Before submitting a work for consideration, we recommend that you examine Mel Bay's full product line as presented on our web site and in our print catalogs to get a clear idea of the type of books we publish. Please note that traditionally we have not published individual pieces of sheet music, contemporary pop vocal music, or band or orchestra music, but rather method books and solo anthologies of historically, stylistically or thematically related material. Due to high print licensing costs, our primary focus has been on original and public domain material arranged for solo instruments.

To avoid duplicating areas that we have already addressed thoroughly, we strongly recommend that you examine our catalog before mailing your submission.

To evaluate projects and manuscripts for possible publication, we require that the following materials be sent by mail:

1. A copy, not originals, of your manuscript or proposal. It is not necessary to send a completed work, although you may if you wish. Three or four pieces from a collection or a table of contents and a couple of chapters from an instructional book will usually suffice depending on the nature of the work. (We may request a more complete submission for clarification if necessary. This does not imply acceptance of the manuscript for publication.) A professional-looking submission, printed from a one of the products in the Finale® family from Coda Music if possible, is preferred. If this is not possible, send an orderly, clean and neatly handwritten manuscript. Do not send submissions in electronic format or on disk. While we appreciate an author's ability to provide computer files once a project is accepted, we cannot evaluate submissions in this format.
2. A detailed statement of purpose showing:
   1. what the book proposes to do;
   2. what makes it unique or different from other publications; and
   3. what the author views as the market or marketability of the item.
3. A demo CD or cassette if possible
4. A bio of the author

We do not discuss submissions until they have been received and evaluated.

Finally, we suggest that you approach a music publisher as a freelance journalist might approach a magazine editor. Don't spend a year preparing a complete manuscript only to find out that your subject matter has already been thoroughly addressed in an existing publication. Rather, send the materials listed above. These are really all we need to evaluate a project. While Mel Bay Publications, Inc. is not currently soliciting new manuscripts, we are always open to an original music publishing concept.