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Advice To Composers
 
  • Jeffers Handbell Supply only accepts pieces of the highest quality. Keep the instrument in mind - some music that sounds good on keyboard or on computer playback equipment does not necessarily work well for handbells.

  • It is not always helpful to submit large quantities of music. Choose a few of your strongest pieces for consideration.

  • We do not know whether a piece will work for us until we review it. Although we have specific catalog needs, we are always open to new ideas and may not have considered a particular type of music until you submit it!

  • Pieces may be rejected simply because our release schedule is full. If you feel a piece is particularly strong, submit it at another time.

  • Due to cost and time restraints, we publish very few pieces based on copyrighted material. We do, on occasion, publish settings of modern praise and worship tunes and other copyrighted material, but it is important that the tune is well-known and the handbell setting is particularly well-crafted.

  • We are always looking for general hymns, hymns for specific holidays and other fresh hymns and carols that do not already have an excessive number of arrangements in print.

  • Pieces set for 3-5 octaves meet the greatest need in the handbell market, followed by pieces for 2-3 octaves. While we consider submissions written for any octave combination, these two categories dominate the market.

  • We publish very few classical transcriptions. Classical submissions should be of extremely famous pieces that work particularly well on handbells.

  • Although arrangements make up the largest portion of our catalog, we do publish some original compositions. We will consider originals of any difficulty level; however, there is a greater need for easier original compositions.

  • We do not publish many medleys, although we will consider them. For a medley to get strong consideration, the tunes need to relate to each other well and be accessible to both ringers and listeners.

  • Jeffers Handbell Supply takes chances on new writers and "unknowns" more often than most publishers.

  • Each submission is considered on its own merit. Feel free to submit as often as you like.


These are only suggestions and guidelines to the types of pieces that Jeffers Handbell Supply commonly publishes. You will never know if your piece will be selected for publication unless you submit it! And one final note - our needs are constantly changing. DON''T GIVE UP!