User manual

Rehearsal marks are an ordered sequence of letters or numbers, which along with bar numbers,
provide a reference point for music that has multiple players, and make the chronological
sequence of the music clear.
They tell performers where they are in the piece, and allow performers to orient and co-ordinate
themselves easily in rehearsals and concerts. Rehearsal marks can also be used to indicate
signicant changes in the music, and you can freely decide their positions.
They can also be useful when preparing parts and scores, as you can use rehearsal marks and
bar numbers to compare quickly a part to the score and check it is correct. In Dorico Elements,
rehearsal marks follow an automatic sequence, ensuring there are never duplicate rehearsal
marks.
In Dorico Elements, rehearsal marks are categorized as system objects. Therefore, rehearsal
marks follow your per-layout settings for the visibility and positioning of system objects, which
you can change on the Staves and Systems page in Setup > Layout Options.
RELATED LINKS
Inputting rehearsal marks on page 228
System objects on page 684
Changing the positions of system objects on page 685
General placement conventions for rehearsal marks
Rehearsal marks should be at noticeable positions in the score so they can be seen easily. They
should use a large, non-italic bold font, and be positioned above the system and outside the
music.
Rehearsal marks should be positioned above barlines, and not below the system. Although you
can input rehearsal marks at rhythmic positions within a bar in Dorico Elements, this is not
common practice. Depending on the style of music and the context, it can be helpful to input a
double barline beneath each rehearsal mark.
In order to ensure they are easily noticeable, and cannot be confused with bar numbers if you
are using numbers for rehearsal marks, rehearsal marks should be shown in an enclosure. You
can change the shape and size of rehearsal mark enclosures.
The placement of rehearsal marks relative to the music is discretionary, but they are most helpful
to players when they coincide with a change in the music, such as a tempo change or a change in
texture. They are also helpful when placed at a point in the music where players are likely to start
Rehearsal marks
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