Notes toolbox

The tools in the Notes toolbox allow you to modify notes.

Dotted Notes


Adds rhythm dots to notes or chords, and removes rhythm dots from notes or chords.

You can also activate/deactivate Dotted Notes by pressing . (period).

You can increase the number of dots on notes by pressing Alt-. (period).

Rests


Allows you to input rests of the duration currently selected in the Notes panel.

You can also activate/deactivate Rests by pressing , (comma).

Chords


Allows you to add several notes at the same rhythmic position in order to build a chord. This function prevents the caret from advancing automatically after inputting a note.

You can also activate/deactivate Chords by pressing Q

Tuplets


Inserts a triplet bracket and the respective number of rests at the specified rhythmic position. If the notes are beamed, no brackets are used.

You can input other types of tuplet, such as quintuplets, by using the tuplets popover.

Grace Notes


Allows you to input grace notes at the current rhythmic position.

You can also activate/deactivate Grace Notes by pressing /.

Insert


Inserts music instead of overwriting.

You can also activate/deactivate Insert by pressing I.

Lock to Duration


Uses the duration of existing music for note input via MIDI or computer keyboard. This tool helps you to maintain the duration of notes while you change their pitches.

You can also activate/deactivate Lock to Duration by pressing L.

Force Duration


Always creates the explicit duration that you have specified on the Notes panel. For example, you can activate Force Duration to force the input of a dotted quarter note on the second quarter beat of 4/4, where Dorico splits the note with a tie by default.

Important

You can get unexpected results if you force the duration of notes and later change the time signature or move barlines, for example.

If you activated Force Duration during input, you can remove the restrictions on how Dorico notates the music by selecting the affected passage of music and selecting Edit > Reset Appearance.

You can also activate/deactivate Force Duration by pressing O.

Tie


During step input, this ties the note to be input to the previous note of the same pitch. When editing existing notes, you can use this tool to tie together notes in different voices or to tie grace notes to rhythmic notes.

You can also activate/deactivate Tie by pressing T.

Scissors


Splits a note or chord in two at the rhythmic position where the tool is applied.

You can also activate/deactivate Scissors by pressing U.

Select


Activates/Deactivates mouse input.