Transposed parts not showing transposition

Hello there –
I’m formatting parts for an orchestra project. The score is without key signature, and I assumed the B-flat clarinet parts would show the transposition when I chose Edit > Transposed Pitch. That didn’t happen, and I’ve been navigation through various posts trying to get a clearer understanding of how Dorico handles transposing parts. I did import this score as a Music XML file from Finale, so I followed the suggestion of deleting the embedded C major key signature. I also checked to make sure there was no transposition override assigned to the part. And I went to Layout Options > Players and made sure “Transposing Layout” was selected for the part. One thing I didn’t do yet was assign the key signature of “atonal” to the score – from what I read it sounded like deleting the C major key signature embedded in the Music XML file would be enough. (Perhaps I’m wrong about that?) In any case, none of that worked, and the clarinet parts (and horn parts, for that matter) still showed their untransposed version.

The only thing that has worked so far has been to use the transposition override function (Setup > right panel layout name > right-click “Clef and Transposition Overrides”) and create a transposition override, with “Written middle C sounds as: Bb3.” Does this sound like a correct approach?

Thanks for any tips!

If you do not put the composition/section into a specific key, Dorico should use accidentals rather than key signatures to reflect transposing instruments.

The obvious thing to do is to change the instruments from the left panel of Setup mode (click disclosure arrow to the left of the player, click the disclosure arrow to the right of the instrument > Change Instrument).

Instruments imported via MusicXML are special custom-made instruments and may or may not have the correct transpositions built in.

Thanks, Leo. That’s what I needed to do – change the instrument. That solved it. The instrument must have come in without an associated transposition. Thanks again!

As a footnote, in general I’ve found the parts preparation in Dorico to be fantastic. I don’t think I’ve ever actually enjoyed formatting parts before (!). Besides this small transposition hiccup, it’s gone very smoothly.

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Hello–using Dorico 5–as I change instruments in SETUP mode, I’m not getting the desired results. Clefs are not changing, mostly. I’ve got trombones in treble clef, even though I’ve assigned them all correctly to the “trombone” instrument. I"ve got 2 horn parts, both assigned correctly to Horn in F, treble, but one is in bass clef. I’ve got a tuba in treble clef–these are all appearing like this in both full score and separate parts. Would LOVE some assistance here from the experts-

I should add that I imported an orchestral score created in Digital Performer, (as I often do, as a MusicXML file) and I’ve never experienced this issue before-I’ve always been able to change instruments successfully in the SETUP/PLAYERS panel. Not today-- :frowning:

I recently had a somewhat related problem, which I solved by creating new instruments, pasting the contents into them and then deleting the original staves.

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If it’s an import from XML, the errant clef could be added. If you can select the initial clef, you can delete it, and the normal clef for the instrument will remain.

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It sounds as if you may have stumbled somehow into British Brass Band conventions and have the wrong version of the trombone selected.

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Derrek, thanks for the reply.

I definitely was in that window-but I 100% selected the C bass clef trombone. All of the problem instruments I mentioned were 100% properly selected in the players list. They “were” in the correct transposed key (those that required it) but they were displayed with the wrong clef.

The workaround I found was to “force” the clef to change, using the shift/C clef change popover.

It’s still a mystery to me why the assigned players were displaying the wrong clef. First time this has happened in my Doricl experiences.

As already mentioned, when importing MusicXML files, you can sometimes end up with an explicit clef change at the start of the flow. You can tell whether it’s a clef change or a default clef by trying to select it: if you can select it, it’s a clef change, and if you can’t, it’s the default clef.

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