Dal Segno
D.S. — return to the Segno and play on, ending at Fine or jumping to the coda
Related
Dal segno (D.S.) means "from the sign": the player returns not to the top but to the bar marked Segno (𝄋). It usually stands at the end of a section, with two exits: D.S. al fine returns and stops at Fine; D.S. al coda returns, plays to "To Coda", then jumps to the coda.
The only difference from D.C. is the starting point: D.C. goes to the beginning, D.S. to the sign. Where the sign sits decides the structure — placed after the second subject, it repeats only the latter half of the exposition. Segno and D.S. must appear as a pair, or there is no way back.
A common mistake is to treat D.S. as a repeat sign. A repeat sign loops on the spot; D.S. starts only at the section's end.
Sources
- dal segno 及其 al fine / al coda 变体，参 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "Da capo"；本文为原创表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.