Ryan Truesdell » Composer • Copyist • Producer

Copywork

Jim Hall Photo “I’ll start my rave review of Ryan Truesdell’s work with this story: Geoffrey Keezer and I were playing a concert – piano and guitar – in Kansas City, Missouri. Just before we went on stage we realized we were missing the music for a complicated piece in 5/4 which Ryan had copied for us. Geoff left a message for Ryan in New York and we played the first half of the concert. At intermission, we went back to the dressing room and – eureka! – there was the music! Ryan had received Geoff’s message and faxed the parts to us. We played it on the second half and the audience loved the story. All of that may not sound so miraculous these days, but what’s really remarkable is the quality of Ryan’s work. It’s incredibly accurate, easy to read, and beautiful just to look at - all of it informed by his own deep background of composing and arranging. In short, he’s the best!”

- Jim Hall

I have been a professional music copyist for the past ten years, and have copied a variety of musical styles, from jazz to classical, in a wide range of instrumentation, from lead sheets to full orchestral scores. I am the primary copyist for Maria Schneider and Bob Brookmeyer, and have also copied music for Jim Hall, Geoffrey Keezer, Luciana Souza, and Miles Evans and the Gil Evans Estate. My work has been published in Rutgers University’s Annual Review of Jazz Studies and Chamber Music America’s Chamber Music magazine and is available through Maria Schneider and Bob Brookmeyer’s ArtistShare websites.

The transition from handwritten composition to finished engraved product is a process that requires great attention to detail, an expert understanding of composition and arranging, and a musician’s sensitivity. As a performer, composer, and arranger, I take a great deal of care copying my own music so that what I conceive on paper is communicated as clearly as possible to the musicians performing it. I apply that same level of care when copying for other musicians, so that the finished product is an accurate representation of their composition.

I have been using Finale music notation software since 1997, and believe it to be the most sophisticated program, producing the most professional and print-ready results. Having copied with Finale for so many years has given me an expert grasp of how to manipulate the program to produce almost any style or genre of notation you might need. I will work with you to make sure your finished project is formatted exactly how you want it. Your music will be delivered to you as you wish; either in printed form (taped and bound) and/or in PDF format. PDF files will allow you to print as many copies as you wish, publish it online or sell your music through your website.

Please contact me with the details of any project you would like copied at ryan@ryantruesdell.com or through the Contact Page.

Below you will find four PDF examples of my work. Please click the thumbnail to view a full-sized image. You may need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files.