We are thrilled to provide Noteflight Marketplace, our platform for buying and selling adaptable music online. To help you make your scores look amazing and attract buyers, we put together some helpful tips on formatting and editing your works. If you have not done so, sign up to sell your music!
1. Format Your Score in Page View
All Noteflight Marketplace scores are displayed in Page View for a consistent look and to properly display titles and copyrights. When creating a score you want to sell, create and format it in Page View.
2. Adjust Note Size
The Note Size adjustment helps make the staves fit the page properly. Sometimes with larger ensembles, the staves can run into the bottom margin or off the page. This can be fixed by adjusting the Note Size in Score Settings. This can also help you avoid copyright clash (see # 10 below).
3. Change Staff Spacing
Changing the amount of space between systems can prevent markings such as dynamics, pedals, and articulations from clashing with notes. It can also make a score look less overwhelming to the reader. Staff and System spacing can be fixed in Score Settings.
4. Group Measures in a Predictable Way
Many songs have a common form, such as AABA with 8 measures in each section and 4 measures to a system. Scores that have unusual measure groupings, such as 1 bar in the first system and 5 bars in the second system, are difficult to read. Measure grouping can be changed using the Layout Palette.
5. Format Individual Instrument Parts
When selling works for ensembles in which players will be looking at individual parts, it is important to format each part. This can be done by opening the Instrument Panel and selecting one instrument at a time. You can adjust the Note Size of the parts separately from the score in Score Settings > Parts. To make your parts even more beautiful, add multi-measure rests.
6. Step Up Your Audio Playback
Use our Sync Audio feature to add your own SoundCloud link or YouTube video for the score playback. You can also record your own audio to the score using our Live Audio Recording feature. Use the Noteflight Mixer to add reverb and balance the audio and instruments in your score to sound even more professional.
7. Write a Description for Your Work
You can include a description of your work in Score Details. You can discuss the inspiration behind your piece, describe the mood of your song, or provide any other information that you think could be helpful to someone who wants to play your amazing new music.
8. Choose Great Cover Art
Cover art can help grab the attention of potential buyers. You can upload your own cover art, choose a stock photo, or generate an image from your score. If you are selling several works that are part of a series or collection you can always use the same cover art image for all of them to help visually unify these works. Be sure to not use any copyrighted images, brands, or celebrity pictures in your Cover Art.
9. Always Double Check Your Work
It is always a good idea to proofread your scores for errors that you may not have noticed before. It is best to take a break from looking at your score and return with fresh eyes to review before putting it for sale. It can also be helpful to print out your score on paper or have someone else take a look at your work to get a fresh perspective on it. If you notice an error, you can always use the Stop Selling button to remove and fix your score, then republish it.
10. Fix Clashing Copyright Notice
When you sell an arrangement of a copyrighted work, Noteflight writes the proper copyright notice to your score for you. Sometimes if there is not enough room, the copyright can clash with the bottom staves. You can check the copyright text size in Score Settings before publishing and then confirm there is no collision after publishing. You can always stop selling, adjust the note and copyright size, and republish.
11. Check Out Our User Guide and Help Button
If you are ever unsure of how to do something in Noteflight, please consult our User Guide. In addition, the Help Button in the Score Editor is easily searchable and very handy!