Noisemaking 101 - Creating a new Score

Well folks this is the first of what I hope to be many tutorials on the software and musical techniques that are used in film scoring. In these tutorials I am going to show you some tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your software.

Let us get onto the tutorial. For this first tutorial we'll start real simple. After installing Sibelius open the program.

The first screen you are confronted with is the open score screen. I'll assume you haven't made a score before so select "Start a new score" option. After selecting the option hit enter or click the OK button.

Choosing Instruments

Now you will have the option to select a pre-assigned ensemble or start with a blank page. Don't worry about being stuck with your selected ensemble because you can add or subtract instruments later. For us lets select blank staff because we're going to create a non-standard trio. Below the ensemble selection box you can choose you paper size and its orientation.

Adding Instruments

Before moving on lets put a few instruments on our page. Click the change instruments box below the ensemble selection box. The add instruments box will now appear. This dialogue box is easy to navigate so I'll let you pick three or four instruments of your choosing.

The next screen will allow you to change how text and notation looks on the page. I usually just leave this but feel free to experiment.

Making Time Fly

Now for time and tempo. The top left area you can select your time signature and if you would like you can change your beam and rest groupings. Lets choose other and make our time signature 11/8.

Next you can make your first bar a pick-up beat. For the film composer this is really not needed which I will explain in a future tutorial.

At the bottom of this screen we can choose our tempo. You can either select a descriptive tempo or select a metronome mark.

Key Selection

Now you will get to select the key of the piece. As a film composer the only key to use should be the open key/atonal key. This is not to say that you must write music in an atonal fashion but for readability this is the best way to write your music.

Taking Care of Business

And the last screen is all about you. Fill in the boxes and be sure to select create title page. Also, be sure to put a date in the copyright field as this can help protect your legal rights as a composer. However, this method of copyrighting is not necessary and is not bullet proof. Please don't take my word for this as I am not a lawyer and I may not live in your country either.

Now you can click finish and Sibelius will fire up a fresh score for you.

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