Petrucci, Ottaviano dei

Petrucci, Ottaviano dei (ōt'tävyä`nō dā`ē pātrt`chē), 1466–1539, Venetian printer. Petrucci was the inventor of printing music by movable metal type. His patent for the process was issued by the Venetian Republic in 1498, but expensive experiments with other techniques forced him to sell his rights. The music printed by his double process (first the staff, then the notes carefully laid on) is precise and fine. Examples are in the British Museum collection.