Help with instrument names

Dorico
1

Trying to setup a score starting with the typical 2 flutes layout for a single staff (classical orchestra). Can’t seem to find the best way to do this… Is it:

  1. Create a single player and rename it to ‘2 Flutes’? Renaming the player has no effect on the score, so I have to rename the actual instrument.
  2. Create a single player and have it play two flutes. Dorico automatically labels ‘flute 1 & flute 2’. But in the score I can only see ‘Flute 1’. (see attached image)
  3. Any other option?

Thanks in advance

2 flutes.png
2 flutes.png1410×879 41.6 KB

2

If I understand what you want, the short answer is your #1 - a single Player under which is a single Instrument or staff, containing both parts. I’ll explain this as I understand it, and as it appears to work for me. But bear in mind that I’m just another user, not a Steinberg rep.

The first thing i had to learn was the nomenclature. On the left panel, the name in white is the Player (which never appears in the part or the score), the name(s) in blue is/are the instrument(s) that Player will play and also the staff name(s) in the score, and the Layout Name in the panel on the right is the name that will appear on the part (not the score.)

It’s critical to understand that the staff names (full and abbreviated) that you want appear in the SCORE are assigned to the Instrument name (not the Player name) on the left, and the name you want appear on the PART is the Layout Name over on the right.

To get what I think you want, first delete one of the two instruments under the Player name on the left. The instrument, or staff, that remains will be where both flute parts will go. Then hover over that remaining instrument/staff until the arrow appears, click on the arrow, select Edit Name, and enter something like Flutes, or Flutes 1-2, in the Full Name field and something like Flts. in the Abbreviated Name. Again those are the names that will appear in the score. (The Player name, labeled Flute 1 and Flute 2, doesn’t appear in the part or the score, so it doesn’t matter what it’s called.)

Now double-click on the Layout Name on the right, and name that whatever you want to appear on the part (not the score). Again, you’ll probably want that to be Flutes, Flutes 1-2, or something similar.

Now enter both flute parts on the single flute instrument/staff you have set up on the left. That should give you what I think you want.

This all confused the heck out of me when I started, but once I got used to it, it makes perfect sense.

Good luck!

3

Can I add a supplementary question to this thread please? I have Cello and Double Bass on the same line, and have successfully changed the instrument name accordingly. Ideally, however, rather than have both names in one long line, I would prefer Double Bass to be placed under the word Violoncello. Is this achievable, and if so, how?

Many thanks!

4

Not really. Line breaks in instrument names are not supported yet. This is something I really miss too.
You could replace the instrument name with text objects or text frames when your done with everything else…

5

That’s a good suggestion - that’ll will work well.

Many thanks.

6

I’ve been struggling with this for a while, too, perhaps you can clarify things.

I need the following functionality:
SCORE: 1 staff, showing BOTH flute parts (or other instrument).
PARTS: Individual parts for each PLAYER (Fl1 and Fl2 get separate parts).

I can’t find (or think of) any way to do this other than having two separate Dorico files (one for Score, one for Parts) or having multiple staves (Combined Flutes, Fl1, Fl2) in the same document and using separate layouts to manage the Conductor Score (shows all staves w/ multiple players and hides individual player staves) and parts (only creates part for player staves).

Thoughts? This is the single biggest functionality I believe Dorico is missing for orchestra composers - and it’s almost enough to make me go back to Finale until it’s capable of it.

7

I would use the Conductor Score idea. Make a working score with separate flutes as well as a combine flute staff. Write onto the separate lines and then use copy/paste to paste into two voices on the combined staff.

8

For the record, it’s been stated a few times by members of the development team that a proper solution to this is on the to-do list. Do bear with them!

9

OK, I didn’t understand both sides of what you were looking for. Having seen what that is, Derrek Is spot on, in my opinion. What he says is exactly what I do in all my large ensemble writing.

I’m not in front of my computer right now, but later this evening I will post an example file that shows you just how to do it.

10

This is all well and good, and I am happy to wait and work around it for now. I had been hopeful for implementation in 1.1, but waiting until later releases is no problem with the quality of the software. I just wish there was a timeline more precise than “in the future” as many of us work with deadlines or, in my case, submission requirements. Had I known this was so far down the pipeline, I may have stuck with Finale and avoided the learning curve.