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Notation & Symbols

Dal Segno (D.S.)

Pronounced dahl SEN-yohWritten as D.S.

Definition

Dal segno, abbreviated D.S., is Italian for 'from the sign'. It tells you to go back to the segno sign and play on from there, usually as far as the word Fine or until a jump to the coda.

Dal segno is Italian for "from the sign". Written as D.S., it sends you back, not to the beginning, but to the segno: an S-shaped sign crossed by a slanted line, with a dot on each side, that marks the return point. From there you play on and follow the instruction that comes with the D.S.

A treble-clef staff in 4/4 with four bars. A segno sign stands above the start of bar 2. Fine is printed above the end of bar 3, which closes with a double bar line. D.S. al Fine is printed above bar 4, which ends with a final bar line.
Bar 1 is an introduction, and the segno sign at bar 2 marks the return point. Play to the end, where D.S. al Fine sends you back to the segno; play bars 2 and 3 again and stop at Fine: bars 1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 3. The audio follows that route.

The common versions

  • D.S. al Fine: go back to the segno and play until the word fine.
  • D.S. al Coda: go back to the segno, play until "To Coda" or the coda sign, then jump to the coda.
  • D.S. on its own: go back to the segno and play to the end.

Why D.S. instead of D.C.?

Da capo can only send you back to the first bar. D.S. is used when the return should skip something at the start, most often an introduction. A song with a short intro, a verse and a chorus might put the segno at the start of the verse, so the D.S. repeats the verse and chorus without the intro.

Following the road map

  1. Before you play, find the segno, the D.S. and the place where you will stop or jump.
  2. Play through to the D.S.
  3. Go back to the segno and play on.
  4. Stop at Fine, or at "To Coda" jump to the coda.

As with D.C., repeats are normally not taken again after the jump, and only the last of any endings is played, unless the score says otherwise.

Learn the signs in D.S. & the Coda, then follow complete routes in Trace the road map.

Common questions

What does D.S. al Coda mean?

Go back to the segno sign, play until "To Coda" (or the coda sign), then jump to the section marked Coda and play it to the end.

Do you play the repeats after a D.S.?

Usually not. By convention, after a D.S. jump you skip repeat signs and play only the last ending, unless the score says otherwise.

Practice it: free worksheets