Hi folks,
I’m one of those oddball new-music composers who enjoys writing for harpsichord. For each instrument I have two endpoints–one for the upper manual and one for the lower. This allows me to use all of the registration combinations that are available on a French double (2x8, 1x4, coupler, buff). The issue for me is how best to set up Dorico to most easily write for the beast.
I started out in the recommended fashion, by enabling independent voice playback. This works, and the instrument appears in score as a braced keyboard instrument. But it’s really a pain to write this way. In this case I must keep track of which voices I’m using for which manual. And if I create a new voice, I have to scurry over to the Track Inspector to see where that voice went and assign it to the proper endpoint. I also have to make sure that–when I change registration–the technique is attached only to a voice going to the endpoint that represents the correct manual of the instrument. This isn’t fun at all and I find it to be something of a bother.
So for my next attempt I made a player with two instruments–one for each manual. In this case I don’t have to enable independent voice playback. And I simply put the technique changes (registration) on the staff that goes to the endpoint for that manual. I can still use additional voices for clarity, but I don’t have to chase those voices to make sure they go to the proper endpoint. When there are two instruments in a player, Dorico allows me to move passages to the alternate staff when needed (Sibelius doesn’t do that). This is all good and is much, much easier to work with…
…except for one thing: I don’t seem to be able to get a proper brace enclosing the two staves. They just get bracketed according to whatever general rule I choose in Layout Options. I’ve tried creating a new group to encompass the player. That solves one problem, but takes the overall look farther away from a normal appearance.
There’s an interesting discussion elsewhere on the forum that addresses the similar situation of the organ. But the suggested solution presented each manual on the score as a separate instrument. This probably works fine in s solo organ situation. But my writing generally puts the harpsichord into a chamber ensemble and the score is much cleaner when it looks like any other keyboard.
I really hope that I’ve missed a really obvious solution. But so far I haven’t been able to track it down. Thanks for any help anyone might be able to provide.