Hi, I’m running the latest version of Dorico Pro 4 on a Mac. How do I write a drum set rhythm in part of a bar that allows the drummer to choose what drums to hit? Have tried looking this up in the online help and the forums. I’ve attached what I want this bar to look like:
Welcome to the forum, @findingdorico .
One of these should help.
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Thank you, Derrek. I read both articles and I’m still not understanding. I got as far as adding Slashes (with stems) in Edit Percussion Kit. But I don’t know how to input said slashes w/stems nor how to change existing notation to slashes w/stems. Please see the screenshot - how would I change the first two beats of this
bar to look like the original screenshot in my first post?
This is what the Edit Percussion Kit window looks like after I added Slashes (with stems), if it helps to see it…
You have multiple instruments assigned to that staff line. When inputting, move the cursor to that line then use Alt+arrow to scroll through the possible instruments until you get to Slashes, then input the slashes.
Thanks, FredGUnn. I got as far as deleting one of the instruments and I was able to go into Note Input and using Alt+arrow, I could push the remaining note down the staff. However, I can only get it to show as Tom. 4 or Wood Block 2, which are both at 0 on the 5 line staff tab in Edit Percussion Kit; going down or up further doesn’t reveal a slash with stem as an option…
Sorry, I forgot Alt+arrow goes through the different techniques for that instrument. Just regular arrow will go through instruments. Just delete the existing notes, use arrow to move to inputting the slash “instrument”, then input the slashes.
If you don’t care about playback, and only care about display for a live drummer, you can use a sketch staff and rename it. Then you don’t have to deal with the limitations of percussions staves and can write whatever you want.
Thanks again, FredGUnn, but I still can’t get this to work…I deleted the existing notes, and then in Note Input, I’m using the arrows and it cycles through different drums, but it still doesn’t show me a slash instrument.
I see the slash “available” in Note Input, but I don’t know how to get it on the page - if I hit Return, it doesn’t get on the page. If I hit some random key on my Qwerty keyboard or MIDI keyboard, I’m getting other drum notation on the page, but not the slashes. Any insight? Thanks again for all the help. I’m new to Dorico and I’ve looked for the answer to this for two days and still can’t find it but I’m closer thanks to you guys.
Have you tried pressing Y? Or even B?
Thank you DanielMuzMurray, pressing Y/B worked!! I can now input the slash with stem - very much appreciated! Now, any way to change existing notation that has the rhythms I want to that slash? I’ve tried clicking on said rhythms and pressing Y and B, but neither worked…
If you select a note or notes, and press Alt-up or down, the notes should move between instruments. Alternatively, you can switch to view instruments as single-line staves (Layout Options), and copy/paste lots of notes from one percussion instrument to the other.
Thanks again for your help. However, though pressing Alt/Option up or down does let me see other instruments I can input, the Slash notation isn’t one of those instruments.
Once your notes are on the middle line, Shift+Alt+up or down will cycle through the techniques of that instrument.
That doesn’t work, unfortunately. I can move a note to the middle line and get Tom 4 or Wood Block 2, but Shift-Alt-up or down doesn’t change to any other techniques - it does that on the snare line right above that showing rim, cross stick, etc., but not on the middle line. Thanks, though. I’m guessing this just isn’t possible in Dorico. Wish it were easier…
Works fine for me. If I start with this …
… then it’s easy to arrow up and input slashes as in the gif below:
I’m not sure if it’s still valid in D4.3 or not, but in one of the percussion videos John Barron had said to make slashes upstem to avoid unnecessary rests, so I’ve still been in the habit of setting it up like that.
Thanks again, FredGUnn. Yes, it works if deleting a passage and writing anew with Note Input, but modifying existing drum notation to slash notation with stems doesn’t seem possible.