Free Form Text

Dorico
#1

Hi
I have just purchased Dorico Elements and am getting to grips with things but can’t see how to add free text, maybe historical notes as in the Rameau example project. Yes I have looked at the help and searched the forum but maybe I am using the wrong terminology. I can see the abc/text symbol over on the right hand side in Write mode, and assume this allows me to add a text box of some kind but I can’t seem to get things to work.

In the demo I can see that in Dorico Pro you can add a text frame, but obviously that is from Engrave mode.

Any help appreciated.

#2

Welcome to the forum, Farnaby. You can add text with Shift+X: select a note or rest at the position you want to add the text, type Shift+X, and then enter your text. Let me know if this doesn’t work for you!

#3

Thanks for quick reply. If I want to put some historical or programme notes at the beginning or end of a piece (or anywhere else come to that) where should I select? As stated I am looking at the Rameau example as a model for what I want where there is a page of text before the music starts.

I selected the first note, used Shift-X, and started typing. Firstly I realised there is no line wrapping as you might expect in a text box, but secondly when I put my own line feeds in, the typing started to overwrite the first line of music too. I tried the end of the music but this just adds text above the final bar. Maybe it isn’t possible to add free format text, but I am guessing I am doing something wrong.

#4

Elements is limiting you here. In Pro, you can move the text box. You can also create text frames in the Master Page.

#5

You can add a line break using Enter. And with the text item selected and orange, you can set it below the staff. (And of course you can change the text formatting). Beyond that, in Elements that’s pretty much all you can do.

#6

Thanks again, I can work with that - my needs aren’t that complex and after all its the music that is most important.
From the suggestion of Dankreider - would that allow me to add verses underneath the music, along the lines of a hymn book for example.

#7

Yes, but you would be limited on exact positioning.