Dal segno
“From the sign”; repeat from a marking, abbr. D.S.
What it means
Dal segno means “from the sign” and asks that at a marked spot you return to a sign marked in the score and play again from there. The abbreviation is D.S.
The difference from da capo lies in the goal of the jump back: da capo leads to the beginning of the piece, dal segno to a particular spot within the piece. This is necessary when not the whole opening section is to be repeated — for instance when an introduction is omitted the second time.
Like da capo, dal segno is also supplemented: dal segno al fine asks you to play up to the spot marked fine; dal segno al coda asks you to jump to the coda at a marked spot.
In the notation
The sign to which the jump back is made is a slanted S with a crossbar and two dots, standing above the staff. The instruction D.S. stands at the end of the section after which the jump back is made. The spot at which the piece ends is marked fine; the jump to the coda is indicated by a sign of its own, a circle with crosshairs.
Musical use
The instruction saves music paper and allows complex repeat forms to be presented clearly. It is widespread in songs, dances, marches, and light music. In combination with coda jumps, forms whose sections return in a different order can be notated.
The sign looks like a curved S with a slash and two dots. Dal segno al fine means to play up to the word fine, dal segno al coda to play up to the coda sign and then jump into the coda.
Performance practice
Before the first pass, look for the segno sign, the fine spot, and, if applicable, the coda signs, and mark them clearly. Practise the jumps deliberately so that you do not have to search while playing. Settle whether repeats apply on the second pass. And take care that the transitions at the jump points sound musically sensible.