While it is possible to use traditional music paper for bilinear notation, it is preferable to use bilinear music manuscript paper. This can be bought online in 80-page A4 booklets or you can download various print-ready PDF files below for free.

Nowadays, it is difficult enough to get hold of decent traditional manuscript paper, so many musicians print their own sheets anyway. Since we can decide on the paper size, colour and quality, and since blank paper is relatively inexpensive and the amount of ink required is small, this usually works out as the most cost-effective option.

Some modern inkjet printers can accommodate paper sizes of up to 9.3" (23.8cm) wide, within which enough space for staves lies within the printable area. (That is, for larger paper sizes such as 9" x 12", margins are larger, but the staves are still within the normal printable area of A4.) Art shops and stationers sell blank paper in various formats and shades. (Light green or blue tinted paper can often be easier on the eyes).

High quality traditional manuscript paper is usually 9.1" x 12" (23.2cm x 30.5cm). However, musicians can often use A4 sizes most most purposes, although A4 landscape is rarely available. Both landscape and portrait document layouts have been prepared in various paper sizes below.

A4 Files are prepared in [.PDF] and [.DOC] formats, while larger paper sizes are available only as [.DOC] files.

[.PDF] files can be opened and printed with Adobe Acrobat Reader.

[.DOC] files can be opened, printed and edited with Microsoft Word*.

To open these files within your browser simply click on the desired format. To save the files to disc, right-click the mouse and select 'save as' and choose a location.

A4:

6-stave Landscape (large staves for beginners) [.PDF] [.DOC]

8-stave Landscape (staves are 1cm wide, at a distance of 1.3cm) [.PDF] [.DOC]

Continuous-stave Landscape [.PDF] [.DOC]

10-stave Portrait (large staves for beginners) [.PDF] [.DOC]

10-stave Portrait (staves are 1cm wide, at a distance of 1.3cm) [.PDF] [.DOC]

12-stave Portrait (staves are 1cm wide, at a distance of about 1.2cm) [.PDF] [.DOC]

Continuous-stave Portrait [.PDF] [.DOC]

9" x 12":

12-stave Portrait 1 (slightly narrower staves) [.DOC]

12-stave Portrait 2 (slightly larger staves) [.DOC]

16-stave Portrait [.DOC]

12" x 9":

10-stave Landscape 1 (slightly narrower staves) [.DOC]

10-stave Landscape 2 (slightly larger staves) [.DOC]

Which format you use depends on what you need it for and perhaps how neat your handwriting is. Unless you're writing an orchestral piece it is better to use 8 or 10 staves as the staves are broader. The same goes for traditional manuscript paper.

Note: if you intend to convert your score to traditional notation, it is perhaps better to use the same page layout for both transcriptions, in which case it is important to remember that bilinear notation is more economical than traditional notation with regard to both vertical and horizontal space.

Note: Some printer settings automatically shrink the page content; make sure this feature is turned off.

If you'd rather buy printed books of A4** manuscript paper click here.

*These Microsoft Word documents can therefore be altered to suit any very specific requirements. Staves are grouped together but can be ungrouped from the 'drawing' toolbar to adjust spacing. To increase the margins or overall size of the staff, simply click on the lines so that they are all selected, and go to 'format' > 'object' and decrease the dimensions as required. The staves and spacing will change proportionately.

**No other manuscript book sizes are available yet.