Handwriting Music

Hey guys, this is my first post here! I'm 19 and about to start my first year of college with my major in music composition. This topic is basically about the finer nuances of writing music, or specifically the tools of the trade. 

My question: For those of you who write music with pencil or pen, what do you use? I'm trying to find the best pencils for writing music. Currently I have Mirado Black Warrior pencils and Write Dudes USA Gold, however I'm interested in trying a 2B pencil or something like that. The pencils I have heard good things about are: Pacific music writer, judy green music writer, palomino and blackwings, and many japanese pencils including mitsubishi Hi-Uni. I currently use carta music paper in 12 by 18 and 18 by 12.

I use a 2mm lead-holder pencil like this http://www.reliablepaper.com/Staedtler_Mars_Technico_Lead_Holder_p/std780bk.htm?gclid=CO-z7875r7gCFWyCQgodfkQAQg&Click=53253

I get my paper from Judy Green: 15" x 12" with 14 staves. 

Is that paper really that good, or would I get better results buying high quality paper from a store and printing the staves on myself?

Are we talking about writing sketches and scores that would later be engraved on a computer by hand or full on calligraphic George Crumb-esk scores that are useable and readable from the pen to the stand?

Both kind of. I am still working on my creative process, but I plan on sketching with pencil, making a final copy with pen, and then entering it into a program.

Ticonderoga HB2 are my choice. They have excellent build quality, great erasers that don't disintegrate on contact, and they are pretty and green! I can't stand those mechanical pencils because the graphite is far too narrow most times and breaks easily. I don't like the unnatural feeling of them either.

For my random sketches I use a Moleskine book that has manuscript lines like this: http://www.amazon.com/Moleskine-Classic-Cover-Pocket-Notebook/dp/888370536X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374030280&sr=8-2&keywords=moleskine+music I don't know if these are made anymore but they're the definition of awesome. I added my own little loop of elastic on the cover to hold my pencil so I have one wherever I go. I cannot tell you how many times it has come in handy when I didn't expect to use it. 

Currently I have Mirado Black Warrior pencils and Write Dudes USA Gold, however I'm interested in trying a 2B pencil or something like that. The pencils I have heard good things about are: Pacific music writer, judy green music writer, palomino and blackwings, and many japanese pencils including mitsubishi Hi-Uni.

I currently use bic mechanical pencils in addition to ballpoint pens in various colors, in addition to working directly in the notation software.

i use anything that's available—mechanical pencils, non-mechanical pencils, ballpoint pens, quill pens, markers, sticks of charcoal, etc. i don't see why it would matter what kind of writing implement you use so long as the results are legible.

The Mirado black warriors are fairly good pencils, no. 2, HB and all that. They definitely write better than your run of the mill pencil, but I think I prefer the USA gold pencils because they write darker. For the blackwings: these pencils have quite a history. They used to be made by a different company and were the favorite tool of many artists, writers, and musicians. The Palomino company started making them again not to long ago, but some people say they aren't quite up to the standard of the old ones. The blackwing comes in three different varieties, regular which writes dark, 602 which writes lighter, and the new pearl which is somewhere in between. Palomino also makes some other pencils I'm interested in. But all of these pencils, other than the USA gold and black warrior, are very expensive, between $1 and $2 per pencil.

fseventsd, I see where you are coming from, completely. I just personally want my first manuscript to look nice, because it means a lot to me. Also, I guess I'm kind of a gear head in terms of my writing utensils and paper and things of that nature. It isn't necessary at all, it's just a hobby.

I usually use whatever pencil I can find- and have a collection of as many I can find because I either lose them or snap their lead to the point I can't be bothered to sharpen them and waste valuable composing time :D As for paper- I print out the staves on on A4, I just prefer having it in A4, just so it's clearer and allows me more room to make mistakes (and so I can just plonk it on my piano and read it) and to change stuff or add notations. Daft reasons, but still- I love A4 because you can find it everywhere.