Merging staves across an entire project

Dorico
1

I composed an SSAA choral piece using four staves/players (S1, S2, A1, A2).

Now that the piece is done, I’m realizing that I would rather re-layout the piece using two staves (S1/S2 on the top stave, using voices 1 and 2, and A1/A2 on the bottom stave, using voices 1 and 2).

What’s the easiest way to perform this merge across the entire piece? Is it as simple as copying the current S2 part to the clipboard, then pasting it into voice 2 of the S1 part? (Then repeating the same process for A1/A2.)

S1/S2 have the same rhythms, melodies, and lyrics. It would be redundant for S1’s lyrics to appear above the soprano staff and S2’s lyrics to appear below the soprano staff. What’s the easiest way to do this merging so that I end up with only one set of lyrics under the soprano staff?

2

Copy S2 with lyrics deselected; then paste Special into downstem voice 1 (or new downstem voice).

Of course you could select the lyrics of S2 and delete them and subsequently try Condensing. That might work faster.

It’s easy enough to experiment on a copy of your file.

3

Right you are. Thanks Derrek. It was a little tricky to copy (i.e. select an entire stave across the project minus the lyrics - that took several extra clicks) but once it was copied, I successfully and easily merged the formerly 4 staves into 2 and can tweak from there. Thanks!

4

Selection tools can help you – select something, then e.g. select to end of flow, then filter just the items within the selection that you want.

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