Split at the half-bar

Mats_Frendahl · October 1, 2023, 8:15pm

Which settings should I use, and which time signature, to get a split only at the half-bar and anything else beamed (8ths, 8.ths, 16ths…)

without using Forced duration?

If I change to 2/2 I get the desired look but then not 4/4 as time signature.

Is the only want to do it, to have bar 1 as 4/4 and then a hidden 2/2 in bar 2?

I thought [2+2]/4 would work, but it doesn’t and neither does [4]/4 with “split at the half-bar”.

(I find the beaming/note grouping difficult to understand in Dorico.)

Perhaps the old score is wrong with 4/4 and it should be 2/2?

TIA.

MarcLarcher · October 1, 2023, 9:03pm

Have you changed the Notation option > Beam grouping >Meters with half bar to group the four eighths of each half bar?
Not sure it will solve all your problems, but it should already get you some way further.

Mats_Frendahl · October 1, 2023, 9:14pm

You mean this?

It does not help with many of the bars.
Dorico has a very explicit way of reading a bar and it would ignore

and

etc.

I don’t think it is a good algorithm, but it’s what we get sadly.

Using 2/2 was the only method I found working and perhaps this is the only way.

Janus · October 1, 2023, 9:47pm

This is a simple solution for your needs.

Changing individual beam groups is very easy using the various tools under right-click>beaming>

MarcLarcher · October 2, 2023, 7:42am

You can also write your 4/4 meter with [2+2]/4 in the meter popover to see if it makes things even closer to what you’re after. And yes, beaming features are still available on a local basis (I urge you to create shortcuts for these!)

Mats_Frendahl · October 2, 2023, 6:26pm

This was one of my first ‘tries’ but it failed as the measurement syntax is unreliable, 2+2 does not give you what you want, and neither does [4] with a break at half bar.
It is all very confusing (to me).
(In Amadeus a simple ba2 would solve everything, no need for strange codes in time sign (that does not work well) or a set of “rules” to be checked on/off. I simply cannot understand why Dev Team does not implement such a simple command/signpost!)

Janus · October 2, 2023, 9:26pm

Do you not see the irony in this? To non-Amadeus users ba2 is a strange code!

Edit: BTW [2+2]/4 works very well for me. How does it fail for you?

Mats_Frendahl · October 2, 2023, 9:29pm

Not stranger than any other Dorico code, it has a parameter, like adding bars or any other of the 100s of commands in Dorico. Do you think the ‘commands’ for time signature variants are “obvious”? You just learn the codes, like in LaTeX. Difficult to start, but pro tools are not easy, you need to study, which has been pointed out in numerous posts here before when new users ask something.

Mats_Frendahl · October 2, 2023, 9:39pm

Given I have understood you correctly I get,

but I want

and some bars I get

but want

but I found that this was fixed with

but why? The music clearly has half-bars and this setting is for time signature without halfbars. It is confusing (for me).

#2155

MarcLarcher · October 3, 2023, 6:47am

To sum it up, [2+2]/4 and a setting for time signatures without half-bar “Break beams at beat boundaries" does what you need? That’s weird, and I’d be glad to have some explanation from the Team, but I’m happy you found a solution !

Mats_Frendahl · October 3, 2023, 9:08am

I’m not sure this ‘solution’ solved all places, but a hidden 2/2 was more effective I think and I used that.
It’s all very strange.

Mark_Johnson · October 3, 2023, 2:04pm

For reference, there have been several previous discussions on this topic.