Natural Harmonic Notation (Cello)

Dorico
1

It is very impressive that Dorico plays the right string sounds for harmonics if you take the small trouble to specify the actual string the harmonic is to be played on. Unfortunately, it seems the only notation allowed for natural harmonics is the sounding pitch, which is not necessarily the most convenient for the performer. It is very common (perhaps the most common) to print the ‘fingered’ notes rather than the sounding ones.

Is there a way to get the best of both worlds? Have Dorico play the right notes from the 'fingered notes? In the attached PNG file, the top staff shows the actual pitches (and is played beautifully by Dorico) while the bottom staff would be the preferred notation (with the little o’s attached, I omitted those).

harmonic.PNG
harmonic.PNG550×1001 25.5 KB

Thanks a lot and I continue to be just amazed by Dorico.

2

You can cheat it.

  1. Unzip and open my attached file (which uses some carefully set artificial harmonics).
  2. Select the passage.
  3. Right-click and go Notehead > Larger Noteheads.
  4. With the passage still selected, add the º Playing Technique (in the Common section).
    Harmonics.dorico.zip (565 KB)
1 Like
3

The common way of indicating fingered pitches with harmonics is via diamond shaped noteheads.
Dorico plays them back perfectly, and you can chose them in the properties panel of the harmonics section.
Just make sure to assign the right string and not use the filled diamond notehead option, as it is for guitar only.

4

Fantastic Leo, thank you so much. It works flawlessly. Brilliant solution as usual!