The International Standard Music Number or ISMN ( ISO 10957 ) or international Number standardized of the music , created in 1992, is a single code of identification of the printed musical publications, composed of 10 alphanumerics, developed by the ISO, the TC 46/SC 9 (Under Commission N°9 of the ISO) is in load of this standard. It is composed of four parts:

1. the prefix M which makes it possible to distinguish it from a ISBN,
2. the indicative of editor which appoints the editor of a musical publication,
3. the indicative of document which is used to identify an edition of a work and the various documents which are there,
4. the Clé of control which makes it possible to check the validity of the ISMN automatically.

A publication can be seen allotting an ISBN and a ISMN. Contrary to the ISBN, the ISMN does not indicate the nationality of the editor. To calculate the key of control, each character of the ISMN is multiplied by a weight, alternatively 3 and 1 from left to right. The letter M takes the arbitrary value 3. One adds then these products. The key of control is the entirety ranging between 0 and 9 which makes it possible the sum to reach the next multiple of 10.

For example, for the ISMN starting with M-060-11561:

3xM + 1x0 + 3x6 + 1x0 + 3x1 + 1x1 + 3x5 + 1x6 + 3x1 = 9 + 0 + 18 + 0 + 3 + 1 + 15 + 6 + 3 = 55

55+5 = 60 is a multiple of 10, thus the key of control is worth 5 and the complete ISMN is M-060-11561-5.

See too

Source

• Manual of the user of the ISMN on the site of the Library and Files of Canada.