Preparing Sheet Music! -A guide for singers.
Singer’s should make a binder with their sheet music. I would recommend, for beginners, to get a three-ring binder of at least 1 ½” size. Get an alphabetized tab sheet to get your music in order. Then, add a three-ring binder pencil case so that you will always have your pencil, red pencil, highlighter, business card, and post-its ready with your sheet music. Also, don’t make single-sided copies. That means more page turns, annoying and loud in recordings! Make sure you have your name and contact phone number in your binder at the front, in case it gets lost. A black binder is best so that it is not distracting to use in a performance.
Besides having your own personal singing binder with your copious amounts of notes, singer’s should have a three-ring binder for an accompanist. A solid color is fine. Only put music that you are currently using in a particular audition, or that you have prepared as a special request in case auditioners want to hear more!
Remember, the BETTER your accompanist’s experience, the better they play for you, which will help you sound better! Win-Win! Treat them well, spoil them, and they will be happy to play for you. (Is it not surprising that I married a pianist? Also, piano was my first instrument!)
Mark off this check-list!
Clean, easy-to-read, not fuzzy copies. (Check for cut-off notes after you copy!)
Double-sided is preferred. Absolutely NO tape or staples!
Make easy page turns. If a song is 3 pages, tape the 3rd page to the right of the 2nd, folding it in so that they can just lay it out. The other 2 pages should be hole-punched, facing each other.Note that LESS page turns is better, so if its less page turns to have the first or last page a single-sided copy, then do so.
Mark important musical instructions (in red or highlight) for the pianist. Mark start and stopping points, even breaths, clearly.
Do NOT use the plastic page protectors. They glare in certain light!
Clearly label each song with tabs that have the name of the songs.
Some of you may ask about digital tablets. If you like to work from a tablet, make sure you use it to take notes. However, a tablet is not appropriate for an accompanist at an audition, unless you have asked them, and they prefer that. Accompanists should not be thrown a curveball before they play for you! The same rules apply for an accompanist’s tablet, clean notes, clean copy, and charged battery.)
The more advanced you are as a singer, the more music you will accumulate. You will have lots and lots of binders and find new ways to organize, but the one that has your current music should be kept up and cleaned out frequently. Best wishes on your future singing endeavors!
