Cue note workarounds

I’m about to embark on a project that could benefit from cue notes (Schütz Uppsala Magnificat). Since they’re not expected in the v1.1 update, has anyone yet developed a decent work-around that will allow my singers/instrumentalists to see strategic cues from the other parts? Presumably copy/pasting the necessary cues, but then maybe coloring them gray (if that would show up in print), or bracketing them with large bracket symbols… what has worked for you so far?

No really good workaround, but Dorico comes with 2 varieties of default noteheads, named default and default (large) (Edit/Notehead/Default…) The Default large ones are used by default, and when changed to Default you come closer to a cue(ish) note size. If one could resize the rests as well, it would be even better. Not suitable for publication, but in a rehearsal situation, certainly better than nothing…

No workaround, I’m afraid, in my experience at least.

Just finished to engrave the second new work with Dorico, and both absolutely needed cue notes.
I made them with the technique that fratveno suggests, but the smaller headnote size is not so small and rests and dynamics don’t help.

The pieces were kind of quite complex contemporary music, with not so much time to rehearse.
In short, players complained in both of cases; the cue notation was not clear for them and confused.

I really hope will be the next ‘big thing’ Dorico’s team will address after the 1.1.

+100

That, and stemless noteheads.

This is my method, posted on a different thread concerning the same subject:

I’m not at home right now, so I can’t include a screenie to show you what it looks like, but I’ve been using one of the diamond-shape note heads to approximate cues, and of course I add text to show which instrument is being cued. Even though I haven’t found a way to put the normal rest in to show it’s just a cue and shouldn’t be played, I find that it “intuits” quickly and easily from a player’s perspective.

Hope cue notes will come soon…

We have already said (many times!) that we are working on cues for the next large update, along with unpitched percussion. If our plans come off as I hope they will, you will feel that it was worth the wait.

Hi Daniel, I know that you can’t be specific but I am starting into the final phase of a fairly major commission that will absolutely require cue notes and has a deadline of early December. How confident (or not) do you feel that cue notes will be available by say October? I would much prefer to finish this project in Dorico but if cues won’t be available in time I will need to switch to Sibelius to finish it. I would rather make that decision as early as possible. Any guidance you could provide will be much appreciated.

Thanks, Bob Atwell

I’d be pretty confident about it, but I can’t make any promises.

Ditto to the need for cue notes asap, thanks!

We are working on cues right now. This will include not only the ability to create cues simply and easily, but also the ability to change the size of (practically) any item in the score, so you’ll be able to do all sorts of fun things with those capabilities. To be clear: these features are not coming in the forthcoming minor update, but in the next larger update, which is still a way off.

This are really very good news :slight_smile:

Extremely good news :slight_smile:

Great to hear. As much as we want these new items, take your time and get it right! Too many other programs (naming no names) rush the “fix” out the door, only to break something else in the process.

We’ll look forward to new functions, and the old ones still operational.

Although we are going as fast as we can, we can go no faster…

That would be fantastic. I’m working on an orchestral project now that would have parts due at the end of November, and I’m really dreading taking the whole thing back into Finale to make parts. If Dorico has the capability to do cues by October, I will be extremely happy.

I’m going to jump on the bandwagon here, as well.
I’m a DMA student, working on a project for an ensemble for performance in December, with score & parts due in early November. The piece I’m writing really needs cues (it uses some minimalism, and thus has long periods of rest for some parts).
I doubt it would matter much, but I’ll be giving a seminar presentation in the Spring term to the composition faculty and student on the benefits of dropping “the other two programs” and switching to Dorico. Cues will be a deal-breaker for the department chair (and may get me heavily scolded when I turn in a score without them).
So - any updates? :slight_smile:

I am also working on a huge orchestral project due November 1st and having cues would make a HUGE difference… Should I hold my breath, Daniel? :wink:

Unfortunately the new update will not be available in time to meet either of these deadlines, gentlemen. We’re working as quickly as we can to get these new features into everybody’s hands, but there are still a few more weeks to wait.