Condensing Score Trouble

Dorico
1

Not sure how to proceed - if there is a better way to get specific answers, please let me know?

I finished a score. I started condensed since that’s easier to work (I’ll use the multiple staff entry in the future, just didn’t see that option when i started), so two flutes, oboes, clarinets, etc are all on the same staff. For brass I had three horns and three trumpets, each instrument with it’s own staff. When i went to use the condensed score option, I saw my mistake, so I took a few minutes to put each part on it’s own staff. Dorico makes that really easy with the explode options. See the attached image: Galley View - Staff List. So i try to condense and the troubles began. I was hoping for nice looking staves labelled Flute 1. 2. etc., but no cigar. See the second image: Page View for the current result. It looks like I condensed it, but it only has flute 1, oboe 1, clarinet 1, etc. Later on in the score there is no condensing at all, even when the parts are just two notes in harmony, same dynamics, slurs, etc. Is there something basic that I’m missing? For the Setup, I have all individual players, no sections in the winds and brass. Any direction at all would help. Thanks.

Staff List - Page View
Staff List - Page View463×866 46.1 KB

Staff List - Galley View
Staff List - Galley View542×1534 127 KB

2

You’ll need to upload some sort of a project for us to examine. Pretty please.

3

Sabbath Prayer Excerpt 1.dorico (1.4 MB)

4

Here you go - Thanks!

5

You’ve actually created one player for each kind of instrument, and assigned several instruments to each of those players.

Capture d'écran 2026-06-09 074010
Capture d'écran 2026-06-09 074010357×711 21.5 KB

To condense the way you want, you need to create one player per instrument (One player for flute 1, one player for flute 2, and so on).

To achieve this, you can just create empty players and drag the second instrument in their labels:

The breath marks in the oboe and bassoon in bar 5 may prevent condensation. You can replace them with playing techniques.

6

So very helpful, charles_piano! Just fixed that all in about 15 minutes. Whew! Now, on to parts…

7

Hi again, If i could trouble you: It does look like the oboe and bassoon won’t easily condense, I assume - like you mentioned - because of the breath marks. Could you point me to the Dorico logic behind that? I know that Dorico looks for phrases when condensing; the breath mark overrides that here? Why would a playing technique not trigger that?

8

Usually for condensing, it won’t work well unless dynamics etc. are all at exactly the same rhythmic location. It could be that your breath marks are in slightly different places. Try using the command Copy to Staff Below, under Edit/Paste Special. (Sorry, I’m not sure how playing techniques would be any different.)

9

This can work a treat for condensing.

10

It’s more a known limitation than a logic:

Paste the breath to staff below would work in your score, but it will create a breath mark in Oboe 2 and Bassoon 2, which will break the multi‑bar rest in the part layouts.

In this case it’s not a big problem because the fermata already breaks the multi‑bar rests, and you can hide the breath mark in the second instrument by making it transparent, but if the bar is truly empty it becomes a real issue. That’s why I suggested creating and using a playing technique instead. Condensing works well with playing techniques.