Polyrhythm notation question

I’ve seen some questions about similar passages - but this one (from Wagner’s Parsifal) seems to be a bit more complex. Any idea how this can be inputted correctly into Dorico?


Please define “correctly.” :thinking:

well, good point -

I would be happy if I could make it look the same as the original score…

The 6/4 vs. 4/4 will need to be done with ALT+SHIFT or a text expression (created with one of Dan Kreider’s new fonts?) to create one initial time sig on individual staves, combined with hidden (and nested) tuplets to fit everything in the longer measures (and perhaps a hidden 4/4 time sig to cancel if you use the ALT+SHIFT approach).

polyrhythmSample.dorico (648.7 KB)

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You could also do this using an in-built independent time signature (input using Alt/Opt-Return so it only applies to one staff) and then re-inputting a normal barline (re-affirming the shared 4/4 global time signature) at the start of the following 4/4 bar - this leaves your 6/4 time signature staff with a 6/4 time signature but a bar that only contains 4 crotchets/quarter notes. You can then use hidden tuplets as required.

There’s a Scoring Notes article on this topic that’s pretty good with a slightly different method of giving the single-staff time signatures a pick-up bar for their first bar -

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Thank you! You really helped me understand how to do this.

Thank you! That was very helpful!

So one thing I am still struggling with is getting a regular full-measure rest in the 6:4 bars. Any idea why this is happening and how it can be fixed?


It’s happening because you’ve instructed Dorico to give you a pickup bar, and it’s trying to rationalise that. Imagine a situation in which you wanted a pickup bar - in all likelihood you’d want the players to see the rests spelt out, or they couldn’t possibly know that it was a short bar.

Put the caret immediately after the 6/4 time signature, or select the first rest, and type Shift-B rest Enter.

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Thanks!

So how would you actually use the MusGlyph font to enter a time signature within a score? I purchased the font and understand how it works, but I am not sure how to position the resulting time signature within a staff in Dorico.

Many thanks for your help!

Type it as a text object above the staff, turn off collision avoidance, and move it into the staff.

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Nice! :slight_smile: Thank you Dan!

It does look a bit different than the Dorico time Signatures - any way to make it look the same?

It should be exactly the same as the default time signature glyphs in Dorico, unless you’re using a different font for the time signatures already.

I don’t even know where to change the fonts for the time signatures. Where would I see that? And what font should be default?

also, the aleatric boxes font is also fantastic. Thanks for making these!

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I’m on the road on my phone at the moment, so I’m a bit unhelpful, but I think it’s in layout options, time signatures. Then check Engrave mode, Engrave menu, Font Styles, time signature font. I assume it’s supposed to be Bravura. MusGlyphs uses the exact same glyphs as the default Bravura glyphs. If you haven’t done anything to change the time signatures, they should be identical. Can you post a screenshot showing the difference?

You know - something must wrong with my eyes (too many hours in front of a screen…)

Just took a short break and now it does look the same. Here’s a screenshot. The three upper staves are regular time signatures (albeit faking a 6/4 against a 4/4) and the fourth is the MusGlyphs one. I think perhaps my size is not optimal - but that’s about it.

Thanks again!

Screen Shot 2021-06-18 at 10.59.42 AM

When in write mode they look a bit different (maybe?) -

Yes, it does look a little bolder. I’m not sure why.

This is the size I’m using. It’s not urgent, but if you find out why this is happening at some point, I’d appreciate knowing :slight_smile:

Thanks again for the great fonts!