Inputting ties

You can input ties manually to join two notes of the same pitch, both during step input and by joining two existing notes with a tie.

In general, Dorico creates ties automatically as required. If you specify a rhythmic duration that cannot be notated with a single note value, Dorico automatically creates chains of tied notes as necessary for the meter.

For example, if you want to input a tie between two quarter notes across a barline, you can simply input a half note at the rhythmic position where you want to input the first quarter note. Dorico automatically splits the half note into two quarter notes, one on each side of the barline, and joins them with a tie.

In the following cases, you must input ties manually:

  • If you later want to change the duration, and want to join it with a tie to the following note to make it longer.

  • If the notes that you want to tie together are not rhythmically adjacent, for example, if the notes are separated by intervening notes of a different pitch.

  • If the notes that you want to tie together are in different voices.

  • If you want a grace note to be tied to a note that is not a grace note.

Procedure

  1. In Write mode, do one of the following:

    • Start note input.

    • Select the note from which you want the tie to start.

  2. Input a tie in any of the following ways:

    • Press T.

    • Click Tie in the Notes toolbox.

  3. Optional: During step input, input the note that you want at the end of the tie.
    Note

    The second note must be the same pitch as the first note. If the second note is a different pitch to the first note, no tie is input.

Result

During step input, the two notes input are joined by a tie.

When inputting ties between existing notes, the selected note is joined by a tie to the next note of the same pitch on the same staff.

Note

Depending on the current time signature and your settings on the Note Grouping page in Write > Notation Options, inputting a tie between two notes can instead create a single note of a different duration. For example, inputting a tie between the first two quarter notes in a 4/4 time signature creates a minim.

You can override your note grouping settings and fix your notated rhythm in any of the following ways:

  • Press O.

  • Click Force Duration in the Notes toolbox.

Dorico now notates your input notes with the rhythmic durations specified, as long as they can fit inside the bar.