How do you add the timpani tunings at the start of a score (e.g., F, A, B, E)? We obviously don’t want Dorico to play those back. I could use text, but the octaves would not be clear.
Oddly, although texts (like Kennan and Grantham) say this is mandatory, I can’t remember ever seeing it in a score.
Hi @konradh, one way to do this is to integrate the tuning into the staff label, using the Ambitus Font:
For you example you need this text (all good explained in the Documentation of Ambitus) [sorry: I interpreted the B in German, so as Bb…]:
Bq-5.,q-3..bq-2.q-6.
that will produce this result with Ambitus Font:
Result:
Edit:
you can also correct the Leading:
(You will then need to edit the layout name…)
Wow, @Christian_R! Once again, you are my hero. 
(BTW, even though I am of German descent, I only learned of the German “B/H” or BACH convention a week or two ago. It is interesting!)
For modern music, it’s not really necessary or advisable. Setting tuning at the beginning like this implies the tuning never, or rarely, changes, while modern music has many tuning changes throughout a work. Honestly, those are best left to the player. An experienced player will know when and where to change, using which drum, better than almost every composer.
This is so cool! But, if I want a different incipit for each movement/flow, how does that work?
What I describe below was done over two years ago so it could quite possibly be done differently/better/more easily, etc., using cutaways or other capabilities which have been implemented in Dorico since then. The following text is part of a description which I did not get around to posting. The image following the quote is a .jpg of the graphic slice which was converted (for posting here) from the original .svg.
In one piece I am working on, I decided to try creating an incipit for the timpani. For this piece, the three notes are not changed during the course of the piece, so the timpani player does not need to do any re-tuning.
Rather than trying to use a short stub of a staff before the actual music commences, which would have required some creative layout, I decided to use a graphic slice.
First of all, I opened a new document and entered the three pitches required and hid their stems (in Properties in Engrave mode). Next I adjusted the distance between the noteheads. When I was satisfied, I created a graphic slice. When it came time to insert it into the Timpani layout, I made room for it by indenting the first system, and then inserted the graphic slice, re-sizing it as needed.
Hi @silvanloher,
just assign other Timpani to that player, and rename the full name of each one as desired, adding the notes with Ambitus font. If you then write the notes only on the appropriate staff, in Galley view, Dorico will show only that instrument for the flow:
(inputting notes in the appropriate flow in Galley view):
Dorico file example:
Thank you so much! You are so kind and helpful! I’ll keep that in mind for my next orchestral project! I don’t dare tweaking with adding new instruments after having worked on the layout for so long 
. Most timpanists say it’s unnecessary anyway, but I like to indicate it for the conductor.
Is it possible to add a text frame using Ambitus fonts, too?
You can use the Ambitus font whenever you are inputting text. Did you try it?
Not yet! Was waiting for your reply to make a decision to buy it or not. I will buy it now:)
