Solo vs section strings

Dorico
1

I apologise if this has been asked before, but no matter how much I search, I cannot find the answer. I want to find a way to distinguish between section strings and solo strings. I have an Intel MacBook Pro (2019), with the latest MacOS (Tahoe 26.4.1), the latest version of Dorico (6.2.10.6140) and Note Performer 5. I am a composer who has used Finale (for 30 years) and now Dorico (for a little over 1 year) primarily, indeed ONLY, for notation. And now (at my mature age!), I need to produce realistic sounding examples of my orchestral work. I have no idea how to change the playback between sections strings and solo strings. Not being able to make the change affects not only the relative loudness but also the balance between instruments. I will be grateful for any and all the help you can give!

2

When you create a Player under Setup mode, you choose either single player or section player. But maybe I misunderstood. At least, with Noteperformer, it uses a solo violin with single player, and violin ensemble with section player.

Jesper

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Or:

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3

I am not sure you can simply change between a single to/from a section player, someone will confirm, but you can create the player alternative you want (for example create a new single player where you already have a section player), then copy/paste from one to the other (then you can delete the other when you have checked everything has been copied across :slight_smile: )

4

Thank you. Yes I could make separate layouts, one for printed parts and one for playback. I imagined it was possible, having designated solo and gli altri in Dorico, that the divisi parts would sound as designated. But your solution of solo and section players, and different layouts for playback and print, may be simpler and easier to do. I can add that no matter what I do, the string parts always sound like section when using Note Performer. Everything else in NP5 is very good for my “classical” orchestral works except solo and section strings.

6

What if you apply Independent Voice Playback for the strings in the Play tab?

Jesper

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7

Thank you. I will try that. I don’t think it’s the software, I think it is my lack of understanding. I have read that Note Performer does not correctly apply solo patches/sounds to solo designations, but the problem in my case is more likely user error on my part. The whole playback area is so far outside of my knowledge as a classical composer who used paper and pencil for so many years!

8

Here is a short example of a solo violin in a violin section with NP (and independent voice playback).

Please ask if something is unclear!

Solo vs section strings NP5.dorico (582,8 Ko)

9

If you’re not happy with patches Note Performer has applied, you can change them.

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10

But I think @Robert_Smallwood is right, it doesn’t work automatically with solo/gli altri.

Jesper

11

Indeed, as far as I know you need to use different voices.

12

Yes, that works.

Jesper

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13

Thanks Charles. That works. I can see it has to be separate voices in Setup. Solo and gli altri as part of a divisi does not invoke the solo sound

14

Thanks David_Tee. It is my lack of knowledge about Play Mode/Mixer that is the problem. I think I am seeing the Dorico mixer only. I don’t know how to get to the NP mixer and I certainly don’t get the options shown in your screenshot.

15

The file that @charles_piano posted does in fact have solo and gli altri as part of a divisi. The trick is to enable independent voice playback and reserve one voice in Dorico for the solo sound. So at the divisi, the solo violin notes are assigned to downstem voice 1, and that voice is assigned in NotePerformer to the solo violin sound; the other voices are assigned to the section violin sound.

In Play mode, select one of the voices or instruments and click the ‘e’ button in the Track Inspector.

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16

Thanks asherber