Why do I need to cut my own cards?
Because there are so many different lengths of cards, having the cards precut was going to be cost prohibitive. We also decided against preforated lines to separate the cards since the edges would be bumpy and smooth edges are important when writing rhythms.
Cutting the cards is easy.
Only short, straight lines are needed and the cards are clearly marked.
I suggest using a high-quality paper cutter to prepare your cards. I do not recommend you use sissors or a guillotine-style paper cutter as both will yeild unsatisfactory results (I've tried). I recommend using this inexpensive (less than $25), yet high-quality Fiskars cutter that is available worldwide. You can see it on my video. It is a great cutter for this and many other projects.
Should I lamintate my cards?
I do not recommend laminating your cards. Besides not being green (so much plastic), laminating will add a glare to the cards, make them too stiff and add edges so the cards may not meet together properly. The binder pockets were not designed to accommodate thicker, laminated cards. The cards are specially coated to provide durability and just enough weight to make them easy to use.