Frequently Asked Questions About the ISMN System

Q: Does a price change require a new ISMN?

A: No.

Q: Does a new title require a new ISMN?

A: Yes, you need a new ISMN for a new title.

Q:I am publishing a music print with a text part in a foreign language. Should it have an ISMN of the country in whose language the text is written?

A: No. It is the country where the publisher is based which determines which national agency should assign the publisher ID, not the language of the text.

Q: The composer is revising his composition which has been published by us before. Does the revised version if published require a new ISMN?

A: A (substantial) change requires a new ISMN.

Q: Does a reprint without any substantial change in text, music, format, or binding require a new ISMN?

A: No. The original number must be retained.

Q: I would like to issue a new ISMN for marketing reasons. Is this permissible?

A: No. There is no change of text, format or binding which would justify a new ISMN.

Q: I am reprinting a music score with a price change. Is a new ISMN required?

A: No. A price change does not require a new ISMN.

Q: What happens if I have used all the numbers under my publisher ID?

A: An additional publisher ID can be assigned--allowing for a larger output if necessary. This is an additional ID, and not a replacement.

Q: Is it possible to reassign ISMNs when the music prints to which they were allocated are out of print?

A: No. An ISMN identifies a given title, and its edition and binding for all time. Even if out of print it will still exist in some shops, and will certainly still exist in libraries.

Q: I am publishing a composition as a full score and in individual parts. Will one ISMN suffice or will each part need its own ISMN?

A: The rules state that in a publication consisting of scores and parts, the full score, the set of parts as a whole, and each individual part (if available separately) must be assigned their own ISMN.

Q: I am taking over another firm, which already has an ISMN prefix. All future music prints will be published under my name. Can I renumber all the other firm's titles?

A: Not until reprinted under your own imprint, carrying your own name.

Q: I am publishing a Braille music print. Are Braille music publications entitled to carry an ISMN?

A: Yes. Braille music publications can be assigned an ISMN.