I have asked this before, but the question is still with me : as a beginner, do I start with some ideas on paper, then try to move them into Dorico, or try to put ideas straight onto a Dorico Project - which is more straightforward ?
The only answer is: it’s up to you to find out. It may depend on what kind of beginner you are in the first place: are you just new to Dorico, new to composing, new to music notation, or maybe even new to making music at all?
Some people like noodling around on their instrument to invent new ideas, and sometimes they’re good enough at it to have a notation app notate it directly in a useful format. Some people prefer old-school scribbling on paper. Then things don’t have to be complete right away, and when you cross out things, or start over a few times, you can always see the history of your rejected ideas, which may be inspirational in its own right. But it requires a certain level of audiation skills, of course.
Inputting music directly into a notation app has the advantage of immediate playback, and lots of tools to copy things around and organise your work.
I did both just today – once piece directly into Finale (not comfortable enough with Dorico for that yet) and one on staff paper with my favorite pencil. There is no best way.
::: Bill
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Well for the question “which is more straightforward” I think obviously skipping a step would be more straightforward - as in, going direct into Dorico.
But if the question is more about learning to compose, I recommend doing a balance of both. Writing directly into software has the bonus of immediate playback which can teach you a lot about orchestration; but writing directly on paper has the benefit of forcing you to deal with rhythms and pitches manually, improving your audiation and rhythm skills. It has certainly helped me to do so – since Dorico will handle rests and rhythmic math mostly automatically, and if you’re working with a key signature it will also handle moving pitches diatonically, you don’t get the opportunity to learn how to handle that manually as well (and I’ll admit I need to practice those things more myself!).
Thank you for yourreply, but it is more complicated than just which is best . I tried to use the First Steps approach, and found it was almost impossible to use, as there were so many aspects which were included at the early stages. I was left with the option of trying to write my music and then trying to make use of a very opaque program.
I think I will have to go to paper, and then see whic notation program will enable me to make progress.
Sorry, I think to us it wasn’t clear if you meant newbie to Dorico, newbie to notation software in general, or newbie to composing and music.
If you just mean newbie to Dorico, then yes I would say it’s best to get practice by using it!
@PjotrB asks a great set of questions for finding the pathway(s) to your own answers, which might well vary from project to project!
My own experience, FWIW:
- I’m an experienced composer — I used pencil/pen back in “the day,” Finale shortly after it came on the market, and switched to Dorico two years ago
- I often start with sketching ideas on paper with pencil or the very cool “erasable” pens like the Pilot FriXion
- Some of that sketching is at a piano, other is not (though coffee is often nearby regardless)
- The nature of my concert (aka “contemporary classical”) music sometimes involves programming and using spreadsheets to do some of the “heavy lifting” in working out details of pitch collections and maybe even rhythmic structures
- At some point fairly early on I start entering things into Dorico, since, asPeter and @wing point out, it speeds up trials of adjusting and/or trying out different variations of things (provided, of course, you know your way around — if not, that would get in the way)
- Dorico’s Flows were one of the initial selling points for me, as it simplifies keeping track of all of my different sketches, “like…big-time!”
- Also good about having your material in notation software some point as your working: if you’re writing the piece for particular performer(s), you can easily share written and/or playback pieces along the way if you have any questions for them
- Sometimes I’ll print out drafts/sketches from Dorico then pick up colored pens to start annotating away from the computer if it’s helpful/speedier
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Thank you for your reply : yes, I can compose music, and arrange, but try as I might I cannot use Dorico - it is so odd in its approach to writing that I cannot use it - yet.
Perhaps an alternative to First Steps might answer my problems : first a single line of music, possibly on a simple instrument, learning note input, moving altering notes, adding , things like key, dynamics and rests. Learning to save, print and even play it - say about 16 bars.
Then going on to two lines of melody, and then three, each adding more features.
Perhaps a four part piece, of strings or woodwind, and making the music longer - perhaps an A-B-A structure.
Do you see what I am getting at ? small steps, which can progress to more complex work, and confidence will grow to more complicated music .
I’m not quite sure what you’re asking, but if the question is, can I use Dorico instead of pen and paper while I’m composing, I would advise against it unless you’re very proficient in the software.
In my experience, if you’re in the composing “zone”, nothing will get you out of it faster than getting stuck on a technical detail in Dorico. Some task as simple as adding an upbeat, jotting down a particular tuplet, adding a second voice, etc., can lead you down a rabbit hole involving Dorico documentation, posting questions on the forum, and in general tearing out your hair.
And the thing is, for most styles of music, this sort of technical stuff is exactly the opposite of the brain you’re using for music.
You don’t want to risk that while composing.
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I think your idea of going gradually is good; you can also try re-engraving a short piece of your own. When I first started learning Dorico, I had already been working on a piece for trombone and electronics, mostly on pencil and paper. By putting those sketches into Dorico (and appreciating its support for open time signatures), I started learning pretty organically.
FWIW, one of the earliest hurdles for me was learning that I didn’t need to write rests anymore; Dorico does that automatically, just put your cursor where you want your note to be.
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Thank you for the last two replies : I have found that the way in which I write music on paper is much easier than trying to go straight to Dorico - it is just as you say, trying to fathom out how to do something which seems to be quite easy, but is not so on Dorico a hindrance to getting much done.
I am grateful for both replies : yes, I will start on paper then when there is a passage which I want to use I will then venture into Dorico - Thanks again.
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I do suggest having some kind of recorder handy - your choice of what. Neither method necessarily captures the essence of something I liked sometimes, without getting out the zone as Stephen said. I might have thought I captured it but when I go back to it sometime later….
FWIW, at some point in the journey, If you use a midi keyboard, I find it helpful recording in Dorico, even if for now you pay no attention to tempo settings, with no click, , careless of the duration of notes, no regard for bars or quantizing later -none of that stuff. I find that a very effective means of bridging the gap later. I don’t try to clean it up if I’ve played it that loose, but keep it as a sketch flow. it’s still a brainsaver: picking up the essence of things visually, don’t have to go back and hunt around saying what was that other note…
I have a descant recorder and a treble one somewhere (I used to teach them when I was a primary teacher years ago)
I’m actually a bit jealous, non-plastic ? What is that strange organic looking material. : ). They used to call it wod or rood or wuud or something?
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