I created a new instrument , whilst having a little project5 open in Dorico.
I made sure to click that little star to make the new instrument available in other new projects.
If I now open an old project and try to add this newly created instrument, it does not turn up in the instrument picker. Why is that?
If I try to add the new instrument into the Instrument Library again, starting from this old project, Dorico stalls completely - and I have to force quit the application. I can not seem to be able to make changes to an existing instrument or add a new instrument in this very project. In specific, I only want to change the octave of one instrument from C5 to C4.
You sort of answered your own question. The available instruments are embedded in the file at the time of file creation. As you said, the star makes the “new instrument available in other new projects.” It won’t be available in old existing projects.
I’m not sure what is causing the hang as I can’t seem to reproduce that, but maybe I’m not correctly understanding the steps.
Ok, thank you, I understand now. New means new and not newly reopened.
That makes sense. That’s why I try the approach of changing an instrument’s definition in the actual project.
The thing is, Janus, I have finished my project - with all formatting, parts, etc.
The only thing I need to change is the transposition of 1 instrument, as I would like to make a Full Score layout duplicate in concert pitch.
That’s why I would like to change the transposition of one instrument in this very project. I go to Library->Instruments…, select the instrument to the left, scroll down on the right until I reach the transposition area:
It takes about two seconds, and I will get a forever turning beachball.
I tried to change the layout from transposed to concert layout, so not to stress the application, but this all makes no difference. I can not change a small part of an instrument definition.
Also, just in case, I deleted my Endpoint configuration and Playback template containing this instrument - still no luck. I switched to Silent Playback Template - also no change.
Here is my diagnostic report:
To get the Concert Pitch Full Score to my customer, I finally made a copy of the project, switched to Concert Pitch, and manually shifted the whole systems by an octave, flow by flow.
Now having the time to further experiment, I updated my OS (to macOS 26.5), in case the underlying issue might have been some file access right thing. The update went well, I had to confirm some choices, then went back to the Dorico project, Library->Instruments…
I tried to change that one value, pressed [Ok] and almost re_joiced, but only to find that it took 3 seconds (instead of the former 2) until the spinning beachball ap_peared. Also then patiently waiting for a few minutes made no difference. Force quit… So it seems to me that one cannot change values of instruments in the Instrument Library, if an instrument is part of the present (open) project.
My final workaround (=solution): I created a new instrument - with a slightly different name to avoid confusion (and this time with the correct values for range and transposition), added it to my Setup, moved the music over from the former instruments, and deleted those from the Instrument Library.
This has solved my issue.
Also, I had to re-setup the Endpoint configuration and Playback template after this.
