Inputting tuplets

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

In bars 30-40, there are several different tuplets that you must input. Dorico allows you to input tuplets with any ratio, including over barlines.

Procedure

  1. In bar 30, select the rest on the top staff.
  2. Press Shift-N to start note input.
  3. If chord input is active, press Q to stop chord input.
  4. Press ; to open the tuplets popover.
  5. Enter 5:4x into the popover.

    Tuplets popover above the staff with an entry for 16th note quintuplets

    • Tuplets are expressed as ratios: the number of notes in the tuplet, followed by the number of normal notes the tuplet lasts for, separated by a colon. For example, 5:4 means five notes in the space of four (a quintuplet), 3:2 means three notes in the space of two (a triplet). The letter after the ratio specifies the beat unit. For example, x for 16th notes, e for eighth notes, q for quarter notes. If you don’t specify the beat unit in your popover entry, the tuplet is based on the note value currently selected in the Notes panel.

  6. Press Return to close the popover and input a 16th note (semiquaver) quintuplet.

    16th note quintuplet input without any notes in it yet

  7. Press 4 to select 16th notes (semiquavers).

    • You can input notes of any duration inside tuplets of any ratio. If the note is too long to fit, any extra duration is notated beyond the tuplet.

  8. Press F, D, Ctrl-Alt-G (Windows) or Ctrl-G (macOS) to input the G below, Shift-Alt/Opt-D to input the D♭ above, then F.

    16th notes input in the 16th note quintuplet

    • Tuplets are sticky in Dorico, which means you continue to input the specified tuplet until you stop tuplet input or note input.

    • Dorico shows a cautionary ♭ accidental on the first D due to the D♮s in the previous bar.

  9. Press : (that is, Shift-;) to stop tuplet input.

    • Shift-; stops tuplet input, Shift-S stops slurs, while Shift-/ stops gradual dynamics.

  10. Press 6 to select quarter notes (crotchets).
  11. Press B, then C.
  12. Repeat steps 4 to 11 for bar 31.

    Notes input in bars 30-31

    Tip

    Alternatively, you can press Esc to stop note input, select bar 30 (without the treble clef), press R to repeat the material directly after itself, then press Ctrl/Cmd-Alt/Opt-Up Arrow to transpose it up an octave.

  13. Press Esc or Return to stop note input.

    • Now you can try inputting consecutive triplets.

  14. In bar 40, select the rest on the bottom staff.
  15. Press Shift-N to start note input.
  16. Press ; to open the tuplets popover.
  17. Enter 3:2e, for three eighth notes in the space of two, into the popover.

    Tuplets popover above the bottom staff with an entry for eighth note triplets

  18. Press Return to close the popover and input an eighth note triplet.

    Eighth note triplet input on the bottom staff in bar 40

  19. Press 5 to select eighth notes (quavers).
  20. Press A to input an A♭.

    A♭ input in the triplet

    • Based on the preceding pitches, this inputs an A♭ that is two octaves too high.

  21. Press Ctrl/Cmd-Alt/Opt-Down Arrow twice to transpose it down to the correct octave.

    A♭ transposed down two octaves

  22. Press Shift-Alt/Opt-E to input the E♭ a fifth above, rather than a fourth below, the preceding A♭, then A, C, E, then A to input the corresponding pitches as triplet eighth notes.

    Consecutive triplets input on the bottom staff in bar 40

  23. Press : (that is, Shift-;) to stop tuplet input.
  24. Press Shift-C to open the clefs and octave lines popover.
  25. Enter treble into the popover.
  26. Press Return to close the popover and input a treble clef at the caret position.
  27. Press 6 to select quarter notes (crotchets).
  28. Press C to input a quarter note C.

    Treble clef and quarter note C input in bar 40

  29. Press Esc or Return to stop note input.

Result

You have input two different types of tuplets and an additional clef change. In a later task, you can change the direction of stems in bars 30-31.