# Breaths and pauses
Breaths and pause symbols may be found in the **Breaths & pauses** [palette](https://handbook.musescore.org/basics/using-the-palettes).
These symbols also have an adjustable playback effect.
## Types of pauses
### Fermata
A **fermata**, or **pause** appears above/below a note, and extends its written duration, indicating a pause in the music.
It may also be written above a rest, or a barline, indicating the end of a piece or section of music.
### Breath mark
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. It may occur between two notes or at the end of a measure.
### Caesura
The **caesura** also indicates a pause, slightly longer than a breath mark but less so than a fermata. It may occur between two notes or at the end of a measure.
## Adding a pause to your score
To add a fermata:
1. Select a note, rest or barline
2. Click on a fermata symbol in the **Breaths & pauses** palette.
Alternatively drag a fermata symbol onto a note.
Note that while it is customary for fermatas to be shown on all staves in a score, MuseScore Studio does not currently do this automatically: you must add fermatas to each stave manually.
To add a breath mark or caesura:
1. Select a note
2. Click on a breath mark/pause symbol in the **Breaths & pauses** palette.
Alternatively drag a breath mark/caesura symbol onto a note.
MuseScore automatically places the breath mark/caesura in the correct position, just above the staff and after the selected note. It may create extra horizontal space for the marking.
## Changing pause playback
Pause symbols have a playback effect in the score. To adjust the pause length:
1. Select the pause
2. Go to the **Properties** panel
3. Click **Playback**
4. In the popup, adjust the **Time stretch** value.
The **Time stretch** value scales the rhythmic duration of the note or rest to which the pause is attached.
## Pause properties
To specify whether a fermata is placed above or below the stave:
1. Select the fermata
2. Go to the **Properties** panel
3. Under Fermata, choose the desired **Position** setting.
## Pause style
You can specify default positional properties for all fermatas in **Format -> Style -> Fermatas**.
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