Hi, I just moved over from Finale. To keep my music consistent, I need these modifications in the attached screensht. Please help. I am unable to find any documentation on how to do this. I also need to apply these changes to the current document and all future documents. Thank you for your help in advance.
Hi, this is a tricky one. Other threads say a lot already about chord symbols and the desire to get more control. For now I think you can do it but maybe a bit complicated and work.
- Accidentals needs to be bigger font. Go to Library - Font styles- Chord symbols music text font. Set it bigger, what yuo want in the example file I made it 15pt. I also brought it down by going to Library - chord symbols - add any chord (I did Ab) with an flat click +. Double click on the flat sign. You are now in edit chord symbol component panel. Select the flat sign and off set it with y -2,5. save this. Do the same for a sharp.
- You want maj and dim to be sans serif. Make first an new font style, Library -font styles and add one (I named it chord symbol suffix). Set it to the desired sans serif font and set a size. Go to Library - chord symbols and add an maj7 chord (I did Amaj7). Double click on the Maj and in the Edit Chord Symbol Component remove the Maj. Upright you see Glyph and then text. Select text. Set the style to Chord symbol suffix the (font you just added.) Choose the preset text (you can scroll) Maj. This routine you have to repeat for the 7.
I hope it is a bit clear. It is a lot of work because so far I know it is not possible to set different fonts for Root and suffix only then this way. Personally I think it is not common and does not make it better readable, but I can be wrong.
Realize that you make the edits in the edit chord symbol component panel because then it will affect all roots.
In the attachment the dorico file with settings I just described.
Chord Symbols serif and sans serif.dorico (501.8 KB)
If you made a file with all the settings you want you can make an save a project template or import the settings to a new file with the library manager.
In general, at the moment you start with editing the suffix in th Edit Chord Symbol Component panel the outcome can be unexpected at the moment you afterwards change engraving chord settings or chord font sizes. It all interacts.
Hi @Maarten_Kruijswijk !
Amazing! Everything you said worked like a dream! I noticed a few more things in the Chord display and adjusted accordingly.
I just saved it as a template, and the next new project file showed all the changes I just made. Amazing! You are my hero!
If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask one more Chord question. In Finale, I had quite a few custom (non-conventional) chord suffixes I created from scratch. How do I do it in Dorico? For example, something like:
Just for the clarification, PowerChord is not the same as the “5 chord” nor the “omit3 chord” as Dorico thinks. PowerChord enforces R-5-R whereas the “5 chord” does not require the same, and the “omit 3” chord allows tensions. Also I like to spell as “PwrChd” to save space
Dorico doesn’t currently have a mechanism to define additional custom chords. Over these 8 years there have been many discussions of this on the forum, if you search.
Woa, this is a deal-breaker for me. They think their theory is absolute, huh. That sounds extreme.
I don’t understand this, @madflute. What do you mean by “their theory” and “absolute”? (And I assume you mean Dorico’s…?)
Hi @judddanby
Sorry, I was just shocked to hear Dorico doesn’t allow the user to add their own chord definitions. It is a very important subject for me.
Heavy chord symbol user here, and I’ve never found any issues whatsoever with the range of supported chords. I guess it’s also fair to say that I’ve never thought it wise to invent my own …
If you read any of the other many discussions on the forum of this topic, you will find that we readily acknowledge that users want to create their own types of chord symbols, and we plan to support this.
@madflute I’m with Dorico from version 1 and sometimes was dissapointed that some things where not possible yet. But now it is almost perfect and complete I think. Dorico for me is an app that makes me always happy the moment I open it. Besides that as Daniel said they are aware there is an demand for more chord symbol control.
To answer your question. The chord symbol you asked for is very easy to accomplish with just shift - X and then text [PwrChrd] you can make an dedicated paragraph style to make the font size in line with your chord symbols. Of course this is an workaround, but I’m full confidence that the Dorico team will come one day with an nice solution.
Hi @Maarten_Kruijswijk
Brilliant! Using the System Text makes sense!
By the way, after I changed m to minus for minor chords, I realized I still have to type m instead of minus for these chords. It seems keystroke and the quality library are hardcoded instead of dynamic. That made me think I need the list of keystrokes for each chord quality callup. I couldn’t find any documentation about this. Any idea?
A question for the System Text: I tried a System Text with white text on black background, but could not figure out how to add L/R padding. The property didn’t help. Any idea?
Thank you again for your help!
-Hiro
Don’t think of the popover as literally what you want to appear, instead think of it as the command to get that chord quality, which will then appear as you have specified in Engraving Options. If I type F7+9 in the popover I will get F7(#9) in the score, as that’s how I’ve specified I want it to appear. It doesn’t work like Finale’s Type Into Score. The popover syntax is just a command, not the actual chord.
Thank you @dspreadbury
A response like this makes me feel good about Dorico!
Hi @FredGUnn
Is there a list of the popover syntax? I had no way of knowing +9 would call up #9. I have been looking for the list like a mad man.
You can write F7#9 also
Jesper
Thank you so much @FredGUnn !
What is the page number of the manual? I still can’t find this page
Here’s the file with the “complete” (such that it is) list of popovers.
OT: BTW, @madflute, that 15-page list of all of Dorico’s popovers is a treasure trove!!
Thank you @FredGUnn !
Wow! This changes everything!