# Serif or sans for scores?



## PaulWood (Jan 24, 2010)

Hi guys,

Is there a preference of which type of font to use in scores? Up to now I've been doing everything in sans (HelveticaNeue Condensed) with the exception of expressions (cresc. dim. poco a poco etc.) which are in NewCenturySchoolbook Italic - it seems to match the Helsinki font dynamic markings nicely.

I have recently seen a few scores using Garamond all the way through, and they look quite nice (a little old fashioned for my tastes, but there we go! :D ). I've loaded up my template with Garamond Condensed to have a look, and it looks ok, but I'm not too enthralled with it.

I have read that serif faces are supposed to be easier on the eye than sans for printed materials though.

Does it make a difference?

Cheers,

Paul


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## JJP (Feb 1, 2010)

Dynamics are pretty standardized as serif bold-face italic and are of a font not used for other types of markings. This makes it easy for players to distinguish them from other indications. The symbols can be found exactly as they should appear in a music font set like Maestro or Petrucci.

Other indications such as tempo alterations, performance indications, and the like do have some relatively standardized settings for typeface and font, but they are not as rigid as those for dynamics. Often it boils down to a particular copy house's style.

With other indications, try to conform to norms as much as possible because that's what musicians are used to seeing. Experienced copyists will make subtle changes based on their experienced eye for clarity. Above all, be consistent in your choices.

You might consider picking up some notation books. The Gardner Read book is an excellent reference that's pretty easy to find. I also recall that the Music Publisher's Association had a PDF file available with some basic guidelines. Just be aware that some engraving standards are modified for studio situations because of the need for extreme readability in high-pressure sight-reading situations.

If the pressure's on and you're not sure, hire a copyist for the parts. It's well worth the money.


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