I want a dotted quarter note

[Barney_Griffin]

I am trying to input a dotted quarter note and Dorico is automatically entering an eighth note tied to a quarter note.
How do I just enter a dotted quarter note without Dorico changing it on me ?

Thanks in advance for your help.
Barney

[dtoub]

What is your time signature?

While I’m still only a few months into Dorico, you can type O or click on Force Duration in the left panel and have Dorico conform to your metrics.
https://archive.steinberg.help/dorico/v1/en/dorico/topics/write_mode/write_mode_duration_forcing_t.html

[ObiwanKenobi]

A research on this forum give many, many threads about this problem.
You have to set some Notation Options. To start, read this one :

dotted notes

[sjanssens]

Force duration should be the last approach you take to solve this. The first is to look at the Note Grouping options. In most cases, assuming your project is relatively consistent with grouping, setting those up for your project means you rarely, if ever, need to force a duration.

If you find yourself forcing durations for a section that’s a different time signature, you can specify note grouping via the time signature. For example, the default grouping for 7/8 is essentially 4+3/8. You could change it by entering a compound time signature in brackets: [3+4]/8. The time signature will appear 7/8 and Dorico now knows how you want notes grouped for the duration of that time signature.

Force duration is for the instances that fall outside the norms you set up for your project.

[benwiggy]

@ObiwanKenobi

A research on this forum give many, many threads about this problem.

It’s not a problem. That’s the way Dorico is designed to work.

[dtoub]

@sjanssens

Force duration should be the last approach you take to solve this. The first is to look at the Note Grouping options. In most cases, assuming your project is relatively consistent with grouping, setting those up for your project means you rarely, if ever, need to force a duration.

If you find yourself forcing durations for a section that’s a different time signature, you can specify note grouping via the time signature. For example, the default grouping for 7/8 is essentially 4+3/8. You could change it by entering a compound time signature in brackets: [3+4]/8. The time signature will appear 7/8 and Dorico now knows how you want notes grouped for the duration of that time signature.

Force duration is for the instances that fall outside the norms you set up for your project.

Interesting. That wasn’t the impression I had gotten from the manual but that’s fine. I also know about the preferences and have mine set up. But there are also times when I purposely do want something different (outside the norms) and for that, O is perfect. There is a similar function in Finale, although more clunky, in which one can beam to a specific time signature even if that isn’t the one you selected and have displayed.

[Janus]

@Barney_Griffin

I am trying to input a dotted quarter note and Dorico is automatically entering an eighth note tied to a quarter note.
How do I just enter a dotted quarter note without Dorico changing it on me ?

If you work through the First Steps exercise you will learn about this behaviour.

[Nohoodo]

Thank you. I understand.