sibelius plugin review: impose sketch onto template

Sibelius plugin review: Tom Curran's Impose Sketch onto Template, version 2.01

When I heard about the initial release of this plugin last week, I was immediately excited to give it a try, as it brings several much-needed features to Sibelius. Since many notation projects involve importing material from one type of score into another, this plugin can be a huge time-saver and eliminate several tedious steps from the process.

The plugin functions to import the structure and various fundamental elements from one score to another. In addition, it transfers tempo markings, time signatures, key signatures, bar number changes, rehearsal markings, system symbols, system lines, and special barlines (double, final, repeat, etc.) from the source score into the template score. In a DAW environment, one might compare this plugin to the "Import Session Data" feature of Pro Tools.  

But how is this better than simply using Sibelius’s built-in “System Passage” function to select and then copy/paste from the source score into the template? The default “System Passage” function, while useful, doesn’t offer options to selectively omit certain elements from the source score. As a result, this method usually creates a mess of unwanted material in the template score. Tom Curran’s very smart plugin, on the other hand, is extremely customizable and only does what you tell it to do, allowing you to better retain the look of the template score without having unwanted elements imposed upon it.

The usage of the plugin is very clearly documented in the Sibelius plugin site and even includes a YouTube video demonstration. Below are several screen captures from the video, showing the plugin being used to import the structure from a piano-vocal sketch into a larger orchestral template. 

My only gripe with the plugin is its name, which falls a bit short in describing what the plugin actually does. I might have named it something along the lines of “Selective Score Element Import,” but nevertheless it is an excellent addition to the the Sibelius plugin collection and I am deeply grateful to its creator, Tom Curran, for putting in the time to build it. Bravo!