Hi,
I’m transferring a cantata from Finale to Dorico (the pain…)
Few movements (flows) have the choir as a whole (SATB), other flows with divisi (S1,S2 etc) and in a couple of flows the choir is divided into two choirs (s1,a1,t1,b1 and s2,a2 etc).
If I create a simple 4-part choir I can have the div but cannot re-arrange the staves individually in one flow to have the double choir (s1,a1,t1,b1 and s2,a2,t2,b2)
If I create a double choir the staff name (for example Soprano I) is always visible and don’t know how to hide it individually in flows in order to create the simple SATB on paper without the I or II visible), I can change the player name and adjust it in layout options (show player name instead of instrument name) but it changes it for the whole score.
Must be something I can do…! Any suggestions? Than you
One way would be to create extra Players and assign them to different Flows. You can fool the Player numbering by adding a space in front of the name. I made an example file where I have 3 sets of players. The first set, I did the space trick to disable the numbering and assigned to Flow 1. The other 2 sets are assigned to Flow 2.
Developing the idea by @Craig_F , here another possible setup, renaming the Players (long and short names) of the two separate choirs (and assign the Player names for the staff label for the separated choirs, in Layout options). Then creating 2 groups, so that if you need the groups labels, you have them ready. Creating the groups has also the advantage of the automatic bracketing:
I’ve transferred every single one of my Finale choral scores – well over 100 – and once you’ve done a few, I’d say there isn’t much pain. Some tedium, perhaps: converting text ‘cresc’ into real dynamics; deleting time sigs on every bar; restoring figured bass, etc.
But I ended up with a much better score in Dorico.
I never give choral scores abbreviated names on every system, unless the staff allocation is jumping about all over the place. Singers will doggedly stick to the same line, like a bloodhound.
The vast majority of choral scores before computer engraving never had them. Users just applied the ‘default’, which was set up for orchestral scores.
And you get an extra bit of space for notes!
Yes, everything look better in Dorico and it feels more solid. Actually there is an orchestra involved, so a little more work required!
By the way, when the time comes to extract and print parts, how I can have the whole choir (or all percussions) together and not each voice separately? Like grouping parts, Thanks.
You don’t “extract” parts, in the sense of saving separate Dorico documents for each one. You can create as many layouts as you like in the one Project file – vocal score, instrumental parts, full score, study score – each one with whatever Players you like.
So if you want a layout of the vocal parts, plus a piano reduction (which need not be in the orchestral score!), you just create that in Setup mode.
Aha I got it, thanks. Also if I have only choir in a new layout, any cue notes from orchestral instruments must be written manually, since two layouts don’t communicate, not a a biggie!
You can create the Cues for a Player, in any layout that has those Player/s, and choose in layout options if the Cues should be visible for a specific layout (and you don’t write cues manually: you just select wehere the cue should start, or select a range where it should appear, and choose with the popover from which instrument it will be dynamically generated, you can then prolong or shorten the start and end of the cue, and it will appear automatically).
