3. Scope of the ISMN

The ISMN is used to identify printed music publications, whether available for sale, hire, gratis or for copyright purposes only.

The ISMN is not targeted at sound or video recordings (except in the rare case noted below): while there is no international identification system for these items, individual sound recordings are identified by the International Standard Recording Code (ISRC). The ISMN is not used for books on music which receive an International Standard Book Number (ISBN). See Chapter 9 on the application of different types of standard numbers.

Each separately available constituent part of a publication must receive its own ISMN.

Items eligible for ISMN include:

• scores,
• miniature (study) scores,
• vocal scores,
• sets of parts,
• separately available individual parts,
• pop folios,
• anthologies,
• other media that are an integral component of a music publication (e.g., a tape recording that is one of the ”parts” of a composition),
• song texts or lyrics published with the printed music (if available separately),
• commentaries published with the printed music (also available separately),
• song books (optional) (see Chapter 9.1.),
• micro-form music publications,
• Braille music publications, and
• electronic publications.

The following items are not to be given ISMNs:

• books on music,
• stand-alone sound or video recordings (including recordings available on computer media), and
• periodicals and series as a whole, as distinct from individual volumes in series (see Chapter 9.2.).