When I export a file from Sibelius as XML (brass quartet and organ), then import it into Dorico, all the key signatures for the brass are not retained. Bb Trumpets are notated correctly (transposed) but with no key signature at all (even in the parts). The only way I can get the key signatures in the brass to show up is to create new part in Dorico and copy/paste from the original – then everything is fine. I can delete the old instruments. The key signature comes over fine in the organ part.
My exported file is showing in concert key (not showing instruments as transposed). Could this be part of the issue? Everything PLAYS in the correct key; the key signature is just missing, and I can’t add it manually. Anybody have any insight as to what I’m doing wrong?
I expect Dorico is simply choosing the versions of the brass instruments that don’t show key signatures when it is guessing which instruments to use from the ones defined in the MusicXML file. You should be able to sort this out by using the Change Instrument feature in Setup mode: expand each player’s card so you can see the little highlighted text that indicates the instrument held by the player, then hover over it so that the chevron > appears, then click and choose Change Instrument from the menu that appears there, then choose ‘Trumpet’ and choose the ‘B Flat’ rather than ‘B Flat No Key Signature’ variant, and you should be all sorted.
The curious thing is, no accidentals appear in the parts or the score. The notes sound correctly (i.e. F#), but are notated without the accidentals showing. If it were a No Key instrument, the accidentals should show correctly.
Hmmm… I’ve just tried what you suggested, and that seemed to clear it up. All the parts show the correct key signatures. It seemed to only affect the Trumpets though - the Horn was fine (though it seemed to help to select “French Horn in F Treble clef part” for correct naming).
I will experiment with other scores and see if anything else is affected similarly.
Fratveno, that seemed to resolve the issue. The Trumpets now show the accidentals appropriately (as if they were a no key signature instrument); all are marked correctly. Thanks for the suggestion!
Is there perhaps a way to hide accidentals which gets switched on by default when importing XML files? Strange that it affected only the trumpets and not the horn.
well, I’ve gotten into the habit of doing Reset Appearance, Reset Position and Reset beaming before I start working on imported Xml files… Just a hunch
You can do this in advance now with Preferences > MusicXML Import > Accidental visibility. Many users turn off all those checkboxes for XML import and let Dorico handle things.
