User manual

Ossia staves
Ossia staves are smaller staves shown above/below the main staff of an instrument. They are
used to show alternative phrases that can be played instead of the original phrase, such as
suggestions for ornaments, alternative notations from other sources, or an easier version.
An ossia staff below the left-hand piano staff shows an easier alternative
In Dorico Elements, you cannot add ossia staves. However, ossia staves are shown if you import a
project that contains them.
RELATED LINKS
Extra staves on page 683
System objects
System objects are items that apply to all staves in the system, but are not necessary to show on
every staff. For example, tempo marks and rehearsal marks are important for all players to see,
but would cause an orchestral full score to appear very cluttered and hard to read if they were
shown on every staff.
In Dorico Elements, the following items are considered system objects:
● Rehearsal marks
● Repeat endings
● Repeat markers
●
System text
●
Tempo marks
●
Time signatures shown above the staff
You can show system objects at multiple positions in each system by showing them above
multiple instrument families. For example, you might show them above the woodwind, brass,
percussion, and string families. In an orchestral full score, this would ensure system objects are
spread out evenly across the page, meaning no staff is very far from these important markings.
NOTE
●
System objects are only shown above instrument families that are bracketed or braced
together. You can change the bracket grouping on the Brackets and Braces page in
Engrave > Engraving Options.
Staves
Ossia staves
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