Moleskine Art Music Notebook, Hard Cover, Large (5" x 8.25") Pentagram, Black, 192 Pages

Overview -------------- As always, Moleskine notebooks always raise the bar just a little higher each time. I'm a massive fan of Moleskine notebooks and use them for everything from sketching to cataloging research to writing down some music. I recently started to write more music and wanted something a bit sturdier than that of the standard music journal you normally find out in the wild. There is a perfect amount of spacing between the staves that allow you to write out lyrics, notes, or otherwise (especially if you're just starting to write your own music or if you're trying to teach someone else the "method" you use). Binding is pretty tight and impressive (as with all Moleskine products); so you definitely will not have to worry about quality in that manner. Depending on the type of pens you use, you may encounter a minute level of bleed-through. I've put mine through various different pens (ball point, gel, fine-point) and would have to say that there's a minimal amount of bleed-through if you use a fine-point. I will suggest a few different pens to use with this particular notebook (or any Moleskine, for that matter): For those looking for some colour: EK Success Millennium Pen Set .05 Line 8-Pack, Assorted Colors Medium Range Black or Blue: Prismacolor Premier Fine Line and Brush Tip Illustration Markers, 6 Black Markers (1736673) The multipurpose person (art, music, drafting): COPIC Multiliner Four Pack- SET A I will echo what another user said and suggest Sakura 30061 3-Piece Pigma Micron Blister Card Ink Pen Set, Black - except that these will dry out and require some scribbling onto a spare piece of paper if you've not used them in a while. I tend to have a ton of pens laying around due to multiple reasons (note taking, research, musical writing, drawing/sketching) and these are the ones I prefer most on Moleskine notebooks. Pros: ------ - Beautiful, inside and out. Like many Moleskine products, you'll be impressed that it isn't *more* expensive once you buy it. - The absolute perfect amount of spacing between the staves for any style of musical writing. - Has a little pocket in back (like some of Moleskine's other products). For me, this means keeping a few different picks for my bass and a few pieces of paper for "thoughts" before putting it into the notebook permanently. (you could probably fit a few things in here as long as you're not overfilling it - just be mindful and keep just a few things in the pocket) - Compact Size (great for throwing into your guitar case or backpack). Cons: ------ - Compact Size (Wait, what? Wasn't that a pro?!) - I think if Moleskine came out with a rather large version of this notebook, it would be equally as popular. This is a downside simply because I know that some people assume this would be a larger notebook than it is. It's the "middle" size notebook for most of Moleskine's products; not the "note taking" size but not as big as some of the larger sketchbooks. - Nothing more .. I would definitely suggest this notebook for anyone that writes music or wants to start to write their own music. There's enough space for you to make mistakes and fix them, to explain what you were attempting to do, and for criticism from a teacher/friend/band member.

I can't say enough good about Moleskine products in general and this notebook in particular. Here's what you need to know before buying: - The spacing between the staves is optimal! The staves are spaced far enough apart to: 1) allow for lyrics to be written beneath the staves; 2) accommodate the writing of contrapuntal lines. There's plenty of space between the staves, but not so much space as to preclude the grouping of two or more staves with a bracket. Moleskine nailed the spacing! - Open the book to any page, and you'll find that the left-hand page is blank, while the right-hand page is staved (see pictures at the top of the page). Fortunately, the notebook is a decent size, so that a good amount of music can be written on a single staved page. And if it irks you that every other page is blank, Moleskine includes a staved bookmark of sorts that you can use to draw your own staves on the blank pages. (I haven't tried this; I didn't want to make a mess of things.) - The pages are a soft off-white, not the garish white of many staff paper notebooks. The pages are sturdy and opaque--no worries about bleed-through, even when using a stout pen. - As with all Moleskine products, the binding is nice and tight. Treat it right, and this notebook will last you a lifetime. So what's the hold-up? Just buy it already. (BTW, if you're wondering what kind of pen to use with use this or any other Moleskine product, I recommend you go with the Sakura Pigma Micron Pen Set, 3-Pack, Black Ink . It seems like a lot of reviewers praise the Pilot Precise V5 in their reviews, but the Sakura pens blow the Pilot line out of the water. The Sakura brand is finer than the Pilot brand, and there is much less bleed-through when writing on thin paper. Also, with the Sakura the ink doesn't splay or spread out on the page like the Pilot pens tend to do. The Sakura brand is especially useful when making marginal notes in a book or article. Because the pen writes so cleanly, it's perfect for cramming a lot of text into a tiny space.)

Ideal for putting down musical ideas, working out theory problems, writing the next big hit.

Good product, but there seem to be some that are defective. I was so excited to get this when it first came. I wanted to be able to keep a music journal. The cover and binding was quality, the paper was quality, but I was barely able to see the staves! They were so faint and so close together as well. I didn’t see how they expected anyone to see the lines and spaces, enter notes and stems, or read them. I was wondering whether or not it was defective. I contacted the company and they were nice enough to send me a replacement and sure enough the lines were darker and easier to read. I wished they were even a bit darker, but now it’s a readable/useful journal. Bravo to Moleskine for “making things right”.Below is a pic with the 2 side by side.

I've been carrying around dinky versions of music-notebooks for decades, little spiral-bound things where the staves are too tall and pages get ripped/bent constantly. This Moleskin music-notebook is precious, and the proportion of the actual staves are really great for the size of the notebook. Finally, the included "music ruler" is an unexpected bonus, and frankly something I find indispensable now that I know it exists. It's a dreamy little notebook.

I bought this for my daughter to use at her college conservatory program. It wasn't something she "needed", but something I felt she could use to express herself, her emotions, or just plain have fun. She LOVES this book! I mean she really truly LOVES this book & is about the most precious book she's ever been given. She believes it's "magical" & she feels blessed to have such a beautiful place to put her life to music in her own way & her own voice. I just might have to end up buy 3 more - 1 for every year of school. Just so she can have something special as a keepsake of her life & times.

I bought this as a gift for my mother, who is a singer/songwriter. It's a beautiful book. It's the perfect size to put in a purse or bag and carry with you. I love that there are staffs on one side and a blank page on the other. I think she will get a lot of use out of this. I love Moleskin products. The paper is a high quality, and I love that it has an elastic band to keep the book shut.

Bought it for my musician/composer buddy as a birthday gift. It was pretty cool. I didn't know he already had the smaller one, so it was a good surprise that I went all out and bought him the larger one. He already loves it. From my short tenure with it, it seemed pretty cool. I have been wanting one for a while to write ideas/stories on when in the mood. My Galaxy Note is not for scribbling such thoughts down on. The paper is like I suspected; very similar to checkbook paper. It's got a nice feel and the book itself feels very sturdy. Not much to say, least from my short experience with it. But I will most likely be committing myself to the standard ruled version very soon.