Finding the most efficient way to handle multiple key signature changes

Dorico
1

I’m a first-time poster in this forum, so forgive me if I posted this in the wrong place.

I (band director) am trying to set up a sheet of scales for my beginner percussionists. This means that I need to change key signatures multiple times within the same project. However, I’m running into a problem that might make this endeavor more clunky than usual.

What I’m ultimately trying to do is copy and paste the little sequence that I have in the first three measures.*** When pasted, I want to change the key signature and transpose the notes, a process that (bear with me) Finale could do in one move.

So I’ve got the measures pasted, as shown below…

prior to transposition attempt
prior to transposition attempt2154×1010 169 KB

…but when I simply try to change the key signature (Shift+K), this happens. The notes themselves aren’t transposed.

when shift+K is used
when shift+K is used2154×1010 167 KB

Fair enough. I did a Google search on this problem, and the solution given was to use “Write>Transpose” and make sure that the signpost is selected so I can simultaneously change the key signature. This seemed to solve the problem at first…

when write>transpose is used
when write>transpose is used2154×1010 168 KB

…but when I copy and paste measures 4 through 6 in order to transpose again – in this case, from the key of F to the key of B-flat – I can’t transpose the key signature again, likely due to the fact that the sign post is gone.

when i try to transpose again
when i try to transpose again2854×1010 404 KB

As I’m learning this program, I try to make sure that if certain problems come up in the future, I know how to resolve them efficiently, including right now. So is there a step I’m missing, or will I have to transpose notes and change key signatures separately each time I want to do this?

***For those looking at the screenshots and wondering why this looks so messy, I’ll be cleaning up the system breaks (and removing the stems) after I get my query resolved.

2

Hi @NickJohnson, and welcome to the Forum.

You just need to select the Key itself (in your example the Bb at the beginning of bar 7). If you select the notes and the key signature, and press R to repeat the passage (the resulting notes remain selected in an orange colour, and the key signature remains selected but in a blue colour). You can then invoke the transposition dialogue:

CleanShot 2026-07-10 at 01.24.56

Another method in this scenario without chromatic notes (without using the transpose tool) would be to set the new key signature with the popover, then select the notes and move them up or down with the shortcut Option(Alt)+up or down arrow: the notes will move diatonically (and the accidentals will be removed) and will sound according to the current key signature:

see this recent video (starting at 5:00):

3

Thank you.

Edit: Given that I couldn’t find a solution via Google (including the Steinberg forums), I’ll share this with other band directors. If any of them are having similar problems, this may provide a solution.

4

Hi Nick, …and welcome!

Please check @Christian_R’s post as solution; it will help those who search the forum for the direct way to do this. BTW, if you can’t find a thread in the forum about how to do something in Dorico, asking the question here - as you have done - will get you an answer without any hallucinations brought by AI or misguided search responses! :wink:

— Jim