Creating new pitch bend and repeating/oscillating pitch bend symbols

Dorico
1

Hi Dorico Users,

I am just asking if anyone has created a pitch bend symbol for strings or also a special repeating pitch bend. I am looking for something I can use in a score which has Klezmer or Eastern European style of string playing. I notice that there is some standard guitar notation for various pitch bends but nothing definite for violins and cellos.

First I am interested to know what the standard notational symbols would be for these effects if they exist. If there is no such symbol or no such symbol in Dorico I would then have to invent it and then create shape as a glyph. I was wondering if anyone has an experience in this and can provide guidance.

As far as I know I can not create the shape directly in Dorico (is that actually true?). If that is the case, does anyone know of an easy application on the MacOS that would allow me to create the graphic. I am not into Adobe right now.

Once I have the shape in the right format it seems like it would be relatively easy to make the custom symbol in Dorico.

Cheers

Paul N

2

You might start with a look here:
https://www.dolmetsch.com/klezmer.pdf

3

Hi Derek,

Thanks for this. I am aware of this source and the notational problems and issues are evident right there in this PDF. Instead of having a standard symbol to use for the bend the author has to hand draw in the bends and in different ways throughout the notation. I am quite surprised that there is no standard symbol for a bend of this type given how much it is used in various types of music. I would have thought there was an avant-garde notation for this too, and perhaps there is but I do not know it yet. I think I will have to buy that important book “Behind Bars.”

I have a good idea what to create in both of the cases I am considering - the issue is how to do it. The Glyph is the key element. I can tell I will need to import as a PNG or similar graphics file. I don’t have Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator and was wondering if anyone knows of an easily accessible program which will do the trick.

Cheers

Paul