The Importance of Marking Your Music.
Now that you understand the music and checked for any calls for mutes, the next step is to start rehearsals. Most of the time the director is reasonable and understanding during the first couple scheduled rehearsals and everyone learns their responsibilities for the show. In this particular situation our director not only wrote the arrangements but he also produced the show and is the leading entertainer in the production. This is unusual and has turned out to be a wonderful experience for all of us. What will they think of next! The director is an accomplished musician as well as a leader. LIFE IS GOOD!
During the two weeks of rehearsals we ran through the arrangements and mark our music so we knew what goes where and at what tempo. Marking your music is very important and marking it correctly is even more important.
How to mark your music
1. Only mark in pencil
2. Make sure that when the show completes its run, you will be able to erase every mark completely.
3. Drawing a circle around a measure or group of measures means to leave that measure or group of measures out.
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4. Drawing a pair of spectacles (eye glasses) on the music means to watch out for something coming up.
5. Mark important vocal or spoken lines before an entrance.
6. Difficult rhythms should be marked with beat subdivisions.
7. Hidden repeat signs may be enhanced for easier viewing.
8. Quick page turns need to be indicated.
9. Mute changes for the following page should be indicated before the page turn.
10. Important releases need to be marked.
11. Instructions for mute changes should be indicated.
12. Simplifying page turns by adding a copying a duplicate loose page can save you time.
13. Indication a major rest area such as “Bridge” when counting many rest will keep you informed as to where you should be.
14. Write in accidentals you might miss.
15. Write in a reminder if the next section is counted in “2” or “4”.
These are just a few of the markings I have in my part for this current show. I have prepared examples of these marking as illustrations of what markings are appropriate in your music.
