How to Print Your Songbook at Home
Everything you need to know about printing a professional-looking songbook on your home printer.
Choose Your Format in MakeMySongBook
The tool offers 3 output modes. Pick the one that matches your binding method.
Print → Full Book
Best for binder, comb binding, or ring binding
Each song on a full A4 or Letter sheet. Bind along the left spine.
Print double-sided, flip on long edge
Print → Booklet
Best for fold-and-staple booklets
Pages automatically rearranged into A5 booklet imposition by the tool. Fold in half, staple in the middle.
Print double-sided, flip on short edge
Digital
Best for tablets and screens
Optimized for digital reading with clickable TOC and bookmarks. No blank padding pages.
Not for printing
Single-Sided Printing?
If you're not printing double-sided (single-sided only), the Full Book format still works fine — you'll just use more paper. The smart blank pages won't matter since each sheet only has one side. In that case, you can ignore the "blank" pages in the PDF or just print everything as-is.
Choosing Your Paper
The right paper makes a huge difference in how your songbook feels and performs.
Regular printer paper. Fine for drafts. Ink shows through on double-sided prints.
Best for music. Minimal show-through, runs in any printer, thick enough to not curl on a music stand.
Sturdy, great feel. Check your printer supports it. Ideal for a book that will see heavy use.
Matte Paper is Best
Matte paper is ideal for music — no glare under stage lights. Avoid glossy paper, which can be hard to read at an angle.
Natural Off-White Reduces Eye Strain
Natural off-white (cream or ivory) is easier on the eyes during long practice sessions compared to bright white paper.
Cover Page Tip
Print the cover page on 160-200gsm card stock for durability. Feed it manually through the bypass tray.
Smart Page Alignment — Why Some Pages Are Blank
This is a KEY feature of MakeMySongBook that makes your double-sided book readable.
When printing double-sided, you read a book in "spreads" — left page + right page visible at once. If a song is 2+ pages, you need both pages visible without flipping.
MakeMySongBook automatically inserts blank pages so:
- Multi-page songs (2+ pages) always start on a LEFT page (even-numbered)
- This means both pages of a 2-page song are visible in one spread
- Single-page songs fill the remaining gaps naturally
- Chapter dividers also start on left pages for a clean "new section" feel
Visual Example
If printing single-sided: These blank pages don't matter — you can skip them or just print everything as-is.
Printer Settings Step by Step
For Full Book format — the most common choice for home printing.
- 1
Open the generated PDF in any PDF viewer (Adobe Reader, Preview, Chrome)
- 2
Go to File → Print (Ctrl/Cmd + P)
- 3
Set paper size to A4 (or Letter if US/Canada)
- 4
Enable "Print on both sides" / "Two-sided" / "Duplex"
- 5
Choose "Flip on long edge" (this is the default for books — pages flip left-to-right)
- 6
Set scaling to "Fit to printable area" or "Actual size" — don't manually shrink
- 7
Print in black & white / grayscale to save ink (unless you have color annotations)
- 8
Print a test run of 4-6 pages first to check alignment
Single-Sided Printing
For people without duplex printers.
- Select Full Book format in MakeMySongBook
- Print normally (single-sided)
- The blank padding pages from smart alignment won't affect you
- You'll use more paper but the layout still works
- Consider putting printed pages in sheet protectors in a ring binder — this gives you a lay-flat book with protection
Pro Tips
Small details that make a big difference.
Test print first
Print 4-6 pages before committing to the full book. Check alignment, margins, and double-sided positioning. Your future self (and your ink budget) will thank you.
Check alignment
Hold double-sided page to light — text should align front and back. If it's off, adjust margins in your printer settings.
Print cover on card stock
Print the first page on 160-200gsm card stock for durability. Feed it manually through the bypass tray.
Print in grayscale
Sharper text for music notation and saves ink. Unless you have color annotations, black & white is the way to go.
Let pages dry
Wait 30 seconds before stacking to avoid smudging (inkjet printers especially).
Keep the master PDF
When you add songs later, regenerate without starting over. Your project is saved in the tool.
Next Steps
Binding Options Compared
Comb binding, ring binder, perfect binding, or stapling? Compare methods and choose the right one.
Booklet Printing Guide
Want a fold-and-staple booklet? Learn how to print the A5 booklet format.
Print Shop Guide
Prefer professional printing? Learn what to tell the print shop and what to expect.