D.S. al coda

Definition:

D.S. al coda, or dal segno al coda, literally means “from the sign to the coda mark.” D.S. al coda is an indication to start back at the segno, play until you encounter a coda, then skip to the next coda to continue.

• Learn more about playing segno and coda repeats

Musical Trivia:

• Since coda is feminine in the Italian language, the correct phrasing would be “D.S. alla coda.” Nowadays, this phrase is seldom seen; even some modern Italian sheet music uses “al coda.”
• English-speakers often refer to the segno as a “segno sign,” which redundantly translates to “sign sign.”

See D.S. al fine and D.C. al coda.

Pronunciation: dal say'-nyoh al koh'-duh

More Italian Music Symbols to Know:

▪ marcato:  informally referred to as simply an “accent,” a marcato makes a note slightly more pronounced than surrounding notes.

▪ legato or slur:  connects two or more different notes. In piano music, the individual notes must be struck, but there should be no audible spaces between them.

▪  : "from nothing"; to gradually bring notes out of complete silence, or a crescendo that rises slowly from nowhere.

▪  decrescendo: to gradually decrease the volume of the music. A decrescendo is seen in sheet music as a narrowing angle, and is often marked decresc.

▪  delicato: “delicately”; to play with a light touch and an airy feel.

▪  : very sweetly; to play in a particularly delicate manner. Dolcissimo is a superlative of "dolce."

Reading Piano Music
▪  Sheet Music Symbol Library
▪  How to Read Piano Notation
▪  Illustrated Piano Chords
▪  Tempo Commands Organized By Speed
Beginner Piano Lessons
▪  Notes of the Piano Keys
▪  Finding Middle C on the Piano
▪  Intro to Piano Fingering
▪  How to Count Triplets
▪  Musical Quizzes & Tests
Getting Started on Keyboard Instruments
▪  Playing Piano vs. Electric Keyboard
▪  How to Sit at the Piano
▪  Buying a Used Piano
Forming Piano Chords
▪  Chord Types & Their Symbols
▪  Essential Piano Chord Fingering
▪  Comparing Major & Minor Chords
▪  Diminished Chords & Dissonance
Reading Key Signatures:

• All About Key Signatures
  Everything you need to know about the accidentals & key signatures.
• Use the interactive key signature locator to identify or double-check your key.
• There are always two keys that relate to one another more than any other key. Find out what this means.
• Comparing Major & Minor
  Major and minor are often described in terms of feelings or mood. The ear tends to perceive major and minor as having contrasting personalities; a contrast that is most obvious when the two are played back to back. Learn more about major and minor scales and keys.

Learn About Enharmony:

• The 6 Enharmonic Key Signatures
  If you’re familiar with the circle of fifths (or you just know your way around the key signatures) you may have noticed a few anomalies. Some keys – like B-sharp and F-flat major – are seemingly absent, while others go by two names
• The Inefficient Keys
  The circle of fifths shows only the working scales. But, if we expand on its pattern, we can see that it’s actually more of an infinite spiral, so there’s no end to the possibilities of musical scales.
• Table of Working & Non-Working Keys
  See a clear visual of which keynotes are workable and which would be redundant.

 

More Italian Music Symbols to Know:

▪ marcato:  informally referred to as simply an “accent,” a marcato makes a note slightly more pronounced than surrounding notes.

▪ legato or slur:  connects two or more different notes. In piano music, the individual notes must be struck, but there should be no audible spaces between them.

▪  : "from nothing"; to gradually bring notes out of complete silence, or a crescendo that rises slowly from nowhere.

▪  decrescendo: to gradually decrease the volume of the music. A decrescendo is seen in sheet music as a narrowing angle, and is often marked decresc.

▪  delicato: “delicately”; to play with a light touch and an airy feel.

▪  : very sweetly; to play in a particularly delicate manner. Dolcissimo is a superlative of "dolce."