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37 votes
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Dynamic marking "f-p"

It means play forte the first time through, and piano on the repeat.
the-baby-is-you's user avatar
29 votes

Why so many repeats in classical music?

Another aspect that hasn't been mentioned is that performers often would play things differently the second time around. We often think of improvisation as a more modern trend, but that isn't ...
Darrel Hoffman's user avatar
27 votes
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Three diagonal lines that cross through both staves

In my opinion you're correct. I haven't seen them like in your example yet, but for me this seems like a repeat sign. Usually they have a dot on each side and are often found in drum parts for ...
Andy's user avatar
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23 votes
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What do these symbols mean?

These are both shorthand notations that refer to music occurring simultaneously in other staves. The first notation (the slashes) simply tell the performer to "do exactly what the other violins (the ...
Richard's user avatar
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21 votes

What are these brackets? What do they mean and what are they called?

These brackets indicate a "first and second ending." The measures under the "1" are to be played the first time through and those under the "2" are to be played the second time. It's a nice method of ...
ttw's user avatar
  • 25.8k
17 votes

How to write a score that begins with a pickup note and repeats

You can do this two ways. Do the first. It really is clearer. (How many verses are you going to make the singer(s) perform without a few bars rest though?)
Laurence's user avatar
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17 votes
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Can a double bar line begin a repeated section?

Double bar lines are used to mark beginnings and ends of sections but they are not the same as repeat signs. If there is no forward facing repeat sign then it repeats all the way to the beginning of ...
John Belzaguy's user avatar
17 votes

Why so many repeats in classical music?

The repetition is part of the classical Sonata form, but it was standard long before the classical sonata became a recognized form. In particular, it was used in baroque times when the entire notion ...
Kilian Foth's user avatar
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16 votes
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How to indicate a tempo change during a repetition?

Just use text. I would put this information with the D.C. (or D.S.) marking and with the original tempo marking. But I would put it inside a bracket. So for instance, at the beginning: "Allegro (...
Bob Broadley's user avatar
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16 votes

How many measures minimum in a repeat

With music notation, one important consideration is legibility; and on that count I’d suggest that your single-bar example fails the test, in that it introduces navigational complexity without saving ...
Steve Mansfield's user avatar
15 votes

Three diagonal lines that cross through both staves

This notation isn't in Gardner Read's "Music Notation," 2nd edition. But your guess is reasonable because each diagonal-line group is three bars long what precedes the diagonal lines is also three ...
Camille Goudeseune's user avatar
14 votes
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Notation for a repeat section with 2 different beginnings

You can put a bracket over the first bar and a half with text saying "2x only". Clarify with "(both x)" where it starts the first time. This kind of indication is completely standard in musical ...
MattPutnam's user avatar
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14 votes
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Should I do the repeat sign when there is a fine

The repeat sign applies only to the first encounter with it. After the D.C., the piece ends at the Fine — no repeat.
Aaron's user avatar
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14 votes
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What does F.O. mean, and is it related to a repeat?

F.O. = "Fade Out". In the first case, for example, it means that after the D.S., once arriving at A, fade out rather than complete the section. In the second case, allowing the repeat covers ...
Aaron's user avatar
  • 95k
13 votes
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What does ( ) = D.S.x mean?

It means that the very first time that measure is played, it's played with the non-parenthesized notation. On any subsequent visits to that measure, it's played according to the parenthesized notation....
Aaron's user avatar
  • 95k
13 votes
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Repeats: Simpler at the cost of more redundant?

Your first version is notated correctly, but since the repeated passage is very short, I'd propose as simplest to read a third option: |: A B A (1.) C :| (2.) D Crude picture edit: This is what I'd ...
Divizna's user avatar
  • 3,795
12 votes

Lilypond first alternative has only one note

Doh. I omitted the outer curly braces around the two alternatives. The corrected version should be: \relative c' { \key f \major \repeat volta 2 { c4 c c c |} \alternative { { d d d d |} {e e ...
TomMc's user avatar
  • 209
12 votes

Is there a definitive notation for multiple repeats?

Could try something like this:
Meekohi's user avatar
  • 221
12 votes

Is there a good way to denote nested repeats?

Repeat barlines for the short repeat, DS for the big one. Probably with some explanatory text. Or just write the 8 bars out twice. You'll find this sort of thing (picture) too, but with even more ...
Laurence's user avatar
  • 95.6k
12 votes

Dynamic marking "f-p"

It gets played as a sort of echo effect. 'f-p' is written to tell the player that it's forte for the first time through, and the repeat is piano. So your third idea is just right. It couldn't be ...
Tim's user avatar
  • 198k
11 votes
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ABRSM Exams: Repeating of bars

The guidelines say "All da capo and dal segno indications should be observed but all other repeats (including first-time bars) should be omitted unless they are very brief (i.e. of a few bars) or ...
Simon B's user avatar
  • 1,981
11 votes
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How to denote a note that should only be played during first repeat without voltas?

Your lower solution isn’t messy at all, and is precisely the kind of thing 1st and 2nd time bars are used for. However, if you really don’t want to use them, simply bracket the notehead of the note ...
Bob Broadley's user avatar
  • 21.7k
11 votes

Is there a good way to denote nested repeats?

In this case, especially since your A section is only eight measures long, it's an easy enough thing to just write out the A section a second time without using repeats. (I can think of several ...
Richard's user avatar
  • 85.1k
11 votes
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How many measures minimum in a repeat

...measures BC with two different endings... Are the alternate "endings" in your example actual endings? If not, using voltas and repeats would seem to send the wrong visual clues about ...
Michael Curtis's user avatar
10 votes

Is there a definitive notation for multiple repeats?

If it's choir music, then the number of times to repeat is usually apparent from the number of verses in the lyrics. Here's an example from the Lilypond documentation:
200_success's user avatar
  • 1,651
10 votes
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What does a "repeat" symbol on the chord section mean?

It's confusing because it's unnecessary. A chord persists until the next one is stated or there's an obvious stop.
Laurence's user avatar
  • 95.6k
10 votes
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How do I use efficient repeats in sheets for pop music?

You could try something like this, using just repeat signs and volta brackets: |-1.,3.-|-2.,4.-| || intro ||: A | B :|| C :|| outro ||
Matt L.'s user avatar
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10 votes
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Is there a way to notate the repeat of a larger section that itself has repeats in it?

You can introduce symbols (most often the "dal segno" sign pictured below; rehearsal marks are also not uncommon) to indicate the start of a repeated section, and then use a "to [sign]&...
Aaron's user avatar
  • 95k
10 votes
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How would I notate this custom repeat scenario with sheet music?

You can use DS, DSS, coda, double coda but why? The song as is is only 27 bars. Eliminating a road map would add 16 bars (an extra verse and chorus if I’m reading it right) and avoid any possible ...
John Belzaguy's user avatar
10 votes
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Can a bridge be repeated?

This is entirely opinion-based, however… People will tell you, you can't eat sprouts & custard, or put pineapple on pizza. Sure you can, if that's what you like. There's literally no rule, law, or ...
Tetsujin's user avatar
  • 28k

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