OK, I swear that a month ago I was using L and Q together with an existing note in a stave, like this, that would overwrite the existing note with the notes you input
The idea is to use the existing note just for a duration reference for the lock, but in chord mode I want the pitch to get overridden with the new entered pitch(s), just as it does for non chord mode. However today that’s not working, and I’m working if I’m going crackers.
Is there some other setting I’m missing, or am I actually going crackers? Bonkers maybe …
Just out of interest, when you were using chord mode and lock duration simultaneously, how did Dorico know when to advance the carat? I’m assuming that you’re using a QWERTY keyboard for note entry (hence the need for chord mode)?
OK, well I guess what I did was have lock but not Q chord mode, and at that time I was able to enter a chord in one go. Now, no matter how carefully I play in a chord it records it in two events, on the same computer setup/hardware. I’ve noticed it seems randomly to flip back and forth between being able to do that, and it doesn’t appear to be much dependent on how I’m playing.
Note to the powers (@dspreadbury ) - if we could have a preferences for a timeout window on note entry that would be useful. For example here it’s a huge time saver to take a line with the correct rhythms but random pitch and be able to lock to that duration, while overwriting the pitch, not in chord mode. But that’s only possible if I can get Dorico to register a played chord as a chord.
Alternatively having a setting, or two chord entry modes, chord overwrite and chord insert, would do the same thing. Overwrite would work in that anything new is additive, but anything already in the line is removed.
Right, but that’s contrary to the basic premise of how Q (chord) mode works, which is to add to what’s already there. I would respectfully suggest that you’re misremembering how it worked for you in the past. With random pitches already entered, and L(lock) activated, the best that can be done is to do one pass to correct to desirable single notes, and then a second pass with Q (chord entry) to add additional notes.
I was indeed adding — that is the expected behavior, unless I’m missing something. If you want to change what’s written, simply use L. And if you’re using a qwerty keyboard, you’ll need a second pass with Q (and a third…) if you want to add notes to what you’ve already input. I don’t think that behavior has ever been different than what it is now
The premise is whatever the Dorico team wants it to be - and the point is that there’s two kinds of add here. One add to what’s already there, and two, clear existing and add in a clear stave what you wish. Q is designed with the first case, I’m pointing out there’s a valid second use case where you remove what’s there, and then add to it from then on. The only purpose being to lock to a duration.
Look the thought is just “Q with insert mode” as presently done, and “Q with overwrite mode” as an alternate use case. I could imagine two tools under the Q button for example, like other tools on the LHS have such as Insert.
Dorico has an interview with Alan Silverstri where he says his workflow is to midi play in the rhythm first, and then go over it with L and get the pitches correct. OK fine - I’m just pointing out that if you want to do that with chords it doesn’t work.
I would respectfully suggest that you’re misremembering how it worked for you in the past.
I discussed above what I think happened before
With random pitches already entered, and L(lock) activated, the best that can be done (presently) is to do one pass to correct to desirable single notes, and then a second pass with Q (chord entry) to add additional notes.
With the addition no disagreement.
Anyhow not asking for anything, Daniel seems to appreciate hearing ideas for different use cases so I’m putting it out there.
I suspect Mr. Silvestri uses a MIDI keyboard with Lock Durations and so takes care of chord tracks a different way. In fact with pads, IIRC, he just adds their starting position and then uses a Dorico utility he asked them to make which extends each starting chord to the start of the next note.
First lay down a single line with the rhythms (e.g. the bass line)
Copy that to the treble and map to a single pitch
With L but not Q, write the soprano line
With L and Q, fill in the inner voices
This is how it’s done. Sorry folks for the confusion, I had forgotten how I went about it, but if you’re doing chord stuff like this in multiple staves here’s how you can go about it without having to constantly be messing with durations.
All I know about is Shift-L for adding lyrics, what do you mean by that? We’re all aware that the Shift mod is for popovers and single letters are for instant commands.
sorry!)
