I’m moving from Finale to Dorico (Pro 5). To facilitate the move, I exported a piece (marching band) in XML, then opened in Dorico.
I can’t figure out how to get the Tenor Sax part to be in non-transposing bass clef when creating the score, but then appear in treble clef (+15, I believe?) on the transposed score and part.
Like many, I prefer to do my writing/arranging in a concert score, then create a transposed score when ready to print.
There’s so much to learn! But this is today’s thing.
Thanks in advance for your help!
I did read a thread called “Tenor Saxophone Part Not Appearing Properly Transposed”, but I don’t think I understand enough about instrument setup to do it properly.
@thgmusic, I’m just about two years ahead of you in making the same switch. I think you’ll find it to be a great move once you get to know Dorico well. I haven’t looked back! (I also strongly recommend spending lots of time on their excellent YouTube channel with the tutorial and live-stream videos.)
Here’s a manual link that’s helpful.
And here’s a screenshot from a jazz nonet score of mine that I believe will help you get what you need with your tenor sax part:
(Note that when switching the view to Transposed Pitch in the lower-L corner, the clef and key sigs change and the +M9 (+14 semitone) transposition happens automatically.)
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Thank you so much for this (and for the encouraging words, too!).
Follow-up question: When one edits the “instrument definition”, is that globally or just for the current file?
Take care…
B
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That’s per project/file, done under Setup Mode. If memory serves, any default project has the tenor sax (and others) transposition pre-set, and one just needs to change the Clefs for Non-transposing Layouts to bass.
Helpful YouTube playlist about Setup Mode.
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Hi @thgmusic , adding to the useful suggestions of @judddanby :
If you want to make your change/s apply also to all future projects (when you load that particular instrument), you can click the little start icon on the lower-left part of the dialogue (the action bar), and doing so save your settings as default for that instrument.
Here the Manual:
And here the excerpt:
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There is already a predefined instrument for this.
Go to Setup Mode and do a Change Instrument
Select Woodwinds > Tenor Saxophone > Bass Clef Concert Pitch
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Yes indeed, there are a number of instruments already set up with a choice of clefs. It makes the whole thing very simple.
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Another option, if you’ve already input into an instrument, is to just change the clef. Once you add an explicit clef (as in not the default clef) you can specify different settings for Concert vs Transposed pitch. In the image below I’ve set the clef to display as bass clef in concert but treble clef when transposed.
Just remember that you have to manually add the clef as you can’t do this with the default clef.
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@judddanby @Christian_R @Craig_F @RichardTownsend @FredGUnn
Thank you all so much for your helpful suggestions.
I don’t mean to trash-talk Finale, but the forum help here is amazing! I recently posted a question (thankfully non-urgent) on the Finale forum. It took almost a day to get a response (and not even helpful one at that…)
I post here and within a very short time, often “within the hour”, I am getting helpful and applicable information!
I also really appreciate the friendly and supportive attitude here. While in several of your responses you pointed me to specific places in the Dorico manual to look for help, there was none of the (very unhelpful and discouraging) “RTFM” that has come my way before on other forums.
Take care all, and happy music making!
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I couldn’t agree more, @thgmusic! I have benefitted many times over from the incredible skill, generosity, thoughtfulness, and intellectual curiosity that permeates this forum and the Dorico team. And there’s a wonderfully jovial spirit — and a few darned good jokes (well…excluding mine) — along the way!
I certainly (and perhaps one or two others…) have on occasion lapsed into the cranky. Glad you caught us on a good day! 
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And here I thought it meant “Read The Finale Manual.” 
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“Re-notate the Fourth Movement,” I think.
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Another option, if you’ve already input into an instrument -snip-
I’m working with a project I imported via MusicXML. Is this the reason that the clef doesn’t update when I change “Clefs for non-transposing layouts”? Both the Full Score and the Baritone Saxophone Layouts are selected.
Brand new – still getting used to basic concepts —
I manually added a clef and changed the properties, so everything works, but my question still stands… just making sure I understand that a change in the Instrument Definitions will not necessarily update music in that instrument that has already been entered?
The Instrument designer dialog is where you can create or modify default settings for that instrument. Those default settings can of course be overridden by an explicit clef in your score. I’m guessing your file imported the clef so Dorico is honoring that and ignoring the default clef settings.
Glad you got it working with an explicit clef though!
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LOL, we know each other, I’ll PM you!
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That makes sense that it imported a specific clef. Sure enough, I deleted the clef entirely and the proper default was shown. I’m sure I’ll see other things like this since I imported… it will be cleaner when I start from scratch in the future. Thanks for the help!
Oh haha. I have a hunch… 
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