An Artistic Score Engraving update from August 2024

Dear all,

Welcome back to the monthly update. I hope you are all well and that you are enjoying the summer (or winter), wherever you are.

The original title of this instalment had to be “The Root of the Problem” because I wanted to connect a reflection you will now find at the end with a sneaky cavity that had stealthily found its way up to the root of a tooth. The chosen title, though, is more appropriate, as it represents my chosen productivity method, which was heavily (ab)used during the last month.

The Gratitude Corner

I am grateful to all those who have decided to trust me with their scores this month, allowing me to see the light of the surface approaching above me.

I am deeply grateful towards two dear friends who, in the last quarter, decided to help me get out of the quicksand I was sinking in.

Furthermore, I am grateful for having been contacted by someone in the direct line of succession with one of the researches I am conducting. This has been such a blessing, and a true honour!

Finally, I am grateful for this unbelievably hard period that the October ’23–April ’24 half-year has been. Hardship is there to make us stronger, to make us break through our limits, and to emerge as better people afterwards.

NEWS

Print

After more than one year since the previous attempt, I am back into printing scores. This time, though, instead of printing 100+ copies of each title, I am printing a dozen copies of each title at a time. I have found a printer who is great in quality and still affordable. As I write, the next 5 titles are being produced, and I will share links to them as they become available on the HNE Store.

Editions

There are no new editions for July, though I have certainly made progress on several fronts: the Dotzauer chamber piece is 95% over, but I was slowed down by something new I had to learn, that is, the rules of placement of pedal markings for the piano! Compare this picture:

With this:

Now try to understand why the second is much better than the first. When I understood it—even after 13 years in this business—it blew my mind!

So, what else is cooking in the oven? A previously unedited piano piece; an arrangement for 8 cellos of a piece by an always-frowning composer; a set of six pieces for cello choir dedicated to a great cellist who, sadly, is very ill; a massive set of duos for two cellos; and more…

Welcome to IKEA!

Recently, I have noticed how software updates from big companies rarely offer fully baked features, rather bits of them, about 50% functional. They are not polished, nor are they finished, and they often cause more troubles than the benefits they (should) bring. Thanks to their immense user base, though, they get tons of free feedback, and they can then fix things faster—or not. Most users, though, prefer to see new shiny features instead of a stable, quality-rich program. So, given their evident success, I have decided to try a similar thing.

Being unable to know in advance what editions will draw interest, any edition I bring to 100%, with musicological research and crazy detailed design, is basically a waste of time and resources. Drawn by an environmentally friendly urge, I am now going to try something different: introducing ASE Beta Scores or, as a person very dear to me would say, IKEA Scores!

Now, when you have stopped laughing at it, here is what this is all about: ASE Beta Scores are finished scores, with the same high-level design, but lacking the final proofreading process, the editorial/critical notes, and the cover design. They are perfectly playable and still better than most editions out there. If they get any kind of traction, they will be brought to 100%, printed and distributed. If they don’t, they will sit there until I have time to take care of them. Of course, not all editions will receive this treatment…

In their product description you will find a discount code to use at checkout to get them for 30% off. The only difference with Swedish furniture is that when I eventually bring them to Natuzzi level, you will get them upgraded for free. The first of such scores will land in a couple of days.

Realisation on programming

A few years ago, I dedicated a lot of time to learning how to code and, while I eventually decided that was not the life I wanted, what I learned was invaluable. In these last few days, I have learned of a crucial difference between indie and corporate developers: the former use their software, the latter just code them. This results in them being disconnected from their user base, far from being able to help them. I find tons of issues in my daily engraving journey, and I have always wondered why they had not been found by the developers already. Sadly, those issues are just a number in a log for them—if they even know of their existence. I believe that were they to task a Q&A Engineer to just use the program all day long, they would find so much more. But what do I know? I am only an engraver, and I have no idea how things really work.

One Year of Gifts!

It sounds unreal, but it has already been one year since I began offering free excerpts to my mailing list subscribers. As a celebration, to anyone following me for at least one year, I have sent a special message which will net them a complete score for free! To get that, they will have to do a simple thing—basically demonstrate they are not a bot. Let’s see how this goes!

Bottom Line

The non-philosophical part of the newsletter is over. If you feel like staying for more, on my website here you will find my personal reflection on an issue that has given me much thought lately, and that, I believe, should be addressed on a global educational and social level. Just scroll to the end until you find "Bonus Content". Otherwise, thank you for reading so far.

You can join my mailing list here, browse my editions here, and check what’s available for print in the HNE Store. My YouTube channel, finally, contains video renditions of most of my editions.

See you next month for the September update, and I would love to hear from you about what you are doing and where your more or less musical endeavours are bringing you.

Michele

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