Direct (music symbol)

A direct, also referred to by some English speaking musicians by its Italian name guida, its French name guidon, its German name wächter, or its Latin name custos, is a musical symbol used in music notation to indicate the first note on the next staff of the following page.

Similar to a catchword in literary works, the direct symbol assists musicians with knowing which note is coming next during a page turn.

Though a less commonly seen symbol in modern notation, it is still used by some composers today.

Some contemporary publications utilize the direct symbol to indicate a continuation rather than as a reference to a specific upcoming pitch.

When a mordent is used the meaning of the symbol can alter slightly depending on variations in the music notation of the ornament.