Any MXML tips from Sibelius imports?

I know that MXML is not a ‘perfect science’, but I’m importing scores from Sibelius over to Dorico for touch ups, finishing some scores, etc.

Any one have some extra suggestions to help smooth the process?

Such as:

  • create new instrument stave in newly saved Dorico document and copy old Sibelius imports into new staves?
  • make a new kind of document with any different settings?
  • change any Dorico preferences after importing
    -etc etc

Maybe some underlying Sibelius code can make some Dorico processes act strangely?

Any insights are most welcome!

In general you will find that things work differently depending on whether you export from Sibelius using the built-in MusicXML export feature added in Sibelius 7, or the free Dolet plug-in (which can also work with earlier versions of Sibelius). Each has different strengths and weaknesses. If you have specific issues, please give us the details and we’ll see what we can do to help.

I’ve been using the MXML exporting using Sibelius 20.9.

I think the only ‘oddity’s’ occur when I export a Sibelius document that might have been started in an older version of Sibelius, and perhaps one in which I had some strange things happening when using Sibelius itself.

Bringing in a Sibelius score from earlier this year is actually pretty smooth. The only things missing might be some staff and system text markings. That’s about it.

Re-editing in Dorico and formatting parts in Dorico makes things go pretty quickly.

But, will mention any re-occurring ‘oddities’ if anything striking comes up again and again. Thanks!

**(…of more importance, I’m going to post a new topic right now on “Pitch-before-Duration and Dotted notes’ with Tied notes”