Slur segments

A standard slur consists of one segment. You can make more elaborate shapes with slurs with multiple segments; for example, to allow you to create more complex slur shapes than are possible with a single curved segment.

Adding more segments to a slur by default creates evenly spaced waves within its length. Therefore, having more segments makes each wave shorter.

Figure 1. Slur with eight segments

In Engrave mode, you can move each segment graphically as each segment has its own set of five square handles. These allow you to form slurs into unusual and complicated shapes.

Note
  • You may find that you need more segments than there are curves in your planned shape, as in many cases you need a segment for each significant change of angle. In Dorico Pro, you can increase/decrease the number of segments in existing slurs.

  • Handles on multi-segment slurs are connected between adjacent segments. Moving a connected control point causes the control point at the start/end of the next/previous segment to move the same amount in the opposite direction.

Figure 2. An unusual slur shape created using five segments.
Figure 3. The same slur, showing the positions of the handles of all five segments.