Wish List for Next Update

Dorico
1

I’m very happy with how things are going with Dorico, but I wanted to add a couple of things to the wish list for the next update:

Piano

  • Pedal asterisk so I don’t have to have a Ped symbol followed by multiple pages of lines with pedal retakes
  • Automatic adjustment of markings between the staves so they don’t interfere with cross staff beaming
  • Extend the line following the Ped marking into a bar with no notes.

General

  • The ability to start a hairpin under a tied note. Currently you have to create the hairpin, then go back and tie the notes together.
  • Measure numbers above each instrument grouping in the Write section. It’s currently hard to follow where you are as the numbers are only at the top of the piece.
  • The ability to remove a tie without deleting the notes attached to it. If you accidentally tie multiple notes together, choosing one to delete will select all the notes and ties.
  • The ability to start a gliss or portamento from a tied note. Currently it gets automatically connected to the first note of the tied group.

Harp

  • Pedal indicators
  • Hanging ties so that the notes will resonate without having to write longer note durations to get this effect (also applicable to Glockenspiel and Vibraphone).

If I think of others, I’ll add them to this post.

Thanks for listening to us.

2

To answer a few things…

Piano pedal with asterisk is available now… select on the pedal marking, and in the properties panel, the first one says “continuation type”. Select the ‘sign at end’ option. You will get your asterisk.

You can remove a tie using the letter U (for cUt - I believe). Select on a tie chain, hit U… the tie breaks between all of the notes.

Hanging ties (called l.v. (let vibrate or laissez vibrer) ties) exist, but I do not believe they affect playback. Click on a note, and then in the properties panel you will see the l.v. tie option, turn it on.

Hope that helps with some of your requests.

Robby

3

There are already several good ways to start and end hairpins and pedal markings wherever you want. Activate input mode by pressing enter, move the caret to the desired location and input the hairpin. Continue writing, or move the caret to the desired location, and use Stop hairpin (can’t remember the default key command, but you’ll find it by searching the key commands dialog). The same applies to pedal markings, except you need to type * in the playing techniques popover to end them.

You can also change the placement and duration by dragging with the mouse or using key commands. More info here

Regarding gliss on tied notes: That’s not what happens for me - they always connect from the last note in the tie chain. I wonder wether force duration has something to do with it. Can you attach a project where this happens?

4

At least this is very easy to fix manually. Go to play mode, make sure ‘Played durations’ is selected, and drag the note to the desired length. Such an amazing feature!

5

You can also change the global appearance of pedal continuation markings in Engraving options → Pedal lines so that you get the asterisk automatically.

6

And removing a tie from one note in a chord is possible too - select the chord with the mouse (if you insist) and then use the arrow keys on your keyboard to go to the specific note you want to untie.

7

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Sometimes it is difficult to find all the “little extras” in software this big.

8

I just finished writing a harp and flute piece on dorico! For harp playback, I found it sounds more natural if I tweak the “release” knob higher at amplifier section of the harp sound program at halion sonic SE2 panel. This makes all the notes sustained with natural decay. Otherwise, the midi harp sounds like electric guitar or bass.