Adding arpeggio signs to chords

First Steps
Product
Dorico
Version
5.0
Language
English
Document type
Webhelp
ft:openMode
fluidtopics

Most of the chords in this piece are played straight, but a number are rolled, which is indicated with an arpeggio sign. You can add arpeggio signs to existing chords as well as inputting them alongside inputting notes.

Prerequisite

You have input all the chords on the bottom staff, up to and including the first beat of bar 14.

Procedure

  1. In bar 9, click the stem of the chord on beat 1 on the bottom staff to select all notes in the chord.

    • Arpeggio signs apply automatically to all notes in the voice, so you can even select just a single note in the chord.

    • You can only add arpeggio signs to a single chord at a time.

  2. Press Shift-O to open the ornaments popover.
  3. Enter arp into the popover.

    Ornaments popover above the bottom staff with the entry for an arpeggio sign

  4. Press Return to close the popover and input an arpeggio sign across all notes in the selected chord.

    Arpeggio sign input in bar 9

  5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 for the chords on beat 1 in bars 11, 13, and 14.

    • Now you can try inputting an arpeggio sign alongside a chord.

  6. In bar 26, select the bar rest on the top staff.
  7. Press Shift-N to start note input.
  8. If chord input is not already active, press Q to start chord input.
  9. Press Shift-O to open the ornaments popover.
  10. Enter arp into the popover.
  11. Press Return to close the popover and input an arpeggio sign at the rhythmic position of the caret.
  12. Press A to input an A♭.

    A♭ input in bar 26

    • When you input the A♭, a short arpeggio sign appears to the left of the note.

    • Based on the previous pitches in this voice on the staff, Dorico inputs the A♭ at the top of the chord.

  13. Press Ctrl-Alt-E (Windows) or Ctrl-E (macOS), then Ctrl-Alt-A (Windows) or Ctrl-A (macOS) to input the corresponding pitches below the top A♭.

    Chord input in bar 26

    • When you input the E♭ then another A♭ below, the arpeggio automatically extends across all three notes.

  14. Press Esc or Return to stop note input.

Result

You have added arpeggio signs to existing chords and input an arpeggio sign alongside inputting a new chord.

Tip

You can also add arpeggio signs using the Ornaments panel on the right of the window, which you can show by clicking Panels Panels button in the Notations toolbox, then Ornaments Ornaments button in the Notations toolbox in the Notations toolbox.