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Behind Bars: Book

$110.00 USD
$110.00 USD
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Behind Bars Cover Image
Behind Bars: Book

Behind Bars: Book

The Definitive Guide to Music Notation

By Elaine Gould

Item: 12-0571514561
$110.00
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Description
Behind Bars is the indispensable reference book for composers, arrangers, teachers and students of composition, editors, and music processors. In the most thorough and painstakingly researched book to be published since the 1980s, specialist music editor Elaine Gould provides a comprehensive grounding in notational principles.

Behind Bars covers everything from basic rules, conventions and themes to complex instrumental techniques, empowering the reader to prepare music with total clarity and precision. With the advent of computer technology, it has never been more important for musicians to have ready access to principles of best practice in this dynamic field, and this book will support the endeavors of software users and devotees of hand-copying alike. The author's understanding of, and passion for, her subject has resulted in a book that is not only practical but also compellingly readable.

This seminal and all-encompassing guide encourages new standards of excellence and accuracy and, at a weighty 704 pages, it is supported by 1,500 music examples of published scores from Bach to Xenakis.

Chapters include:
Section I - General * Conventions: Ground Rules * Chords -- Dotted notes -- Ties * Accidentals and Key Signatures * Dynamics and Articulation * Grace Notes, Arpeggiated Chords, Trills, Glissandos and Vibrato * Metre * Tuplets * Repeat Signs. Section II - Idiomatic Notation: Woodwind and Brass * Percussion * Keyboard * Harp * Classical Guitar * Strings * Vocal Music. Section III - Layout and Presentation: Preparing Materials * Score Layout * Part Preparation * Electroacoustic Music * Freedom and Choice.

For a smaller version of this book, the basic principles, ground rules, and conventions of notation in a definitive but concise guide---the first section of Behind Bars---check out Behind Bars: General Conventions (item #12-0571542840).

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Additional Details
Series: Faber Edition
Publisher: Faber Music
ISBN10: 0-571-51456-1
ISBN13: 978-0-571-51456-4
UPC: 9780571514564
SKU: 12-0571514561

More about this title

About the Author: Elaine Gould

Elaine Gould is a specialist music editor whose work has shaped how contemporary composers and musicians think about notation. Her career spans decades of meticulous study of published scores, from Renaissance masters to twentieth-century innovators, giving her an unparalleled perspective on what clarity in music notation actually means in practice.

Gould's expertise comes from years spent preparing scores for publication and teaching others to do the same. She approaches notation not as a set of arbitrary rules but as a practical craft that directly affects how musicians interpret and perform music.

Why we love this

Behind Bars functions as both a reference and a manifesto for notational clarity. Composers and arrangers in your program will find answers to obscure questions (how exactly do you notate col legno pizzicato?) alongside foundational principles that prevent miscommunication between composer and performer. The 1,500 examples drawn from actual published scores make this essential reading for anyone preparing music notation, whether by hand or on screen.

Who it's for

This book belongs on the shelf of any composer, arranger, or dedicated student of composition who uses notation software or hand-copies scores. Music teachers who prepare materials for their ensembles, editors managing school publications, and anyone responsible for preparing musical scores to be read by others will find it invaluable.

How to get the most out of it

  • Use the instrumental chapters as a resource before you write for unfamiliar instruments. Ten minutes with the harp section will save your players confusion and rewrites later.
  • Keep the meter and tuplet chapters bookmarked when teaching rhythm reading. Gould's explanations clarify distinctions that students often muddy.
  • Reference the accidentals and key signature chapter when your engraving software presents options. Best practice isn't always the default setting.
  • Consult the dynamics and articulation section when your notation software offers multiple ways to express the same marking. Consistency across your scores matters.

How to use it

Assign relevant chapters to your composition students before major projects. Directors who arrange or adapt repertoire should consult it before finalizing scores for parts extraction. Keep it accessible in your office for quick consultation when notational questions arise during rehearsal or when reviewing student scores.

Skills your students will build

  • Notational conventions across instrumental families
  • Clarity in score preparation and part extraction
  • Understanding how notation affects performance accuracy
  • Idiomatic writing for woodwind, brass, percussion, strings, and keyboard instruments
  • Proper use of accidentals, dynamics, articulation marks, and special techniques
  • Meter notation, tuplets, and repeat sign conventions

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