User manual

Table Of Contents
Equal Division of the Octave (EDO)
EDO stands for Equal Division of the Octave: the number of equal pieces into which an octave is
divided. In Dorico Elements, you can create any number of divisions of an octave and design
custom key signatures and custom accidentals for each tonality system.
Traditional Western harmony is based on equal temperament, another method used to describe
tonality systems, or 12-EDO, as the traditional scale from C-C is made up of twelve steps spread
across the seven notes in the scale.
For example, between the notes A and B there are two steps, but between B and C there is one
step. This is because in 12-EDO, each step represents a semitone, and there are two semitones
between A and B according to standard equal temperament, but only one semitone between B
and C.
Other tonality systems can have different equal divisions of the octave, for example, in 24-EDO
each octave division is a quarter tone. However, the only tonality system in Dorico Elements is 12-
EDO.
RELATED LINKS
Custom tonality systems on page 472
Custom tonality systems
Custom tonality systems allow you to specify a unique number of divisions of the octave for your
project. This can be useful for music not based on traditional Western harmony. However, you
cannot create your own custom tonality systems in Dorico Elements.
Moving key signatures rhythmically
You can move key signatures to new rhythmic positions after they have been input.
PROCEDURE
1. In Write mode, select the key signatures you want to move.
NOTE
When using the mouse, you can only move one key signature rhythmically at a time.
2. Move the selected key signatures according to the current rhythmic grid value in any of
the following ways:
Press Alt-Right Arrow to move them to the right.
Press Alt-Left Arrow to move them to the left.
Click and drag the key signature to the right/left.
RESULT
The key signatures are moved to new rhythmic positions. They take effect from their new
positions until the next key signature, or the end of the ow, whichever comes rst.
NOTE
Key signatures can only be moved along the staff. If you want to move a key signature
across staves, you must delete the key signature and input a new key signature on the
other staff.
Key signatures
Moving key signatures rhythmically
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