Tutorials – Dorico

Tip: Format bar numbers for large orchestral scores

By default, the format of bar numbers is the same in both the full score and instrumental parts. When working with a large orchestral score, you may wish to format the bar numbers differently, so that they are more frequent, and easier to read at speed.
Start by modifying the bar numbers (score) paragraph style in Engrave > Paragraph Styles…
Then open the Layout Options for the Full score and select the Bar numbers page. Here you will find numerous options for setting the frequency and appearance of bar numbers in the layout, including where to place bar numbers (which can be at multiple positions down the system), and drawing bar numbers in a rectangular or circular enclosure.

Use the new Edit Lyrics dialog, added in Dorico 3, to review a whole line of lyrics at once.
Seeing the entire line of lyrics in one place can make it easier to spot and fix mistakes.
Open the dialog by selecting a lyric in the line that you would like to edit in Write mode, and choosing Edit > Lyrics > Edit Line of Lyrics….
Make the necessary changes to any incorrect lyrics, ensuring that you do not add or remove any words or syllables. The total number of lyrics must be the same as when you opened the dialog, or Dorico will not be able to resolve your changes. Refer to the label at the bottom of the dialog to check the current number of lyrics matches the target.
Press OK to apply your changes and close the dialog.

Sometimes you may wish to show chord symbols only in specific bars for a layout, such as slash regions.
In Setup mode, right click the relevant player and choose Chord Symbols > Show in Chord Symbol and Slash Regions.
Adding further slash regions will reveal existing chord symbols.
You can also define your own regions that will display chord symbols. Make a selection in the score and choose Write > Create Chord Symbol Region.
Chord Symbol Regions can be moved, lengthened and shortened.

Dorico can show music for fretted instruments both as standard notation and as tablature.
Use Layout Options to choose whether to show music using notation, tab, or both.
When editing the music for a fretted instrument, both the notation and the tablature is updated.
You can even choose to display notation in one layout and tab in another.

Dorico can automatically calculate the pedal positions required for a harp to play the written music.
Any notes that out not playable using the current pedal positions are displayed in red. This is controlled by the View > Notes And Rest Colours > Notes Out Of Range menu item.
Select a note where you would like to change the harp pedaling, and choose Write > Calculate Harp Pedal. Dorico looks ahead in the music and creates a pedal diagram that will work for as long as possible. When you come to a note coloured red, this indicates that a change in harp pedaling is required, and you can create a new pedal diagram at this point using the same menu item.
When creating subsequent pedal diagrams, Dorico can create a partial diagram displaying only the pedals that must be changed to a new position. This can be controlled for all diagrams in the project using Engraving Options, or for individual diagrams using the properties panel.
You can choose to display full harp pedal changes using note names or a diagram. This can be set on a per-layout basis, using Layout Options, or for individual pedal changes using the properties panel.