harmonics and Dorico 3.5

Dear users and developers,

Does the “Style” under “Harmonics” work correctly in Dorico 3.5?
At least the following three options are not correct

Those harmonic notations are intended for guitar and other fretted instruments rather than for violin; pinch harmonics in particular are, so far as I know, more or less exclusively a technique for guitar rather than for other string instruments. Documentation for which types of harmonics are intended for use on which types of instruments can be found here.

Thank you for your answer.

I would be happy if harmonics notation for strings without fret is implemented. Please look at the following example: I have used ossia staff to notate the fingering and the sounding pitches are notated in the regular staff.


Why did I so?

The notation on the ossia staff does not produce correct pitches.

The current harmonics notation should be redesigned as far as I have been using it.

prko, I would omit all the ‘sul’ to reduce clutter. For a (bowed) string player the Roman numerals are sufficient. Harmonics that sound at the same pitch as a stopped note would in the same position (like the nodes at the octave and double octave, 1/2 and 3/4 up the length of the string) can better be notated with regular noteheads with a harmonic circle instead of a diamond. And I would indicate open strings with a 0 fingering (i.e. not a harmonic circle, but a regular digit). For an open string with 0 you don’t need a [sul] III, it’s redundant.
The lower staff of your last bar is actually a better representation of how to play it than the upper staff, except that the D6 would be played on the 3/4 node (2 octaves above the open string), instead of the 1/4 node (G4). The sound is exactly the same, and it’s more practical not to shift positions more than necessary when there’s an even higher D7 following on the same string. This last D7 could be a harmonic as well, at the 7/8 node. Just add a circle.

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Dear prko,

harmonic Notation for strings is already implemented. I just finished a piece which makes heavy use of it, and it even plays back!
One has to remember to set the string property, though.
Here a picture:


Still I don’t know if I would’ve composed it that way in other software…

Or are you specifically talking about presenting the sounding pitches as well?
That certainly would be awesome, together with node selection for bowed strings (comes in especially handy with double bass, where really high partials are possible), and lastly, the ability to get string indicators from the string property (or vice versa)

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Dear PjotrB,


Thank you for your opinion. Yes, you are right! I will discuss with my performer.



Dear klafkid,


Thank you for your example.

Does Dorico correctly play all of those notated natural harmonics? On my end, Dorico does not play the correct pitches.

  • Natural harmonics only have “node” options, and changing the node value does not affect the sounding pitch with NotePerformer.

  • Artificial harmonics are performed correctly with NotePerformer. I do not need to change the node value. Changing the partial value matches the notation with the correct pitches.

  • Notatingl sounding pitch additionally in parentheses or as a small note could be useful. However, I am not sure if it helps both composers and performers. The score might be too complicated, but sometimes notating sounding pitches is helpful.

Yes, NP plays them back correctly.
Again, you have to set the string property as described here: https://steinberg.help/dorico/v3/en/dorico/topics/notation_reference/notation_reference_notes_specifying_string_t.html

After all it makes sense, as some of them can be played on multiple strings (in theory).
That’s why I wished for linking of this property with a visual string indicator :slight_smile:

You are right, sounding pitch is only sometimes useful, but would be so in an oasis style as you have.

Thank you very much!
Now Dorico plays correct pitches!