A tempo
Resume the previous tempo after a temporary change.
AcademyREAD THE MUSIC
Symbols
Discover the signs that turn a music sheet into sound: their shapes, names and meanings.
227 illustrated symbols with English and Arabic descriptions
A broad catalogue of standard notation and specialist markings. Some signs share a shape or vary by instrument, tradition and composer; always read the score’s legend.
Browse by category
Choose a family of symbols, then refine it with a name or an A–Z letter. Letters follow the English names.
Browse by letter
Accelerando
Other names & abbreviationsaccel.
Gradually increase the tempo across the indicated passage.
Accent
Give the note a stronger attack or emphasis than its neighbors.
Accent-staccato
Combines a strong attack with shortened, detached duration.
Acciaccatura
Other names & abbreviationsSlashed grace note
A small slashed grace note, usually played very briefly around the main note; timing depends on style.
Alto clef
Other names & abbreviationsC clef
The C clef centered on line three places middle C on that line.
Appoggiatura
Other names & abbreviationsGrace note
A small unslashed grace note leaning into the main note; its duration depends on musical context.
Arco
Return to playing with the bow after pizzicato or another technique.
Arpeggio
Other names & abbreviationsArpeggiation · Rolled chord
A vertical wavy line asks for chord tones in rapid succession rather than exactly together.
Augmentation dot
Other names & abbreviationsDotted note · Dotted rest
Adds half the value of the note or rest before it. A second dot adds another quarter of the original value.
Augmented chord plus
Other names & abbreviations+ · aug
A plus sign in a chord symbol indicates augmented quality, normally a raised fifth in a major triad.
Barre
Other names & abbreviationsFull barre
One finger stops several strings at the indicated fret; a position or Roman numeral usually accompanies it.
Bass clef
Other names & abbreviationsF clef
The F clef on line four places F below middle C on that line, between the two dots.
Bass drum pictogram
Identifies the bass drum in a percussion part or setup.
Beam
Other names & abbreviationsBeaming
Joins stems of short notes to show rhythmic grouping; each beam corresponds to a flag level.
Bend
Other names & abbreviationsString bend
An arrow in tablature can request a string bend; the nearby number gives the pitch-change amount.
Brace
Groups related staves, commonly the right and left hands of a keyboard part.
Bracket
Groups staves belonging to a related set of instruments or voices.
Breath mark
Other names & abbreviationsComma · Respiration
A comma suggests a breath or brief separation in the musical line, usually without an added counted rest.
Caesura
Other names & abbreviationsRailroad tracks · Grand pause
Two slashes indicate a break in the flow; its timing follows the performance context.
Circled X notehead
Often distinguishes a percussion sound or an open technique from a plain X head; conventions vary.
Closed finger hole
A filled circle in a wind fingering diagram means cover the hole or key.
Closed mute sign
Other names & abbreviationsStopped horn · +
A plus sign can mean closed mute or stopped horn; the specific technique follows the part.
Cluster notehead
Other names & abbreviationsTone cluster
Represents a close group of neighboring pitches; the written range and legend define which notes to play.
Coda
Marks a destination section for a To Coda jump taken at the instructed stage of a repeat.
Col legno
Use the wooden part of the bow; further directions may distinguish striking from drawing.
Common time
Other names & abbreviations4/4
The C-shaped sign stands for 4/4 meter: four quarter-note beats per measure.
Con sordino
Other names & abbreviationscon sord.
Use a mute; the instruction also occurs for brass instruments.
Courtesy accidental
Other names & abbreviationsCautionary accidental
A reminder accidental, often parenthesized, clarifies a pitch without necessarily changing it.
Crescendo hairpin
Other names & abbreviationscresc. · Crescendo
An opening wedge requests a gradual increase in loudness across its span.
Cue note
A reduced-size note used as a cue or an optional part; small size alone does not make it a grace note.
Cut time
Other names & abbreviationsAlla breve · 2/2
The crossed C stands for 2/2 meter: two half-note beats per measure.
Cymbal choke
Other names & abbreviationsChoke
Stop the cymbal's resonance at the indicated moment.
Da capo
Other names & abbreviationsD.C. · DC
Return to the beginning; additional words specify where to stop or jump.
Da capo al fine
Other names & abbreviationsD.C. al Fine
Return to the beginning and stop at Fine on the instructed pass.
Dal segno
Other names & abbreviationsD.S. · DS
Return to the segno sign; additional instructions govern the rest of the route.
Dal segno al coda
Other names & abbreviationsD.S. al Coda
Return to the segno, continue to the instructed To Coda point, then jump to the coda section.
Damping sign
Other names & abbreviationsDamp · Mute
Stop or shorten resonance; the instrument determines how to damp the sound.
Dashed barline
Other names & abbreviationsBroken barline
Shows an editorial or subsidiary division without the force of a normal barline.
Diamond notehead
Often marks a lightly touched harmonic node in string notation; other instruments and scores may use it differently.
Diminished chord circle
Other names & abbreviations° · dim · dim7
A small circle indicates diminished quality; °7 commonly means a fully diminished seventh chord.
Diminuendo hairpin
Other names & abbreviationsDiminuendo · Decrescendo · dim. · decresc.
A closing wedge requests a gradual decrease in loudness across its span.
Doit
Rise away from the written pitch after its attack, typically without a fixed ending pitch.
Dotted barline
A light subdivision used in some scores to clarify grouping or meter.
Double barline
Other names & abbreviationsDouble bar line
Marks a section boundary or a change such as a new key signature.
Double flat
Other names & abbreviations𝄫 · bb
Lowers the unaltered letter-name pitch by two semitones.
Double sharp
Other names & abbreviations𝄪 · x
Raises the unaltered letter-name pitch by two semitones.
Double whole note
Other names & abbreviationsBreve
In modern proportional notation, 2 of a whole note: 8 quarter-note beats.