A repeat sign indicates where you should repeat what you have just played. It can indicate to play from either the beginning of the piece of music or from the previous repeat sign.

Composers use a range of signs and symbols to show how they want their music to be played. This was essential in times before music could be recorded and replayed, but it is still important today.

But in the context of written music, with a melody, the symbol is usually written above ... does not relate to a bad school report! The minus sign is often used by jazz musicians to indicate ...