User manual

● Slurs must not obscure ledger lines.
● Slurs are placed above notes if they would collide with the accidental of a standard note
when placed below the notes.
You can adjust the values for the different parameters of the special placement rules. For
example, you can change the vertical and horizontal offsets for the right-hand end of a grace
note slur relative to the standard, full-sized notehead to which it is attached in the Grace Notes
section of the Slurs page in Engrave > Engraving Options.
NOTE
These rules do not apply when slurs attach to a standard note at any rhythmic position beyond
the note immediately following the grace note.
Due to the general placement conventions of grace notes, slurs in Dorico Elements appear below
grace notes and curve downwards by default. Slurs starting from grace notes only appear above
notes and curve upwards in up-stem voices in multiple-voice contexts.
Automatic changes to the curvature direction of slurs on grace notes in multiple-voice contexts
You can change the automatic placement of grace note slurs by changing the stem direction of a
grace note, changing the direction of a slur, and using the slur handles in Engrave mode to
adjust the position of a slur in ner detail.
RELATED LINKS
Changing the curvature direction of slurs on page 660
Changing the stem direction of notes on page 691
General placement conventions for grace notes on page 459
Slurs in Engrave mode on page 651
Moving slurs and slur handles graphically on page 652
Slur position relative to staff lines
Slur endpoints must not touch staff lines, and the high point of the arcs of slurs should not stop
on staff lines.
This is the convention because a slur whose arc peaks on a staff line can create the appearance
of a triangular wedge between the staff line and the curve of the slur. If a slur peaks on a staff
line, you can adjust its height so that it peaks either above/below the staff.
NOTE
Although Dorico Elements automatically ensures slur endpoints do not touch staff lines, manual
adjustments might be necessary to position the arcs of slurs correctly.
You can set a value for the minimum distance between slur endpoints and staff lines in the
Avoiding Collisions section of the Slurs page in Engrave > Engraving Options. The default
position of slur endpoints relative to staff lines is 1/4 space above/below, to ensure the start/end
points do not touch the staff line.
RELATED LINKS
Project-wide engraving options for slurs on page 643
Changing the height of slurs on page 656
Slurs
General placement conventions for slurs
642