Used by 700,000+ people
Free ISMN barcode generator.
Turn the International Standard Music Number of a score or part into its EAN-13 barcode; the generator adds or verifies the check digit.
How to create an ISMN barcode
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01
Enter the ISMN
Type 13 digits, hyphens allowed, or 12 for the generator to complete. Replace an old M with 979-0: M-1234-5678-5 becomes 979-0-1234-5678-5.
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02
Set dpi and module width
Enter 240 dpi and 3 pixels per module: X is 0.318 mm and the bars reach 22.65 mm, above GS1's minimum.
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03
Add the ISMN line
On the back of the score or part, print "ISMN" and the hyphenated number in OCR-B, 9 point or larger; the image lacks this line.
ISMN: the EAN-13 for notated music
An ISMN barcode is an EAN-13 carrying the International Standard Music Number of a printed or digital music edition. The prefix 979-0 is a GS1 range allocated to the International ISMN Agency, so every ISMN is also a GTIN-13 (Global Trade Item Number).
Who numbers and scans sheet music
Publishers number every item available separately: full score, vocal score, set of chorus parts and individual chorus parts make four ISMNs.
Music traders scan the barcode when handling stock, deliveries and sales. Libraries use the number for acquisition and legal deposit.
One ISMN per edition, printed to EAN rules
An ISMN is never reused, even out of print. Price changes and unchanged reprints keep it; a new binding or arrangement needs a new one.
The ISMN Users' Manual points to EAN printing rules: at checkouts, GS1 asks for print grade 1.5 or better and bars at full minimum height.
Barcodes for a whole music catalogue
Single barcodes need no account. After a free sign-in, a data sheet imports your catalogue and makes one barcode per row.
Barcode Studio exports ISMN barcodes from a CSV file in one run, in its Pro edition also as EPS, PDF or AI. TBarCode Office links them to Excel cells.
ISMN barcode at a glance
- Symbol
- EAN-13 (ISMN manual: no add-on)
- Module width X
- 0.264–0.660 mm, nominal 0.330 mm
- Bar height
- 22.85 mm at 0.330 mm
- Quiet zones
- 11X left, 7X right
- Issued by
- National or regional agencies
How a 13-digit ISMN is built
| Element | Example | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Prefix | 979-0 | Fixed |
| Registrant | 1234 | 3–7 digits from the agency; the first digit sets the length |
| Item | 5678 | 1–5 digits, from the registrant |
| Check digit | 5 | Modulus 10 |
Check digit: weighting 979012345678 by 1 and 3 in turn gives 115; 115 + 5 = 120 divides by 10, so it is 5.
Frequently asked questions
Learn more about ISMN.
Who issues ISMNs?
Can an ISMN barcode carry an add-on?
Does a digital edition need its own ISMN?
Does a songbook get an ISMN or an ISBN?
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