Per-flow notation options for condensing

You can find options to control condensing in each flow independently on the Condensing page in Notation Options.

The Condensing page provides the following options:

Whole-phrase unison approach

Allows you to choose how to present phrases that are completely in unison on condensed staves.

  • Allow single-stem unison: Unison phrases appear as single noteheads with single stems, and can represent any number of players.

  • Prevent single-stem unison: Unison phrases appear with separate noteheads and stems for each player.

Mid-phrase unison approach

Allows you to choose how to present individual unison notes within phrases that are not completely in unison.

  • Allow mid-phrase unisons: Mid-phrase unison notes appear with single stems.

  • Prevent mid-phrase unisons: Mid-phrase unison notes appear with separate stems.

Pitch crossing approach

Pitch crossing happens when the pitch of notes in the up-stem voice is lower than in the down-stem voice. This option allows you to choose whether players can still share a staff if some of their pitches cross, or if you never want players to condense if their phrases contain any crossed pitches.

  • Allow unlimited pitch crossing: Condensing is always allowed, regardless of pitch crossing.

  • Limit pitch crossing: Condensing is only allowed in regions that contain the set number of crossed pitches or fewer.

Maximum number of pitch crosses in region

Allows you to set the maximum number of pitches that can cross in each region and still be condensed. This is set to 1 by default.

Accidental visibility overrides

Allows you to choose whether or not your property settings for the visibility of accidentals on uncondensed staves can also apply to condensed staves, both for existing accidentals and subsequent accidentals whose visibility you change.

  • Propagate to condensed staves: Allows the visibility of accidentals to be copied to condensed staves.

  • Do not propagate to condensed staves: Prevents the visibility of accidentals from being copied to condensed staves.

Trill intervals

Allows you to choose whether or not notes with different trill intervals can share a stem. Dorico Pro can only show a single trill interval per voice.

  • Require identical intervals: Notes with different trill intervals are condensed into separate voices.

  • Do not require identical intervals: Notes with different trill intervals can share a stem.

Amalgamation approach for notes and chords

Allows you to choose whether or not you want to amalgamate notes and chords on condensed staves into a single up-stem voice when players are sometimes in rhythmic unison but have different rhythms at other times.

  • Allow amalgamation: Notes and chords are amalgamated into a single up-stem voice when players are in rhythmic unison.

  • Prevent amalgamation: Notes and chords are never amalgamated and remain in two voices, even when players are in rhythmic unison.

Amalgamation approach for slurs

Allows you to choose whether or not you want to amalgamate slurs when slurs of the same duration exist in both voices at the same rhythmic position.

  • Allow amalgamation of slurs: Compatible slurs are amalgamated and appear as a single slur for both voices.

  • Prevent amalgamation for slurs in down-stem voice: Slurs are shown for each voice separately.

  • Prevent amalgamation for all slurs: Slurs are shown for each voice separately. Any notes that were partly amalgamated into the up-stem voice are forced to appear in the down-stem voice.

Amalgamation approach for playing techniques

Allows you to choose whether or not you want to amalgamate playing techniques when the same technique exists in both voices at the same rhythmic position.

  • Allow amalgamation: A single playing technique is shown for both voices. It appears either above or below the staff depending on the default placement for the playing technique.

  • Prevent amalgamation: Playing techniques are shown both above and below the staff.

Amalgamation approach for horizontal lines

Allows you to choose whether or not you want to amalgamate barline-/rhythmic position-attached horizontal lines when the same line exists in both voices at the same rhythmic position.

  • Allow amalgamation: A single horizontal line is shown for both voices.

  • Prevent amalgamation: Horizontal lines are shown both above and below the staff.

Note

Notehead-attached lines are never amalgamated.

Condensing for players inactive for some of the system

Allows you to choose how to condense and represent inactive players when they are both active and inactive in the same system and other players in their condensing group have notes.

  • Hide rests and label active player: Only the music for active players appears on condensed staves with player labels for active players shown where rests are hidden for inactive players.

  • Show rests and omit labels: Shows rests for inactive players on condensed staves without additional player labels.

When hiding rests for inactive players

Allows you to choose specific circumstances in which to hide rests for inactive players. Only applies when you have chosen Hide rests and label active player for Condensing for players inactive for some of the system.

  • Hide rests only at the start or end of bars: Only rests whose ranges start or end at barlines are hidden. This is a convention for some publishers and results in more rests but fewer player labels.

  • Hide rests at any position: All rests are hidden. This results in fewer rests but more player labels.

Minimum length of range of rests to allow hiding

Allows you to set the duration threshold of inactivity above which you want to hide rests. It is a convention for some publishers to show rests that span short durations, such as two beats between notes, but hide rests that span longer durations.

Condensing for players inactive for the whole system

Allows you to choose how to condense and represent inactive players when they are inactive throughout entire systems and other players in their condensing group have notes.

  • Pair with active player: Shows inactive players on a condensed staff, alongside at least one active player but in a different voice with rests shown as appropriate.

  • Include in staff label: Includes the player numbers of inactive players in staff labels on condensed staves, but does not show rests for them. Only the music for active players appears on condensed staves.

  • Do not condense: Inactive players are excluded from condensing in systems in which they are inactive and instead appear on their own uncondensed staves. These staves are considered empty and are included in your per-layout settings for hiding empty staves.

Note

These options apply throughout each selected flow. However, you can override them from selected rhythmic positions and only for selected condensing groups using condensing changes.