Repeats, Voltas, Segno and Codas

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Repeats, Voltas, Segno and Codas

📝 Playback and Voltas in ScanScore: How to Set Repeats the Right Way

Volta brackets, repeat signs, codas, and segno markers are essential for musical structure — both visually and in playback. When these symbols don’t behave correctly in ScanScore, it’s often due to missing properties, incorrect anchoring, or layout issues during recognition.

In this article, you’ll learn how to insert, edit, and fix Volta and repeat elements using the correct tools in ScanScore, how to avoid scanning errors, and how to prepare your score for smooth MusicXML export and playback.

🎧 Common Playback Issues in Scores

  • Volta brackets appear but are ignored in playback

  • Repeats play incorrectly or in the wrong order

  • Jump symbols like Coda or Segno do nothing

  • Measures are repeated or skipped unintentionally

  • The exported MusicXML doesn’t follow the correct structure

🧭 Where to Add Repeats and Voltas in ScanScore

You can insert and manage all structural elements like Voltas and repeat signs via the:

👉 Bar Lines & Repeats Toolbar

This toolbar lets you:

  • Add or remove Volta brackets (1st, 2nd endings, etc.)

  • Insert repeat start and end signs (||: and :||)

  • Add Segno, Coda and To Coda symbols

  • Modify jump behavior and playback settings

Make sure to select the measure where you want the symbol and apply the desired item from the toolbar.

🚀 Better Recognition in Newer Versions

Recent versions of ScanScore include improved AI-based recognition of:

  • Volta brackets (including nested endings)

  • Repeat signs and jump indicators

  • Symbol placement and anchoring

New updates also introduce the “Faulenzer” function — a smart playback helper that allows certain bars to repeat without explicit notation. This is useful in live settings or for practicing complex repeats.

⚠️ Layout Warning: Voltas That Can Crash the Scan

Certain PDFs or printed scores include thick or tightly spaced Volta brackets, especially in orchestral layouts with small spacing between systems. These elements can:

  • Confuse the scanning algorithm

  • Lead to incomplete recognition

  • In some rare cases, even cause ScanScore to crash

✅ What to Do

  • Before scanning, open your file in a photo or PDF editor and remove problematic Voltas manually

  • Or, in newer versions of ScanScore, use the Eraser Tool in the Prescan Window to temporarily erase the Volta bracket

  • Then, after scanning, insert the correct Volta using the toolbar

🛠 How to Adjust Volta & Repeat Symbol Behavior

Once placed or detected, you can refine a symbol’s playback behavior:

  1. Click on the symbol (Volta, repeat, jump sign)

  2. Press Alt (Windows) / Option (Mac) + P
    → or open Window → Properties

  3. In the Properties panel, check:

    • The type and function (e.g. “Play on pass 1”, “Jump to Coda”)

    • Correct text or symbol classification

    • Jump targets and playback order

Also verify the anchor position — it should be attached to the start or end of a measure, not floating in space.

📺 Learn by Example: Playback and Voltas in the Webinar

Watch our ScanScore webinar for a walkthrough on how Volta brackets and repeats behave in playback.

🎥 Watch now

✅ Final Playback Checklist Before Export

Before exporting your score to MusicXML:

  • ✅ Are all Voltas and repeat signs inserted correctly using the toolbar?

  • ✅ Do the symbols have the correct function and jump settings?

  • ✅ Are Coda/Segno signs classified as musical symbols, not plain text?

  • ✅ Is each symbol properly anchored to a measure?

  • ✅ Does playback follow the intended structure in ScanScore?

🧩 Related Tip: Anchoring Is Critical for Playback

If a Volta or jump symbol is mis-anchored, it might not trigger playback — or may export incorrectly. Learn how to fix this in our detailed anchoring guide:

👉 Text Anchoring in ScanScore

Summary

Task Purpose
Use Bar Lines & Repeats Toolbar Add and manage Voltas, repeats, and jump symbols
Check playback via Properties Define passes, jumps, and repeat targets
Use Eraser in Prescan if needed Avoid crashes from poorly formatted PDFs
Ensure proper anchoring For correct behavior and clean MusicXML export
Test playback before exporting Catch errors early

With just a few checks and corrections, your playback structure in ScanScore will reflect the original notation accurately — and your exported MusicXML file will behave exactly as expected in Dorico, MuseScore, Finale or Sibelius.

Ready to create music that plays back the way it’s meant to? Let’s go!

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