Chord symbol vertical alignment

Hi

Is there a reason that my chord symbols are neatly aligned when in write mode (picture 1) but not when in engrave mode (picture 2). I could go through a time-consuming process to align them of course, but when I see the application already has them like this in write mode, I wonder why it changes.


engrave mode

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Your images compare different chords over different types of notation. It would help us to see the same chord symbols over the same notes so we can compare Write mode to Engrave mode.

I am guessing you are showing us both images rather than this being just image 1. (Sometimes the Discourse forum software limits what new users can post, so I am allowing that this may have prevented you from showing us the second image.)

Welcome to the forum @Scorehighly!

I suspect the difference might be due to you being in galley view in Write mode, whereas Engrave mode always displays music in page view (that is, how it looks when engraved). In galley view, Dorico doesn’t perform any automatic collision avoidance.

You are using Engraving Options/Chords/Altered Bass Notes/Diagonal arrangement. This is just what it will look like using that setting. Dorico aligns your top image in Galley view with the center of the chords aligned, then uses the bottom image in Page where the chords share a baseline value, but not the altered bass. Try Altered Bass Notes/Linear Arrangement if you want them all on a single baseline, otherwise you will have to edit the positions to your liking.

I agree that a setting to automatically get the centered positioning Dorico uses in Galley as an option in Page would be useful.

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Hi all, thanks for the replies. I understand the options and very much want the diagonal arrangement. But I think it looks better the way it’s aligned in Write mode, that is to say, with the chord symbols balanced equally above and below the invisible line I’ve highlighted. But it seems to do this I have to adjust manually. I hope that the application eventually has more options to align things easily, particularly chords and text elements.

I also agree that an option to “vertically center” altered bass and poly chords would be helpful. Thanks.

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