is there a way to copy and paste a rhythm pattern, just the pattern?

I just want to know if it is possible.

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You can’t copy just a rhythm separately from the notes, but you can copy and paste a phrase (rhythm and pitch) and then repitch the notes, without affecting the rhythm

This is great as a feature request. Like format painter in MS office!

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How would this work differently from the current functionality, Lock Duration?

Well. That is totally different. Let’s say you have two phrases P and Q as follows:

P: C4 dotted quarter note, D4 an eight-note
Q: G5 and C5 each a quarter note
You apply copy and then choose say-to-be-called feature “paste rhythm”, this will change Q to
New_Q: G5 dotted quarter note, C5 an eight-note

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Try selecting your 2 quarter notes and hitting the period key.

What I provided as an example is just an example. This can apply to triplet and sequences with a variety of note lengths.

I totally see how I could benefit from this. Working on an arrangement of XXth century music, the arranger has chosen some way of writing the rhythm in uneven bars (5/8, 17/16…), this would allow me to change one instrument and paste to others, instead of trying with the shift-m method (which is great when simple, but not efficient when too complicated), or doing one instrument after another. But I also understand it’s not too high on the priorities list!

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Sometimes I’m working in some bigband scores and I change just rhythm in 1st alto parte but I’m still with the same number of notes but different rhythm, then I want to copy the new setting of rhythm in the 2nd alto part or other part that I want. trust me this is very useful, ejeje.

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I’m working on a Big Band… When writing the piano part, sometimes, I would have a rythm pattern that would be nice to have a special paste just to apply that rythm pattern to a different chord progression that was writtem in whole note.
This would be very useful and time safer for us arrangers… I come from Sibelius and there is a plugin there that does exactly that.

I’m working on a Big Band… When writing the piano part, sometimes, I would have a rythm pattern that would be nice to have a special paste just to apply that rythm pattern to a different chord progression that was writtem in whole note.
This would be very useful and time safer for us arrangers… I come from Sibelius and there is a plugin there that does exactly that.

Well, thats my suggestion.
Thank you Felizax by suggesting that

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In Dorico 4.3, there is now the ability to split long notes into smaller durations, although only using one duration across the selection. But if your rhythmic pattern mostly comprises one duration, that might still get you a bit closer to your end result? I.e. leaving you with fewer notes whose duration you need to change?

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Hey Lillie, thanks so much for being helpful…
The main idea is to replicate the rhythm of the first two measures for the next two, as shown in the attached figure.
There is a program called Keyboard Maestro, in it I can program a sequence of commands to be executed (for example in Dorico), and, through a single keyboard shortcut I can replicate the rhythm as intended since it is pre-configured. My question was about a native solution by Dorico himself, as many others are already implemented.

It’s just a question… I’m loving using Dorico, it’s full of smart solutions.

I am using Dorico in an extreme way in my demands, only then will I get to know the program effectively and deeply.

Thank you very much for your attention.

Understood, in turn I was just offering something in case you hadn’t come across it. There isn’t an in-built “paste rhythm” function in Dorico.

In this scenario, are you saying you want the chords in the 3rd and 4th bars to start an eighth/quaver earlier and stop at the end of beat 3? As there isn’t time for the full pattern in bars 1-2 in your screenshot?

If so, I’d be tempted simply to nudge each chord an eighth/quaver to the left rhythmically (rhythmic grid set to eighth notes, press Alt/Opt-left arrow), then shorten them an eighth/quaver (Shift-Alt/Opt-left arrow).

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There is a JW plug-in for Finale called JW Rhythm Copy, which does exactly (I think) what is being described here. The description says: “Copies a rhythm pattern from one source region (layer 1) to a destination region (any layers and any number of staves). The pitches are kept in the destination. Only destination staves that match with the same number of notes will change. The plug-in is quite flexible and can work with ties and over barlines. Articulations from the source are copied to the destination.”

This is incredibly useful, and it would be great if Dorico could implement something similar. For instance, you can have a complex pattern of notes with differing durations in the source region, and in the destination region just enter the same number of notes (ties counting as a single note), and it will copy the source rhythm into those notes. No need to copy anything and then repitch.

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It’s exactly the same rhythm pattern starting on the 3rd beat of measure 3 to 4.

By the way, maybe this is not the right (location) post here, but I would also like to suggest something that, as a jazz arranger, I tend to do quite often. It’s the possibility of writing a 4-tone chord and applying the technique of drop 2, drop 2+4, etc . In Sibelius I wrote a macro to do this with Keyboard Maestro and it’s very easy to do and saves a lot of time, the way I did it for this software. If you Dorico developers could think of a solution for us jazz arrangers, that would be amazing.

Thanks Lillie, please don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining, I’m just suggesting some things that would be wonderful improvements for Dorico.

Hi folks,
I apologize for resurrecting this post, but it shows up when googling.
Is this possible (copying and pasting just the rhythms) as of Dorico 5?

One cannot superimpose rhythms on an existing tune, but one can copy an existing melody and use lock durations to enter new pitches for that rhythm.

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Just chiming in with another application for this requested feature. I exploded some piano chords into a four-part brass section. All the chords are whole note chords. Now that I’ve got a satisfactory voicing, I’d like to superimpose a rhythm onto those chords (for example, within each bar, whole note changes to quarter+eighth+eighth+quarter+quarter).

Dorico already has a feature that does something somewhat similar. “Generate notes from chord symbols” will not only generate notes across parts but will follow the rhythm of a designated instrument, by checking “use existing rhythm where possible” and selecting the appropriate instrument. It would be nice if one could highlight a section and then execute a command “use existing rhythm” of a selected instrument.

As it is, copying something then using lock durations to adjust the notes is a good solution. Just not as fast as what I’m suggesting above.

Not disagreeing, but you might find it quicker to copy/paste the root pattern, then (eg) shift-I t6 to repitch it without using lock duration.

Thanks! A helpful tip that makes the process faster.