The section “Notes on Transcription” provides details about specific transcription issues. These primarily pertain to editorial interventions unique to a particular piece or part of a piece, rather than general editorial practices. Editorial interventions may be necessitated by reasons such as scribal errors in pitch, duration, or form; physical damage to the manuscript; unclear notation or text; or elements that require significant interpretation. Additional notes may address original corrections, such as deletions or additions by the original scribe, or changes made by subsequent scribes.

Square brackets within the transcription indicate an editorial intervention, and the corresponding passage will usually be annotated or discussed within the guidelines as a general practice. If no square brackets are used but a comment is still necessary, an asterisk (*) will be placed above the melody staff. This symbol can refer to a specific note or group, or it may mark the beginning of a longer passage that includes several groups or sections.

In all instances, comments are labelled in the sequence of division, group, and sign. 

For example, 5.1.1 refers to division 5, group 1, sign 1 – that is, the first sign in the first group of the fifth division of the piece, as seen in the example under 7: Transcribe Notation > Editorial comments. Within a group, signs are counted from left to right and include pitch signs (including superscript notes) and rest signs, but not duration signs placed above pitch signs, which are identified by referring to the pitch signs they modify. For longer passages, only divisions and groups are indicated, e.g., 8.1–10.2 (from division 8, group 1 to division 10, group 2); or only divisions, e.g., 4–18 (from divisions 4 to 18).

Concordances may be referred to or cited in the notes on transcription to clarify an editorial decision. These concordances are identified by the RISM Siglum of the source in which they are located (For RISM Sigla/Abbreviations, visit https://corpus-musicae-ottomanicae.de/content/edition/abbreviations.xml ). All cited concordances are listed with their respective page, folio or piece number in the final section of the commentary (See Consulted Concordances).

Workflow for Finalizing Editorial Notes

• Reviewing Concordances: Refer to the concordances to clarify any editorial decisions. Use the RISM siglum to identify the sources, and provide additional identification details (e.g., page, folio, or piece number) if citing multiple concordances from a single source.

• Identifying Anomalies: Note any discrepancies affecting the notation, such as scribal errors, ink stains, or unclear sections. Document any editorial interventions made to address these issues.

• Numbering for Editorial Notes: Implement a numbering method to pinpoint specific locations within the transcription where notes apply. The numbering sequence should include: 

Division number

Sequence number of the group within the division

Sequence number of the pitch sign within the group

For example, a note numbered/coded as 5.1.1 refers to the first sign in the first group of the fifth division.

• Documenting Editorial Interventions: Use square brackets to indicate any editorial changes within the transcription. If no brackets are used but commentary is required, place an asterisk (*) above the melody staff. This symbol can refer to a specific note, a group, or the start of a longer passage.

• Compiling the Final Section: List all cited concordances with their respective page, folio, or piece numbers in the final commentary section (See Consulted Concordances).

• Quality Check: Ensure all editorial notes and interventions are accurately documented and cross-referenced with the concordances. Verify that the coding system is consistently applied throughout the transcription.