PSA: Minimising the cost of updating to Dorico Pro 4 from Dorico Pro 3.x

Dorico
1

Just a quick public service announcement here, especially for users running Dorico Pro 3 but who did not update to Dorico Pro 3.5.

Dorico Pro 4 is going to be released early this year, and when it arrives, there will be two different prices for users of previous versions of Dorico to update to the new version. Users who have the most recent version, Dorico Pro 3.5, will pay one (lower) price, and users of all previous versions – Dorico Pro 3.0, 2.0, and Dorico 1.0 – will pay another (higher) price.

If you are currently running Dorico Pro 3.0, then you should seriously consider buying the Dorico Pro 3.5 update now. If you buy and activate your Dorico Pro 3.5 update now, you will receive a free update to Dorico Pro 4 when it is released, and the cost of the Dorico Pro 3.0 to Dorico Pro 3.5 update is a lot lower than the cost of the Dorico Pro 3.0 (or earlier) to Dorico Pro 4.0 update.

If you are currently running Dorico Pro 2 or Dorico 1.x, then there is less of a price differential to worry about: the cost of the update from Dorico Pro 2 or Dorico 1.x to Dorico Pro 3.5 and the cost of the forthcoming update from Dorico Pro 3.0, 2.0 or Dorico 1.x to Dorico Pro 4 are pretty similar.

If you are a Dorico Elements user, running either Elements 3.0 or 2.0, there’s no particular reason to update to Dorico Elements 3.5 now, though if you choose to do so, you will also receive a free update to Dorico Elements 4.0 when it is released.

Dorico Pro 4 is a large update, even if you are coming from Dorico Pro 3.5: in terms of the sheer number of changes and improvements over the previous version, it is the largest single release we have ever produced. I am confident that whatever price you pay for Dorico Pro 4, you will get good value for money.

However, the price differential for Dorico Pro 3.0 users between updating to Dorico Pro 3.5 now and updating to Dorico Pro 4.0 later is sufficiently large that I wanted to at least mention it here so that any Dorico Pro 3.0 users who are planning to buy Dorico Pro 4.0 can save some money by updating to 3.5 now.

34 Likes
2

Daniel, Only one question…

WHEN?

:grin::grin::grin::grin::grin::grin:

3

Usually a Monday or a Tuesday… Could be in two days!!! :crossed_fingers::crossed_fingers::crossed_fingers:

2 Likes
4

It’s not going to be as soon as all that, but it is coming soon. If you’re using Dorico Pro 3 and you think you would like to update to Dorico Pro 4, don’t sleep on the information provided above too long.

5 Likes
5

Is there a list anywhere of changes/improvements?

6

No, we will provide full details of the many new features and improvements when Dorico 4 is released.

1 Like
7

Cheers.

8

Considering your illustrious track record, this is quite an exciting statement! Lovely news to wake up to.

3 Likes
9

Exciting way to start the new year.

@dspreadbury, have you released system requirements? Will 4.0 work on MacOS Mojave?

10

Sure am looking forward to this release, the best getting even better …

11

Yes, the minimum version of macOS on which Dorico 4 will run is Mac OS X 10.14 Mojave. It is supported on 10.14, 10.15 (Catalina), macOS 11 (Big Sur) and macOS 12 (Monterey). It will be a native application for the new M1/Pro/Max-powered Macs, and (unless one of our competitors pips us to the post) will be the first Apple silicon-native music notation and composition application to fully support Apple’s new architecture.

On Windows, Dorico 4 will require 64-bit Windows 10 (update 21H1 or later), or 64-bit Windows 11.

5 Likes
12

That is excellent news Daniel! I’m still rocking a 2010 Mac Pro tower until the new Apple Silicon Mac Pros come out later this year. Mojave is the last Mac OS I can run on that machine with my current configuration so this makes me very happy that I will be able to upgrade right away!

1 Like
13

January? February perharps? :grin:

14

Mine was on Windows version 20H2 for some reason - so that was very good info as I’m upgrading now instead of doing both at once whenever 4.0 is released.

P.S. I’m not entirely sure that Daniel, Ulf, and Lilly actually took any time off during this holiday season. Please do! (We can wait)

2 Likes
15

Thanks Daniel. That is indeed good news. Like @hammerman, I am tied to Mojave on my MP 5,1 until I upgrade to a new M1 Mac. I am hoping to make it to 2023 before having to make the move.

16

Hi Daniel, does large update means that it has a rather steep learning curve to get used to? I’m wondering if it slows down the users that try to finish something with important deadline. Also is there a trial version so if people change their mind after installation due to the changes that they found after installation and trying the new version for a couple of days, they can revert back to 3.5 for time being? Especially if there are bugs in the beginning. Also cost-wise having some sort of rough idea would help for those that need to save their money gradually :slight_smile:
I remember 3 to 3.5 upgrade was quite manageable financially. Is it much higher than that?
Thanks,
Arya

17

I can’t answer all of this as I’m not a Dorico developer, but:

a) everything thus far points to Dorico 4 being the same sort of flavour as the iPad app - it’s not a rethink of Dorico, but extra features and tweaks. If you know 3.5 there shouldn’t be much of a learning curve to 4.

b) free trials always come a few days/weeks after the software is launched to paying customers. This helps to smooth traffic both for the download servers and to places like this forum (which are always busier just after release).

c) No version of Dorico has ever overwritten any other version of Dorico. For instance, on one machine I’m running 1.2. 2.2.20, 3, 3.5.0 and 3.5.latest. (Granted, it’s trickier with smaller point releases, but 4 won’t overwrite 3.5).

3 Likes
18

Leo has answered your questions pretty thoroughly, I’d say, and he’s correct: Dorico 4 will happily live alongside earlier versions, and you’ll still be able to run your earlier versions; the new features are generally all building on things you will already be comfortable doing, though there is certainly the opportunity for you to learn some new tricks that will speed up many existing workflows; and indeed the trial version will not be available right away, instead coming a few weeks after the new version is released.

As for the cost of updating from Dorico 3.5 to Dorico 4, it will be more than the update from 3.0 to 3.5, but I hope you will still find it a very reasonable price given the amount of new functionality that is included.

6 Likes
19

Thank you pianoleo.

20

Thanks Daniel.