I managed to accidentally destroy my computer monitor. I’m presently using a borrowed monitor from a friend. My last monitor was a 27 inch one, but I still felt I needed a bigger one to really be able to see as much of my Dorico Full orchestral score as possible. Some of the larger monitors are quick expensive. However, I’m thinking I’d rather pay more cash for something that will make it easier to see what I’m doing really clearly rather than pay less for something I won’t be as happy with. There are 43 inch, even a 49 inch one advertised online here in Australia. Can anyone give me details of a size you are happily viewing your notation scores on, particularly with large orchestral scores. Thanks if anyone can offer some size recommendations.
It’s less about size and more about resolution. A 43-inch monitor will look like garbage. I know, because I tried one a few years ago. Total downer.
Best bet is to get a 4K 27 inch on a monitor arm and turn it vertical. Then you can move it closer as needed, and you’ll be able to view full scores quite comfortably.
Which is precisely why some of the really big monitors are even going 5k now (specifically Apple displays). I have a 27" 5k imac, and the resolution is notably crisper than my 27" 4k monitor at work. I’m content with the 4k on the whole, although I’d gladly take the resolution if I could afford it.
Another thing to consider is the apsect ratio. I’ve had my eye on the LG dual up display for a while now. I’m afraid the resolution might not be the best, but the aspect ratio, in a vertical orientation, would be simply excellent for Dorico. I’m thinking of taking the plunge at Christmas.
4K at 42 inches is 105 pixels per inch. That’s roughly the same as my old 2K 27-inch display; I’ve since moved to a 5K 27-inch display (218ppi), and the difference is like night and day. Staff lines are not just rounded to the nearest pixel: they are crisp and sharp at any size. Curves are smooth as silk; tiny text is easy to read.
I’m currently looking for a new monitor and was also going into the 42" direction. But that seems pretty big, so if a smaller size makes a difference I would like to go there.
I just recently switched to a Dell Ultrasharp 43” (actually 42.5”) monitor and love it. I can see my full orchestral scores without scrolling for the first time. It’s certainly a big monitor and I can’t imagine really going any bigger from an ergonomic standpoint, but it’s plenty sharp enough for me even without using the 4k resolution. I find 2560 x 1440 @ 60 Hz to be perfectly fine.
I have mine mounted to the wall at the back of my desk. I run at full resolution, and sit about 2 feet away from the screen. I have glasses tuned to just that distance, which is also just right for sitting at the piano.
Thanks so much for all of your help and comments. I’m just getting ready for work today, so I’ll get a chance later on to read carefully all of what you’ve all been so helpful in sharing with me. I really appreciate that. Well, thanks again, and I’ll look forward to reading in more detail what you’ve shown me! many thanks, Steve
These types of threads are great. I’m also interested in starting to work on a a 42 or 43 inch maybe wall mounted in front of my desk. Haven’t got the greatest vision and it may declutter things.
I also like the 27 inch vertical idea. If you could Dan, what model of screens are vertical and how Is that setup?
43” in front and a 27” to the side for copying scores into Dorico would be awesome I imagine. My wallet and wife may not agree though.
Can’t seem to visualize myself using curved though. Maybe I’m straighter than I thought!
My dream is a big monitor to see full orchestral score pages. I don’t put my 27” HP Z27 (4K) in vertical, because I also need horizontal space for a better view on the music flow, and because it would be less comfortable for my page layout work, where spreads are important.
I’m looking at the new bunch of 6K monitors. My next Mac will support them. There is a 32” Dell that is both color-accurate and large enough to show two A3 pages side by side, with an ever higher HiDPI resolution. It’s expensive, but it will be a gift to myself in the next years.
In the meantime, it is useful to rely on Dorico’s layouts, to selectively show only part of the score. For example, one could hide the percussions while working on the other sections, or even only show woodwinds and strings when working on the melodic lines.
Also useful is the ability to only show the staves on which you selected something. It’s not like having the full score always in front of you, but in any case a good amount of work is made, even with pen and paper, in a zooming state of mind.
But can you work with it? I can see the full score on my 27", but I wouldn’t work with it at full zoom out, in particular if the score has some 40 staves or the like.
Something to be considered is the actual resolution of the display. I keep my 4K at HiDPI (not half the resolution, but something larger). If one doesn’t need HiDPI, there is larger room, and a bigger display can show more at a workable size.
I have a Samsung 24-inch display at 2K (2560 x 1440) as a portrait display. I use it as my “reference” display, for showing PDFs of manuscripts, old printed scores, and other documents.
At 122 pixels per inch, everything is very clear. It displays an A3 orchestral score in Dorico beautifully. (the “width” is exactly 297mm, so with Dorico’s closed side panels, it’s slightly under actual size. There’s plenty of extra space top and bottom.
In an ideal world, I’d want more width to open the side-panels, so I’d need a 4K display at 36-inches or smaller to get a pixel density as good.
I have two of the LG dual up monitors and I love them. They permit me to have two letter pages side by side with the side panels open. The different aspect ratio makes them great for this kind of work, imho. They are 4k equivalent (weird aspect ratio, so mathematically not 4k strictly speaking)
I have a 6k 32” monitor. For me the resolution is the most important part, but perhaps someone else would prefer the screen further away. I almost never use the screen in portrait mode, to me it feels very narrow (and ridiculously tall…)
