Da Capo, Dal Segno, Fine, and Coda

In order for these repeats to work properly, you must ensure that there are no excess bars left over at the end of the piece.

1. Go to the first bar which is not needed.
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+End to select all the excess bars on the staff.
3. Press Alt+Shift+A to select the entire system.
4. Press Delete.

Da Capo (D.C.)

This text is placed at the end of a piece and instructs the player to go back to the start and play all the music a second time.

Example: creating a simple Da Capo structure.

1. Use the system items dialog to select the final barline at the end of the score.
2. From the main menus choose Create > Text > Other system text > Repeats (D.C./D.S./To Coda).
3. Type the text "D.C." exactly as it appears between the quotes.
4. Press Escape

Da capo and final barlines

If a score contains several numbers, as in a sonata or song book, final barlines will be needed to indicate the end of each number. Since Da capo instructions only apply to the piece in which they occur, Sibelius will always return to the first bar after the most recent final barline when playing a D.C. instruction.

Example: Da Capo repeat in a score of two movements.

• A final barline is placed at the end of bar 100 to indicate the end of the first movement.
• Another final barline is placed at the end of bar 200, which is also the end of the score.
• An instruction of D.C. is placed above the final barline in bar 200.
• When the score is played, bars 1 to 200 will be played, and then followed by a repetition of bars 101 to 200.

Dal Segno (D.S.)

This text is placed at the end of the score and instructs the player to go back to the segno sign and play through to the end.

Example: creating a Dal Segno structure.

1. Select the first note that you want to be repeated.
2. Press Z to open the symbols dialog.
3. Use the arrow keys to select the segno symbol and then press space.
4. Tab to the two radio buttons called Staff and System and make sure that System is checked.
5. Tab to the OK button and press space.
6. Select the last note before the segno.
7. From the main menus choose Create > Barline > Double.
8. Use the system items dialog (Alt+F2) to select the final barline at the end of the score.
9. From the main menus choose Create > Text > Other system text > Repeats (D.C./D.S./To Coda).
10. Type the text "D.S." exactly as it appears in the quotes.
11. Press Escape

Segnos as text

The segno sign can also be created as a text item. Since text items can easily be resized, this approach is more flexible, however you may need a sighted assistant to position the text correctly. Tempo text contains two segno signs. The first of these has a shortcut keystroke of Ctrl+Shift+4.

Because of the way in which Sibelius uses fonts, JAWS will not speak segno symbols properly inside the text item or in the word menu opened by pressing ApplicationsKey. The first segno sign is spoken as a dollar sign ($), and the second as an at sign (@).

Example: creating a segno sign with tempo text.

1. Select the first note of the repeated section.
2. Press Ctrl+Alt+T to create a tempo text object.
3. Press Ctrl+Shift+4.
4. Press Escape.

Note that repeat text also contains a segno sign however, this text does not align correctly and so tempo text is better.

D.C. al Fine

This instructs the player to return to the start of the piece and play up to the double barline marked "Fine".

Example: creating D.C. al Fine.

1. Select the last note to be played during the repeat.
2. From the main menus choose Create > Barline > Double and press Enter.
3. Ensure that the double barline is selected and from the main menus choose Create > Text > Other system text > Repeats (D.C./D.S./To Coda).
4. Press ApplicationsKey.
5. From the word menu choose "Fine" and press Enter.
6. Press Escape to close the text items edit field.
7. Use the system items dialog (Alt+F2) to select the final barline at the end of the score.
8. From the main menus choose Create > Text > Other system text > Repeats (D.C./D.S./To Coda).
9. Press ApplicationsKey.
10. From the word menu choose "D.C. al Fine" and press Enter.
11. Press Escape to close the text items edit field.

D.S. al Fine

This instructs the player to go back to the segno and play up to the double barline marked "Fine".

Example: creating D.S. al Fine.

1. Select the first note that will be repeated.
2. Press Z to open the symbols dialog.
3. Use the arrow keys to select the segno symbol and then press space.
4. Tab to the two radio buttons called Staff and System and make sure that System is checked.
5. Tab to the OK button and press space.
6. Select the last note before the segno.
7. From the main menus choose Create > Barline > Double.
8. Select the last note to be played during the repeat.
9. From the main menus choose Create > Barline > Double and press Enter.
10. Ensure that the double barline is selected and from the main menus choose Create > Text > Other system text > Repeats (D.C./D.S./To Coda).
11. Press ApplicationsKey.
12. From the word menu choose "Fine" and press Enter.
13. Press Escape to close the text items edit field.
14. Use the system items dialog (Alt+F2) to select the final barline at the end of the score.
15. From the main menus choose Create > Text > Other system text > Repeats (D.C./D.S./To Coda).
16. Press ApplicationsKey.
17. From the word menu choose "D.S. al Fine" and press Enter.
18. Press Escape to close the text items edit field.

Codas

The coda is the closing section of a piece. It must always be preceded by a double barline. The start of the coda is indicated by a coda symbol (a crossed circle) and the word "CODA" (usually in block capitals).

Example: creating a coda.

1. Select the last note before the coda begins.
2. From the menus choose Create > Barline > Double.
3. Add the double barline as described above.
4. Select the first note of the coda.
5. Press Ctrl+Alt+T to create a tempo text item.
6. Press Ctrl+0 to add the coda symbol.
7. Press space and then Type the text "CODA" exactly as it appears in the quotes.
8. Press Escape.

Because of the way in which Sibelius uses fonts, JAWS will not speak coda symbols properly inside the text item or in the word menu opened by pressing ApplicationsKey. The first coda sign is read as a capital O and the second as a lower case o.

Coda signs can also be created through the symbols dialog (shortcut Z). The coda is the third symbol on the first row of the grid. If you want to create the symbol through the symbol dialog and have the text as well, you will need to create two objects. First create the symbol above the first note in the coda, and then create the text above another note which is further into the bar.

D.C. al Coda

This instructs the player to return to the start of the piece and play up to the double barline marked "to coda". They then jump directly to the coda and play the remaining music from that point.

Example: creating D.C. al Coda

1. Select the last note that will be played before jumping to the coda.
2. From the main menus choose Create > Barline > Double.
3. Ensure that the double barline is selected and from the main menus choose Create > Text > Other system text > Repeats (D.C./D.S./To Coda).
4. Press ApplicationsKey.
5. From the word menu choose "To Coda" and press Enter.
6. Press Escape to close the text items edit field.
7. Select the last note that will be played before starting the repeat (also the last note before the coda).
8. From the main menus choose Create > Barline > Double.
9. Ensure that the double barline is selected and from the main menus choose Create > Text > Other system text > Repeats (D.C./D.S./To Coda).
10. Press ApplicationsKey.
11. From the word menu choose "D.S. al Coda" and press Enter.
12. Press Escape

D.S. al Coda

This instructs the player to return to the segno and play up to the double barline marked "to coda". They then go directly to the coda and play the remaining music from that point.

Example: creating D.S. al coda.

1. Select the first note that will be repeated.
2. Press Z to open the symbols dialog.
3. Use the arrow keys to select the segno symbol and then press space.
4. Tab to the two radio buttons called Staff and System and make sure that System is checked.
5. Tab to the OK button and press space.
6. Select the last note before the segno.
7. From the main menus choose Create > Barline > Double.
8. Select the last note that will be played before jumping to the coda.
9. From the main menus choose Create > Barline > Double.
10. Ensure that the double barline is selected and from the main menus choose Create > Text > Other system text > Repeats (D.C./D.S./To Coda).
11. Press ApplicationsKey.
12. From the word menu choose "To Coda" and press Enter.
13. Press Escape to close the text items edit field.
14. Select the last note that will be played before starting the repeat (also the last note before the coda).
15. From the main menus choose Create > Barline > Double.
16. Ensure that the double barline is selected and from the main menus choose Create > Text > Other system text > Repeats (D.C./D.S./To Coda).
17. Press ApplicationsKey.
18. From the word menu choose "D.S. al Coda" and press Enter.
19. Press Escape to close the text items edit field.

© Daniel Craig Rugman 2010