Count how many staves are on the original sheet music. (Staves are the groups of five lines and four spaces upon which the music notes and rests are written.) These need to be counted so you know how many staves you'll need to use on your staff paper and so you don't leave out any instruments.
With your writing utensil, draw a solid line on your staff paper just to the left of the staves--the line should touch the staff and reach from the top of the top staff to the bottom of the bottom staff. (A ruler is helpful.)
Look at how the instruments in the original music are grouped and draw secondary straight lines to show instrument families just to the left of the line created in Step 2. Draw a third line (or lines) to the right of the secondary lines to show doubled instruments (for example, Flute I, Flute II).
Read the instrument names assigned to each staff (for example, piano) on the original sheet music one at a time; work from the top down. Write down the names for the instruments for each staff on your staff paper to the left of your grouping lines as you go.
Look at the clef and key signature for each staff on the original sheet music (one at a time) and as you go, on your staff paper, write down the clef and key signature for each staff to the right of the grouping lines.
Count how many bar (measure) lines there are for the first line of music on the original sheet music. Then draw the same number of bar lines through every staff on your staff paper. Repeat for every line of the original music.
Look at the top staff in the original sheet music and identify what the rhythm is and what the notes are for the first measure. In the corresponding measure on your staff paper, draw small closed or open circles on the lines or spaces to represent the notes, writing in any rests as you go. Then draw in the stems for the notes and add any rhythmic dots. Continue this process for every measure of every staff. Erase or white out mistakes as you work.
Go through the music as in Step 7, adding ties, slurs, articulations, dynamics and text instructions.
Looking at your original sheet music, write in any lyrics on your staff paper underneath the staves exactly as they appear in the original. Work one staff and one line at a time going all the way through, starting with the top staff and working down.
Copy the title, composer, tempo and other information exactly as it appears on the original sheet music.