Aligning different Meters playing at the same time

[KevinGilpatrick1]

I have a score I am working on engraving and there is a section where certain instruments have a meter of 6/4 and others have a meter of 2/2.

The example included shows the problem. It lines up on the page but not in Dorico.

Suggestions and help would be much appreciated as I can’t continue until I figure this out. (I was never good at math problems)

Kevin Gilpatrick

[dspreadbury]

The problem is that Dorico does not currently allow you to define a metric modulation between different meters, so they’re currently always pegged at quarter = quarter, whereas in this case you want dotted quarter = quarter (or, if you prefer, dotted half = half). You can use tuplets to fake the appropriate relationship – there have been quite a few posts on this topic over the years, so a quick search on the forum will turn up lots of results, or you might find this tutorial helpful.

[pianoleo]

1. Add a global meter of 2/2.
2. Invoke the caret on the first French Horn stave, then type Shift-M 6/4, 4 Alt-Enter. This is telling Dorico to add a 6/4 time signature with a 4 beat anacrusis.
3. Duplicate it down to the other Horns.
4. Add a 2/2 local time signature to the French Horns in the next measure, then hide from the properties panel.
5. Use ordinary quarter/crotchet triplets for the Horn material, then hide brackets and numbers using the bracket and number properties.

[KevinGilpatrick1]

@Daniel at Steinberg

The problem is that Dorico does not currently allow you to define a metric modulation between different meters, so they’re currently always pegged at quarter = quarter, whereas in this case you want dotted quarter = quarter (or, if you prefer, dotted half = half). You can use tuplets to fake the appropriate relationship – there have been quite a few posts on this topic over the years, so a quick search on the forum will turn up lots of results, or you might find this tutorial helpful.

Thanks very much Daniel, I actually did read that article but was still not sure if it was what I needed. I’ll go back and study it more.

Thanks,

Kevin Gilpatrick

[KevinGilpatrick1]

@pianoleo

1. Add a global meter of 2/2.
2. Invoke the caret on the first French Horn stave, then type Shift-M 6/4, 4 Alt-Enter. This is telling Dorico to add a 6/4 time signature with a 4 beat anacrusis.
3. Duplicate it down to the other Horns.
4. Add a 2/2 local time signature to the French Horns in the next measure, then hide from the properties panel.
5. Use ordinary quarter/crotchet triplets for the Horn material, then hide brackets and numbers using the bracket and number properties.

Thanks very much for the help and quick response! Both you and Daniel are on the same track it seems so I’ll follow your directions and hopefully get things moving along.

Cheers,

Kevin Gilpatrick