Cut time vs. 4/4

[Cedar100]

I’m transcribing Mozart K. 550 (the famous symphony in G minor) to learn beginning orchestration. Mozart marks Alla Breve, so Dorico does certain things in response.

Dotted half note is transformed into half tied to quarter:

Quarter note and eighth note is a dotted quarter

I can force change the values, of course, or if I change from alla breve to 4/4 it normalizes instantly.

Cut time is useful for certain things, but there was one occasion earlier when I just went with 4/4 to avoid fussing with redoing some basics, for I really prefer seeing the 4/4 default style.(I’m sure most players also don’t want to see a dotted quarter note rest even in alla breve.) Just wondering if there was an override.

[benwiggy]

The usual fix is to start with Cut C, and use a hidden change to 4/4 in bar 2. (Of course, this will break multi-bar rests in parts, so find a bar where everyone is playing.)

[FredGUnn]

@Cedar100

Mozart K. 550

As there aren’t any meter changes, you can always just do it in 4/4. In Properties click the Common checkbox:

Then in Music Symbols/Time Signatures/Common time, delete the Common “C” glyph and substitute the Cut Time glyph. Dorico still “thinks” it’s in 4/4 but displays Cut Time.

(There really needs to be an option to treat Cut time the same as 4/4 for note grouping purposes.)

[hrnbouma]

@benwiggy

(Of course, this will break multi-bar rests in parts, so find a bar where everyone is playing.)

Not since version 4.0! Hidden time sigs are properly hidden now.