Note Entry Caret Upgrade

Dorico
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I posted this in the Dorico group on Facebook, but thought I should include it here as well.

I’m not sure if this has been suggested for a future version, but it would be nice to have the note that is displayed with the note entry carat to show the rhythmic value that is currently selected rather than always being a quarter note. I like to work with the side panels closed, and this would confirm that I have the correct rhythm selected before entering the next note. Thanks!

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Thanks for your feedback @brianwjagger – this has been mentioned before, and I understand how this could be beneficial.

A couple of the reasons for why it doesn’t are:

  • when the duration is a whole note, there’s no way to identify the voice direction into which you will input notes (which is one of the key reasons the symbol is there in the first place)
  • there are many durations that would be complicated to notate beside the caret (crotchet tied to a dotted crotchet, for example); although it’s generally “simple durations” you can select in the panel or using key commands, if you start note input with an existing note selected, its duration is then set for the next notes you input.
  • if the symbol indicates a dotted crotchet, but because of the note’s position in the bar and the meter, the note you input gets notated as a crotchet tied to a quaver, you might think the symbol was misleading

Here’s an earlier thread in case it’s of interest:

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Not sure if its helpful, but I find myself pressing the correct duration incessantly during input, even when the durations aren’t changing. It’s rare I input a note with a duration I wasn’t expecting.

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I also find that the side panels take screen state that is precious on laptops.
If “cluttering” the caret zone with extra icons isn’t an option (although I think I’d prefere being right there, at least as a preference option), I could suggest a thinner extra collapsible panel (with “menu buttons” like the Create Voice or Dotted Notes ones in the far left panel), or simply adding those icons bellow the Scisors tool, just to show the selected note duration and other selected items as well.
One thing that I specially miss on entry mode is some visual clue (which durations, accidentals, slurs, articulations or dynamics have) that a future hairpin will be added, or that its mode is (still) turned on.

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Thanks @Lillie_Harris for the answers and the reference to the previous article. IMHO, there is no issue with crotchet tied to a dotted crotchet as I can’t select that in the panel or with key strokes, and how it gets notated in the bar isn’t a problem because that’s how it works now if I select a dotted quarter note for the middle of a 4/4 measure. Considering how smart and elegant the team makes all the other features, I’m hopeful they can find a way to incorporate something like this that would still show voice direction. It seems like a request that many have supported.
Thanks again for your help.

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Good point @dan_kreider. Unfortunately, sometimes my fingers don’t go where my mind wants them to, and this would help to make sure they behave. :slight_smile: