When discussing idiomatic writing and playability, we all tend to focus on the actual notes.
Does this note work?
How will it sound?
What is the timbre of this register?
Is this extended technique doable?
While all of these questions are vital, it’s just the beginning.
For truly playable music, it also music be readable.
For starters, this means thinking through bar and system sizes, margins, page turns, etc.
But, it also means thinking through phrasing, and grouping sections together (rather than breaking phrases through system and page breaks)
It means thinking through clef changes and ensuring that the pitch and interval directionality isn’t obscured.
It means notating rhythm with clarity.
And of course, there’s a myriad of instrument-specific rules!
(On the harp, this means pedal changes, pedal charts, cross beaming, glissandos, and more.)
While all of these nitty-gritty details are a pain, this is how you can make your music accessible to performers.
As a performer myself, I am always far more willing to play and perform a difficult piece that is clear and legible than a “easy” or “sight-readable” piece that takes rewriting and deciphering illegible notation.
Let’s chat in the comments! What are some pet-peeves you have about notation and readability? What types of notation details are confusing, or just downright annoying?
P.S. If you want to learn more about harp-specific notation, get on the waitlist for the next round of my harp writing course, The Composers Harp Cohort (July 2022) or join my Patreon (Harp Tip Squad tier) for monthly harp-writing tutorials! All links in bio or daniellekuntz.com/links