User manual

RESULT
The duration of the selected notes is changed. Dorico SE automatically notates and beams the
notes appropriately according to their new duration, the current time signature, and their
position in the bar.
When extending notes, their duration lls in any intervening rests. Extending notes to the end of
the current selection does not delete any intervening notes, instead they combine with the
extended note to create chords where necessary.
TIP
You can assign your own key commands to lengthen/shorten notes by specic durations and to
extend them. You can nd these by searching for Shorten duration by, Lengthen duration by,
and Extend to on the Key Commands page in Preferences.
Forcing the duration of notes/rests
Dorico SE automatically notates and beams notes/rests appropriately according to the current
time signature and their position in the bar. You can force the duration of notes/rests to specify
their notation.
For example, if you input a half note at the start of a 6/8 bar, it is notated as a dotted quarter
note (crotchet) tied to an eighth note (quaver). This is because, according to convention, 6/8 bars
are subdivided into two groups of three eighth notes. To reect this for a half note (four eighth
notes), Dorico SE automatically divides the note to show the correct grouping but you can force
the note duration to show a half note instead.
TIP
If you want to force the duration of all notes on a staff to imply a different meter, for example, to
show three quarter note groups in 6/8 to indicate a hemiola, you can also input a time signature
only on those staves to group notes according to that meter. You can then hide the time
signatures if required.
PROCEDURE
1. In Write mode, do one of the following:
● Start note input.
● Selecting existing notes whose duration you want to force.
2. Optional: If you want input rests with forced durations, press , (comma) to start rest input.
3. Press O to activate Force Duration.
4. Select the duration you want.
TIP
When forcing the duration of existing notes notated as tie chains, you must reduce their
duration rst, then increase it to the duration you want.
5. Optional: During note or rest input, input the notes or rests you want.
RESULT
During note or rest input, any notes you input are notated with their whole rhythmic value,
whatever their position in the bar. If you move them later, they keep the same notation. Rests
are input as explicit rests. Notes that cross barlines are notated as tied notes.
Forcing the duration of existing notes or rests preserves their current duration or any duration to
which you subsequently change them.
Write mode
Note input
169
Dorico SE 3.1.10