Breath mark (comma)
A comma-shaped breath mark tells a singer or wind player to breathe; for other instruments it asks for a slight pause. It normally takes a little time from the preceding note rather than stopping or resetting the tempo.
- Holds and pauses
- Above the staff
- A curve or arc
Do not confuse it with
A breath mark is a single comma above the staff; a caesura is a pair of slashes and makes a more definite break.
What the sources say
- Other Aspects of Notation
A breath mark indicates a breath for a wind instrumentalist or a vocalist. For percussionists, keyboardists, or string players, it indicates a pause similar in length to a breath.
- Breaths and pauses
A breath mark is placed just above the staff, and tells a wind instrument performer or singer to take a breath here, or other instruments to pause slightly.
- Pause markings
the written note just before the breath mark is shortened slightly to allow for the short pause in the phrase.