"Edit Chord Diagrams" reverts to different diagram

I’m trying to create some alternate chord diagrams. For example, there’s a variation of a ukulele D7 that’s 2o2o.

So I add a new diagram, call it “D7 Easy,” and…

…instead of respecting my custom diagram, it reverts to Am6. No. Bad Dorico.

Even as I’m editing the diagram, it tries to create a new diagram “D7 easy_2.” Why? I’ve read the manual, watched some videos… either I’m missing something, or this doesn’t work as intended.

PS: in another thread I learned I had the wrong tuning… I needed to change to the custom tuning I had created. But when I did, I got the same result.

You are creating a D7 without a root D. Dorico is saying hang on, I’ve already got one of those, it’s Am6.

Well, it needs to step aside!

Wouldn’t this be ‘easy-er’?

I’m not widely regarded for my skill on the uke, so I couldn’t say. All I know is the client (a uke educator) wants the ability to display a D7 as 2o2o!

Time to educate the client? 2o2o is not D7 :wink:

Of course it is. It works just fine as a rootless alteration for beginners. But that’s not the point. If chord diagrams aren’t completely customizable, that’s a difficult limitation.

I don’t think Schenker played the Uke either! (sorry, I’m being frivolous)

Seriously though. Where would you have Dorico draw its line on reasonableness? If you allow everything, Dorico cannot suggest anything.

I’m not asking for the moon. It’s like Force Duration. If I want three quarters in 6/8, Dorico will let me. But “Edit Chord Diagrams” doesn’t allow me to create the custom diagrams the client is asking for.

OK. Allow me to back out gracefully.
I created a new chord diagram, called it D7(uke)…

It saved without problem.

And entering a D7 chord produced…

Go figure?

It’s important to know that the library of chord diagrams in Dorico is a library of chord shapes rather than a library of chords. The name you give the chord diagram in the Chord Diagrams dialog is really for your own reference rather than it carrying any meaning for the software: what Dorico cares about is the notes in the chord once the shape is applied to the neck of the instrument with the tuning you have chosen in the player context menu in Setup mode.

There will be some changes in the next major version that will make it possible both for you to save a duplicate chord shape in the library and for Dorico to prefer your custom-saved shape above its own built-in shapes, which should make this easier to manage.

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Thanks Daniel, that’s very welcome news!

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That kinda answers my feature request post I just made.
I’d actually prefer my own chord diagrams at all times, so if the next version is going to allow that, that would be great.
Dorico occasionally gets the chord diagram right but often does not, and I’d rather have my own versions. It does default back to the last chord diagram used right now, which is super-helpful!

I agree that custom chord diagrams would be most welcome, especially as we’re likely to use a chord in more than one position in the same piece, or use a non-standard name, e.g., Easy D7 or Hawaiian D7.

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