Accidentals with aggregate time signatures

Is there any way to get aggregate time signatures to show accidentals by default as if the dashed barline were a real barline?

I am unclear what a time signature has to do with accidentals.

With an aggregate time signature (4/4|3/4) there is a dashed barline that separates the first group from the second. The issue is that Dorico treats the 4+3 as a single measure in which accidentals do not reset at the dashed barline. This is technically correct, of course, since it is a bar of 7. But it’s also extremely difficult to keep track of accidentals across a dashed barline–both because of the length of the measure and because a reader will see any kind of barline and instinctively read it as “counting” as the start of a new measure. At least that’s my sense, and I want Dorico to apply accidentals as if each bar of 7 is made up of two bars.

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Based on the lack of additional responses, should I understand that accidental reset at the dashed barline is not possible?

I know we don’t bump threads here, but I would love a clear response, either way, if anyone can confirm. Thanks!

Well, since this is about showing cautionary accidentals within the same bar, there currently is one way I can think of to achieve this globally, but depending on what you want for the rest of your flow that might be a cure that’s worse than the problem.

Go to Notation Options>Accidentals>Basic and set that to to Second Viennese School. Then, if needed you can alter the settings under Notation Options>Accidentals>Second Viennese School Options to your liking.

That will of course have other consequences, one of them being the restated flat for that second Bb. I don’t know if you can tweak that in the settings.

Being able to set cautionary accidental settings specifically for aggregate time sigs that show dashed barlines would be a feature request, I guess.

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Thank you. In my case, the other consequences would not be ideal, but I appreciate the suggestion! The kind of thing I’m working with is like this:

I would not expect anyone to catch the C-sharp or D-sharp past the dotted lines. But if I place accidentals in Second Viennese style I would have to hide them all over in other passages. :frowning:

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I agree that it could be useful to have the option as described.

There was a discussion in the “Music Engraving Tips” Facebook group with the thread title “Restate accidentals after a dashed barline?”, and opinions ranged from “in this case it’s useful” because it makes sight-reading less error-prone, all the way up to “from a music theory standpoint, they should not be restated”.

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This makes sense of course. I just know that putting dashed barlines in front of a jazz orchestra and expecting them NOT to see these as separate measures is likely not going to work out very well! :slight_smile:

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