| Mächtig (Ger) |
Mighty, powerful |
| Maestoso |
Majestically |
| Marcato |
Emphasized, heavily accented |
| Martellato |
Articulation marking: "hammered" |
| Mässig (Ger) |
Moderately |
| Measure (US) |
Bar |
| Meno mosso |
Less motion |
| Mi |
In sol fa, the third note of the scale starting on Do |
 Minim |
Half a semi-breve, two crotchets |
 Minim rest |
Rest for above |
| Mit dämpfer (Ger) |
With mute, like con sord |
| mit großem Ton (Ger) |
With great tone, with lots of passion, like espressivo |
| Modulation |
The process of changing from one key to another within a composition |
 Natural |
A musical symbol which cancels a previous sharp or flat |
| Net (Fre) |
Clean, clear |
| Niente |
Nothing |
| Nocturne |
Slow, dreamy night piece, often for solo piano |
| Non troppo |
Not too much |
| Obbligato |
Necessary. Opposite of ad libitum |
| Offen (Ger) |
Open |
| Ohne dämpfer (Ger) |
Without mute, like senza sord |
| Opera |
A musical drama where the words are sung, not spoken |
| Ophecleide |
Brass instrument, French ancestor of the tuba |
| Orchestra |
Large group of classical instrumentalists, traditionally comprising strings, woodwind, brass and percussion. |
| Ostinato |
Repeated phrase, often in the bass as an accompaniment |
| Percussion family |
Instruments made of sonorous material that produce sounds of definite or indefinite pitch when shaken or struck, including drums, rattles, bells, gongs, and xylophones |
| Pesante |
Heavy |
| Phrase |
A relatively short portion of a melodic line which expresses a musical idea, comparable to a line or sentence in poetry |
| Piano |
1 - Keyboard instrument, whereby strings are struck by hammers. Can be classified as keyboard, percussion or strings!
2 - A dynamic marking |
| Pizzicato |
"Pinched." On string instruments, plucking the string |
| Plunger mute |
Brass instrument mute, also called "wah-wah" mute. Usually the rubber end to a plumber's plunger with the stick removed |
| Poco |
Little. Used with other terms, e.g. poco accel., also, poco a poco, little by little |
| Poco piu mosso |
A little more motion |
| Prelude |
"Play before." An introductory movement or piece |
| Quarter note (US) |
A crotchet |
| Quartet |
A piece for four performers |
| Quasi |
almost, as if |
 Quaver |
Half a crotchet, an eighth of a semi-breve |
 Quaver rest |
Rest for above |
| Quintet |
A piece for five performers |
| Rallentando |
Slow down gradually |
| Re |
In sol fa, the second note of the scale starting on Do |
| Renaissance |
The period c. 1450-1600 |
| Retenu (Fre) |
Slowing down |
| Ritardando |
Slow down suddenly |
| Ritenuto |
Slow down suddenly |
| Ritmico |
Rhythmically |
| Rondo |
A musical form consisting of 5 sections, usually designated A B A C A |
| Round |
Like the canon, a song in which two or more parts having the same melody, starting at different points |
| Rubato |
Flexibility of tempo to achieve expressiveness |
| Ruhig (Ger) |
Calmly |
| Saxophone |
Member of the Woodwind family, whereby air is blown over a single reed and the air column length changed by a series of keys.
|
| Schnell (Ger) |
Quickly |
 Segno |
"Sign." |
| Sehr (Ger) |
Very |
 Semibreve |
Half a breve, two minims, four crotchets |
 Semibreve rest |
Rest for above |
 Semiquaver |
Half a quaver, a quarter of a crotchet |
 Semiquaver rest |
Rest for above |
| Sempre |
Always. Used with other terms, e.g. sempre staccato |
| Semplice |
Simple |
| Senza |
Without |
| Senza sord |
Without mute |
| Septet |
A piece for seven performers |
| Sforzando |
Sudden strong accent on a note or chord |
 Sharp |
A symbol which raises the pitch of a note one semitone |
| Simile |
An indication to continue in the same manner |
| Sixteenth note (US) |
A semiquaver |
| Slur |
A curved line placed above or below two or more notes of different pitch to indicate that they are to be performed in legato style |
| So |
In sol fa, the fifth note of the scale starting on Do |
| Sol fa |
A system of note-names and hand signs used in the sight reading and learning of music, where Do can be the tonic of any scale. The other degrees of the scale are Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, and Ti |
| Sonata |
1 - A composition of several movements, usually for piano or solo instrument and piano
2 - A musical form with a specific, complex plan
|
| Sonatine |
Smaller version of the above |
| Soprano |
Female higher voice range |
| Soprano clef |
Another name for the G clef |
|
| Sordino |
Mute |
| Sourdine (Fre) |
Mute, like sordino |
| Staccato |
Detached sounds, indicated by a dot over or under a note. The opposite of legato |
| Staff or Stave |
Five perpendicular horizontal lines upon which music is written |
| Straight mute |
Brass instrument mute, creates a bright, piercing sound. The main mute used in classical music |
| Streicher (Ger) |
Strings |
| String family |
Instruments with strings that produce sound when plucked, bowed, or struck, including violin, viola, violoncello, double bass, harp and guitars |
| Subito |
Suddenly |
| Sul |
On the e.g. sul A "on the A string" |
| Symphony |
1 - large scale work of several movements, usually for orchestra
2 - In reference to an orchestra, e.g. the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra |
| Syncopation |
Accent on an unexpected beat |
| Tacet |
Silent, do not play |
| Tempo |
The rate of speed in a musical work |
| Tempo primo |
Return to the original tempo |
| Tenor |
Male higher voice range |
| Tenor clef |
The C clef falling on the second line |
| Tenuto |
Articulation marking: hold to full value |
| Ternary |
A musical form consisting of three sections with the third being a return of the first, usually designated A B A |
| Theme & variation |
A musical form consisting of a theme with a set of variations |
| Ti |
In sol fa, the seventh note in the scale starting on Do |
| Tie |
A curved line connecting two or more notes of the same pitch. The first pitch is held for the duration of the notes affected by the tie |
| Time signature |
Explains how many beats in a bar, and what they consist of |
| Tonic |
The root note or key note of a scale |
| Tranquillo |
Tranquil, calm |
| Transposition |
The process of changing the key of some music |
| Treble |
Young child soprano, usually associated with boys |
| Treble clef |
Another name for the G clef |
| Trés (Fre) |
Very |
| Triad |
A chord of three tones arranged in thirds |
| Trill |
A musical ornament performed by the rapid alternation of a given note with a major or minor second above |
 Triplet |
A group of three notes performed in the time of two of the same kind |
| Trombone |
An instrument from the Brass family, whereby an air column is lengthened and shortened by a slide.
|
| Troppo |
Too much e.g. "ma non troppo" not too much |
| Trumpet |
An instrument from the Brass family, whereby an air column is lengthened and shortened by using valves to direct air flow through extra tubing.
|
| Tuba |
A bass instrument from the Brass family, whereby an air column is lengthened and shortened by the use of valves.
|
| Turn |
A musical ornament including a rapid movement and return to the given note |
 |
| Tutti |
All. A direction for the entire ensemble to sing or play simultaneously |
Top of Musical Terms |
| Und (Ger) |
And |
| Unison |
Singing or playing the same notes by all singers or players, either at exactly the same pitch or in a different octave |
| Un peu (Fre) |
A little |
| Un poco |
A little |
| Una corda |
One string. In piano music, depress the damper pedal |
| Vibrato |
Repeated fluctuation of pitch |
| Violin |
Member of the String family, whereby a bow is drawn across tuned strings to produce sound waves amplified in a sound box. Highest (and most numerous) string instrument in the orchestra.
|
| Violoncello |
Member of the String family, whereby a bow is drawn across tuned strings to produce sound waves amplified in a sound box. Tenor voice of the family, played sitting down.
|
| Vocal score |
Score of vocal work with the accompaniment reduced to two-stave piano part for rehearsal |
| Voce |
Voice |
| Volti subito |
Turn (the page) quickly. Often shortened to V.S. |
| Waltz |
A dance in triple time, with the accent on the first beat of the bar |
| Whammy bar |
Tremolo arm on a guitar |
| Whole note (US) |
A semi-breve |
| Whole tone scale |
A scale comprised of whole tones |
 |
| Woodwind family |
Instruments, originally made of wood, in which sound is produced by the vibration of air, including recorders, flutes, clarinets, saxophones, oboes, and bassoons |
| World music |
Generic term for music of non-Western, ethnic or folk origin |
| Xylomarimba |
Percussion instrument combining features of the xylophone and the marimba |
| Xylophone |
Percussion instrument consisting of a row of wooden bars corresponding to a keyboard, played with different sorts of mallets |
| Yellow brass |
Standard alloy in the manufacture of brass instruments, consisting of roughly 70% copper and 30% zinc |
| Yidaki |
Another name for the didjeridu |
| Yodel |
Tyrloen singing style where the singer quickly alternates between chest voice and falsetto |
| Zacht (Dutch) |
Soft |
| Zählzeit (Ger) |
beat, as in beats in a bar |
| Zart (Ger) |
Soft |
| Zeitlich (Ger) |
In time, strict |
| Zeitmaß (Ger) |
Tempo |
| Zierlich (Ger) |
Graceful, elegant |
| Zither |
Folk instrument with many regional variations with a box-like body, with many strings stretched over the top. Can be played by hand, with sticks or a plectrum |
| Zornig (Ger) |
Angrily |
| Zu (Ger) |
Too |
| Zunehmend (Ger) |
Increasing, like crescendo |
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