Fermata

A symbol over a note or rest that suspends the tempo and holds that moment for as long as the performer or conductor decides.

The fermata, sometimes called a pause, is the written instruction to stop counting and let a note hang, which makes it one of the few markings that hands control to the performer. In solo guitar music it usually appears on the final chord of a phrase or the last note of a piece. In an ensemble it requires eye contact, since somebody has to signal when the hold ends, and getting that wrong is one of the classic small disasters of live performance.

Example: The final chord of a piece, held longer than its written value before the sound dies away, is marked with a fermata.

Fermata

See also