Dashed barline
A dashed barline shows an internal division without giving it the full weight of a normal barline. It may clarify subdivisions in complex metre or mark an editorially supplied boundary, so the score's context matters.
One part of this explanation rests on a single source and is still being checked.
- Barlines and repeats
- At the barline
- A straight line
Do not confuse it with
A normal barline is continuous; the dashed form has visible gaps from top to bottom.
What the sources say
- Dorico SE — Types of barlines
It is used to subdivide bars to make complex time signatures easier to read, and to differentiate editorial barlines from ones originally in the manuscript.
- SMuFL — Barlines
barlineDashed — Dashed barline
- Finale — Measure Attributes
Barlines • Left Barlines: Normal • Double • Final • Solid • Dashed • Invisible • Tick • Custom