After a while using Dorico, I’m very happy with the program and with the support we receive inside this forum.
I’m so happy that I wish I could use Dorico for everything.
As I’m a classical trained composer, I prefer starting my compositions through notes and score, not recordings and midi rolls like you’re forced to do in DAWs.
The drawbacks in Dorico are that you don’t have tools for sound design or working with particular sound libraries which offer you alternative articulations.
So my wish for future versions in this regard would be the ability to use properly and confortably this kind of libraries and also the possibility to put some sound design (audio files) in our Dorico Projects. Then I would export the project to Cubase or any other DAW to fine tuning things… or maybe not.
You see, I would like to work mainly in Dorico, because I love working with scores but at the same time I don’t want to give up on sound design options or especial libraries or synths.
Of course, I don’t want them to forget about the main purpose of Dorico, the Score. It’s just a few ideas or dreams I wanted to share with you.
Thanks for your feedback, @reztes. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect that Dorico might have some simple audio tracks in future, though we have no plans to reproduce all of the audio recording and editing functionality of Cubase within Dorico. But to be able to have recorded tracks playing back along with the music played by Dorico doesn’t seem so unreasonable, and it is something I expect we will add in a future version.
"we have no plans to reproduce all of the audio recording and editing functionality of Cubase within Dorico. "
Would it be at least possible to add a loop function? So useful for practicing, composing, music theiry etc.
I had the same issue when I started working in daws. These days I have a workflow that works very well for me. I start scoring in Cubase, improvising and adding the tracks and whenever I come up with interesting musical material, I write it down on paper at the piano and develop it there after which I continue in cubase with adding this new material and keep going adding more tracks etc. This way I can keep an eye on the harmonic development as well which I always add in the marker track. When the project become larger and more formed, I start adding it into a new Dorico project where I keep on building out the score.
Having audio tracks would allow use of external synthesizers. Presently I write for synths in Dorico and it sends via MIDI out, but with no audio in there’s nowhere for the synth to go except out the speakers. Dorico is conscious of the audio that comes from VST’s but not MIDI outs. Another approach is the Cubase/Dorico integration possibly.
I’m so happy that I wish I could use Dorico for everything.
As I’m a classical trained composer, I prefer starting my compositions through notes and score, not recordings and midi rolls like you’re forced to do in DAWs.
A loop function is very easily achieved, just put in repeats for the desired section and set the “play n times” (in properties panel) value to a high number. Not exactly sure how you are picturing a loop function when composing, but if you for example want to improvise a melody over a 8 bar baseline, I’d recommend this:
Make a copy of your flow, that you can use as a sketch pad for trying out ideas without messing with your actual score.
In the flow copy, repeat the section you are working with as many times you like.
Record your improvisation
Copy the 8 bars of the improv you are content with, and paste into the original flow.
I remember doing similar things back in the “dark ages” of Finale, only then I used it in the actual score I was working in; adding a lot of extra bars after the “real” score, and copying stuff to the “sketchpad section” in the end.
Yes, I did something like that and I start all my compositions playing and handwritting. However, developing ideas, variations and orchestrations are things that I do better in the score (notation program/handwritten) than in the DAW (piano roll, recordings).
The good thing of programs is that you can test little changes in no time, and have all of them prepared to comparison. Handwritten you depend on your ability to play. In the DAW, every little change becomes “programming” MIDI and breaks the creative flow (in my opinion, as a classically trained composer).
The thing is that most DAWs are aimed to the other “half” of the composers, the non classically trained. Moreover, it’s funny how they think they are handicapped because they don’t know "“theory”, but actually the handicapped ones are the classical composers that are not familiar with synthy workflows. The struggle is real
The good thing about DORICO in this regard is that makes our life easier, as is very powerful as notation program and works fine as DAW (and as first step to the DAW). My wish is to improve this aspect of the program, to make possible composing professional end products with the least amount of MIDI piano roll possible…
Another wish may be for instance the ability to change the tracks visible in write mode without having to relay in pre-prepared layouts.
I wish I could have some “draft” tracks, like “strings”, “woodwinds” etc and then write music using those with the idea of doing a meticulous orchestration later. In Dorico 3.5.1 you have two options, the pre-prepared layouts or using a piano sketch. What I would like is something more similar to Cubase, in which you can easily change the visibility of certain tracks.
I would also thing about redesigning the MIDI recording “workflow” visually. You can do whatever you want currently, but it’s not as intuitive as it may be. For instance, in a piano, if I select the right left staff… I want to record in that staff. In order to do so, you have to invoke first the Shift-N.
To overlap recordings, you have to invoke first the Q option. But the truth is that If I would want to override a recording… I would first erase it! So I think that the overlapping Midi recording should be the default option.
Another problem for this kind of program is the dongle, but this is like a tabu thing and I don’t think that Dorico Team has anything to do with that, but prevents you to work on the go (dongles are easily broken or lost, and you don’t want to risk your licenses). I don’t mind the dongle for the desktop studio, but I wish I could also work without the dongle with my laptop from time to time. But as I said, I don’t think Dorico Team can’t do anything about and I also think they are aware of this issue.
And last thing, when pushing SHIFT, I think the cursor should change to the hand tool in order to be aware that this is the function is going to do when you click in the screen.
It would be very nice if in all mouse-over situations you could immediately see not only the name of the function (as in the picture of the transport window),
but also the corresponding keyboard shortcut (like in the example picture, in this case from MS Office…) …
(by the way, this is not only true for Dorico, but also for Cubase )
This would be wonderful for my common use, which is writing/transcribing horn lines to already recorded tracks. At the moment I am using midi export/Ableton to hear the results with the original track. The ability to do this within Dorico would be (and I use the term advisedly) a gamechanger!
(Many questions/thoughts about how tempo mapping might work here, but even a basic functionality of this sort would be hugely welcome if achievable)
Yes, I know this workaround and it is what I called the “pre-prepared layouts”. However, visibility options are much better (faster and simpler) in my opinion.
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