Based on this screenshot, I would expect that the bass note gets aligned based on the root note. Instead it looks like it’s displayed after the entire symbol.
The slash is a bit too far from the actual bass note. When you combine these issues, it’s almost unclear where the /G in my screenshot should happen (it almost looks like it’s attached to the Fmaj7#11).
Therefore, this combination of settings feels a bit misleading.
If I could, I’d like to request 2 features from this:
Altered bass notes alignment setting to be able to configure it to align with the root of the symbol.
Set the appearance of the altered bass notes without chord symbols (including alignment - for example, if I have alignment of multi-line chord symbols relative to single-line chord symbols, slash chords without a top are incorrectly considered multi-line when they visually only have 1 line).
Thanks!
Zach
EDIT: It looks like I can get some of the inline behavior by unchecking “align chord symbols across width of the system”
Why would you expect that? As a jazz pianist, I expect exactly what Dorico displays. (I’ve read jazz chord symbols for 45 years, and I don’t believe I’ve ever once seen the / bass note written prior to the chord extensions.
I’m really curious: where have you seen this notation?
It’s a more modern thing that I’ve seen quite a bit in big band writing to handle small space, ensuring clear positioning.
I’d expect that configuration to account for horizontal scale of chord symbols. For example, If I did 4 quarter notes: C mixolydian/FC lydian/F#C locrian / F#C aeolean / G, that becomes extremely long and hard to sight read. There’s no world where someone will read the /F /F# /F# /G progression correctly at once.
That example is similar to the example I posted in my original post.
I’m not looking for the bass note to come before the symbol, but rather be aligned like a multi-line symbol with the same alignment point as the top line.
Got it! I didn’t read carefully enough and thought you wanted, for example:
G/Ebmin11(b13)
For the modal symbols, I’ve always thought abbreviated (3 or 4-character) symbols looked better, which not only frees up space but also helps with alignment issues:
You’re right about the simplified naming. In that example, it’s just longer chord symbols like the Emi6/9 / C# - and i could, of course just write it like C#min11, but there are other some other unpictured reasons why i have it written like that.
@dspreadbury quick question. With things like this, is there a way to submit a feature request directly to the dev team? This type of chord configuration is critical for many jazz composers and I want to make sure at least my comments here don’t go into the ether. Is there a report feedback directly to the team function somewhere?
Just to save Daniel some time : he and other people from the dev team read every post of this forum
We users answer the questions we can answer to help (if we can) and save the devs some time (that we prefer better used as developing or resting). So be sure your detailed explanations are taken into account.
You can also write e-mails if you feel it’s necessary and don’t want us to comment, the address is d dot spreadbury at steinberg dot de (I make sure it’s not too easy for a bot to take it and spam it, hopefully you’ll know how to write it correctly)
Does anyone know how to make this not look terrible with slash positioning? Would it just be using text instead of a slash (which is what I’m leaning toward now) or am I forced to write it differently.
I agree, @zbornheimer. If I saw the horizontal separator I’d likely read it as a polychord.
I don’t know if this is much help with your font, but I find that at least setting Engraving Options to top-align across the width of systems helps with readability:
That “middle” setting is not polychord specific. They are just using the polychord as an example. You can select middle with the slash set up the way you have it. You’ll notice in my example I have the slash in the Ab7/Eb chord as you have it, not a polychord.
There was some confusion regarding the Middle setting I suggested though, as that setting has nothing at all to do with the slash appearance. Dorico had to pick one slash style to depict the effect of the setting so it uses the polychord horizontal bar, but that’s not where you select that slash style.
I was presenting Middle just as an option to get this, which I think I prefer over Top or Bottom:
I don’t know why this wasn’t suggested sooner, but here’s the answer. Engrave mode, double click the chord, click on the slash, and you can change the alignment!
