Odd-meter subdivision / beaming - hiding time sigs? [solved]

I can get Dorico to beam a meter like 7/8 in different subdivisions by inserting time signatures with the specified grouping, e.g. 7/8,3+4 or 7/8,4+3

Q: How do I get Dorico to beam the music according to different subdivisions without displaying the same time signature repeatedly every time the subdivision changes? (The music is alternating between 4+3 and 3+4 quite often, not consistently)

Based on the pop-over info PDF from the FAQ page, I tried entering [7/8,3+4], which did nothing.

My expectation from other software is that I set a meter for a measure with a given subdivision as a hidden time signature, so I don’t see 7/8 and then 7/8 again, but I can’t find any way to hide a time signature in Dorico. Searching the forums led to discussions of opening new flows, which can’t possibly be the right answer here.

You’re looking for [3+4]/8 or [4+3]/8 - I think.

and you can hide time signatures by opening the properties panel (ctrl-8), select the time signature(s) you want to hide, and click ‘hide time signature’ …

Thanks but no; that’s in the PDF, and it results in a meter of 7/8 (showing) as stated there.

EDIT: When I tried [7/8,3+4] I was trying to use the implied logic of “brackets-mean-hide-this” in the given example from the PDF, but it didn’t work. I think it would be logical to add this as an option, so for example:

[7/8,3+4]

would mean to set the time signature to 7/8 subdivided as 3+4, and hide the time signature. That would save a few steps, which with copy/paste through Shift-M input would add up to lots of time saved in a piece with many such hidden meters.

Thanks, I had already tried doing this as it was mentioned in one of the posts I found while searching, but Ctrl-8 does nothing for me but make a system beep sound. No panel, no properties. I’m on Mac.

EDIT: I found this by clicking on the bar at the bottom of the screen. Then a properties pane appears. The keyboard shortcut doesn’t work here.

EDIT #2: Keyboard shortcut is Command-8 on Mac (not Ctrl-8, that’s Windows only).

I thought that was what you wanted. Your example included a comma, which is for anacruses.

Yes, but the TS is still displayed… :slight_smile:

Aha, I hadn’t understood that. I thought the subdivision was to be given after the comma. It just turns out that specifying an anacrusis of 3+4 using the notation 7/8,3+4 results in a full bar of the meter using that subdivision, but it’s not the right way to do it within a piece.

So the correct way to do it is:

  1. Shift-M to enter the meter, and type [3+4]/8 or [4+3]/8
  2. Open properties pane, turn on and and check “Hide time signature”.