Introduction to Dorico for Finale users | Discover Dorico

[@roberthead]

What a gift that the Dorico team is so generous with their time and expertise!

[@ToolTechSoftware]

Totally agree

[@markcaponjazzguitar]

Agreed! I appreciate the instructional videos the Dorico team is making for the user community!

[@dorico]

Thank you!

[@stevepickett2951]

Brilliant! As a Finale user changing to Dorico I found the video excellent. A really helpful presenter!

[@dorico]

Thank you! Glad it was useful

[@matthewberzon1044]

This sense of humor is sending me

[@dorico]

I don't know what you mean...

[@XE1GXG]

Okay, I bought the Dorico 5 with the discount for us Finale users. I write orchestral scores and chamber music. So I need to get going fast on this. Hope...

[@markcaponjazzguitar]

Thanks for making these videos! Please keep them coming as they are very helpful! However, most of these videos seemed to be aimed at people doing film scoring, writing symphonic music, etc. I am a jazz musician and what I really need Dorico for is for creating 'Real Book' style lead sheets of popular standard songs by composers such as George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, Richard Rodgers, etc. I have become very proficient at doing this with Finale which is now being sunsetted. I have not yet seen in the videos how to control features like the number of staves per page and the number of bars per stave. As an example I would like to use the popular standard tune 'I Didn't Know What Time It Was' by Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart. My 'go to' version is by Billie Holiday. The tune starts off with a verse. After the verse, I want to have a page break because that is a logical place to put a page break. I do not want the software to put more staves in due to layout options or whatever. I want to force a page break at this point. Then the chorus begins which consists of an eight bar section which repeats with a first and second ending. I want to have fours bars on the first stave and second stave and for the second ending I want two bars on the third stave and I want those two bars positioned under the first ending. This is all done so a person can quickly take a look at the score and immediately see the form of the tune. Then I want two more staves of four bars each for the bridge which is eight bars in length. Then we have a final A section which is twelve bars so I would like to have three more staves consisting of four bars in each stave. A lot of music I have seen over the years is written with just one bar after another with no rhyme or reason so it is very difficult to see the form of the tune. I cannot leave these formatting options to software which will make arbitrary decisions based upon page sizes, orientation, etc. I also want to show key modulations in the middle of my lead sheets as many popular tunes modulate into different keys. I also want to be able to transpose the entire score into whatever key I choose. I also want to be able to control the physical size of a measure. If a measure only uses one whole note it will require less physical space than a bar with eight eighth notes. This is important to conserve space. Does Dorico have the ability to control the features I am mentioning? Perhaps I overlooked it but I did not see this mentioned in the videos I saw so far. What version of Dorico do you recommend I get? I have no problem buying the most advanced version but perhaps the lower level versions will accomplish everything I need and it may be easier to learn because it is a simplified version. Suggestion: I would like to see a video on how to make a 'real book' style lead sheet similar to what I am proposing. Just melody, lyrics and chord symbols. Question: If I get a lower level version of Dorico will my scores be upward compatible if I need to get the more advanced version? Again, thanks for making these videos! Much appreciated!

[@dorico]

We have a number of videos on kzbin.info specifically about 'big band' or 'leadsheets' or 'jazz' etc if you search our channel. We are also planning to update some of them in the near future so make sure you press 'subscribe' and click on the bell to be notified when they are available.

[@lnkd70]

Thank you!

[@musicquilt]

Elementary music teacher, creator, and published composer who uses the Orff Approach (sung or spoken text often with spoken or instrumental ostinato and body percussion). Two issues: 1. In finale, i would create a 1 line staff for spoken text and then add staff, change these to 1 line staces also for ostinati. Trying to find a workaround in Dorico. 2. In finale, to create a body percussion score would create a custom staff and label each with snap, clap, stomp, etc. Need a workaround for Dorico. Help please and thank you!! 😊

[@organetto.accordion]

With Dorico, I'm encountering difficulties in adding fingerings with circled numbers. Since there isn't a dedicated palette to organize the numbers based on specific needs, I have to copy and paste the characters each time, which becomes quite stressful for an entire score. In Finale, on the other hand, it only needed to be set up once, and thanks to the Metatools, the entry was simple, fast, and always at hand. In Dorico, even when I create shortcuts, they interfere with the system commands of the program, making the workflow more complicated. Since you are an expert in Dorico, I would like to ask if it's possible to create a script that automatically assigns a number based on the pitch of the note and the direction of the stem. The scripting system seems designed for programmers, which makes it challenging for musicians like us. I even tried using AI to generate some scripts, but they didn’t work. Is there a guide or a way to simplify this process? Thank you in advance for your response!

[@andyfunke1654]

I did the change to Dorico from Finale. I used Finale a lot for elemetary music, Orff scores and recorder scores. I haven't had a chance to open Dorico yet so I say this having not yet actually tried. Is there a resource to help with setting up Orff ensemble scores and also recorder music for kids? Finale had the larger kids font and alpha notes. I would love help getting into those two things right away.

[@dorico]

To get note names inside the noteheads you can go to Library > Engraving Options > Notes and choose the option from there. When adding new players/instruments to your Dorico project there is already an Orff instruments family to choose from. You can change the size of the staff (and therefore the noteheads) in Library > Layout Options > Space Size and then save a template that you've made with your options in File > Save As Project Template. If you want to email a PDF example to [e-mail] I'll see if I can help set one up for you.

[@dinalynheart]

Hi! I was wondering how Dorico’s built-in instruments and voices sound. Do they sound like acoustic instruments (live) or electronic instruments? Thanks!

[@dorico]

They are sampled real instruments. Download the Dorico demo for 60-days and you can try them all out yourself.

[@dinalynheart]

@@dorico Cool! Can’t wait!

[@dinalynheart]

@@dorico Hi again! Can I still buy Dorico at the discount price? Thanks!

[@dorico]

@@dinalynheart the MakeMusic discount is still running - check in your MakeMusic account

[@TomDale-s8s]

When I try to save a project, it gives me a message saying "read-only" file system error creating zip file://......... Why is it doing that? I purchased Dorico for a migration from Finale. Tom Dale

[@danielcolla4530]

I was shocked : There is o features in Dorico like Finale and I could not find even basic Finale features , I downloaded Dorico and I had to removed it. It was very very frustrating even to write a few notes.Many features that yo find in Finale like : File, Edit , Utilities, View, Documents. Midi/audio, Tools, Plug ins, Simple, Window, help. You cannot find in Dorico.

[@dorico]

We have lots of information to help on blog.dorico.com/getting-started such as the first steps guide. Things are in different places in Dorico, and it also has features that Finale doesn't have.

[@XE1GXG]

Anche io

[@TigeyPuss1]

I printed the Dorico Reference Card on card stock. It turned out perfect. It is going to be a big help in transitioning from Finale. I'll miss using the numeric pad for note duration, e.g., 5 = quarter note. I'm excited about developing choral pieces using East/West Hollywood Choirs and to learn how it works with Dorico.

[@deomimmo]

E' possibile tradurre il video in Italiano, grazie!

[@bonuebonue]

Puoi usare la traduzione automatica nei sottotitoli di You Tube. (clicca sull'icona ingranaggio che appare nella parte bassa del video su You Tube)

[@XE1GXG]

Si, sarebbe buono. Anche lo spagnolo (la mia lingua)

[@danielcolla4530]

Introduction video does not correspond to the actual program at all: I could not find all those features at all. Very difficult to write in notes and how do you write in lyrics? etc. Where are those feature hiding?

[@dorico]

The introduction videos are designed more of a 'you can' than a detailed 'how'. We are now planning more 'how to' videos but you may also be interested in the 'first steps' guide or the note input videos on blog.dorico.com/getting-started as they have all the details you need. For lyrics, select a note and press Shift-L and then start typing the syllables using the space bar or hyphen - to move to the next note kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5fLdYmiYtuFiNE