xml import errors: Musescore vs Dorico

• Sep 1, 2024 - 03:48

As a recent Finale exile, I’m trying to figure out whether Musescore or Dorico might be better for my purposes. I have a presenting problem, so I may as well start there, to get a sense of things.

I have hundreds of Finale files edited as vocal lead sheets. That is, they consist of a vocal line, with one or two lines of lyrics underlaid below the staff, and chord symbols above. Nothing unusual there, but the main irregularity is that, as an additional “verse 3” I have used the lyric tool to enter a series of four numbers (from 0 to 12, e.g. 2435 or 9101012) above the chord symbols. These numbers correspond to frets on a ukulele, and I use them instead of chord diagrams or tablature.

The problem. When I export the Finale file as an xml and then open it with Musescore, it makes a mess out of my “verse 3” with the fret numbers. Some of the numbers now appear within the staff, or below it, or between the staff and the chord symbols. Like I say, a mess. One of your forum people tried to help me, but with limited success.

In another experiment, I tried opening the same xml file with the entry-level, free version of Dorico, and got a very different, and much better result. This time, the fret numbers appeared as a line, as I entered them originally. The only glitch is that these numbers (i.e. “verse 3” of my lyrics) now appear below the chord symbols (but still above the staff).

So I’m trying to sort things out. Why is this happening? What can be done, if anything, to make the results better? What is Dorico doing that Musescore is not?

To make things less opaque, and at the suggestion of my erstwhile Musescore forum friend, I have attached three files: the xml file and jpg images of the Musescore and Dorico outputs, for the sake of easy comparison.

All of this coming from someone who doesn’t know the first thing about either Musescore or Dorico. I’ve never even created a file in either one.

Attachment Size
ain't misbehavin' - F copy.mxl 9.58 KB
Dorico.jpg 73.06 KB
MS4.jpg 66.48 KB

Comments

In reply to by artlevine

Different programs export and import mxl differently. As you can see.
Download the free version of Sibelius and see that the fretting is above the chord symbols. That version will not export mxl. I exported from the full version and got the same mixed up result in MU4. You can drag the fretting to be above the chords in MU4.

In reply to by bobjp

I think MU4 stands for Mark of the Unicorn, but I'm not sure. I went to their site, but I don't see it there. Is it a music editor? Anyhow, I'm just looking for a one-stop shop for what I need: editing pieces for small ensemble, or for voice, but mostly (right now) salvaging my files with as few errors as possible. One question: using Dorico, can you also drag the fretting to be above the chords? The reason I'm asking is that I've never used Dorico.

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