So, I Have To Ask, What Is A Music Nib?

[jeremy.g58]

I see the term "music nib" come up a lot. While I have seen the J. Herbin music staff nib (five individual nibs, spaced to draw a staff for sheet music) I don't know what makes a music nib a music nib and why it is called that. Can you guys help clarify this for me?

 

TIA!

[KRuland]

As far as I can tell, it's a special nib for writing music notes easier and more uniform. It's like a calligraphy nib.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong

Edited January 26, 2013 by KRuland

[jordanjay29]

I had the very same question some time ago, and Google led me to this: http://www.pentorium.com/2012/07/13/the-song-and-dance-over-music-nibs/

[jeremy.g58]

I had the very same question some time ago, and Google led me to this: http://www.pentorium.com/2012/07/13/the-song-and-dance-over-music-nibs/

Aha! Very informative, thank you!

[jordanjay29]

I had the very same question some time ago, and Google led me to this: http://www.pentorium.com/2012/07/13/the-song-and-dance-over-music-nibs/

Aha! Very informative, thank you!

 

No problem.

 

Seems like one of those 'maybe someday' nibs for me, as I don't compose, and I'm having enough fun playing with the flex on my Noodler's Ahab right now for signatures.

[jeremy.g58]

I had the very same question some time ago, and Google led me to this: http://www.pentorium.com/2012/07/13/the-song-and-dance-over-music-nibs/

Aha! Very informative, thank you!

 

No problem.

 

Seems like one of those 'maybe someday' nibs for me, as I don't compose, and I'm having enough fun playing with the flex on my Noodler's Ahab right now for signatures.

 

Good to know, I've been thinking of picking up an Ahab to play with some flex as well.

[Harlequin]

Afaik, the way it is used here is to mean usually a 3 tines nib that provides more ink to the page But, the thing is, it can also mean a two tined nib that does something similar, although not to as great a degree. Almost always supposed to be italic or straight edged as well, I believe. Since some manufacturers call a two tined nib a "music nib" while others use the term for a three tined nib, there really isn't a lot of agreement as to what specifically a music nib IS. I don't think it really has all that much to do with writing sheet music either, unfortunately.

[legume]

From what I understand, a music nib is a certain cut like a stub, cursive or crisp italic. A music nib cut, or grind allows you to write at a large range of angles and was designed, obviously, to write music. A nib with a music nib cut often has two slits (three tines), and nibs with two slits are often have music nib cuts, but this is not necessarily so. A one-slit/two-tine nib may have a music nib cut, and a two-slit/three-tine nib may have a stub, cursive or crisp italic cut.

[Harlequin]

I honestly think that although there may have been a reason that some nibs were originally called music nibs, that's has been lost to the ages. In practice, a music nib is no different than a somewhat rounded italic nib (CI is probably the closest). That's why I prefer to go by the number of tines, personally. But in reality, it seems that now, a nib can be called a music nib by the manufacturer/pen maker for any reason they want, as long as it is italic and on the broader end of the spectrum.

Edited January 26, 2013 by Harlequin

[Strang]

I'm not aware of any one slit music nibs other than the modern Sailor. To my eye, it writes much more like a medium stub than anything else. And as far as vintage music nibs, my understanding is that they were much more used by copyists (creating scores for orchestras and such) than by actual composers.

 

You may find this post interesting:

 

music nib comparison

[provis]

Originally, music nibs are chiseled nib grinds that let you write musical notes with their distinctive wide/narrow circle shapes.

 

Usually they come with two nib slits for better ink flow so you can draw a wet broad line But I don't think many pen manufacturers offer that option, though I could be wrong.

[ehemem]

Originally, music nibs are chiseled nib grinds that let you write musical notes with their distinctive wide/narrow circle shapes.

 

Usually they come with two nib slits for better ink flow so you can draw a wet broad line But I don't think many pen manufacturers offer that option, though I could be wrong.

 

YEPYEPYEP!

 

And you are correct. As a matter of fact, no pen manufacturers offer a chiseled nib option. It essentially would mean that the tipping material would have to be removed and it would shorten the nib life. Have you ever seen medieval musical notation in manuscripts? I'm thinking of large psalters and alter books. The notes were written with 1 wide, short stroke, producing a four sided diamond shape. I suspect that they were written with a reed pen, since a quill wouldn't be broad enough, and it is easier to cut a single sided chisel knife-like edge on to the end of a reed than it is on to a quill.