If you're hunting for an official, legal copy of the sheet music for 'Ting-a-Ling', I usually start by pinning down which version you mean — there are a few songs and recordings with that title. Once I know the artist or year, the fastest route is to look up the song's publisher. I do that by checking the album liner notes, Discogs, AllMusic, or the performing-rights databases like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC; those listings will show the official publisher name and songwriter credits.
With the publisher identified, I go straight to their catalog or to major licensed retailers. My go-to spots are Hal Leonard, Musicnotes, Sheet Music Plus, Sheet Music Direct and JW Pepper — they sell official arrangements in digital PDF or physical book form. If the song is part of an artist's official songbook, the artist's web store or their label's merchandise shop often has it. For older songs that might be in the public domain, I check IMSLP or the Library of Congress, but most modern pop/reggae tracks won't be free.
If I still can't find a licensed score, I
contact the publisher or the label directly — they can tell you if sheet music exists or who holds the rights. I also avoid random user uploads or scans; they might be inaccurate or infringing. Last tip: choir or piano-vocal-guitar arrangements sometimes appear in sheet-music collections or magazines, so I check local music stores and university libraries too. Happy hunting — nothing beats having a clean, legal chart to play from, and it feels great when it all clicks under your fingers.