How to get the cover right

[DirkMM]

I’m currently creating a score in Dorico (Pro 6) for the first time, for a work I composed in Cubase and exported.
I’ve spent many hours trying to get the cover of my score right, but I’m encountering numerous obstacles that I can’t seem to overcome, although I think I’ve already solved a few issues.

The work is a suite in 11 movements for fanfare orchestra (all types of brass instruments are possible, as are saxophones and all types of percussion). I started with movement 8 of the suite because the orchestra wants to practice this movement first.

I created an extra “Cover” template in Engrave to avoid that ‘inevitable’ “Tacet” indication. So now I have three templates: Cover (for page 1), First (for page 2, which is the first one with staves), and Default (for the following pages).

I also want to use tokens, which I wrote in Project Info. The attached figure shows how I did this. The information entered is identical in Project, 1. Flow 1 and 2. Astrocyte (left column).

In the ‘Engrave > Page Template’ edit mode, I created text frames, into which I placed this data from Project Info, supplemented with regular text (instructions for the player — yet to be completed). Below, I’ve added two images: the cover in Engrave edit mode and thereunder in ‘normal’ Engrave mode.

I tried various combinations, as you can see. In the top frame, I placed one token. In the frame below that, a token and a line of regular text, and below that, first a line of text with a token thereunder. Finally, at the bottom, there’s a regular text frame for player instructions.

Problems:

1. Not all frames are actually displayed.
2. There’s no relationship between the vertical placement in the edit mode and the actual display.
   I also checked whether the display is identical in all other modes (Setup, Write Print), and it is indeed.

Does anyone know how I can get this to work properly?

Furthermore, I also encountered a problem with the Default layout (I didn’t work on “First” template yet). I wanted to print the player’s name (layoutName) at the top and place it mirrored on oposite pages, both at the far left and far right. So I wanted to ‘Align Left’ within the Text Frame on the left page , and vice versa for the right page. However, I can’t do this because the allign setting for one page is immediately adopted by the other. So, both are aligned either left or right; separate left and right alignments aren’t compatible.

Is this due to a setting? Or do I have to live with it?

Thank you in advance for helping me!

[k_b]

@DirkMM

I created an extra “Cover” template in Engrave to avoid that ‘inevitable’ “Tacet” indication.

These two things don’t relate.
A “Tacet” is displayed, when you link a flow to a layout of a player who does not play in that movement (if you omit that flow from the layout instead, nothing will be displayed between the preceding and following flow).

Secondly, if you want your band to start rehearsing flow 8, in Setup Mode make new Layouts for your players with only flow 8 linked to them.
Regarding your Title Page Template: that’s a very good idea. In Engrave Mode go to the little page icons in the right panel of your chosen layout, select the first page, right-click to choose “Template change” and select your new Title Template.

[DirkMM]

Thanks for your answer, k_b. But I have the impression that things are a bit different. At first I selected the “First” layout for the cover. But there was inevitably a first flow in it, making the music effectively start with a second flow. This first flow caused “Tacet” to appear on the first page (my cover page). When trying to delete that flow, all the staves of flow 2 disappeared as well. That’s why I created a new first page, with a newly created template that I called “Cover”.
By the way, this is the first score that I realise of the whole suite, like I said because the orchestra (it’s not MY band) chose to start rehearsing with this movement (Part 8). So at this moment, Part 8 is still flow 1. I will have to add new flows, before and after Part 8, when I work on the scores of the other Parts of the Suite.
I don’t know if we’re using the same version of Dorico, but as far as I know (in Pro 6.1), I can change the template by double-clicking the template in question in the right column, under “Page Templates.” All fields can then be activated and edited. This is what my second image above shows. There you can also see the tokens entered in the frames—e.g. {@projectsubtitle@} —while in the third image you see the result, how it’s actually being displayed.
By comparing these two images, you can pinpoint the exact problem, because I didn’t execute any commands between the two screenshots, except clicking Apply and Close.

[k_b]

@DirkMM

But I have the impression that things are a bit different

Dirk, you will have to go to Setup Mode.
Then make logical connections from the Players (left panel), Flows (bottom panel) and Layouts (right panel). You select f.e. a Layout to the right (it will turn bright blue), then you will see which Player is linked to this Layout and which Flow(s) are connected to this Layout. Now it is up to you: if this is not exactly how you need it, change it by making the logical links (checking/unchecking Players and Flows you want or don’t want in this Layout).
It might be useful, if you watch the original Dorico help videos - instead of relating to information you probably got through AI (this can be extremely misleading).

[DirkMM]

Please have a look at next screenshot. Those were (are) my (current) settings in Setup mode, in ragard to the Euphonium score.

As far as I can see, everything is as it should be.
BTW, where can I find those video’s, specifically regarding this issue?

[Stephen_Taylor]

Here’s an excellent Discover Dorico video on how to create title pages - 2 years ago but still lots of good info here from John Barron.

Create a Title Page | Discover Dorico

[DirkMM]

Thank you so much, Stephen! I’m gonna look into it, for sure. But first I need to finish/refine asap all the pages with staves for all 31 player scores and the full score for the conductor…

[k_b]

That looks fine, still I would like to see the same layout in Engrave Mode. There might be manual overrides in the right panel.
Also you probably want to display the flow header for the player of the Euphonium: that’s a setting in Layout Options. I see, it is there, but I suspect, you did some manual interference, this is not how Dorico would place it.
Best if you would post your project file here.

[Christian_R]

@DirkMM

But first I need to finish/refine asap all the pages with staves for all 31 player scores and the full score for the conductor…

The fastest way to receive help is to upload the Dorico project, as @k_b suggested.

See this useful post:

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