dal segno
formdahl SEN-yoh
An instruction to return to the sign. Abbreviated as D.S.
Dal segno (D.S.) means from the sign and tells the performer to go back to a specific point in the score marked with the segno symbol (a stylized S with a slash). Like da capo, it is usually followed by al fine or al coda.
The marking is particularly common in popular music lead sheets and jazz charts, where a song structure might require jumping back to a verse or chorus. In classical music, it serves as an efficient way to indicate repeats without rewriting entire sections of music.
The segno symbol (𝄋) has remained virtually unchanged since it was first used in Renaissance music manuscripts over 500 years ago.