A few years ago I had made a post that contained a feature request regarding the ability to insert one-off performance text and directions via the popover menu. Dorico Feature Requests/Gripes - #5 by dan_kreider
More for recording session work than publication, I still find myself having to make a bunch of one-off performance text options to be used, which is a giant time sink when prepping for sessions on tight deadlines.
Is it possible to have the ability to insert performance text on the fly, rather than having to create a new, bespoke option every time? The example I gave was: shift – p > $play this ludicrously > enter.
Even if it were to just create a performance text for that file, under the hood, and inserted it, that would be a huge time saver. Even after three years of adding every one-off piece of text to my default library, I am still having to create one-offs.
Next feature request, which I know many session orchestrators and prep-houses have been asking for: is there any way to get rid of the condensing a2’s by default—especially if the split beams/rests is selected?
pianoleo provided a screenshot of the factory condensing option in this post, helping with an unrelated issue, but I will provide the snippet here: Condensing - unwanted a2 a3 - #5 by Coati
In this scenario, the 1. and a2 are completely redundant and eat into valuable white space for dense orchestral scores.
We can assume that the first measure flute line is the first player due to the beam direction and location of the measure rest.
We can assume that both players are playing as there are no measure rests present.
There are times when this extra clarification is awesome, if there are more than two players for a staff; however, as it is currently, we do not really have a lot of control over the condensing behaviour, and this has been commented on at enough recording sessions—globally—that I think Dorico would benefit from some additional default parameters or options.
No we can’t. The text is there purposefully to indicate it’s 2 players, and not the first or only the second flute. “1.” could be in place of “a 2” and still be correct, as it would indicate flute 1 plays that part.
I do agree that there are times where it keeps displaying “a 2” or some other text when it’s already been displayed at a certain point. More user control is better.
First request: I think we need this.
Second request: I do agree that Dorico condensing can be a bit annoying, but I think you need at the least either an a2. marking or two stems. The latter options for excerpts like the image you have in your post, where the flutes briefly play a2. and then go back to 1.
In the context of that excerpt in isolation, if it were to continue being a single player performing, the secondary full measure rests would continue for the length of the phrase before they return to unisono. Especially from a conducting standpoint, the correct players have their parts. Otherwise, you may as well just have the player indicator and no secondary rest. In that notation scenario, the a2 would be necessary: agreed. However, this still illustrates the core problem with both scenarios as it is in Dorico and the screenshot above: you end up with redundant ink on the page by default unless you use the split beam option for unisono.
The presence of the player indicator or player rests shows the division: both at the same time is unnecessary and Dorico already—clearly—offers the ability to account for former scenario and house style. That’s how most of my publishing work has ever been done in the past and most, if not all, of my session work has ever been done in the US, Europe, or Asia.
The main difference is that for classical publishing, we used to use split beams for unisono sections; however, I have not been asked to do that in ages. I have only ever been asked to either: account for player division via player markers, which Dorico supports, or show player division via the rests and have unisono sections be a single beam—except for sections when the lines have players momentarily overlap etc.
Again, the name of the game being preserving white space, and from reviewing my publisher and client style guides, all of them—except maybe 3—requested split rests and single beams for unisono. It’s less visual mess, and Finale and Sibelius achieved that easily. Edit: these guides explicitly request the removal of all a2 and unison markings.
Of course, there would be the point when a section goes long enough where the player indication makes more visual sense, even if providing split rests; however, we dont have enough options to account for common house styles as a default.
