Custom staff size for condensed staves

Dorico
1

Hello,

So, I think because the program does not let you select any condensed parts in write mode, there is no way to shrink the staves like I want. The staff sizes I need for my band piece should be about 20% smaller than what I am allowed to do. When I go into page setup and choose “custom size” for the staff size, it never gives me the option to input a custom staff size.

What do I do? Things are colliding to hell and I need the ability to shrink my staves more.

Thanks.

2

I feel like I’m missing something…

You just want to change the size of your staves in one Layout? (See the Note in Step 4)

I’m not sure but if you turn Condensing off and do this (below) for all instruments that are condensed then it might keep this size when Condensing is turned on. Eg if you only want a Tpt 1 and 2 stave smaller, turn Condensing off, change staff size of both these instruments, turn Condensing on. I have no idea if this will work!

3

I came across this thread while looking for a solution to the same problem, because I had been trying what Daniel suggests above and he was right not to be sure if it would work… it doesn’t. I have a vocal score with full-size choral staves and 75% organ staves, but now I’m working on the organ score, which has the sizes reversed. However, as soon as I condense the vocal parts onto two staves, the staff size is reset, and as eje2003 said, you can’t change the staff size after condensing, so I guess this is a feature request! Examples below (I know I’m going to have to remove the stems manually, which is a pain, but at least I was expecting that).

CH1
CH1334×510 24.4 KB
CH2
CH2402×549 30 KB

4

Proper choral condensing is still not supported, really. If the piece continues homophonically like this, without crossing voices, I see no reason to write it on 4 separate staves, with 4 copies of the lyrics and dynamics. And then the organ reduction would be unnecessary. Even the seconds are readable as stems up & down without the stems.

5

Thanks Mark, you’re quite right. Unfortunately things do get more complex later on, including divisi in the upper parts and some tricky cross-rhythms. Anyway, I’ve now decided to copy the vocal parts onto a 2-stave choir reduction so I can edit it separately, and I’ve hidden the organ in the opening section. Not elegant, but effective. Maybe the team will get round to making this better in time.