Removing Bass Stave from Piano

Dorico
#1

Hi Experts!

Is it possible to remove the bass stave from an existing piano instrument? And if so: how? Goal is to make a version with a single staved slash/chord notation part out of an existing piano part (converting notes to stems). Selecting an existing piano instrument with one stave only would also be a possibility but I can’t find one.
It would also be useful for lead sheet notation as a piano is a nicer instrument sound to work with as a voice/woodwind/brass instrument.

Additional question: When converting notes to slashes selecting the Voices menu I can select slashes with stems up, stems down and without stems. How do I create a mixed voice with and without stems? When I switch from one mode to the other it concerns the complete instrument (all stems down or all no stems). In the properties panel I can switch stems direction for selected notes but not “without stems”.

Thanks :slight_smile:

#2

Main question:

Two options:

  1. Set layout options to hide empty staves on all systems.
  2. Right click the first rest in the bottom staff and go Staff > Remove Staff. (It might be Stave rather than Staff. I can’t remember and I’m not in front of the computer; sorry).

Additional question: I think you probably need to select the notes you want to be stemless and make them a separate voice. Or just hide the stems from the bottom panel.

#3

Very good solution! Thanks!

Got it! Best way to prepare an instrument for lead sheet!

That works too. Thanks a lot!

#4

Is the option 2 function available in Elements? I’m trying to write a lead sheet for a piano part in an ensemble and it only has the hide empty staves option… but even though the staff isn’t seen, the notes are still being played in. These means it won’t create notes on ledger lines, it just hides them in the unseen part.

#5

I’m afraid all of the options for adding and removing staves (including ossias and divisi) are excluded from Dorico Elements, sorry!

#6

If you’re recording the part in from a MIDI keyboard and the piano instrument is still using the split point to put low notes on the bottom (hidden) staff, then you can either change the split point (in Preferences > Play > Recording) so everything goes on the top staff, or show the note input caret just on the top staff before recording which should force everything onto that staff. For notes already on the lower staff, you can temporarily show it and move them up.