Definition

1. Noun:
   • A musical notation symbol: A "double bar" is a symbol in written music consisting of two vertical lines placed close together on the staff. It is used to mark a significant structural division within a piece of music, most commonly to indicate the end of a major section or the complete end of the composition.

Usage

• The "double bar" is a visual cue for performers, signaling a clear point of conclusion or a major sectional boundary. It is distinct from a single bar line, which merely separates measures.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The composer placed a double bar at the end of the final movement.
  • When you see the double bar, you know that section of the sonata is finished.

Advanced Usage

• "Final double bar": Often, the second of the two lines is thicker, especially when marking the absolute end of a piece. This is sometimes specifically called a "final double bar" or "concluding double bar."
  • The score concluded with a bold final double bar.

Variants and Related Words

• Bar line (n): A single vertical line used to separate measures.
• Repeat sign (n): A symbol that often incorporates a double bar with two dots, instructing the performer to repeat a section of music.

Synonyms

• Sectional double bar: A double bar marking the end of a section but not the entire piece.
• Concluding double bar: A double bar, often with a thicker second line, marking the end of the entire composition.

Related Terms

• Coda (n): A concluding section of a musical piece, often appearing after a double bar.
• Da Capo (n): An instruction to return to the beginning, which may be placed near a double bar.

Noun

1. notation marking the end of principal parts of a musical composition; two adjacent bar lines