Repeat Signs for Musical Patterns

In Reading Music, Vol. 17, we look at shorthand signs for repeating the same musical pattern. These save time when writing a score and make repeated passages clearer to read. Take a look at the example.

When the same figure is repeated, it can be abbreviated as shown below.

The result is cleaner, and you no longer need to write the same notes over and over. What if a longer figure spans two measures?

We can abbreviate a two-measure repetition as well:

The shorthand shown below replaces the repeated passage. It is an efficient way to keep a score readable.