing Instructions for Post-Processors

Be sure to note in the Project Comments and the Project Discussion that the music has already been transcribed and that the music files have been added to the project.

Music Images

The final project must always use the original music images.

The only time transcriber-generated images are permitted is where the original images are especially hard to read due to poor quality, or use an archaic notation style like medieval neumes. In that case, you might like to have clean and/or modern notation images to include with the project in addition to the original images. If that's what you want, be sure to say so in the Project Comments. But don't expect Music Transcribers to re-create the appearance of archaic notation, as many notation programs don't have that capability.

Guidelines for Proofreaders

The primary directive for proofreaders, as for any project, is to follow the Project Comments and read the Project Discussion. The PM will, ideally, have given specific instructions on how to proof any text elements in the music.

In the absence of specific instructions, proofreaders should do the following when encountering music in a project:

• Treat music illustrations as illustrations; that is, leave the markup to the formatters.
• Proof text elements such as the title, composer, and any lyrics.
• In the lyrics, remove hyphens between syllables (unless the word is normally hyphenated), ellipses, or long dashes.
• Ignore text elements that are actually part of the music, such as tempo and dynamic markings (e.g., Allegro, rit., cresc., p, f, dim., etc.). If you're not sure, leave it in, with a [**note].
• Mark music symbols in the text as [**music symbol], or, if you know the name of the symbol, include it, e.g., [**crescendo].
• Ask in the Project Discussion, or leave a [**note], for anything you're not sure of.
• See Writing Instructions for Proofreaders above for more information.

Guidelines for Formatters

The primary directive for formatters, as it is for proofreaders, is to follow the Project Comments and read the Project Discussion.

If the PM has not given specific instructions on formatting music, formatters should follow these basic guidelines:

• Mark music illustrations as [Music].
• Include any text elements (title, composer, lyrics) within the [Music] tag, e.g., [Music: Liebestraum].
• Format any lyrics as poetry, using /* markup. Multiple verses (usually numbered 1, 2, etc.) should be separated.
• If the music appears in the middle of a sentence or paragraph as part of the text, leave it there. Move standalone music illustrations to the nearest paragraph break.
• Do not add music notation code, such as Lilypond. The music may already have been done, or is planned to be done in a different manner. If you'd like to transcribe the music — and your help would be most welcome! — contact the PM, the PPer, the DP Music Coordinator (LCantoni), or the DP Music Team, before you do anything.
• Ask in the Project Discussion, or leave a [**note], for anything you're not sure of.
• See Writing Instructions for Formatters for more information.

Guidelines for Post-Processors

Always read the Project Comments and Project Discussion for information about music files. If they are not with the project, contact the Music Coordinator. DO NOT TAKE IT UPON YOURSELF TO TRANSCRIBE MUSIC - someone may have already worked on it.

If you are interested in transcribing music for new projects that you'd like to PP (or old ones that for some reason don't have music files), and you can read music and have a notation program, notify the Music Coordinator, who will give you guidance, proofread your work, and ask db-req to add the music files to the project, which must be done BEFORE you post the project to PG.

It's also a good idea to browse through all the page images to make sure you know where all the music images are, including music symbols in the text, before you start PPing.

Plaintext

The proofreaders should have used the music symbols character picker for the few available Unicode music symbols. As for symbols not in the picker, while you can use a generic [musical symbol] tag, it'll be a richer experience for the reader if you give a more specific description, such as [crescendo] (which the proofreaders may have already provided). The Dolmetsch Chart of Musical Symbols is a handy resource, or, if you're still not sure, post in the Music Team forum.

HTML

Accessibility

For accessibility purposes in the HTML, be sure that the text elements in the music image (title, composer, lyrics, etc.) are laid out in the main text of the HTML. See Our Old Nursery Rhymes for an example.

Lyrics can be placed either directly below the music image, or in a separate section at the end of your document (in which case be sure to place a clear "go to lyrics" link from the area of the original image).

Images

You MUST use the original music images. In certain circumstances (poor-quality originals or archaic notation) you may also use images generated by a notation program, but only in addition to the originals. Consult the Music Coordinator if you're not sure.

Don't crop music images too closely; keep a sharp eye out for music and text elements (such as lyrics) that are outside the staff margins.

Make sure the image resolution and size are sufficient for the reader to clearly see all of the music, including the little dots and so forth. You can display a small image and link to a larger one if necessary. But don't make the image display too large, or it will overwhelm the page. See the PP FAQ for more information on image sizes.

A simple border around the music image can be attractive. See Our Old Nursery Rhymes for an example.

Links

When preparing the HTML version of the e-book, create a separate "music" folder containing the music files you want to include.

New as of May 2025: Project Gutenberg's ebookmaker now permits HTML5 audio links, which means that users can now listen to the music on many (thought not all) e-reading devices. If you're creating your HTML version in HTML5, the link syntax is as follows:

<audio controls="controls" src="music/filename.mp3">

Audio content is not currently supported on your device.</audio>

The "not currently supported" message MUST be included for those whose devices don't support audio.

If you're not using HTML5, create visible links to the audio files near the music notation image. Whether you're using HTML5 or not, you may also want to link to MusicXML files. Explain these links in a Transcriber's Note at the beginning of the HTML file. See Our Old Nursery Rhymes for an example of how this can be done.

Include in a Transcriber's Note that the music files are the music transcriber's interpretation of the printed notation and are placed in the public domain.

Music Symbols in HTML

As noted above in the Guidelines for Project Managers, the proofreaders will have used the Symbols Collection character picker for a few basic music symbols (e.g., flats and sharps).

You can use in-line illustrations taken from the page images for other symbols. See Music Notation and Terminology for an example.

Guidelines for Music Transcribers

Note: Although you need not be a professional musician to transcribe music at DP, these guidelines assume that you can read music notation, at least at an elementary level.

First Steps

Before you transcribe music for a DP project:

• Look over the music and make sure that your music notation software is capable of producing at least a midi or mp3 file. If you're not sure about something, post in the Music Team forum, with a link to the music page.

• Check whether the music continues on the following page(s). A single piece of music spanning several pages has to be transcribed as one piece, so that you can produce a single audio file.

• Review the text pages surrounding the music for additional clues as to how it should be handled (tempo, instruments, etc.), if this information is not apparent from the music itself.

• Use online resources to help determine how the music is supposed to sound, if it's not already familiar to you. For example, if the music is by a classical composer whose works are in the public domain, the IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library has a huge selection of free scores in PDF format, which you can use to double-check possible printer errors in the project, determine the correct tempo, etc. YouTube is also a great resource for actual performances of just about any kind of music.

• Don't be shy about asking for credit. You worked hard on the music and deserve kudos for it. Let the PM or PPer you're working with know how you want to be listed in the project credits (e.g., with your real name or your DP name), or, on the other hand, that you'd prefer not to be credited at all.

• Do not take it upon yourself to transcribe music for a project without checking with the PM, the PPer, or the DP Music Team first. It may well be that the music is already being, or has already been, transcribed. You don't want to duplicate efforts.

Requirements

When you're asked to transcribe music for a project, you should ideally provide an MP3 file and a MusicXML file, if your software is capable of producing them. If not, at the very least provide a MIDI file. You can also provide both MP3 and MIDI if you desire or the PM or PPer request it. You can also provide a PDF file, if you like and your notation software can generate one, so that the PM or PPer can check your work if so desired. But the PDF file will not be made part of the project files.

Transcribe only what you see in the notation. Don't re-orchestrate or re-arrange it. For example, if it's written for piano, use a piano sound. If it's written for voice only, use a vocal sound (MIDI has "choir aahs" and other vocal sounds). Just as we don't edit the text of the books we work on, we should not be editing the music. That said, you can make two kinds of alterations to the original:

• You can correct obvious printer errors and note them in a transcriber's note.
• Where the original doesn't indicate instrument, tempo, or dynamics, you can use your judgment or, if it's a well-known piece, consult online sources to add them as needed, and note what you did in a transcriber's note.

By creating and submitting music files for a DP project, you are agreeing that the files are being placed in the public domain, and there will be a notice to that effect in the e-book. If you can't agree to this, don't work on the project.

Be sure to proofread your work carefully, both by visual comparison with the original and listening. Make sure the volume isn't too loud or soft, and that there are no extraneous sounds (pops, statics, etc.).

Beware also of two consecutive snippets of music that look like one but aren't. Some clues: if there's a final bar line for the first one, followed by a key change in the second, it's probably two separate pieces. If you're not sure, ask in the Music Team forum.

Finally, send your music files to the Music Coordinator, or post a link in the Music Team forum, so that someone can check your work before it's sent to the PM.

File Naming Conventions

When naming the files you're providing, match them to the image file names so that the PM/PP can find them easily. So, for example, if you're providing music files from an image named i_008.jpg, name the files i_008.mp3, i_008.mxl, i_008.mid, etc. Do not put spaces in the filenames.

If there are multiple separate pieces of music on a page, please add "a," "b", "c", etc. after the number in the filename, e.g., i_008a.jpg, etc.

When you zip the music files, please use the project's Project ID number followed by an underscore and "music." For example, projectID5e8e063577d99_music.zip.

Handling Printer Errors

Just as with text, there can be printer errors in music. Unlike with text, however, it may not be possible to just leave the error in place - the audio file may sound terrible if you don't correct the error.

First, however, make sure it's an error. Sometimes dissonances are deliberate. Sometimes a bar deliberately contains more fewer beats than the key signature indicates (as in cadenzas, or in partial or pickup bars). If you're not sure, post in the Music Team forum, with a link to the music page.

As you work, keep a running list of printer errors and embody them in a transcriber's note that the PPer can include in the project. Describe exactly where the error is (giving system, bar, and beat numbers), why it's an error, and what (if anything) you did to correct it.

The transcriber's note can be in a separate text file, or you can add it to the MusicXML file for the particular piece.

Old-Style Notation

Because we work with older books at DP, you'll frequently come across archaic music notation symbols, such as old-style clefs, rests, and time signatures. If you're not sure what a symbol stands for, check the Dolmetsch Chart of Musical Symbols, or post in the Music Team forum.

Depending on your notation software, you may not be able to reproduce these symbols exactly as they appear in the original. In cases where you're creating only an audio file, that doesn't matter, as long as you can accurately reproduce the intended sound in modern notation.

If, however, you've been asked to produce a MusicXML or image file, you should note in a Transcriber's Note that your software cannot reproduce the symbol, and that you've used a modern equivalent instead.

Medieval Notation (Neumes)

You may also come across medieval music notation, also known (in its various forms) as neumes, Gregorian chant, or mensural notation. Here's an example:

In most instances, in order to create an audio file from medieval notation, you'll have to enter modern notes in your notation program. Note that, because medieval transcribers often assumed familiarity with note durations based on custom, the durations may have to be guessed. Here's how the example above would look in modern notation, with a Transcriber's Note regarding note durations:

If you can't read medieval notation, post in the Music Team forum to find someone to help you.

Note: Some handwritten medieval notation may be too unclear to decipher accurately, or may require expertise beyond our volunteers' capability. In that case, it may not be possible to create an audio file. If the tune is well-known, however, an Internet search may come up with a modern image or a sound file to help you decipher the notation.

Figured Bass

In the Baroque period, figured bass was a shorthand way of representing accompaniment in the bass staff, by placing just one note in the staff, with one or more numbers underneath it representing the other notes in a chord or interval. Here's an example:

As with medieval notation, there is limited, if any, support for automatically playable figured bass in most notation programs. Transcribing figured bass for DP projects is therefore optional.

If your software doesn't support figured bass, but you know how to realize (i.e., interpret) it, you can create the audio file by entering the full accompaniment into your notation software. Here's an example of figured bass in modern notation (note the use of multiple voices):

If you need help realizing figured bass, try this easy-to-use Figured Bass Calculator (free for the first few uses, $1.99 thereafter as of August 2023).

Be sure to include a music transcriber's note for the PM or PPer that you have realized the figured bass.

Music File Formats

Below is a review of some of the most common audio/visual formats for music in DP projects. All of them are accepted at Project Gutenberg as of this writing.

Some music transcribers may be tempted to supply proprietary file formats from notation programs, such as .mscz from MuseScore, .musx from Finale, .sib from Sibelius, etc. Please don't supply these files, as proprietary formats may not be accepted by PG and will not be of use to people who don't have the appropriate notation software to match. MusicXML is currently the universal standard for sharing notation. Alternatively, MIDI can be used to share notation. See below for more information on MusicXML and MIDI.

MP3

The high-quality sound of MP3 (.mp3) files makes them ideal, especially where the music is more complex (e.g., orchestral music), and a more realistic and reliable sound is desirable. MP3 files are WYHIWYG - what you hear is what you get. Unlike with MIDI, the sound of an MP3 file is not dependent on the particular sound fonts a listener might have installed - it will sound the same on any device.

MP3 files are significantly larger than MIDI files, but significantly smaller than WAV files with no loss of quality.

See Johann Sebastian Bach: The Organist and His Works for the Organ for an example of the use of MP3s in a PG e-text.

MIDI

MIDI files (.midi or .mid) have a very small file size. They used to be the standard for sharing audio, but no longer. The current popularity of MP3 and the increased bandwidth of most people's Internet connections means that MIDI is no longer ideal.

While MIDI is capable of reproducing a wide range of instrumental sounds, the quality of those sounds will depend entirely on the individual user's sound card and sound fonts. This is because a MIDI file is not really an audio recording; it's actually a set of digital commands telling a computer what sounds to play and how. In short, unlike with MP3 and other audio file formats, what you hear when you play a MIDI file is not necessarily what someone else will hear.

There is nothing wrong with providing MIDI in a project, especially if that's the only format a music transcriber can provide with his or her particular music software, but you should be aware of this limitation.

MIDI files can be imported into a number of music notation programs in order to create an editable score, but the user will have to do significant editing and add in all the text elements. MusicXML is far better for this purpose.

Note also that many current browsers won't automatically play MIDI files. The user may have to adjust some browser settings, install a plugin, or download the file to play in an external media player.

See Navaho Legends for an example of a music project with both MIDI and MP3 files.

WAV

WAV (.wav) audio files have high quality sound, much like MP3, but with a very large file size that make them much less practical for use with e-books. MP3 is therefore preferable for e-books.

Note: Some music notation programs generate high-quality audio files only in .wav format. Use audio-conversion software, such as the free audio editor Audacity, to convert WAV files into MP3 files before including them in a project.

MusicXML

MusicXML (.mxl, formerly .xml) is now the primary Internet standard for sharing music notation code. It is readable and/or writable by over hundreds of music programs, enabling music notation to be widely shared and making it ideal for PG e-books. It means that just about anyone can download the notation to their preferred software to correct any errors in the music or use the music for whatever purpose they wish.

A MusicXML file contains nearly all the musical and text elements in a music piece. The code can be viewed in any text editor and most browsers, and there are even plug-ins allowing browsers to play/display MusicXML files as music.

While MusicXML import/export is generally very good, some elements may not be automatically generated, so the user who downloads a MusicXML file to his/her preferred music software is likely to have to do some editing.

You can find more information on MusicXML at Wikipedia and on the MusicXML website.

See Johann Sebastian Bach: The Organist and His Works for the Organ for an example of the use of MusicXML in a PG e-text.

PDF

PDF files (.pdf) can be created with many music notation programs and can be used to enable the PM or PPer to check the music transcription against the original. But they are not a substitute for the original images and will not be accepted for inclusion in the project files.

Music Notation Software

If you're an old hand at transcribing music on a computer, you already have your favorite notation software. If you want to explore, there's a comparison of many popular ones here.

At a bare minimum, the notation software you use for DP should be able to produce a MIDI file. Ideally, however, it should also be able to produce high-quality audio (mp3 or wav) and MusicXML.

Free Notation Programs

A free notation program popular among DP music transcribers is MuseScore. It's a powerful program with a user-friendly WYSIWYG interface quite similar to professional programs like Finale or Sibelius. It can handle just about any of the music you're likely to encounter in DP projects. It's available for various platforms beyond Windows and Mac, it can produce high-quality audio, and it can import and export MusicXML.

Before MuseScore came along, some DPers used Lilypond, a free text-based notation program. Because of its limitations - it can't produce high-quality audio or MusicXML, it isn't backwardly-compatible, and older Lilypond files can be difficult or impossible to convert to newer versions - Lilypond is not acceptable for DP projects.

Optical Music Recognition

Formerly known as "music OCR," optical music recognition, or "OMR," is the process of digitally recognizing musical symbols from a scanned music image and turning it into editable notation.

There are a number of commercially available OMR programs, but you should be aware that OMR is nowhere near as reliable as OCR - and we know from our work at DP that even OCR, as highly developed as it is, has its drawbacks.

It's usually much quicker just to enter notation manually than it is to edit OMR output. The error rate tends to increase dramatically with complex music or the kind of low-resolution score images we often encounter in older books.

Given these factors, at this time the use of OMR is not recommended for anything but the simplest music with the clearest images. If you do use it, be sure to check and edit the output very carefully.

Online Resources

Below are just a few of the vast number of music resources on the Internet.

Music Theory

Dolmetsch Online has an extensive collection of music resources, including:

• Online Music Dictionary

• Chart of Musical Symbols

• Chart of Note Ranges (scroll down to the two staff lines near the bottom of the page) - This is extremely helpful in rendering notes in plaintext, using either scientific notation (middle C is C4), or Helmholtz notation (middle C is c´). It's also helpful in identifying notes that are far above or below the staff line.

Other handy resources:

• Online Metronome

• Wikipedia - Table of Key Signatures

• Figured Bass Calculator - calculates the appropriate chords/intervals for figured bass. Free for the first few uses, $1.99 thereafter (as of August 2023).

Scores and Performances

• IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library - Huge selection of free, public-domain scores and recordings of classical music. Helpful for error-checking or where a scan is unclear.

• Choral Wiki - Large selection of free, public-domain choral scores.

• YouTube - Free videos of music performances in all genres. Helpful in determining tempo and feel.

• OperaGlass - Large selection of opera libretti. Very useful for checking opera lyrics.

• Art Song Central - Archive of free, public-domain art-song sheet music, managed by DP Music Team founder David Newman.

Guidelines for Formatters

The primary directive for formatters, as it is for proofers, is to follow the Project Comments and read the Project Discussion.

If the PM has not given specific instructions on formatting music, formatters should follow these basic guidelines:

• Mark music illustrations as [Music].
• Include any text elements (title, composer, lyrics) within the [Music] tag, e.g., [Music: Liebestraum].
• Format any lyrics as poetry, using /* markup, and match the original line breaks unless otherwise instructed. Multiple verses (usually numbered 1, 2, etc.) should be separated.
• If the music appears in the middle of a sentence or paragraph as part of the text, leave it there. Standalone music illustrations can be moved to the nearest paragraph break.
• Do not add music notation code, such as Lilypond. The music may already have been done, or is planned to be done in a different manner. If you'd like to transcribe the music — and your help would be most welcome! — contact the PM, the PPer, or the DP Music Team, before you do anything.
• Ask in the Project Discussion, or leave a [**note], for anything you're not sure of.
• See Writing Instructions for Formatters for more information.

Guidelines for Post-Processors

Most of the considerations discussed above in the Guidelines for Project Managers apply with equal force to PPers, especially where the PM has deferred to the PPer's preferences. Please review them before you start the PP process.

Be sure to browse through all the page images to make sure you know where all the music images are, including music symbols in the text.

Some additional guidelines for PPers:

Plaintext

Explain in a Transcriber's Note how musical symbols in the text are represented. While you can use the generic [musical symbol] tag, it would be a much richer experience for the reader if you gave a more specific description. The Dolmetsch Chart of Musical Symbols is a handy resource, or, if you're still not sure, post in the Music Team forum.

HTML

Accessibility

For accessibility purposes in the HTML, be sure that the text elements of the music (title, composer, lyrics, etc.) are laid out in the main text of the HTML. See Music and Some Highly Musical People for an example. Lyrics can be placed either directly below the music image, or in a separate section at the end of your document (in which case be sure to place a clear "go to lyrics" link from the area of the original image).

Images

It's best to use the original images, unless they're of unacceptable quality. Nothing represents the original better than the original.

Don't crop music images too closely; keep a sharp eye out for music and text elements (such as lyrics) that are outside the staff margins.

Make sure the image resolution and size are sufficient for the reader to clearly see all of the music, including the little dots and so forth. You can display a small image and link to a larger one if necessary. Don't make the images too big, or they'll overwhelm the page. An image width of no more than 600px (where the music extends the full width of a page in the original) usually does the trick.

A simple black border around the music image can be attractive. See Music and Some Highly Musical People for an example.

Links

Include clear links to music files (midi, PDF, MusicXML, source files, additional image files) above or below the music image, and explain them in a Transcriber's Note at the beginning of the HTML file. See Music and Some Highly Musical People for an example of how this can be done. You should create a separate music folder containing these files.

Music Symbols

There are a few Unicode glyphs for common musical symbols that can be used in the HTML text:

• flat (♭)
• sharp (♯)
• natural (♮)
• quarter note (♩)
• eighth note (♪)

You can use in-line illustrations for other symbols. See Music Notation and Terminology for an example.

Samples

Browse the list of Sample Music E-Books at PG for more ideas on dealing with music in plaintext and HTML files.

Finding a Music Transcriber

If you need volunteers to transcribe the music for you, post in the Music Team forum, or contact someone on the list of Volunteer Music Transcribers. And please be sure to ask the transcriber whether and how he or she should be listed in the credit line, e.g., "Music transcribed by X."

Guidelines for Music Transcribers

Note: Although you need not be a professional musician to transcribe music at DP, these guidelines assume that you can read music notation, at least at an elementary level.

First Steps

When you're asked to transcribe music for a DP project:

• Look over the music and make sure that your Music Notation Software is capable of rendering it. If you're not sure about something, post in the Music Team forum, with a link to the music image.

• Check whether the music continues on the following page(s). A single piece of music spanning several pages needs to be transcribed as one piece, so that you can produce a single audio file.

• Review the text pages surrounding the music for additional clues as to how it should be handled (tempo, instruments, etc.), if this information is not apparent from the music itself.

• Use online resources to help determine how the music is supposed to sound, if it's not already familiar to you. For example, if the music is by a classical composer whose works are in the public domain, the IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library has a huge selection of free scores in PDF format, which you can use to double-check possible printer errors in the project, determine the correct tempo, etc. YouTube is also a great resource for actual performances of classical pieces.

• Don't be shy about asking for credit. You worked hard on the music and deserve kudos for it. Let the PM or PPer you're working with know how you want to be listed in the project credits (e.g., with your real name or your DP name), or, on the other hand, that you'd prefer not to be credited at all.

• Don't take it upon yourself to transcribe music for a project without checking with the PM, the PPer, or the DP Music Team first. It may well be that the music is already being, or has already been, transcribed. You don't want to duplicate efforts.

Handling Printer Errors

Just as with text, there can be printer errors in music. Unlike with text, however, it may not be possible to just leave the error in place. The audio file may sound terrible if you don't correct the error.

First, however, make sure it's an error. Sometimes dissonances are deliberate. Sometimes a bar deliberately contains fewer beats than the key signature indicates (e.g., partial or pickup bars). If you're not sure, post in the Music Team forum, with a link to the music image.

As you work, keep a running list of printer errors and embody them in a transcriber's note that the PPer can include in the project if desired. Describe exactly where the error is (giving system, bar, and beat numbers), why it's an error, and what (if anything) you did to correct it.

The transcriber's note can be in a separate text file or a note in the MusicXML file for the particular piece.

Old-Style Notation

Because we work with older books at DP, you'll frequently come across archaic music notation symbols, such as old-style clefs, rests, and time signatures. If you're not sure what a symbol stands for, check the Dolmetsch Chart of Musical Symbols, or post in the Music Team forum.

Some music notation software can reproduce older notation visually, but in the vast majority of situations the PPer will use the original images from the book, so there's no need to bother trying to reproduce the look - concentrate on the audio file instead.

Medieval Notation (Neumes)

You may also come across medieval music notation, also known (in its various forms) as neumes, Gregorian chant, or mensural notation. Here's an example:

To create an audio file from medieval notation, you'll likely have to enter modern notes in your notation program. Note that, because medieval transcribers often assumed familiarity with note durations based on custom, the durations may have to be guessed. Here's how the example above would look in modern notation, with a Transcriber's Note regarding note durations:

If you can't read medieval notation, post in the Music Team forum for help.

Note: Some handwritten medieval notation may be too unclear to decipher accurately, or may require expertise beyond our volunteers' capability. In that case, it may not be possible to create an audio file. If the tune is well-known, however, an Internet search may come up with a modern image or a sound file to help you decipher the notation.

Figured Bass

In the Baroque period, figured bass was a shorthand way of representing accompaniment in the bass staff, by placing just one note in the staff, with one or more numbers underneath it representing the other notes in a chord or figure. Here's an example:

As with medieval notation, there is limited, if any, support for playable figured bass in most notation programs. If your software doesn't support it, the solution is to create the audio file by entering the full accompaniment into your notation software. Here's an example of figured bass in modern notation (note the use of multiple voices):

If you need help interpreting (the technical term is "realizing") figured bass, post in the Music Team forum.

Resources

Handy Websites

Dolmetsch Online has an extensive collection of music resources, including:

• Online Music Dictionary

• Chart of Musical Symbols

• Chart of Note Ranges (scroll down to the two staff lines near the bottom of the page) - This is extremely helpful in rendering notes in plaintext, using either scientific notation (middle C is C4), or Helmholtz notation (middle C is c´). It's also helpful in identifying notes that are far above or below the staff line.

Other useful sites:

• IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library - Huge selection of free classical scores in PDF format; helpful for error-checking or where a scan is unclear.

• YouTube - Many videos of classical music performances; helpful in determining proper tempo.

• OperaGlass and Opera Manager have large selections of opera libretti; very useful for checking opera lyrics. See also the collection of opera libretti and art song lyrics at Naxos, and aria/art song lyrics at The Aria Database and Art Song Central.

• Online Metronome

• Wikipedia - Table of Key Signatures

• For a good basic primer on music notation, check out Prof. Karl Gehrkens' classic book Music Notation and Terminology.

Sample Music E-Books at PG

Take a look at these PG e-books to see the different ways in which music is represented in our projects.

• The Art of Stage Dancing - midi, original images of handwritten music, PDFs with notation

• The Baby's Opera and The Baby's Bouquet - midi, PDF, MusicXML, lyrics formatted as poetry, detailed transcriber's note, original images (complete pieces)

• Essentials in Conducting - midi, original images (snippets), in-line music illustrations; also contains a symphony movement with small original page images linked to larger images, a midi file, and a PDF containing the original images of the full movement

• Finger Plays for Nursery and Kindergarten - midi, PDF, MusicXML, lyrics formatted as poetry, original images (complete pieces)

• The Good Old Songs We Used to Sing - combination project of a 19th Century pamphlet containing only lyrics, and corresponding sheet music from the Library of Congress and other sources - midi and notation PDFs (only the covers of the sheet music were used in the HTML)

• How to Listen to Music - midi, Lilypond source files, images from PDF in place of originals (snippets)

• How to Sing - midi, images from PDF in place of originals (snippets)

• Indian Story and Song - midi, PDF, MusicXML, lyrics formatted as poetry, detailed transcriber's note, original images (complete pieces)

• The Liberty Minstrel - midi, PDF, Lilypond source files, original images (complete pieces)

• Music: An Art and a Language - midi, some MP3s (created using Finale with Garritan Personal Orchestra for realistic instrument sounds), MusicXML, original images

• Music and Some Highly Musical People - Appendix containing 149 pages of music (13 pieces); first page of each piece displayed in HTML with links to midi, PDF containing original images of the complete piece, and MusicXML; detailed transcriber's note; lyrics formatted as poetry; Unicode symbols

• Music Notation and Terminology - midi, original images (mostly snippets), in-line music illustrations and Unicode symbols, figured bass; also contains a sonata movement with small original page images linked to larger images, and a midi file borrowed with permission from the Classical Midi Connection

• The Pianoforte Sonata - midi, Lilypond source files, images from PDF in place of originals

• Principles of Orchestration - mp3s, midis, MusicXML, small music images with PDFs of original page images

• A Popular History of the Art of Music - midi, original images (snippets and complete pieces), in-line music illustrations, medieval notation; choral version of "Sumer is icumen in" with midi, original images (linked to larger images) and modern transcription (PDF)

• Resonance in Singing and Speaking - midi, original images (snippets)

• Shakespeare and Music - midi with different instrument sounds (harpsichord, lute, viol, trumpets, horns, oboes, drum), images from PDF in place of originals (snippets and short pieces), in-line music illustrations

• The Shanty Book, Part I, Sailor Shanties - midi, original images (snippets and complete pieces), musical note images placed over text lyrics

• The Story of Rouen - contains a complete "Madrigal of 1550" with midi, MP3 (created with Finale using Garritan sounds), PDF, MusicXML, original images

• Style in Singing - midi, original images (snippets), in-line music illustrations and Unicode symbols

• Voice Production in Singing and Speaking - midi, original images (snippets), in-line music illustrations

• Wit and Mirth: or Pills to Purge Melancholy, v. 5 - midi, original images, lyrics formatted as poetry

• Wit and Mirth: or Pills to Purge Melancholy, v. 6 - Sibelius Scorch, midi, original images, PDF, lyrics formatted as poetry

• The Esperantist, Vol. 1, No. 1 - original image, midi, MusicXML, newly typeset PDF, lyrics formatted as poetry

Volunteer Music Transcribers

The DP Music Team forum is an excellent resource for help and advice. In addition, the people listed below are available to transcribe music (time permitting, of course), using the music notation software they prefer.

• LCantoni - Finale (also familiar with Lilypond and MuseScore, and has access to help with old-style or medieval notation and figured bass)
• monkeyclogs - Sibelius
• annecel - Sibelius
• junet - Finale
• beadsandweeds - novice trying various: lilypond, musescore, rosegarden, etc.
• astronomer - Finale 26.3
• Corsetiere-Finale NotePad and MuseScore
• quexxon - Lilypond
• hornist - Finale
• karam - MuseScore
• azaghal - Lilypond
• jdlh - novice trying various: MuseScore, Lilypond, Noteflight, etc.
• espe - Finale
• judeeylander - MuseScore