I’m wanting to input LOTS of the same few playing techniques (strum up and down) and copy-paste is slow. It would seem that there is no way to assign a key command to specific playing techniques, to use them effortlessly like articulations… or am I missing something. Is this a job for Metagrid Pro?
I know that there aren’t enough key command combinations (or memory slots in my brain) to assign one for every playing technique, however my #feature-request would be to have an assignable “favourites” slot for playing techniques that need quick access.
Wow, I didn’t know about this - thanks @Mark_Johnson !
It would still be neat to be able to quickly alternate between techniques - and input quickly without mouse. But alt-click (option-click) is a good solution for now.
As @Mark_Johnson says.
The quickest workflow (for me) is to enter all the notes, then do a 2nd pass to add all the techniques. With a mouse this is quick because of the ease of navigation. Pick a technique, hold Alt and just keep clicking wherever you want to paste it in to. This also works for repeated slur patterns.
Since Dorico v. 1 I’ve been using a macro program to enter certain elements that I use often, like dynamics, arco, pizz., setting up tuplets, etc. At the time, I was coming from Finale and I missed Finale’s ‘metatools’ which enabled one to hold a key and click a note to place expressions, articulations, etc. The macros I’ve made for Dorico are almost as quick and, depending on what you’re entering, faster than using the popovers. An example: I’ve mapped Ctrl-3 to enter a mf, meaning that I select a note and press two keys, almost as quick as a metabool. To enter a mf using the popover requires 5 keypresses. This may not seem like a large difference but when you’re entering a lot of them, it certainly saves time. Quickest is, of course, the Alt-click method, but using macros means being able to enter practically anything with a minimum of clicks.
Thanks @Vaughan_Schlepp, I haven’t explored macros in Dorico yet, and will try this out. What macro program do you use?
One of the things I appreciate about Dorico is the ability to get away from excessive mouse clicks via popovers etc. Too much mouse/trackpad clicking has given me wrist problems in the past.
This is quick, and I’m glad to have learned about it. I am looking for ways to click less however. The idea about macros (below) is the one I’ll try. Thanks!
Also, if you’re assigning the same techniques vertically across multiple staves, it’s well worth assigning keys to “Duplicate to Staff Above/Below”.
There’s also R for repeat, which will horizontally duplicate a selection. This works well for notes and note-attached objects, but you need to make sure that the end of the selection actually ends where you want to start from. E.g. a slur ends at the start of the last note, not at the note’s end.