Half / Double note durations

Dorico
41

And even another possibility is creating an extra staff as a clipboard for performing extending/shortening operations and such.

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Thanks for your suggestion! :smiley:
I’ll try that when I get home

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Lengthening / Shortening are not functions I use - I’ve just come across them recently.

Give that they’re all listed in the Write menu, what is the difference between Lengthen Duration and Double Note Duration - and Shorten Duration and Halve Note Duration?

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Lengthen/shorten will change the note value by the current grid resolution.
Changing the duration of notes

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There are separate functions for shortening / lengthening by the current grid resolution.

I asked because just trying them they seem to be doing the same thing - both lengthening duration and doubling note duration double the note value. I’m obviously missing something but can’t work out what it is …

I did look at the manual before posting here but the functions Lengthen Duration and Shorten Duration don’t appear to be covered.

46

David,
You should use lengthen/shorten note values, it’s a great asset in Dorico. Let’s say you need to input a half-note less a sixteenth note… If you have to input with all the ties, it’s going to be quite an adventure. If you set your grid to sixteenth note, input a half note and alt-shift left arrow once and you’re done. I use it all the time when the rhythmic values are not « easy » ones.

1 Like
47

Thanks Marc - appreciated as always.

I can see how useful it could be. I actually wasn’t aware of it very possibly because I haven’t found myself in too many “adventurous” note input situations. But I will add it to the list of things to master …

48

It looks like (als David has noticed) the options Lenghten Duration (ctrl+alt+shift+right arrow) and Shorten duration (ctrl+alt+shift+right arrow) are just a duplication of Double Note Duration and Halve Note Duration, in the edit duration submenu of the write menu.
In the online help says “To double the length of notes, press Ctrl/Cmd-Shift-Alt/Opt-Right Arrow”.
So to answer David’s original question, i would say that there is no difference, both are the same.
Now, as Marc says, lenghten/shorten note values by Grid Value in Dorico is a great future, IMHO every user should at least try it.

See John Barron using it at 20:00 of this video

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49

Shorten/lengthen durations are alt-shift-left/right. They are really useful and note the same as double/divide duration (which I never use).

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Yes, of course, Marc. I’ve edited my answer to make clear that we are talking about Shorten/lenghten note durations by Grid Value as something very usefull.

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51

Thanks @rafaelv

There’s very similar terminology in use here which won’t be helping understanding. To clarify things, I was originally asking what the difference was between the 1) 3rd option and the 5th option and 2) the 4th option and the 6th option in the Dorico menu below. They appear to do the same thing.

image
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I don’t understand the difference either. I only use the 3rd and 4th options as if they were double and halve.

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Lengthen Duration and Shorten Duration do the same things as Double Note Duration and Halve Note Duration when applied to Notes.

Lengthen Duration and Shorten Duration use the same snap positions you’d get if you dragged a non-note item with the mouse. For instance, if you drag the end of a hairpin it will snap to a notehead - that’s what these key commands do.

3 Likes
54

Thanks Leo. That explains it…

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Thanks David for the picture, I never open the menus… so I did not really know what you were talking about!
And of course, thanks to Leo for letting us know what it’s all about :slight_smile:

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Good morning. Firstly, thanks to all that have offered me help over the last few weeks.

I’m using Dorico 4 on a mac. I’m wanting to explore duration augmentation/diminution. Not simple doubling/halving - but let’s say multiplying a given rhythmic passage by a dotted crotchet. Is this possible?

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This isn’t something that’s directly possible at the moment, no. You can get some or most of the way there by activating Insert mode and then e.g. adding a dot to all of the selected notes.

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58

Ah ok nice idea, thank you

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You could also adjust the rhythm grid to the amount by which you’d like to augment your music, activate insert mode, and then use they key command to lengthen notes by the rhythm grid value. (Alt+shift+ :arrow_right: )

Re key command

Forgive me if that key command is wrong; I do it by habit now and I’m on my phone, so I’m having a brain fart moment.

1 Like
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oh, interesting. Ok thanks. Sorry for delay in response