Hi,
I haven’t had a burning need for Dorico before now so have held back to let it mature before I start paying into the release train. I’m thinking the next big release 4.0 should be a good place to start - any thoughts on the likely timeframe for that release?
At this point my biggest interest is probably tight integration with Cubase.
Thanks much -
The only “official” clue about 4.0 is the last section of Daniel’s blog here: Dorico 3.5.10 update released, with improved figured bass, expression maps, and more – Dorico
If your biggest interest is tight integration with Cubase, the only real advice is to wait until there is a version released which has tight integration with Cubase (for your personal definition of “tight integration,” of course).
Thanks - don’t need anything official, just rough guesstimates on when people think the next release might be. From the blog
We want to turn our attention from purely working directly on features in the software to focus on the health of the application’s code, and indeed the health of the talented team who crafts that code.
Managers hate architecture and maintenance work as that doesn’t sell (I’m a software engineer by day), so I’ll guess that means that 4.0 will have as many features as usual, but it will be released later than the norm to give time for fundamentals. Also given that 3.5 had more features then typical AFAIK, that would also indicate they wanted to release a bunch of improvements, then take time to step back, clean up the code and so on.
I can do without the Cubase integration, main thing is how long I need to wait, now I’m thinking it’s probably a decent time to jump in.
If you’re coming from Sibelius or Finale (full versions) there is a terrific crossgrade deal on right now for another 10 days or so (50% off?). That doesn’t happen often.
In interviews surrounding the release of Dorico 3.5, Daniel had said that they wanted to realign release expectations such that they could switch to doing paid upgrades typically more in the spring/summer. So I’m guessing you could expect the next paid upgrade (presumably “Dorico 4.0”) after the current 3.5 to occur around then in 2021 (unless their plans or schedule change, of course).
My experience so far is:
What will be in it? Something I hadn’t even thought of, but when it’s there I wouldn’t want to work without it.
When will the next release be? When it’s ready.
Maybe not much use to you, but there it is…
And judging from the nature of RedtideMusic’s original query, although there may be some move in the general direction, I would not expect it to be “tightly” integrated with Cubase.
I say this only as an observer, but many of Dorico’s features appear in steps followed by further refinement.
Yeah, no I’ll be paying full price for Pro, I gather they don’t run sales much.
By the Cubase integration I think that’s the main feature not yet implemented that I’m looking for, the others have mostly been addressed. The figured bass and especially ‘Note before Duration’ the recent personal big ones that made me feel like it’s mature enough to get serious. In previous trials I found the ‘duration before note values’ very difficult as I don’t think that way. It’s much easier to enter in the music now - and since I have little time for score entry it has be fast - hence the Cubase integration feature I want. At the moment we’re a small studio so I don’t have slaves^h^h^h assistants to do that for me.
The final big one would be a license to run on two computers (not simultaneously), but I gather they just won’t do that.
It’s very much in the works, but the gears of a large company turn slowly.
If most features that you’re looking for have been addressed, then why not jump in now? What are you currently using for notation?
I waited and waited and got finally got started using Dorico Pro 3.5
The “integration” may already be tighter than you suspect with Cubase and Nuendo.
I just did two 8 piece brass arrangements for involved jazz pieces. Took some work getting started, but not long. Just make a version of your project in Cubase/Nuendo with midi quantized both at start and ending of notes. And choose the quantization for straight notes and tuplets in Dorico. You are 85-90% done. I was at 32nd notes and 16th note tuplets, and worked perfectly. For me I just have been dragging the midi parts into the “Play” section in Dorico being careful to get it to the first beat for all the tracks. And if you go back to a midi part in Cubase to make a change, just quickly drag the revised track into the ‘Play’ track again and it overwrites the midi BUT leaves all of my ornament and dynamics that I manually apply in Dorico after I drag midi parts in. VERY handy. Being a near complete novice with Dorico I’m pretty blown away with the ease of creating notation that looks fantastic. The struggles I’ve had in Score in Cubase are mostly non-existent in Dorico. Good luck.
Sounds good! How do you have the audio set up, so you can listen to both programs?
I don’t even try to have Dorico monitor the notation. I write in Nuendo and already have it sounding like I want it to. I only drag in the midi parts I need to create sheet music for the live players I need. I just have the Dorico sounds turned on to quickly check sound if I move notes around in Dorico, but I don’t do that too much. I have to have the notation always matching the midi in Nuendo, so mostly I make needed revisions in Nuendo’s key edit area. It then takes under 10 seconds to drag in a revised midi part, and it doesn’t mess up the work I’ve done in Dorico with dynamics/ornaments, etc. that I may have already done. I know if I change around some notes/timing too much, I’d need to go to that area and check the addition markings I’ve made. Again, I’m just getting started with Dorico. I have much to learn, but out of the gate doing involved jazz arrangement for brasss… and I’m an “in the box” composer mostly…I’m a big Dorico fan instantly!