I’ve looked all over the forum and can’t find a post specifically addressing the stubborn stickiness of the dotted rhythm setting. This is the only aspect of Dorico which regularly interrupts my workflow and causes me to quietly curse.
For me a dotted rhythm is a one-note thing, just like accidentals. I almost never repeat a dotted note value, especially after inputting other note values.
I believe the manual states that the setting is supposed to become inactive after changing note values, but this is not happening for me. It remains on after switching note values and then going back to the previous value that was dotted, even after I’ve turned it off. It seems I need to turn it off repeatedly and find myself often inputting dotted notes when I don’t want to. (Then it’s Control Z, turn off dotted rhythm, again and redo.)
The lack of mentions about this on the forum leads me to believe I might be missing a setting related to this that would end my frustration. Any suggestions?
There are a huge range of input styles to suit different tastes, so you should be able to find something that works.
I have Dorico set to add the dot to the note I’ve just entered, not the one I’m about to enter. I don’t know if you’d find that more suitable.
Once I’ve dotted a note, the next note will be the same duration (which is great, in something like 6/8), until I change the duration. Just pressing a number 0-9 will revert to an undotted value.
That sounds very weird. Are you saying that if you have entered a dotted quarter, and then select a half note, you will get a dotted half?
Bear in mind that a double tap on a number will give the dotted duration, so if you’re trying to ‘hammer it home’ by pressing twice quickly, then you’ll dot the note again.
@benwiggy Thanks for your reply. I’m aware of the setting you mention. I prefer to enter note values by setting up the duration, then clicking it into place with mouse.
If I enter a dotted quarter, then an eighth following it, and then select a quarter note to enter an undotted quarter I will get a dotted quarter. It sometimes sticks to another value as well. Recently I was entering a drum pattern that included dotted quarter notes and the 32nds I was entering into the pattern became dotted when I had never entered a dotted 32nd.
I can’t reproduce that behaviour. Someone else may have noticed it. I suggest that the next time it happens, you create a diagnostic report from the Help menu, and upload the file here, for the development team to have a look at.
Clicking notes into place with a mouse is the slowest and fiddliest method, in any notation software. I’d recommend trying the on-screen virtual keyboard in the lower panel, where you can set the duration and play the notes. A real MIDI keyboard will always be the fastest way of entering pitches, of course.
Thanks again for your replies @benwiggy . I grew up putting notes on paper so using a keyboard isn’t as intuitive for me as placing notes on a staff, but I’ll give the keyboard a try. As I try to reproduce this issue now it’s not happening! When I encounter it I will create a diagnostic report as you suggest.