I have the latest Dorico Pro on Windows 10.
I’m using the ‘Force Duration’ clamp to enter notes with particular durations and this is working as I want. However, when I try this with rests, Dorico insists on the accepted rules and I’m unable to over-ride this as I want it for this particular project.
I have tried selecting just rests to input with the same result.
Is this expected behaviour; i.e the ‘Force Duration’ works just for notes and not rests or is there some other method for forcing rest input?
Thanks.
How do you enter the rests? If you do it by pressing Space, you are actually only moving the caret (which usually results in the creation of implicit rests).
To actually create an explicit rest, activate both Rest Mode and Force Duration, then press a pitch name (or the dedicated shortcut for an undetermined pitch; I forget what that was).
1 Like
The generic input key command is Y. It’s great for rest input and for percussion.
On a side note, if you’re using Force Duration a lot, have you checked in Write > Notation Options > Note Grouping that there aren’t existing default settings that apply to your prevailing time signature? You can also specify beat grouping as part of a time signature, e.g. [2+3+2]/8 for a 7/8 time signature that appears as 7/8 but groups notes/beams into 2+3+2 eighth note groups.
I also really like View > Notes And Rest Colors > Implicit Rests. I keep that on all the time. Then you can see on the staff which rests are fixed.
Note that you can always apply Force Duration retroactively to rests, even if those rests were not entered explicitly.
For example, if there are two successive 8th rests you want to turn into a quarter after the fact, select the first one (NOT in note input), press O, and 6.
I prefer this method because Rest Mode tends to trip me up (if I press the comma inadvertently), so I generally avoid it. Just personal preference.
Thanks everyone. Choice of methods and all good.