Trying to set up microtonal tunings.

Dorico
1

Hi, im a composer trying Dorico for the first time, because im interested in writing music using microtonal tunings. However Im trying to set up a 19tet tuning system and I cannot get the software to play it. I do not know what Im doing wrong, I wrote the steps between the notes, I included the sharp, the flat and the natural as figures that change the notes, I created a new key signature, and I included it in the staff. When I hit play, the software just plays the music as it was in 12 tet.

I was hoping Dorico to be much better than Sibelius (which Im currently using), and I would say Im pretty dissapointed. The software feels akwkard, unresponsive, and unstable. Does it eventually become more intuitive as time goes on, or is it just better to stick with Sibelius?

2

Welcome to the forum, johnwalker1. The main thing you need to do is make sure that you have created a key signature (probably an open or atonal key signature, I guess) using your new tonality system. So try this:

  1. Select the rest or note at the start of the piece.
  2. Open the Key Signatures panel in Write mode.
  3. Select your new tonality system from the drop-down at the top of the panel.
  4. Without changing the selection, type Shift+K and then enter “atonal” into the key signature popover.

This will now create an open/atonal key signature in your new tonality system, allowing you to use your new accidentals, and they’ll then start playing back.

If you’re finding Dorico unresponsive and unstable, please do Help > Create Diagnostic Report, which will create a zip file on your desktop called “Dorico Diagnostics.zip”, containing some useful log files and crash logs etc. that we can take a look at to see what might be causing problems on your computer.

There are many, many thousands of Dorico users who have switched from Sibelius, but like many of them you will need to give yourself some time to adjust to new and different ways of working. If you have any specific questions, please don’t hesitate to ask them here, as the community is very friendly and helpful, and you will find lots of assistance.