Changing the duration of notes

You can lengthen/shorten the duration of notes after they have been input.

Procedure

  1. Select the notes whose duration you want to change.
    Note

    If you want to extend a note to the end of the current selection, select both that note and an item at the rhythmic position to which you want to extend the note.

  2. Change the duration in any of the following ways:
    • Press the key command of the duration you want. For example, press 4 for a 16th note (semiquaver).

    • Click the duration you want in the Notes panel on the left of the window.

    • To lengthen notes by the current rhythmic grid resolution, press Shift-Alt/Opt-Right Arrow.

    • To shorten notes by the current rhythmic grid resolution, press Shift-Alt/Opt-Left Arrow.

    • To double the length of notes, press Ctrl/Cmd-Shift-Alt/Opt-Right Arrow.

    • To halve the length of notes, press Ctrl/Cmd-Shift-Alt/Opt-Left Arrow.

    • To lengthen notes by the current rhythmic grid resolution, choose Write > Edit Duration > Lengthen Duration by Grid Value.

    • To shorten notes by the current rhythmic grid resolution, choose Write > Edit Duration > Shorten Duration by Grid Value.

    • To double the length of notes, choose Write > Edit Duration > Lengthen Duration.

    • To halve the length of notes, choose Write > Edit Duration > Shorten Duration.

    • To lengthen notes up to the next existing note in their voice, choose Write > Edit Duration > Extend to Next Note.

      Note

      This does not apply to grace notes.

    • To lengthen a single note up to the rhythmic position of the end of the current selection, choose Write > Edit Duration > Extend to End of Selection.

    • To shorten overlapping notes in the same voice so that they no longer overlap, choose Write > Edit Duration > Shorten to Next Note.

Result

The duration of the selected notes is changed. Dorico Pro 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 fills 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 specific durations and to extend them. You can find these by searching for Shorten duration by, Lengthen duration by, and Extend to on the Key Commands page in Preferences.