'Double note duration' / common to cut-common

Dorico
1

Hey legends. I have a piece that I need to convert into cut-common.

My initial idea was to select all → select insert → ‘Double note duration’. As this post details, Dorico can’t manage this with triplets, and the ‘solved’ answer is lots of labour to remove and add tuplets back in.

My expectation with this action is that quaver (eight note) triplets will be converted into crotchet (quarter note) triplets. Observe before/after screenshots to see how this fails.

So how does one convert a load of 4/4 into cut-common in Dorico?

Many thanks, Keiran

Screenshot 2026-07-07 at 16.41.30
Screenshot 2026-07-07 at 16.41.302880×1800 1.08 MB

Screenshot 2026-07-07 at 16.42.23
Screenshot 2026-07-07 at 16.42.232880×1800 1.11 MB

2

Treat triplets as a special case.
I’m sure if dealing with this were easy, the development team would already have done it.

3

I have loads of triplets in this arrangement. Do I have to re-write the whole thing?

4

No, you don’t need to re-write anything. But you do need careful preparation and have patience.

5

Can you be more specific? What do I need to do to make this anything else than a laborious task? How would you do this?

6

The general method is:
Preparation:

  • Make sure all tuplets are visible (if the number is hidden, the signpost must show)
  • Also, I like to mark the start of every tuplet (It reduces errors later). In your case you could use the ‘unstressed’ articulation. The quick way is to mark one tuplet, copy and then use paste special>paste articulations… to reproduce it over blocks of tuplets. (Yes this is tedious, but worthwhile)

Doubling durations:

  • Engage Insert Mode
  • Make a selection and filter for the tuplets. Delete! (Don’t panic about the notational mess!)
  • Write>Edit Durations>Double note duration…
  • Replace the tuplets (You know where they are because you marked them!). Mostly this will just involve invoking the tuplet popover and hitting enter.
  • Disengage Insert Mode

You can remove all the marks in one go by select all, then applying the chosen articulation twice.

Have fun (and experiment on a copy of your main file!)