I just happen to want to learn DoricoPro, by using a ludicrous modern piece… and -of course- as the first thing of all - I dive in to trouble!
The composer has (hand) written a rather complex, free Kyrie-Theme, where I have minor problems in quickly making it look as he intended.
Ok; I have to confess a major issue: I imported the file from Finale (XML), and wanted to finish it in Dorico, whilst learning the program… (silly to begin with such a difficult piece).
The phrase consists of mixed eights, dotted eights, quarters, dotted quarters in a “unorthodox” (sorry the pun), manner e.g. not according to any dividable rhythm. So the program goes havoc with tied notes… which is rather annoying.
I figured out the Force Duration, but… seriously: wouldn’t it be smart to somehow be able to define (selected) bars to be NON-gridded? No rhythm subdivision/auto beaming, whatsoever.
I think it is A LOT faster to, say, have (default) un-beamed notes (flags), and when having done the correct note-lenghts - just select the desired notes and say “beam”.
Bar (beat) Grid: OFF
→ maybe this is possible already, I just didn’t find it. (I also looked in Write-Options…)
As you found, Force Duration works quite handily for un-conventional note groupings.
After entering all the music, you can select a section, right-click, Beaming–Split Beam. You can also do the inverse operation: select a group of notes, right-click, Beaming–Beam Together.
In your Dorico Preferences, is this option ticked? You have to set this stuff before you import the MusicXML file.
If you’re starting from scratch, turn on Force Duration before you start adding notes. That way you can specify exactly how you want the notes and rests to appear, while typing them in, and there’s nothing to later correct.
Since the main problem is about Dorico making ties… I assume that if making a “all grids off” thingie, it also has to be selectable what the smallest rhythmic division would be… : /
Thanks for that hint, Leo. The problem arises, though - if you change things (like time signatures)… then (i guess) Dorico overrides any imported “defaults”.
Dorico typically hangs onto Forced Durations unless you change the barlines in such a way that it cannot hang onto them. What would you expect Dorico to do if you put a barline in the middle of a note?
