Repeats, Codas, and Road Maps
Flashcards on repeat signs, volta brackets, and the Italian navigation instructions that map out a piece.
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Questions Covered in This Set
10 cards to master
What do you do at a closing repeat sign :|
Go back to the most recent opening repeat |: and play the section again — if there is no opening repeat, return to the very beginning of the piece.
D.C. (Da Capo) means...
"From the head" — go back to the very beginning of the piece.
D.S. (Dal Segno) means...
"From the sign" — go back to the segno 𝄋 printed earlier in the piece.
What does 'Fine' mean, and how is it pronounced?
It means "the end" and is pronounced FEE-nay. D.C. al Fine = return to the top and play until the word Fine, then stop.
How do first and second endings (volta brackets) work?
On the first pass play bracket 1 and take the repeat; on the second pass skip bracket 1 entirely and play bracket 2.
What does 'D.S. al Coda' instruct you to do?
Go back to the segno, play forward until 'To Coda 𝄌', then jump to the Coda section and finish there.
When is 'To Coda' obeyed?
Only on the pass after the D.S./D.C. — it is ignored the first time through.
What is a simile mark (%)?
A shorthand squiggle meaning "repeat the previous bar exactly"; a number like '4x' above a bar means play it four times.
Playing order for: || A | B |1. C :|| 2. D ||
A B C, repeat, A B D.
What is the '20-second road-map scan'?
Before playing, circle every repeat, volta bracket, segno, coda and Italian instruction, then write the playing order in the margin as bar numbers.
