Note grouping

I’m of the opinion that the note grouping in bars 3 and 4 of my attached example should be able to coexist, but not necessarily bars 2 & 3.

My reasoning is that in 3/4 it is easier (and perhaps more traditional) to read a syncopated phrase beamed for each beat (see bar 3), whereas in 4/4 it’s traditional to split the bar in half (see bar 4).

Right now I only know how to fudge this in Dorico by choosing the Note Grouping>Syncopation>Notation of short-dotted long patterns>split at beat boundaries, and then going into Engrave mode to accomplish what is now in my example bars 3 & 4. (BTW toggling between the two options has no effect on my 6/8 bar, which confuses me even as I agree with the notation, as the rhythm is clearly a syncopation in 6/8.)

Is there better way to achieve what I’m after?

I’m not sure there is a better way to achieve what you’re after. I have some sympathy with your view that it should be possible to use eighth-dotted quarter in 4/4 but not in 3/4, and there’s no combination of options at present that will allow this. Something for us to think about for the future.

For the time being, setting the exsiting notation option to the majority case and then fixinf the others using Force Duration is probably your best bet.

Thanks, Daniel, I appreciate the consideration.