Glossary of Musical Terms

Jump to letter: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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A

a capella

solo or group singing without accompaniment

accelerando

An increase in tempo

accent

Stress on a beat, to make it stand out from others in the measure or phrase

accompaniment

Music that is played along with the main theme or voice

adagio

Slowly

allegro

Lively

alto

Normally the lowest female voice, also sometimes sung by high tenors or young boys

andante

Moderately slow

arpeggio

The notes of a chord played in succession, rather than together

atonal

Having no specific key

B

bar 

A section of music with one strong beat and one or more lesser beats

baritone 

A low male singing voice, between tenor and bass

bass 

The lowest male singing voice, or the lowest range of a type of instrument

beat 

The pulse of music, marking its rhythmic pattern

brass 

A type of wind instrument, consisting of a metal tube, with tone regulated by the position of the musician's mouth

C

cadence

A musical phrase or group of tones punctuating the end of a phrase or composition of music

chord

Three tones (or more) sounded together

chromatic

Having to do with sharps and flats

clef

The symbol at the beginning of a line of written music to signify the range of notes indicated

contralto

The terms contralto and alto refer to a similar musical pitch, but among singers, the term contralto is reserved for female singers; ;the equivalent male form is counter-tenor.

crescendo

A gradual increase in volume

D

diminuendo

A gradual decrease in volume

dynamics

The markings in written music that indicate the volume to be used

F

fermata 

A fermata is a symbol used in sheet music to indicate that a note should be held longer than its standard duration. The length that the note can be held is up to the artist or conductor.

flat

A lowering of the tone by a half-step (Symbol: ♭)

forte

Loud (Symbol: f)

fortissimo

Very loud (Symbol: ff)

fortepiano

Fortepiano is a dynamic instruction that tells an instrumentalist to initially play a note loudly and then quickly decay to a quiet sustained dynamic. (Symbol: fp)

G

glissando

A musical effect involving a slide from one note to another

H

harmony: Two or more tones sounding together in a pleasant manner

I

improvisation: Music that does not follow a written score instrumentation: The writing of music for instruments, or a musical composition intonation: Exactness of pitch or lack of it

K

key: The home note of a composition; the first note of the predominant scale used key signature: The sharps or flats at the beginning of a line of music

L

largo: Slow and stately legato: Smooth lento: Slow

M

measure

A bar of music

N

notation

Written music

note

A single sound or its representation

O

octave

a series of eight notes occupying the interval between (and including) two notes, one having twice or half the frequency of vibration of the other.

P

percussion

A class of instruments that are played by striking a surface with the hand, a stick, or a mallet

phrase

A segment of music comprising a complete musical thought

piano

Softly (Symbol: p)

pianissimo

very softly or quieter. The dynamic range for a pianissimo passage should be quieter than piano, but louder than pianississimo. (Symbol: pp)

pitch

The frequency of vibration of a note; the ability to distinguish between one note and another

presto

Fast

R

register

a particular part of the range of a voice or instrument.

rest

A pause in written music

rhythm

The arrangement of notes by duration and accent

ritardando

A gradual slowing of the music

S

scale

A series of tones arranged in a specific graduated order

score

Written music that shows all parts

sforzando

Forceful, usually accented (Symbol: sfz)

sharp

A raising of the tone by a half-step (Symbol: ♯)

solo

For one player (musician), or to be played alone.

soprano

A high female singing voice

staccato

The playing of notes in a short, detached manner (Symbol: . appears over the top of the note)

staff

A set of five lines used to indicate notes in a written form

string

A class of instrument played by the vibration of a string or series of strings set to particular tensions

T

tempo

The speed of a composition of music

tenor

Normally the highest male singing voice

theme

A short yet complete musical passage

tone

A musical sound, or the quality of the musical sound

tonic

A pitch that is the first degree of a major or minor scale and the tonal center of a piece composed in a particular key

treble

The highest voice or part of a composition

trill

A musical effect involving the alternating sounds of a note and the note above it

turn

A musical effect involving the note, the note above it, the note, and the note below it. Noted with this symbol ~

U

upbeat

The preparatory sign given prior to the first beat in a bar

unison

One or more voices or instruments sounding together as one

V

vibrato

A musical effect involving vibration, used by instrument or voice

voice

A particular musical line; refers to instrumentation as well as vocal

W

woodwind

A class of instruments that requires blowing into or across a wooden tube, with tone changed by placement of the fingers over air holes