How to combine 2 voices on a single staff (in Setup mode)?

Dorico
1

I’ve searched the forum for a answer, but could not find a proper one.

Is it possible to assign 2 voices (Soprano & Alt) to a single staff or still not possible as an option in Dorico 2 Pro?

Franklin

2

You cannot yet condense two different instruments into a single staff. However, there is absolutely nothing stopping you of using a staff (named, for example, SA) to write two voices, as you would do in any other software.

3

Does depend on what you mean by voices. As Luis said, it’s easy to add a downstem voice (or as many voices as you want) to a staff. In note input mode, Shift-V gives you a new voice.

You can’t mix MIDI channels though, or condense.

4

@ LSalgueiro - I understand what you mean. Your suggestion may also be workable provided that I can use “explode” (Finale) to have the voices on separate staffs.

@dankreider - You contribute a lot to this forum, which is appreciated greatly. I thank you for that.
By voices in this regard I simply mean Soprano & Alto together on a staff and same for Tenor & Bass.
As I concentrate on notation now, I have not been aware of the separate MIDI channels.

5

I’d advise you to follow Dan’s advice : each voice (v and shift-v to create) can have its own lyrics (that you can place above or below staff). And when the condensing feature comes, it will then be very easy to select each voice and put it in its own staff before condensing.

6

Yes, Dorico does have a similar “explode” function, and it’s really excellent. Select a range of notes and copy. Then click on the top blank staff for the destination, Right-click—paste special—Explode.

7

You can even take it a step further and use the divisi feature that will give you voice leading arrows when you explode/condense.

8

Thanks everyone for usefull suggestions and tips!
They surely will get the job done.

9

(To clarify: create a “voice” instrument, do SA or TB with opposite stems (you’ll have to rename the instrument in setup mode), and then when you need to split staves, right click to activate divisi and reverse the procedure when the texture becomes simpler again.)