List of musical symbols

Musical symbols are the marks and symbols, used since about the 13th century in the musical notation of musical scores, styles, and
instruments to describepitch, rhythm, tempo and, to some degree, itsarticulation (a composition in its fundamentals).

Contents
Lines
Clefs
Notes and rests
Breaks
Accidentals and key signatures
Common accidentals
Key signatures
Quarter tones
Time signatures
Note relationships
Dynamics
Articulation marks
Ornaments
Octave signs
Repetition and codas
Instrument-specific notation
Guitar
Piano
Pedal marks
Other piano notation
Stringed instruments
Four-mallet percussion
Six-mallet percussion
See also
References
External links

Lines
Staff
The staff is the fundamental latticework of music notation, on which symbols are
placed. The five staff lines and four intervening spaces correspond to pitches of
the diatonic scale – which pitch is meant by a given line or space is defined by the
clef. In British usage, the word "stave" is often used.
Ledger or leger lines
These extend the staff to pitches that fall above or below it. Such ledger lines are
placed behind the note heads, and extend a small distance to each side. Multiple
 ledger lines can be used when necessary to notate pitches even farther above or
below the staff.

Bar line
These separate measures (see time signatures below for an explanation of
measures). Also used for changes in time signature. Bar lines are extended to
connect multiple staves in certain types of music, such as keyboard, harp, and
conductor scores, but are omitted for other types of music, such as vocal scores.
Double bar line, Double barline
These separate two sections of music or are placed before a change in key
signature.

Bold double bar line, Bold double barline

These indicate the conclusion of a movement or an entire composition.

Dotted bar line, Dotted barline

Subdivides long measures of complex meter into shorter segments for ease of
reading, usually according to natural rhythmic subdivisions.
Bracket
Connects two or more lines of music that sound simultaneously. In general
contemporary usage the bracket usually connects the staves of separate
instruments (e.g., flute and clarinet; two trumpets; etc.) or multiple vocal parts in a
choir or ensemble, whereas the brace connects multiple parts for a single
instrument (e.g., the right-hand and left-hand staves of a piano or harp part).
Brace
Connects two or more lines of music that are played simultaneously in piano,
keyboard, harp, or some pitched percussion music.[1] Depending on the
instruments playing, the brace, (occasionally called an "accolade" in some old
texts), varies in design and style.

Clefs
Clefs define the pitch range, or tessitura, of the staff on which it is placed. A clef is usually the leftmost symbol on a staff. Additional
clefs may appear in the middle of a staff to indicate a change in register for instruments with a wide range. In early music, clefs could
be placed on any of several lines on a staff.

G clef (Treble clef)

The centre of the spiral defines the line on which it rests as the pitch G above
middle C,[2] or approximately 392 Hz. Positioned here, it assigns G above middle
C to the second line from the bottom of the staff, and is referred to as the "treble
clef". This is the most commonly encountered clef in modern notation, and is used
for most modern vocal music. Middle C is the first ledger line below the staff here.
The shape of the clef comes from a stylised upper-case-G.
C clef (Alto, and Tenor clefs)
These clefs point to the line representing middle C, or approximately 262 Hz. As
illustrated here, it makes the center line on the staff middle C, and is referred to as
the "alto clef". This clef is used in modern notation for the viola. While all clefs can
be placed anywhere on the staff to indicate various tessitura, the C clef is most
often considered a "movable" clef: it is frequently seen pointing instead to the
fourth line and called a "tenor clef". This clef is used very often in music written for
bassoon, cello, trombone, and double bass; it replaces the bass clef when the
number of ledger lines above the bass staff hinders easy reading.
Until the classical era, the C clef was also frequently seen pointing to other lines,
 mostly in vocal music, but today this has been supplanted by the universal use of
the treble and bass clefs. Modern editions of music from such periods generally
transpose the original C clef parts to either treble (female voices), octave treble
(tenors), or bass clef (tenors and basses). It can be occasionally seen in modern
music on the third space (between the third and fourth lines), in which case it has
the same function as an octave treble clef. This unusual practice runs the risk of
misreading, however, because the traditional function of all clefs is to identify staff
lines, not spaces.

F clef (Bass clef)

The line between the dots in this clef denotes F below middle C,[2] or
approximately 175 Hz. Positioned here, it makes the second line from the top of
the staff F below middle C, and is called a "bass clef". This clef appears nearly as
often as the treble clef, especially in choral music, where it represents the bass
and baritone voices. Middle C is the first ledger line above the staff here. In old
music, particularly vocal scores, this clef is sometimes encountered centered on
the third staff line, in which position it is referred to as a baritone clef; this usage
has essentially become obsolete. The shape of the clef comes from a stylised
upper-case-F (which used to be written the reverse of the modern F)

Neutral clef
Used for pitchless instruments, such as some of those used for percussion. Each
line can represent a specific percussion instrument within a set, such as in a drum
set. Two different styles of neutral clefs are pictured here. It may also be drawn
with a separate single-line staff for each untuned percussion instrument.
Octave clef
Treble and bass clefs can also be modified by octave numbers. An eight or fifteen
above a clef raises the intended pitch range by one or two octaves respectively.
Similarly, an eight or fifteen below a clef lowers the pitch range by one or two
octaves respectively. A treble clef with an eight below is the most commonly used,
typically used for guitar and similar instruments, as well as for tenor parts in choral
music.
Tablature
For stringed instruments it is possible to notate tablature in place of ordinary notes.
In this case, a TAB sign is often written instead of a clef. The number of lines of the
staff is not necessarily five: one line is used for each string of the instrument (so,
for standard 6-stringed guitars, six lines would be used). Numbers on the lines
show which fret to play the string on. This TAB sign, like the percussion clef, is not
a clef in the true sense, but rather a symbol employed instead of a clef. Similarly,
the horizontal lines do not constitute a staff in the usual sense, because the
spaces between the lines in a tablature are never used.

Notes and rests

Musical note and rest values are not absolutely defined, but are proportional in duration to all other note and rest values. The whole
note is the reference value, and the other notes are named (in American usage) in comparison; i.e., a quarter note is a quarter of the
length of a whole note.

Note British name / American name Rest

Large (Latin: Maxima) / Octuple whole note[3]

 Long / Quadruple whole note[3]

Breve / Double whole note

Semibreve / Whole note

Minim / Half note

Crotchet / Quarter note[4][5]

Quaver / Eighth note

For notes of this length and shorter, the note
has the same number of flags (or hooks) as the rest has branches.

Semiquaver / Sixteenth note

Demisemiquaver / Thirty-second note

Hemidemisemiquaver / Sixty-fourth note

Semihemidemisemiquaver / Hundred twenty-eighth note[6][7]

Demisemihemidemisemiquaver / Two hundred fifty-sixth

note[3]

Beamed notes
Beams connect eighth notes (quavers) and notes of shorter value and are
equivalent in value to flags. In metered music, beams reflect the rhythmic grouping
of notes. They may also group short phrases of notes of the same value,
 regardless of the meter; this is more common in ametrical passages. In older
printings of vocal music, beams are often only used when several notes are to be
sung on one syllable of the text – melismatic singing; modern notation encourages
the use of beaming in a consistent manner with instrumental engraving, and the
presence of beams or flags no longer informs the singer. Today, due to the body of
music in which traditional metric states are not always assumed, beaming is at the
discretion of composers and arrangers, who often use irregular beams to
emphasize a particular rhythmic pattern.
Dotted note
Placing a dot to the right of a notehead lengthens the note's duration by one-half.
Additional dots lengthen the previous dot instead of the original note, thus a note
with one dot is one and one half its original value, a note with two dots is one and
three quarters, a note with three dots is one and seven eighths, and so on. Rests
can be dotted in the same manner as notes. In other words, n dots lengthen the
note's or rest's original duration d to d × (2 − 2−n).

Ghost note
A note with a rhythmic value, but no discernible pitch when played. It is
represented by a (saltire) cross (similar to the letter x) for a note head instead of an
oval.

Multi-measure rest
Indicates the number of measures in a resting part without a change in meter to
conserve space and to simplify notation. Also called gathered rest or multi-bar rest.

Durations shorter than the 64th are rare but not unknown.128th notes are used by many composers, includingMozart and Beethoven;
256th notes occur in works by Vivaldi, Mozart and Beethoven. An extreme case is the Toccata Grande Cromatica by early-19th-
century American composer Anthony Philip Heinrich, which uses note values as short as 2,048ths; however, the context shows
[8]
clearly that these notes have one beam more than intended, so they should really be 1,024th notes.

The name of very short notes can be formed as2n + 2 th note, where n is the number of flags on the note.

Breaks
Breath mark
In a score, this symbol tells the performer to take a breath (or make a slight pause
for non-wind instruments). This pause usually does not affect the overall tempo.
For bowed instruments, it indicates to lift the bow and play the next note with a
downward (or upward, if marked) bow.
Caesura
Indicates a brief, silent pause, during which time is not counted. In ensemble
playing, time resumes when the conductor or leader indicates. For piano this
usually means that the player should release all keys and pedals.

Accidentals and key signatures

Common accidentals
Accidentals modify the pitch of the notes that follow them on the same staff position within a measure, unless cancelled by an
additional accidental.

Flat
Lowers the pitch of a note by one semitone.
 Sharp
Raises the pitch of a note by one semitone.

Natural
Cancels a previous accidental, or modifies the pitch of a sharp or flat as defined by
the prevailing key signature (such as F-sharp in the key of G major, for example).

Double flat
Lowers the pitch of a note by two chromatic semitones. Usually used when the
note to modify is already flatted by the key signature.

Double sharp
Raises the pitch of a note by two chromatic semitones. Usually used when the
note to modify is already sharpened by the key signature.

Key signatures
Key signatures define the prevailing key of the music that follows, thus avoiding the use of accidentals for many notes. If no key
signature appears, the key is assumed to be C major/A minor, but can also signify a neutral key, employing individual accidentals as
required for each note. The key signature examples shown here are described as they would appear ontreble
a staff.

Flat key signature

Lowers by a semitone the pitch of notes on the corresponding line or space, and
all octaves thereof, thus defining the prevailing major or minor key. Different keys
are defined by the number of flats in the key signature, starting with the leftmost,
i.e., B♭, and proceeding to the right; for example, if only the first two flats are used,
the key is B♭ major/G minor, and all B's and E's are "flatted" (US) or "flattened"
(UK), i.e., lowered to B♭ and E♭.[9]
Sharp key signature
Raises by a semitone the pitch of notes on the corresponding line or space, and
all octaves thereof, thus defining the prevailing major or minor key. Different keys
are defined by the number of sharps in the key signature, also proceeding from left
to right; for example, if only the first four sharps are used, the key is E major/C♯
minor, and the corresponding pitches are raised.

Quarter tones
The vast majority of Western music is written and played in 12 equal temperament; as such, there is no universally accepted notation
for microtonal music, with varying systems being used depending on the situation. A common notation for quarter tones involves
writing the fraction 1⁄4 next to an arrow pointing up or down. Below are other forms of notation:
 Demiflat
Lowers the pitch of a note by one quarter tone. (Another notation for the demiflat is
a flat with a diagonal slash through its stem. In systems where pitches are divided
into intervals smaller than a quarter tone, the slashed flat represents a lower note
than the reversed flat.)

Flat-and-a-half (sesquiflat)
Lowers the pitch of a note by three quarter tones.

Demisharp
Raises the pitch of a note by one quarter tone.

Sharp-and-a-half (sesquisharp)
Raises the pitch of a note by three quarter tones. Occasionally represented with
two vertical and three diagonal bars instead.

In 19 equal temperament, where a whole tone is divided into three steps instead of two, music is typically notated in a way that flats
and sharps are not usually enharmonic (thus a C♯ represents a third of a step lower than D♭); this has the advantage of not requiring
any nonstandard notation.

Time signatures
Time signatures define the meter of the music. Music is "marked of
f" in uniform sections called bars or measures, and time signatures
establish the number of beats in each. This does not necessarily indicate which beats to emphasize, however, so a time signature that
conveys information about the way the piece actually sounds is thus chosen. Time signatures tend to suggest prevailing groupings of
beats or pulses.

Specific time – simple time signatures

The bottom number represents the note value of the basic pulse of
the music (in this case the 4 represents the crotchet or quarter-note).
The top number indicates how many of these note values appear in
each measure. This example announces that each measure is the
equivalent length of three crotchets (quarter-notes). For example, 3 4
is pronounced as "three-four time" or "three-quarter time".
Specific time – compound time signatures
The bottom number represents the note value of the subdivisions of
the basic pulse of the music (in this case the 8 represents the
quaver or eighth-note). The top number indicates how many of these
subdivisions appear in each measure. Usually each beat is
composed of three subdivisions. To derive the unit of the basic pulse
in compound meters, double this value and add a dot, and divide the
top number by 3 to determine how many of these pulses there are
each measure. This example announces that each measure is the
equivalent length of two dotted crotchets (dotted quarter-notes). You
would pronounce this as "Six-Eight Time".
Common time
This symbol represents 4 4 time. It derives from the broken circle that
 represented "imperfect" duple meter in fourteenth-century mensural
time signatures.

Alla breve or Cut time

This symbol represents 2
2 time, indicating two minim (or half-note)
beats per measure. Here, a crotchet (or quarter note) would get half
a beat.

Metronome mark
Written at the start of a score, and at any significant change of
tempo, this symbol precisely defines the tempo of the music by
assigning absolute durations to all note values within the score. In
this particular example, the performer is told that 120 crotchets, or
quarter notes, fit into one minute of time. Many publishers precede
the marking with letters "M.M.", referring to Maelzel's Metronome.

Note relationships
Tie
Indicates that the two (or more) notes joined together are to be played as one note
with the time values added together. To be a tie, the notes must be identical – that
is, they must be on the same line or the same space. Otherwise, it is a slur (see
below).
Slur
Indicates to play two or more notes in one physical stroke, one uninterrupted
breath, or (on instruments with neither breath nor bow) connected into a phrase as
if played in a single breath. In certain contexts, a slur may only indicate to play the
notes legato. In this case, rearticulation is permitted.
Slurs and ties are similar in appearance. A tie is distinguishable because it always joins two
immediately adjacent notes of the same pitch, whereas a slur may join any number of notes of varying
pitches. In vocal music a slur normally indicates that notes grouped together by the slur should be
sung to a single syllable.

A phrase mark (or less commonly, ligature) is a mark that is visually identical to a slur, but connects a
passage of music over several measures. A phrase mark indicates a musical phrase and may not
necessarily require that the music be slurred.

Glissando or Portamento
A continuous, unbroken glide from one note to the next that includes the pitches
between. Some instruments, such as the trombone, timpani, non-fretted string
instruments, electronic instruments, and the human voice can make this glide
continuously (portamento), while other instruments such as the piano or mallet
instruments blur the discrete pitches between the start and end notes to mimic a
continuous slide (glissando).
Tuplet
A number of notes of irregular duration are performed within the duration of a given
number of notes of regular time value; e.g., five notes played in the normal
duration of four notes; seven notes played in the normal duration of two; three
notes played in the normal duration of four. Tuplets are named according to the
number of irregular notes; e.g., duplets, triplets, quadruplets, etc.
Chord
 Several notes sounded simultaneously ("solid" or "block"), or in succession
("broken"). Two-note chords are called dyad; three-note chords are called triads.
A chord may contain any number of notes.

Arpeggiated chord
A chord with notes played in rapid succession, usually ascending, each note being
sustained as the others are played. It is also called a "broken chord".

Dynamics
Dynamics are indicators of the relative intensity or volume of a musical line.

Pianississimo[D 1]
Extremely soft. Very infrequently does one see softer dynamics than this, which are
specified with additional ps.
Pianissimo
Very soft. Usually the softest indication in a piece of music, though softer dynamics
are often specified with additional ps.
Piano
Soft; louder than pianissimo.
Mezzo piano
Moderately soft; louder than piano.
Mezzo forte
Moderately loud; softer than forte. If no dynamic appears, mezzo-forte is assumed to
be the prevailing dynamic level.
Forte
Loud. Used as often as piano to indicate contrast.
Fortissimo
Very loud. Usually the loudest indication in a piece, though louder dynamics are often
specified with additional fs (such as fortississimo – seen below).
Fortississimo[D 1]
Extremely loud. Very infrequently does one see louder dynamics than this, which are
specified with additional fs.
Sforzando
Literally "forced", denotes an abrupt, fierce accent on a single sound or chord. When
written out in full, it applies to the sequence of sounds or chords under or over which
it is placed.
Crescendo
A gradual increase in volume.
Can be extended under many notes to indicate that the volume steadily increases
during the passage.
Diminuendo
Also decrescendo
A gradual decrease in volume. Can be extended in the same manner as crescendo.

1. Dynamics with 3 letters (i.e.,ppp and fff) are often referred to by adding an extra "iss" pianissimo
( to
pianississimo). This is improper Italian and would translate literally to "softestest" in English, but acceptable as a
musical term; such a dynamic can also be described asmolto pianissimo, piano pianissimo or molto fortissimo and
forte fortissimo in somewhat more proper Italian.
Other commonly used dynamics build upon these values. For example, "pianississimo" (represented as ppp) meaning so softly as to
be almost inaudible, and fortississimo, (fff) meaning extremely loud. In some European countries, use of the loudest dynamics has
been strongly discouraged as endangering the hearing of the performers.[10] A small s in front of the dynamic notations means
subito, and means that the dynamic is to change to the new notation rapidly. Subito is commonly used with sforzandos, but can
appear with all other dynamic notations, most commonly assff (subitofortissimo) or spp (subitopianissimo).

Forte-piano
A section of music in which the music should initially be played loudly (forte), then
immediately softly (piano).
Another value that rarely appears is niente or n, which means "nothing". This may be used at the end of a diminuendo to indicate
"fade out to nothing".

Articulation marks
Articulations (or accents) specify how to perform individual notes within a phrase or passage. They can be fine-tuned by combining
more than one such symbol over or under a note. They may also appear in conjunction with phrasing marks listed above.

Staccato
This indicates the musician should play the note shorter than notated, usually half
the value; the rest of the metric value is then silent. Staccato marks may appear on
notes of any value, shortening their performed duration without speeding the music
itself.
Staccatissimo or Spiccato
Indicates a longer silence after the note (as described above), making the note
very short. Usually applied to quarter notes or shorter. (In the past, this marking’s
meaning was more ambiguous: it sometimes was used interchangeably with
staccato, and sometimes indicated an accent and not staccato. These usages are
now almost defunct, but still appear in some scores.) In string instruments this
indicates a bowing technique in which the bow bounces lightly upon the string.

Accent
Play the note louder, or with a harder attack than surrounding unaccented notes.
May appear on notes of any duration.

Tenuto
This symbol indicates play the note at its full value, or slightly longer. It can also
indicate a slight dynamic emphasis or be combined with a staccato dot to indicate
a slight detachment (portato or mezzo staccato).

Marcato
Play the note somewhat louder or more forcefully than a note with a regular accent
mark (open horizontal wedge). In organ notation, this means play a pedal note with
the toe. Above the note, use the right foot; below the note, use the left foot.

Left-hand pizzicato or Stopped note

A note on a stringed instrument where the string is plucked with the left hand (the
hand that usually stops the strings) rather than bowed. On the horn, this accent
indicates a "stopped note" (a note played with the stopping hand shoved further
into the bell of the horn). In percussion this notation denotes, among many other
specific uses, to close the hi-hat by pressing the pedal, or that an instrument is to
be "choked" (muted with the hand).
Snap pizzicato
 On a stringed instrument, a note played by stretching a string away from the frame
of the instrument and letting it go, making it "snap" against the frame. Also known
as a Bartók pizzicato.

Natural harmonic or Open note

On a stringed instrument, means to play a natural harmonic (also called flageolet).
On a valved brass instrument, it means to play the note "open" (without lowering
any valve, or without mute). In organ notation, this means to play a pedal note with
the heel (above the note, use the right foot; below the note, use the left foot). In
percussion notation this denotes, among many other specific uses, to open the hi-
hat by releasing the pedal, or allow an instrument to ring.
Fermata (Pause)
A note, chord, or rest sustained longer than its customary value. Usually appears
over all parts at the same metrical location in a piece, to show a halt in tempo. It
can be placed above or below the note. The fermata is held for as long as the
performer or conductor desires.

Up bow or Sull'arco
On a bowed string instrument, the note is played while drawing the bow upward.
On a plucked string instrument played with a plectrum or pick (such as a guitar
played pickstyle or a mandolin), the note is played with an upstroke.

Down bow or Giù arco

Like sull'arco, except the bow is drawn downward. On a plucked string instrument
played with a plectrum or pick (such as a guitar played pickstyle or a mandolin),
the note is played with a downstroke.

Ornaments
Ornaments modify the pitch pattern of individual notes.

Trill
A rapid alternation between the specified note and the next higher note (according
to key signature) within its duration, also called a "shake". When followed by a
wavy horizontal line, this symbol indicates an extended, or running, trill. In modern
music the trill begins on the main note and ends with the lower auxiliary note then
the main note, which requires a triplet immediately before the turn. In music up to
the time of Haydn or Mozart the trill begins on the upper auxiliary note and there is
no triplet.[11] In percussion notation, a trill is sometimes used to indicate a tremolo
(q.v.).
Upper mordent
Rapidly play the principal note, the next higher note (according to key signature)
then return to the principal note for the remaining duration. In most music, the
mordent begins on the auxiliary note, and the alternation between the two notes
may be extended. In handbells, this symbol is a "shake" and indicates the rapid
shaking of the bells for the duration of the note.

Lower mordent (inverted)

Rapidly play the principal note, the note below it, then return to the principal note
for the remaining duration. In much music, the mordent begins on the auxiliary
note, and the alternation between the two notes may be extended.

Turn
 Turn
When placed directly above the note, the turn (also known as a
gruppetto) indicates a sequence of upper auxiliary note, principal note,
lower auxiliary note, and a return to the principal note. When placed to
the right of the note, the principal note is played first, followed by the
above pattern. Placing a vertical line through the turn symbol or
inverting it, it indicates an inverted turn, in which the order of the
auxiliary notes is reversed.

Appoggiatura
The first half of the principal note's duration has the pitch of the grace note (the
first two-thirds if the principal note is a dotted note).

Acciaccatura
The acciaccatura is of very brief duration, as though brushed on the way to the
principal note, which receives virtually all of its notated duration. In percussion
notation, the acciaccatura symbol denotes the flam rudiment, the miniature note
still positioned behind the main note but on the same line or space of the staff. The
flam note is usually played just before the natural durational subdivision the main
note is played on, with the timing and duration of the main note remaining
unchanged. Also known by the English translation of the Italian term, crushed
note, and in German as Zusammenschlag (simultaneous stroke).

Octave signs
Ottava
The 8va (pronounced ottava alta) sign is placed above the staff (as shown) to
tell the musician to play the passage one octave higher.
An 8va or, as alternative in modern music, an 8vb sign (both signs reading ottava bassa) is placed
below the staff meaning play the passage one octave lower.[12][13]

Quindicesima
The 15ma sign is placed above the staff (as shown) to mean play the passage
two octaves higher. A 15ma sign below the staff indicates play the passage two
octaves lower.

8va and 15ma are sometimes abbreviated further to8 and 15. When they appear below the staff, the word bassa is sometimes added.

Repetition and codas

Tremolo
A rapidly repeated note. If the tremolo is between two notes, then they are
played in rapid alternation. The number of slashes through the stem (or
number of diagonal bars between two notes) indicates the frequency to
repeat (or alternate) the note. As shown here, the note is to be repeated at
a demisemiquaver (thirty-second note) rate, but it is a common convention
for three slashes to be interpreted as "as fast as possible", or at any rate
at a speed to be left to the player's judgment.
In percussion notation, tremolos indicate rolls, diddles, and drags. Typically, a single
tremolo line on a sufficiently short note (such as a sixteenth) is played as a drag, and a
combination of three stem and tremolo lines indicates a double-stroke roll (or a single-
stroke roll, in the case of timpani, mallet percussions and some untuned percussion
 instrument such as triangle and bass drum) for a period equivalent to the duration of the
note. In other cases, the interpretation of tremolos is highly variable, and should be
examined by the director and performers.

The tremolo symbol also representsflutter-tonguing.

Repeat signs
Enclose a passage that is to be played more than once. If there is no left
repeat sign, the right repeat sign sends the performer back to the start of
the piece or the nearest double bar.

Simile marks
Denote that preceding groups of beats or measures are to be repeated. In
the examples here, the first usually means to repeat the previous
measure, and the second usually means to repeat the previous two
measures.

Volta brackets (1st and 2nd endings, or 1st- and 2nd-time bars)
A repeated passage is to be played with different endings on different
playings; it is possible to have more than two endings (1st, 2nd, 3rd ...).

Da capo
(lit. "From top") Tells the performer to repeat playing of the music from its
beginning. This is usually followed by al fine (lit. "to the end"), which
means to repeat to the word fine and stop, or al coda (lit. "to the coda
(sign)"), which means repeat to the coda sign and then jump forward.
Dal segno
(lit. "From the sign") Tells the performer to repeat playing of the music
starting at the nearest segno. This is followed by al fine or al coda just as
with da capo.
Segno
Mark used with dal segno.
Coda
Indicates a forward jump in the music to its ending passage, marked with
the same sign. Only used after playing through a D.S. al coda (Dal segno
al coda) or D.C. al coda (Da capo al coda).

Instrument-specific notation

Guitar
The guitar has a fingerpicking notation system derived from the names of the fingers in Spanish or Latin. They are written above,
below, or beside the note to which they are attached. They read as follows:
 Symbol Spanish Latin English
p pulgar pollex thumb
i índice index index
m medio media middle
a anular anularis ring
c, x, e, q meñique minimus little

Piano

Pedal marks
Pedal marks appear in music for instruments withsustain pedals, such as the piano, vibraphone and chimes.

Engage pedal
Tells the player to put the sustaining pedal down.
Release pedal
Tells the player to let the sustain pedal up.
Variable pedal mark
More accurately indicates the precise use of the sustain pedal. The extended lower
line tells the player to keep the sustain pedal depressed for all notes below which it
appears. The ∧ shape indicates the pedal is to be momentarily released, then
depressed again.
Con sordino, Una corda
Tells the player to put the soft pedal down or, in other instruments, apply the mute.
Senza sordino, Tre corde
Tells the player to let the soft pedal up or, in other instruments, remove the mute.

Other piano notation

left hand right hand

l.h. r.h.
English
left hand right hand
l.H r.H
German
linke Hand rechte Hand
m.g. m.d.
French
main gauche main droite
m.s. m.d.
Italian
mano sinistra mano destra

Finger identifications:
1 = thumb
2 = index
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
3 = middle
4 = ring
5 = little
Old (pre-1940) tutors published in the UK may use "English fingering". + for thumb, then 1 (index), 2 (middle), 3 (ring) and 4
(little).[14]
Stringed instruments
(With the exception of harp)

Finger identifications:
0 = open string (no finger used)
1 = index
0, 1, 2, 3, 4
2 = middle
3 = ring
4 = little

Four-mallet percussion
Mallet identifications:
1 = Far left mallet
1, 2, 3, 4 2 = Second to left mallet
3 = Second to right mallet
4 = Far right mallet
Some systems reverse the numbers (e.g., 4 = Far left mallet, 3 = Second to left mallet, etc.)

Six-mallet percussion
Mallet identifications:
1 = Far-left mallet
2 = Middle-left mallet
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 3 = Third-to-left mallet
4 = Third-to-right mallet
5 = Middle-right mallet
6 = Far-right mallet
[15]
Numbers for six-mallet percussion may be reversed as well.

See also
Graphic notation
Music theory
Glossary of musical terminology
Musical Symbols (Unicode block)
Shape note
Musical Symbols (disambiguation)

References
1. U+007B left curly bracket(http://www.decodeunicode.org/u+007B)Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/200812021
21802/http://www.decodeunicode.org/u%2B007B) 2008-12-02 at the Wayback Machine. at decodeunicode.org;
retrieved on May 3, 2009
2. Gerou, Tom; Lusk, Linda (1996).Essential Dictionary of Music Notation(https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Dictiona
ry-Music-Notation-Pocket/dp/0882847309). USA: Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. p. 49.ISBN 0-88284-768-6.
3. "UNLP at the C@merata Task: Question Answering on Musical Scores ACM"(http://csee.essex.ac.uk/camerata/unlp
_asooja_long_14.pdf) (PDF). Csee.essex.ac.uk. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
4. Examples of the older form are found in the work of English music publishers up to the 20th century
, e.g., W. A.
Mozart Requiem Mass, vocal score ed. W. T. Best, pub. London: Novello & Co. Ltd. 1879.
 5. Rudiments and Theory of MusicAssociated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London 1958. I,33 and III,25. The
former shows both forms without distinction, the latter the "old" form only
. The book was the standard theory manual
in the UK up until at least 1975. The "old" form was taught as a manuscript variant of the printed form.
6. Miller, RJ (2015). Contemporary Orchestration: A Practical Guide to Instruments, Ensembles, and Musicians
.
Routledge. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-415-74190-3.
7. Haas, David (2011). "Shostakovich's Second Piano Sonata: A Composition Recital in Three Styles". In Fairclough,
Pauline; Fanning, David.The Cambridge Companion to Shostakovich. Cambridge Companions to Music. Cambridge
University Press. pp. 95–114.doi:10.1017/CCOL9780521842204.006(https://doi.org/10.1017%2FCCOL978052184
2204.006). ISBN 978-1-139-00195-3. "The listener is right to suspect a Baroque reference when a double-dotted
rhythmic gesture and semihemidemisemiquaver triplets appear to ornament the theme. "(p. 112)
8. Byrd, Donald (16 December 2014)."Extremes of Conventional Music Notation"(http://homes.soic.indiana.edu/donby
rd/CMNExtremes.htm). Retrieved 26 February 2015.
9. Rudiments and Theory of MusicAssociated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London 1958. I,24 "at least one
note has to be sharpened or flattened"
10. "No Fortissimo? Symphony Told to Keep It Down" (https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/arts/music/20noise.html) by
Sarah Lyall, The New York Times (20 April 2008)
11. Rudiments and Theory of MusicAssociated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London 1958. ,29
V
12. George Heussenstamm,The Norton Manual of Music Notation(New York and London: W. W. Norton & Company),
p.16
13. Anthony Donato, Preparing Music Manuscript(Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.), pp. 42-43
14. "Scales-continental/ English Fingering"(http://www.abrsm.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=4234). The Associated
Board of the Royal Schools of Music. 20 December 2004. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
15. Paterson, Robert (2004).Sounds That Resonate: Selected Developments in W estern Bar Percussion During the
Twentieth Century. Cornell University: UMI Dissertation Services No. 3114502. p. 182.

External links
Comprehensive list of music symbols fonts
Music theory & history (Dolmetsch Online)
Dictionary of musical symbols(Dolmetsch Online)
Sight reading tutorial with symbol variationsAmy Appleby

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_musical_symbols&oldid=822082144

"

This page was last edited on 24 January 2018, at 08:18.

Text is available under theCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this
site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of theWikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.