Removing a stave from a 2 stave instrument

Dorico
1

I am transcribing a percussion ensemble piece and I want to add a marimba part that is only one staff as opposed to using the grand staff. Dorico makes marimba a grand staff instrument by default, but I cannot seem find an option to make the instrument one staff. Has any one had any experience with this yet?

2

I’m afraid there’s no way to do this at the moment, but we hope to add a command to change the number of staves in an instrument at a given rhythmic position soon. Sorry for the inconvenience in the meantime!

3

I understand. There are a number of great features of the program already. I am so happy that a program finally has support for visual time signatures! Inputing notes from a keyboard feels more intuitive than Sibelius, even after using Sibelius for a number of years. I’m looking forward to seeing this program mature.

4

Any work on this issue? I am beginning work on a new book to be published, and it is a solo marimba book (for beginning students). I only need 1 staff for the marimba, not 2.

Robby

5

You can always add a single-staff instrument (xylophone?), change the name to marimba, and reassign the sound in the HALion player. This is not a difficult process.

6

Alternatively, write all your music in one stave and then select to hide empty staves in the layout options.

7

Those are good ideas. Except I am curious how they work when it comes to scores that incorporate the other melodic percussion instruments (i.e., 2 xylos, 2 vibes, 4 marimbas) and the numbering of such instruments (mar. 1, mar. 2, etc.). The hiding of empty staves sounds like an interesting idea, except can I hide empty staves of the marimba part, but not empty staves of other parts? Usually for me, I show the rests and empty measures for all instruments. It keeps the scores looking consistent. Also, it allows the teaching staff to write in notes and other ideas for the music. So it would be nice if I could hide the second staff of empty music in the marimba, but keep the empty staff of the xylo part visible.

Robby

8

If you create 4 xylos, and rename two of them to marimba, the names will automatically become:
Xylophone 1
Xylophone 2
Marimba 1
Marimba 2

can I hide empty staves of the marimba part, but not empty staves of other parts?

Yes. Go to Layout options (cmd+shift+L / ctrl+shift+L) → Vertical spacing, and you will find ‘Players excluded from Hide Empty Staves’. Note that these settings only applies to the layout(s) selected in the left hand panel.

9

Thanks for the info!

Robby