Dorico Pro uses a combination of changing note durations and inserting gaps to reflect all types of fermatas, breath marks, and caesuras in playback.
- Fermatas in playback
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Fermatas can both lengthen the duration of notes at their positions, and insert gaps after them. The durations of holds and gaps depends on the type of fermata, with long fermatas producing longer held notes and gaps than short fermatas.
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When fermatas are positioned on notes/rests, gap/hold durations are calculated as percentages relative to the notated duration of the last notehead/rest on which they appear. For example, if a fermata appears on whole notes on most staves but on the last quarter note in the bar on one staff, then the gap/hold duration for that fermata is relative to the quarter note.
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When fermatas are positioned on barlines, they insert a gap of one beat, according to the prevailing time signature. Fermatas on barlines do not lengthen note durations.
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- Breath marks in playback
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Breath marks shorten the duration of the notes that precede them. By default, they shorten notes by 50% of a quarter note at 120 bpm, up to a maximum of half the duration of affected notes.
Breath marks do not insert time in playback.
- Caesuras in playback
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Caesuras insert gaps after notes at their positions, before notes at the next rhythmic position. By default, they insert gaps equivalent to 50% of the beat duration at their positions.
Caesuras do not extend the duration of notes at their positions.
You can change the gap/hold durations of individual fermatas and caesuras, including editing them in the Tempo editor.
You can also change the default gap/hold durations of all holds and pauses project-wide in .
Fermatas and caesuras do not affect playback if they overlap with gradual tempo changes. We recommend that you position gradual tempo changes to end rhythmically before fermatas/caesuras. You can lengthen gradual tempo changes graphically in Engrave mode if you want to show them extending beyond fermatas/caesuras.