segno n : (music) a notation written at the beginning or end of a passage that is to be repeated [also: segni (pl)]

Italian

Noun

1. sign
2. mark, scratch
3. indication
4. target (rifle shooting)

Derived terms

• segnare
• segnico

Verb form

segno

1. first-person singular indicative present of segnare

In music notation, Dal Segno (pronounced [ˈdalˌ ˈseˌɲo] or [ˈdalˌ ˈseˌnjo] but commonly mispronounced as [ˈdælˌ ˈsɛgˌno]) (often abbreviated D.S.) is used as a navigation marker. From Italian for "from the sign," D.S. appears in sheet music and instructs a musician to repeat a passage starting from the sign shown at right, sometimes called the "segno" in English.

Two common variants:

• D.S. al Coda instructs the musician to repeat back to the sign, and when Al Coda or To Coda is reached jump to the Coda symbol.
• D.S. al Fine instructs the musician to repeat back to the sign, and end the piece at the measure marked Fine.

Al Segno indicates that the player should go to the sign.

In operas of the 18th century, Da Segno arias were a common alternative to da capo arias which began with an opening ritornello, which was then omitted in the repeat (the sign being placed after the ritornello).

See also

• Da capo