Hi everyone, for the current work I’m doing, I’ve got a folder of Dorico projects for an album.
In each project, I have the full score as a flow, and then a second flow is a lead sheet for the rhythm section. I want to create some specific multi-bar rests in the lead sheet, for instance, the first 6 measures may say “electronic loops”, and then the lead sheet begins. And within the lead sheet there may be areas of measures with no music that I don’t want to be multi-bar rests.
So I guess my question(s) are: 1. Can I have flow specific multi-bar rests? 2. Can I have multi-bar rests in one part of a flow, and not in another?
I should add, that in my reading about how to do this, I’m messing around in Layout options->Players-> Bar rests and Multi-bar rests.
Maybe there is another menu area to accomplish this?
And a side question, as is usual with my work, and Daniel is probably sick of hearing me ask, I can’t seem to get the multi-bar rest to display the number with Futura font. I know glyphs are involved, but I’m not sure how to sort it out. Thanks so much.
Multi-bar rests are Layout specific so, in short, no you can’t have them different for each flow.
You could try having an identical Layout for each flow? This way you can have some switched on. I don’t know how many flows you have but I hope that makes sense?
You could have multi-bar rests switched on and then manually split them. I think adding a Default text item with a single space might do this but there may be another way?
You can force a split but this will affect all layouts:
Chord Symbol Regions are a useful tool for breaking up multi-bar rests, especially if there aren’t actually any chord symbols in your project(!)
Set Library > Font Styles > Multi-Bar Rest Bar Count Plain Font to Futura.
Then - and this is crucial - set this Engraving Option to use the Plain Font rather than the Music Font:
Thanks so much guys. Yeah that is a good work around, to use empty text/chord symbol. The problem I’m having is that I want some sections of the lead sheet to have a multi bar rest, (specifically in this case a 6 measure intro and a 7 bar bridge). and then other sections to not. As it is a lead sheet, it just has melody and chord symbols, so in some parts where the melody is not playing, yet the rhythm section is still going, I want the reader to ‘see’ the bars.
Thanks pianoleo for the help with font change. That was great. I am a bit extreme/particular with fonts in my scores, so I’m grateful to have that one. Thanks.
Daniel, I am not sure what you mean by “having an identical layout for each flow”. My layout game is sorely lacking, so I’ll read up on what you mean.
I only have 2 flows in this project. Recently, for the album I’m working on, I’ve been doing a full score as one flow, and a lead sheet as a second flow. It tidies things up organizationally, and it’s nice to be able to hop over and see nice to see a condensed form (the lead sheet) when I’m working on the full score. And vice versa, copy motifs into the lead sheet from full score.
But as some things seem tied to both flows, ie multi-rest, maybe this isn’t as slick of a method as I hoped.
What I mean is, for example, if you have two flows then you could have two Full Scores: one with flow 1 and the other with flow 2. After reading the remainder of the post I’m not sure this is helpful.
I have to admit that I would not advise using your method of having two identical flows and copying everything etc between them.
Why not add an extra player to the flow you’re using in the Full Score to display in the lead sheet? This way, you can have ONE flow, each layout would display the same flow (one with the lead sheet player only) and any changes you want to make will automatically happen. You would just need to remove the lead player from the score when you’re not wanting to alter its material.
If you want any multi-bar rests at all then you literally have to turn them on for that Layout in Layout Options, adding workarounds where necessary to break them. Multi-bar rests are not flow-specific; they are layout-specific
For reference anything editable in Layout Options is Layout-specific, anything in Engraving Options is project-specific, and anything in Notation Options is flow-specific.
Thanks for the ideas Daniel.
I’m curious as to you why you wouldn’t suggest having two flows and copying between them? I have no defence for this method, I’m just trying to avoid a problem that maybe you see that I can’t predict yet.
I have to admit, after reading your third paragraph, I think I am quite behind in my learning of Dorico power-usage, which is rather embarrassing as I’ve been using it since it’s initial release.
I guess I have to go and study layouts.
Here’s a very new Dorico project, not much music in it. But you’ll see that
the empty bars at the beginning of the lead sheet I would like a multi-rest. As there is a tape loop/found sound thing happening there. But in the rest, the full score, I don’t want to see multi-rests.
And you’ll notice that materiel from two different instruments appear on the lead sheet. As I want my lead sheet to represent the what ever musical figure is in the foreground, despite who is playing it in full score. That’s why I’m a bit confused on how to implement your suggestion.
Anyway, thank you and thank again for taking the time out to give me some pointers.
You are saying that you don’t want any bars at the beginning of the Full Score but you do want 8 bars of rest at the beginning of the Lead Sheet (as a multi-bar rest).
I was under the impression that you wanted 8 bars of rest in both the Full Score and the Lead Sheet, but only the Lead Sheet condensed into a multi-bar rest.
(Small point of pride as an amateur - the only thing I’ve done (I did a good chunk of the transcription, in addition to the engraving) that actually got printed and I even got a paid a bit).
Full book is 10 songs over 20-something pages, with a table of contents, and even some photo layouts to fill up empty facing pages. All done in a single Dorico file.
Thanks for your input Tyler.
Rhythmic slashes serve a different purpose than a multi-bar-rest.
Usually they help to clarify harmonic rhythm when there is more than one chord per bar, or unequal divisions inside that bar. Slashes are often also used to show the rhythm section a rhythmic schema that should be played. ie tango, Bossa, Freddy Green-style.
As a note, in your second system , where you begin the phrase, “back to the bus”, I must admit I’ve don’t think I’ve seen that before. (im sure someone has done it, but it’s not common) That is, a measure filled with slashes and melody. It makes it a little unclear as a performer. Does the singer sing the C Major7 chord? And why is it not done in Eminor7 chord at the end? If you need to indicate a rhyme punch or something for the rhythm section (which is primarily who slashes are directed to), often it is common to put the slashes in smaller script, above the staff.
Thanks for replying again Daniel.
hehe, maybe it’s my fault for being unclear. Sorry
The full score I don’t want any multi-bar rests. I will write everything out.
In the 2nd flow of my project, the lead sheet, I would like the first 6 bars, to be a multi bar rest. But I don’t want any other sections of the lead sheet, to have multi bar rests. Despite the lead sheet having bars, later, where there is nothing in them.
I guess I can summarize as: I want only the intro of the lead sheet to have a multi-bar rest.
Notes are sung, slashes represent comping. On the studio recording that section has a staccato strummed guitar chord on each beat, although in general I didn’t go out of my way to indicate rhythm… just when there were several bars without vocals.
In one section of another song I did actually use a rhythmic cue in a 2nd stave to indicate an a-typical strumming pattern.
Yes precisely. That is why it is a little strange to see the slashes in the melody line. (The question was a bit rhetorical when I said “does the singer sing a C Major chord”. Sorry, it doesn’t come through so gently in text).
I just was pointing out that it is uncommon, and maybe a tiny bit confusing if you were to hand it to a band ready to play immediately. I don’t think I’ve ever played a chart with this notation. Of course no one would miss the part, but usually the lead (in leadsheet), gets its own stave. As the people comping, are expected to intuitively know how to proceed. As I mentioned, when you do have specific rhymes punches/figures, in a lead sheet, they are often put in smaller script above the stave.
But in the end, that’s your style, it’s cool. Keep with it. My scores are a bit unconventional too.
