Overlapping noteheads (for harp glissando notation)

Dorico
1

I’ve tried looking this up, but I think this is a particular case…

I’m using a separate voice to create the small notes for a harp glissando.
It’s generally a cue-sized heptuplet, with the first note overlapping the “real note”, with stems removed and tuplet hidden.

I leave the 1st note at regular note size, so that it can overlap with the “real note”.

In most cases, that first note of the tuplet nicely overlaps, the notehead automatically becoming white if it’s a half note (when that’s the case.)

However, I noticed that every once in a while, no matter what I do, the first note of the tuplet refuses to overlap with the real note, and I have to resort to setting the voice column.

Does anyone know why there would be two situations like this?

When the first note of the tuplet refuses to overlap, I’ve tried flipping the tuplet, and flipping the “real note” (which puts the stem in the wrong direction anyway.) But this only makes the first note of the tuplet jump from right to left of the real note, never overlapping it.

2

I just had something like this and solved it by setting the Voice Column Index in Engraver mode to zero for the over lapping note(s) both voices.

3

in my case, both were already at 0.

it’s curious behaviour.

4

Can you post a short sample of the situation?

5

posting a sample is problematic at this point, as the score is complete and I’d rather not jiggle around with anything.

I also have strictly NO idea how to go about making a short video of the issue.

But I have another work I’ll be starting on shortly, I’ll see what happens there.

and if worse comes to worst, I’ll try simply creating a harp solo staff new document.

6

There are options on the Voices page of Notation Options that govern how Dorico handles unisons in opposing voices. It might be worth a look there.

7

I was thinking you might make up a one-measure test file from scratch so we could see what you were dealing with. Not a big deal, I was just interested.

8

I looked and tried all of those options.

It seems to be erratic, so might have to do with the “real note” being below a certain point in the staff… or above a certain point.

Sometimes I put in a half note, then switch to down stem voice to insert my “gliss” notes, and it all works perfectly from the first instant.
Other times, it does this whole annoying dance back and forth, refusing to overlap.

I really haven’t been able to figure out what the trigger for this behaviour might be.

I’ll make a test file later with as many possibilities as I ca think of.