Segno

The segno, written as the symbol 𝄋 (an ornate S with two diagonal lines and dots), marks a specific point in the score to which the music returns during a dal segno (D.S.) repeat. When the performer reaches a D.S. direction, they jump back to the segno and continue playing from there.

The segno is essentially a custom repeat marker — distinct from the standard repeat sign (𝄆 𝄇), which marks complete repeated sections. The segno allows composers to repeat selected portions of the music without repeating the entire opening, providing more flexibility in formal structure.

The word segno simply means ‘sign’ in Italian. Its use as a musical term goes back to the early Baroque, when complex formal structures (with selective repeats) became more common in operatic and instrumental writing.

Italian, ‘sign’, from Latin signum.

Note the position of the segno on the first pass through the music. When you reach a D.S. direction, jump back to the segno and play forward from there.