Using different layout options in different flows within?

Dorico
1

Hello -
I’m creating a book of 4 arrangements for Orff instruments. In the end I want:

  1. the full score of every arrangement to fit on two pages
  2. all 4 arrangements to be in one PDF document.

I’ve set up different 4 different flows and everything is working fine except that I need different staff spacing for every Flow, since the piece length and instruments vary.

If I simply adjust the staff size in the full score layout, it seems to apply to all Flows, and I don’t want that. So, I created Custom layout for the first song, which works for that song. But is there a way to create custom, full-score layouts for each Flow, and then still have them save/print in one document?

2

I’m afraid that is not possible at this moment within Dorico! As far as I am concerned this is a much wanted feature, but we have to wait…
Different Note-spacing is possible, but the vertical spacing is per layout.
In the meantime you can save each flow/layout as PDF, and stitch them afterwards together with one of the PDF handling programs. Pagenumbers is something to wath carefully then!

3

thanks for the reply, Jeroen!

Are you saying that it’s possible to adjust note-spacing differently for each flow within a layout? (I’m not sure how that would work differently for note of vertical spacing…)
I suppose another option is to use the Full Score layout and manually adjust each page…

4

In Engrave Mode you can apply Note Spacing changes wherever you need them (Engrave>Note Spacing change…)

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5

And can’t you actually also change the staff size at any system/frame break?

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6

Ah, thank you…I was confusing note-spacing, which I now understand is horizontal, with “space size” – which seemed like another way to adjust the overall size of the music.
I’m thinking my best option is to staff spacing and space size on each page of the full-score layout.

7

I seriously doubt that. You almost certain to get a better result first choosing a space size based on legibility, then minor tweaking to vertical spacing options. Next address note spacing and finally, use frame/system breaks.

(others may have a different workflow)

8

I am also rather new to Dorico (now a couple of months), and at first I also had great doubts about the “automatic” layout by the application, and wanted to change everything to MY liking. Gradually I am turning to a workflow similar to what @Janus describes. First the space size (that is the space between the lines of a staff), I notate only for keyboards so this almost never changes. After all notes are there, I try to adjust via note-spacing, first the default for the project, and then as many changes per flow or in a flow where needed and/or possible, and at last the system and page breaks, in order to get the right page-turning point (and after that again minor adjustments).

9

Thank you! This was extremely helpful! Working with space size adjustments solved everything perfectly for three of the four Flows.

In the fourth Flow, I need here to be three systems per page instead of the two current systems.
Is it possible to adjust space size for that Flow only, other than by doing it manually on the page?

10

Insert a break at the very start of the flow, select its signpost in Engrave mode, and in the properties panel, change the space size. Voilà !

11

Thank you MarkLarcher! That worked! I was also able to create extra space in the page by reducing both page margins and the music flow margins.

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