Fermata Request

Dorico
#1

Doricos auto-positioning of pauses on different staves is fantastic.
Would it also be possible for Dorico to change the rhythm and of different staves so that the fermatas are all on the exact same beat, tied if neeeded.

Example
Stave 1: eight quavers, pause on last quaver (4&)
Stave 2: semibreve BUT Dorico would change it to become minim tied to dotted crotchet tied to quaver with a pause on the quaver.

For theatre, studio reads etc. this is best practice. I write this way if at all possible, because it saves explanation.
It’s not difficult to do by hand but would be marvellous for workflow.

#2

That’s an interesting idea, and I wasn’t aware of this practice. Would you want to do this for rests as well as for notes?

#3

Yes, for rests too.

I’m sure you know what I mean, but simple example attached. Removes conducting ambiguity.
Dorico Fermata.jpeg

#4

A book by Anthony Donato, called Music Manuscript Preparation, written in the late 50s or early 60s, and many copyist’s ‘bible’ until Gould came along, says this is best practice, and gives examples of why.

I know a couple of symphonic orchestra conductors who prefer it and therefore recommend it as well. In fact I’ve long thought it was the only ‘correct’ way to notate fermatas for group performance, and have always followed it in my own works.

–LB

#5

This practice is quite commonly followed in musical theatre too.