Repeat Signs

A repeat sign is used to indicate a measure that is to be played again. The repeat sign is represented by two dots before a double bar. Repeat signs may be placed at the end of a music piece indicating that it should be played again from the beginning. It can also be placed in the middle of a music piece indicating that the measure/s before the repeat sign should be played again. There is also an inverted repeat sign that is used when only a few measures need to be repeated. Two dots after a double bar symbolizes an inverted repeat sign.

Common repeat signs used in classical music are:

de capo - Symbolized by the letters D.C. and placed under the final measure. This means to repeat from the top or the beginning of the music piece.

dal segno - Also written as D.S., this means to repeat the measures starting from the segno sign.

de capo al fine - Sometimes a music sheet will bear the word fine under a measure. De capo al fine means to repeat everything from the beginning ending with the measure with the word fine underneath.

Other repeat signs are used to signify that a measure or a number of measures needs to be repeated several times. These are called simile marks