| A |
1 - The musical note A, or the major chord based on A
2 - abbreviation for Alto |
| Accent |
Articulation marking: strong attack |
| Accidental |
Sharp, flat or natural not included in the given key |
| Ad lib (itum) |
As you like |
| Agitato |
Agitated, excited |
| Al Fine |
To the end |
 Alla breve |
Time signature: Cut common time, two minims in a bar |
| Alto |
Female lower voice range |
| Alto clef |
The C clef falling on the third line |
| Animato |
Animated, lively |
| Animé (Fre) |
Animated, lively |
| Appoggiatura |
A nonharmonic tone, usually a half or whole step above the harmonic tone, which is performed on the beat and then resolved |
| Arpeggio |
Notes of a chord played in succession rather than simultaneously |
| Arrangement |
An adaption of a composition |
| Articulation |
The degree to which notes are separated or connected, such as staccato or legato |
| A Tempo |
Return to the previous tempo |
| Augmentation |
Playing a melody in longer note values |
| Augmented |
An interval widened by a semitone |
| Au mouvt (Fre) |
With movement, like a tempo |
| Avec sourdine (Fre) |
With mute, like con sord |
| B |
1 - The musical note B, or the major chord based on B
2 - (Ger) B flat |
| Bar |
A group of beats containing a primary accent and one or more secondary accents, indicated by the placement of bar lines on the staff |
| Barline |
The vertical line placed on the staff to divide the music into bars |
| Baritone |
Male voice range in between Tenor and Bass |
| Baroque |
The period 1600-1750 |
| Bass |
Male lower voice range |
| Bass clef |
The other name for the F clef |
| Bewegt (Ger) |
Agitated, like agitato |
| Binary |
A musical form consisting of two sections, usually designated A and B |
| Bourree |
A French dance from the 17th century in brisk duple time starting with a pickup |
| Brass family |
Wind instruments played with a mouthpiece, usually made of metal, including trumpet, trombone, french horn, tuba, cornet, tenor horn and baritone
|
| Breit (Ger) |
Broadly |
 Breve |
Two semi-breves, eight crotchets. Rare in modern music |
 Breve rest |
Rest for above |
| C |
The musical note C, or the major chord based on C |
| Cadence |
Final progression of chords |
| Cadenza |
Solo passage, sometimes improvised |
| Calmato |
Calm |
| Canon |
The strictest form of imitation, in which two or more parts have the same melody but start at different points |
| Cantabile |
In a singing style |
 C clef |
A clef whose centre denotes middle C |
| Cello |
See Violoncello |
| Cesura // |
A sudden pause or break |
| Chord |
A combination of three or more tones sounded simultaneously |
| Clarinet |
Member of the Woodwind family, whereby air is blown around a single reed and the pitch altered by the use of keys.
|
| Classical |
Music conforming to certain form and structure. Usually music composed during the period 1770-1825 |
| Clef |
Musical symbol placed at the beginning of each staff, to denote which notes belong to which lines and spaces. Usually followed by a key signature and time signature |
| Coda |
Closing section of a composition |
| Common time |
4/4 |
| Con brio |
With spirit |
| Concerto |
A piece for a soloist and orchestra |
| Con moto |
With motion |
| Con sord |
With mute |
 Crotchet |
Half a minim, a quarter of a semi-breve |
 Crotchet rest |
Rest for above |
| Cup mute |
Brass instrument mute, creates a warm, closed sound |
| Cut time |
2/2 |
| D |
The musical note D, or the major chord based on D |
| Da Capo |
Return to the beginning |
 Dal segno |
Repeat from the sign |
| Dämpfer (Ger) |
Mute, like sordino |
| Derby mute |
Brass instrument mute, literally looks like a hat. Early jazz musicians used their derby hats as mutes |
| Didjeridu |
Native North Australian instrument made from termite-hollowed eucalyptus |
| Diminished |
An interval narrowed by a semitone |
| Diminution |
Playing a melody in shorter note values |
| Divisi |
An indication of divided musical parts |
| Do |
In sol fa, the tonic |
| Dolce |
Sweetly |
| Doppelgriff (Ger) |
Double stop, in string playing |
 Double flat |
A symbol for lowering pitch two semitones |
 Double sharp |
A symbol for raising pitch two semitones |
| Double whole note (US) |
A breve |
| Drumkit |
Collection of percussion instruments designed to be played by one player, sitting down. Most frequently includes snare, toms, floor tom, ride and splash cymbals, hi-hat and kick drum |
| Duet |
A piece for two performers |
| Dynamics |
Varying degrees of loud and soft |
|
| E |
The musical note E, or the major chord based on E |
| Eighth note (US) |
A quaver |
| Elegy |
Piece of music in a sad, sombre mood. Sometimes a specific memorial for someone |
| Embouchure |
The application of the lips to the mouthpiece of a musical instrument. |
| Enharmonic |
Musical intervals that differ only in name and not pitch, for example C sharp and D flat. |
| Entrée (Fre) |
A prelude, same as intrada |
| Espressivo |
Expressively |
| Expressif (Fre) |
Expressively |
| F |
The musical note F, or the major chord based on F |
 F clef |
Also known as Bass clef, denotes second line as F below middle C |
| Fa |
In sol fa, the fourth note of the scale starting on Do |
 Fermata |
Pause sign, hold note or rest |
| Finale |
1 - The final movement or section of a piece of music
2 - Music notation software |
| Fine |
The end |
| Flagelot (Ger) |
Harmonic |
 Flat |
A symbol which lowers the pitch of a note one semitone |
| Flute |
A member of the Woodwind family, whereby air is blown over a hole (rather like blowing over a bottle) and the air column changed by the use of keys.
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| Form |
The musical construction of a piece of music. Common forms include binary, ternary, rondo, sonata and theme & variation form |
| G |
The musical note G, or the major chord based on G |
 G clef |
Also known as Soprano clef, denotes fourth line as G above middle C |
| Gemächlich (Ger) |
Comfortable |
| Glissando |
Sliding between two notes |
| Glockenspiel |
Percussion instrument, consisting of an array of metal bars of high pitch struck with mallets |
| Grandioso |
Grand, majestic |
| Grazioso |
Graceful |
| Guitar |
Plucked or strummed string instrument, either acoustic or electronic. Usually played with a plectrum, or pick
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Top of Musical Terms |
| H (Ger) |
B natural |
| Half note (US) |
A minim |
| Harmon mute |
Brass instrument mute, creates a halo of sound but soft with the stem in, darker with the stem out |
| Harmony |
The sounding of two or more tones simultaneously; the vertical aspect of music |
| Hertz |
Unit of frequency, number of vibrations per second. 'A' above middle C is 440 Hz |
| Hervortretend (Ger) |
Prominently |
| Hi-hat |
Pair of cymbals mounted on a stand, played with a stick and foot pedal. Part of the drumkit |
| HOB |
Hand Over Bell - in jazz brass playing, a direction to cover the bell with your hand and darken the tone without using a mute |
| Holzschlägel (Ger) |
Wooden mallet |
| Hymn |
Religeous song, often based on words from the Bible |
| Interval |
1 - The difference in pitch between two tones.
2 - A break between halves in a concert |
| Intonation |
The difference in pitch between your instrument and the ideal. Playing with good intonation is being "in tune" |
| Intrada |
A prelude |
| Inversion |
1 - Chord played a degree of the arpeggio higher: C major 1st inversion is E-G-C
2 - Melody turned upside-down |
| Jazz |
A musical style developing in New Orleans in the early 20th century, which combines elements of African, European and American music. |
| Jeu de timbres (Fre) |
Glockenspiel |
| Jubiloso |
Jubilant |
| Jump swing |
Form of jazz: very fast swing. There is a resurgence of this dance style across the world today |
| Jusq'à la fin (Fre) |
Until the end |
| Keyboard(s) |
1 - term for synthesiser
2 - Instruments notated with a double stave or Grand staff, including piano, harp, celeste, harpsichord, pipe organ and sometimes marimba |
| Key signature |
The sharps or flats placed at the beginning of the staff or stave to denote the scale upon which the music is based |
| Kick drum |
The lowest drum of a drum kit, operated with a foot pedal |
| Kit |
Shortened term for a drumkit |
| La |
In sol fa, the sixth note in the scale starting on Do |
| Lâcher (Fre) |
To loosen (snare drum) |
| Lamento |
Sad |
| Langsam (Ger) |
Slow |
| Lebhaft (Ger) |
Lively, fast |
| Ledger lines |
Short lines placed above and below the stave for pitches beyond the range of the stave |
| Legato |
Articulation marking: smooth, connected |
| Léger (Fre) |
Light, graceful |
| Leggiero |
Light, graceful |
| Leider (Ger) |
Songs, usually referring to 19th century German art song |
| Les (Fre) |
The |
| Liberamente |
Freely |
| Libretto |
A book containing the words to an opera or vocal work |
| L'istesso tempo |
The same time e.g. changing from 2/4 to 6/8 with the pulse staying the same |
| Lointain (Fre) |
Distant |
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