Hi all,
The Condensing feature has been saving me TONS of time on this current project I’m working on, but I’ve hit a strange roadblock. I’m aware of the limitations of condensing staves with players doubling on another instrument but I haven’t found a specific example like this anywhere else on the forum, and I can’t find a great workaround for this behaviour.
On page 1 everything works as I expect it to: Flute 2 is playing piccolo, so gets a separate staff - perfect.
Page 2 is the source of the issue. On Page 2, Flute 1 is playing something while Flute 2 rests.
The Condensing feature did not automatically consolidate the two staves, so I used a Condensing Change to force it, giving an unexpected result:
The condensed flutes staff is now entirely blank. This seems like a bizarre outcome - am I missing something here? I’ve attached the file in question (cut down to a few pages of woodwinds only for size). Thank you for any help!!
sinfonietta_v3_condensingtest.dorico (1.4 MB)
Hi @TaranPlamondon instead of a condensing change you could use Manual Staff Visibility for the frame, after deactivating the flutes from this condensing change (maybe someone else has a better solution, or an explanation for the failing condensing change…):
Right - I didn’t even think to try the Manual Staff Visibility. I just have to override the staff label and that makes for a great solution. Thank you!
1 Like
The reason that it is happening is because the instrument change to Flute 2 doesn’t occur until bar 16. So, you are technically trying to force the second instrument to condense and Dorico doesn’t like you for that.
A great way to test this is to put a Chord Symbol Region in bar 9 of the Flute 2 stave and watch it condense. The issue is that the Chord Symbol Region will break any multi-bar rests in the part layout (unless there is a way to hide it that I can’t think of).
Someone might have another suggestion of what you might be able to enter in the Flute 2 instrument that won’t break a multi-bar rest in the part layout but will enable condensing to apply in the score…
EDIT you could always use a second set of Flute/Picc for its own layout etc but it’s a bit tedious.
Great catch @DanielMuzMurray !! In this case I think is also a fortunate coincidence that putting the Chord Symbol region on flute 2 on bar 5 doesn’t break the multibar rest of the part because on bar 6 there is anyway already a meter change. Only the “Flute” naming of bar 5 should be custom edited with the properties panel to “to Flute” 
part:
I didn’t take much time thinking of a workaround but that’s a good one.
1 Like
