JW Pepper offers print publishing services to independent artists.
At the time of my upload efforts, their website documentation lacked answers to some basic questions regarding uploading compositions for Big Band, and the upload interface, although excellent, was a bit short on hints and guidance, which motivated me to write this article documenting the procedure I followed that worked after I received all the relevant information from MyScore’s patient support team, for the possible benefit of others coming after.
Summary – the Missing Manual
You’ll be setting up your files to print anything over 2 pages as a booklet, along with a Wrapper for all partsIndividual pieces of music, each designed to be performed by a single musician or section of an ensemble. and scoreA written representation of a piece of music, including the notation for all parts of an ensemble., an mp3 of your score playback or performance, and a jpg thumbnail image of your or title page. They also provide a field for a YouTube link.
For the parts longer than 2 pages, it’s a good idea to add a Title page to your part so the part opens to a 2-page layout (requiring page turns for the remaining pages). Most publishers and DTP applications refer to this 2-page opening as a “spread,” but on JW Pepper, “Spread” means a two-page spread printed double-sided, meaning the player has to flip the page over to see page 3 and beyond. For this reason, you may want to avoid using the “Spread” option on JW Pepper.
The score and parts are printed in grayscale. The site thumbnail jpg and Wrapper pdf should be in color.
You’ll be uploading your files as individual files (no pdf of “all parts,” for example).
Score Layout
Margins and Page Size
For the Score, choose a mirrored layout with inside margins of at least 15mm. 10mm is a reasonable minimum for outside margins. The same setup also works for parts.
Title Page
Create a Title Page to include your title, author, image, description and copyright information. Save it in color for use in the 12×18” Wrapper pdf for your score, also saving a color jpg for the site thumbnail. For the Score and Parts title page, create a grayscale jpg for use in your notationA system of symbols used to write down music. software.
Notation software enables the creation of a Title page with tools (“Inserts” in Finale, “Tokens” in Dorico) to bring your title, part/score name and other metadata onto the Title page. You can import images onto the title page and overlay score metadata like Score/Part Name (Layout name in Dorico).
Tip: You can create a “Product Image” using Midjourney or some other AI, your own photo or some other resource. You must own the image – no copyrighted material can be used other than your own. (AI Images are copyright-free). Create one in 16:9 aspect ratio for use on both the Title Page and the Wrapper (and YouTube if you have a score playback video).
You can also create your Title Page design in a graphic design app, bringing your graphic into your notation software in combination with Inserts or Tokens for your part and score name.
Some notation software allows the creation of Page Templates, which you can use for your title page.
Add a page in front of the first score or part page and either apply the Title Page template to it, or add your graphic and text field(s). In Dorico, if you add one page (so the booklet opens to a 2-page spread), one side of the Title Page template will be added to the layout.
Review the score and parts after adding the Title template page. Adjust the layout for optimum page turns. If you’ve done your layout previously, you might want to reset it to accommodate the necessary page turns.
Booklets – when to use them on JW Pepper
Anything over 2 pages (including any parts) will need to be printed as a booklet. JW Pepper offers printing of “Spreads” up to 4 pages, which are double-sided 2 ups, and you have to flip the page over, which for us is not acceptable.
In your booklet format, you could follow convention and have the first music page on the right (after adding 2 pages in front), but my preference would be that the booklet opens to a 2-page spread of music, with the first page on the left.
Part Layout
Choose 9×12 page size with the same margin setup as the score. Any parts more than 2 pages should have a Title page added and printed as a Booklet on JW Pepper.
Wrapper Layout
Set your page size for your Wrapper to 12×18. The col Image should appear on the right side of the Wrapper layout.
Uploading to JW Pepper
On the first upload page, you’ll add your score, and all your parts as separate files., your mp3, your Wrapper pdf, and a YouTube link (if you have one). Click Submit.
On the next page, the “InstrumentationThe array of different instruments or sounds incorporated in a musical score” tab, you’ll define the print parameters for your parts and score.
For the Score, identify it as the Instrumental Score, specify the page size, binding type (Stapled Spine, or Coil Binding if it’s more than 24 pages), and layout type as Booklet.
For the Parts, chose 9×12″ paper size, Instrumental Part, Stapled on Spine (do this for 2-page fold-overs, which is not totally correct, but the closest option in the dropdown. You’ll definitely need stapled spine for 2+ page booklets). The system will probably identify the one- and 2-part pages correctly, then assign “Spread” to anything over 2 pages. Although you can’t see “Booklet” in the popup, it’s there… you just have to scroll down to find it. You won’t see a scroll barA line that separates measures in sheet music. or buttons in the dropdown, but it does scroll.
Hint: Any preview that’s showing your (or Title) page will need to be assigned to Booklet format. “Save Draft” as you go along.
On the next page, you’ll need to put your parts in Score Order, and check for any system errors. Sometimes the system gets part names wrong (at this point, you can go back to the previous page to fix those errors). There are drag handles on the left that enable you to drag the parts into Score order.
When everything looks OK in the Instrumentation tab, click Submit and you’re done.
Notea symbol used to represent a specific pitch and duration that your project will leave draft mode, and apparently disappear from the site, and you can’t make any further edits until the score appears in your Catalog. Any revisionA rewrite or other modification of a musical score, track, or recorded performance requests after this point will be handled through JW Pepper support.
Here are the results of my work –
Love the Drums (Drum feature for 17-piece big band) https://www.jwpepper.com/11595855.item
Whatever You Want (Bass feature for 17-piece big band) https://www.jwpepper.com/11595844.item
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