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Music vocabulary · Notation and Reading Music

Dal segno

Meaning in music, with examples

adverbCommon term

In music, dal segno means: An instruction to return to a sign in the score and continue from there, often followed by directions for where to finish.

In Turkish: senyodan itibaren, senyoya dönerek

How it is used

Often printed as D.S. in scores. Follow al fine to the marked ending, or al coda to the indicated jump into the coda.

Example sentences

  1. At dal segno, return to the sign above bar twelve rather than the beginning.

    The direction identifies a marked return point inside the piece.

  2. The conductor rehearsed the dal segno jump because the brass entered too early.

    The ensemble practises navigating the return so the entry occurs at the right place.

Common collocations

  • dal segno al fine
  • dal segno al coda
  • dal segno instruction
  • da capoAn instruction meaning return to the beginning and play again, usually until another marking tells you where to stop.
  • codaA final section that brings a piece to a clear close, often after the main form seems complete.
  • scoreWritten music that shows all the parts of a piece together, one above the other. It also means the original music written for a film, series or game.

More terms: Notation and Reading Music

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