Music Still Printed from“Punched Plates.”

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 34, 4 May 1917, Page 2

Music Still Printed from- “ Punched Plates.”

For more than a quarter of a century the method of making the original plates from which music is printed has remained practically unaltered. This is more or less interesting in view of the material changes which have marked the development of the general printing and engraving processes during the same period. With the exception of the method ordinarily used in printing hymn books, in which each character is reproduced from a separate piece of type, the first step in the process entails the making of a “punched plate.” This is the original negative and is made to-day essentially the same as it was years ago. The plate itself is a composition of lead and zinc. The staff lines are cut into it with a rnliug pen, after which the impressions of the various notes and marks arc made by hand with punches. When a large run is to be made by the publisher, a zinc etching is usually made from this plate and the pri-iini: done from it in the regular manner. In other cases, however, the remaining part of the work is done by tne lithographer, who makes a positive impression from the plate 0.-, sensitive paper and transfers this to a stone from which the printing is done.