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Some parts, especially rhythmic parts but also short phrases in melodic parts such as riffs, have a bar which is repeated a number of times in succession. Rather than having to write the same notes out many times we can just write the notes for the first time, then use the musical equivalent of a ditto, the repeat bar.
As rhythms are often 2 or 4 bars long there is also a 2-bar repeat and a 4-bar repeat.
The first time, the content (of 1, 2 or 4 bars) is written in full. The bar repeat symbol is written in the bars or groups of bars over which the content should be repeated.
The number of bars of the bar repeat is reflected in the number of bars the symbol covers and the number of slashes in the symbol. As a courtesy, the number 2 or 4 is written above the 2- and 4-bar repeat bar symbol.
Optionally, every few repeats, a tally of the number of times the content is played so far (including the original written-out bar(s)) is indicated above the repeat bar. This helps keep track of which repeat bar we’re up to.
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A coda is a final section, allowing further complexity in the format of a piece. After any number of other navigational signs, the music can finish on a more conclusive section than the other section endings. On repeating the piece after a D.C or D.S. the music can jump from a point labelled “To Coda” to the coda.
The stave is broken between the end of the main piece and the coda, indicating that it can only be reached from a To Coda.
Da Capo al Coda, D.C. al Coda
(go back to the beginning and repeat until the words “To Coda”, then skip to the word “Coda”)
The piece is played again from the beginning up to the words To Coda the jumps to the Coda (final section).
Segno (sign)
The segno provides another point in the music to repeat from. In a popular music song, for example, the first section is often an introduction, only intended to play at the very start. Other sections such as verses and choruses may repeat several times but without going back to the introduction. The start of the various verse and chorus sections could be marked with the segno so that the introduction isn’t repeated.
Dal Segno or D.S.
(go back to the sign and repeat from there)
If we want to go back to a section after the beginning of the piece rather than all the way back to the beginning, we can use the segno (“sign”). On reaching the term dal segno, the piece is repeated from the sign.
The abbreviation D.S. is often used instead of the full wording.
Dal Segno al Fine, D.S. al Fine
(go back to the sign and repeat from there till the word “Fine”, meaning ”end”)
Just like Da Capo al Fine but instead of repeating from the beginning of the piece till the word ”Fine”, we repeat from the sign till the word “Fine”.
D.S. al Fine
Dal Segno al Coda, D.S. al Coda
(go back to the Segno and repeat until the words “To Coda”, then skip to the Coda)
This is like Da Capo al Coda but instead of going back to the beginning of the piece, we repeat from the Segno until the words “To Coda” then jump to the coda.
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A great deal of music is made up of sections which are played more than once. Special barlines and other symbols can be used to indicate such sections, substantially reducing the number of pages required to notate a piece.
In a score, navigation text and signs are written above the stave for each part in Bold.
Navigation works a bit like a model railway, with signals directing the player through and around various sections of the music.
Although originally devised for music notation, navigation markings can equally be used on text-based notation such as chord charts or abc notation.
Navigation markings
Section End
A section end is a double barline of the usual thickness. As the name suggests, it indicates the end of a section of the music. When you see a section end, keep playing unless other symbols indicate a pause in the timing.
Final Bar/Double Bar
The final bar is a double barline with an extra-thick second line. It indicates the end of the whole piece unless other symbols indicate otherwise.
End Repeat Sign
An end repeat looks like a final bar but with two dots to the left.
If no begin repeat has been passed, go back to the beginning of the piece and play it again, else go back to the nearest begin repeat sign and play again.
Once you reach the end repeat a second time, continue onwards.
Begin Repeat Sign
A begin repeat sign is the reverse of an end repeat. When you encounter one, keep playing: it has no meaning until you reach an end repeat sign. Think of a begin and end repeat as a pair of brackets enclosing a section which is to be played twice.
Play X Times
The words “play x times” above an end repeat indicate that the repeated section is played the total number of times indicated here by “x”, such as “play 3 times”.
1st And 2nd Time Bars
In a repeated section, first and second time bars allow different endings for leading back to the start after the first time through and playing on after the repeat. First and second time bars can be made up of more than one bar, as indicated by the length of the line.
Da Capo or D.C.
As well as repeated sections, the whole piece may be repeated, including any internal repeats. A repeat sign at the end is confusing because someone reading the music would be looking for a matching start repeat that doesn’t exist. Such larger scale repeats are indicated with the Italian words “da Capo” (“from the head”), to play again from the beginning.
The abbreviation D.C. is often used instead of the full wording.
Note: In some genres, internal repeated sections are not repeated the second time.
The diagram below shows how the navigational symbols are interpreted. To keep the example tiny, each section is represented by only 2 bars (at a very fast tempo!)
Common navigation markings
All navigation markings must be written over a double bar. If there is no repeat sign or final double bar, a section end (thin double bar) must be used.
Da Capo al Fine, D.C. al Fine
(go back to the beginning and repeat until the word “Fine”)
The piece is played again from the beginning, stopping the second time on the word “Fine” (“end”).
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