| Term | Definition |
|---|
| accelerando | becoming faster |
| adagio | a slow tempo (at ease) |
| allegretto | a light cheerful fast tempo, slower then allegro |
| allegro | lively fast tempo |
| andante | a moderate, graceful tempo, between allegretto and adagio |
| arrangement | an adaptation of a composition |
| articulation | the degree to which notes are seperated or connected (staccato or legato) |
| bass | the lowest voice, instrument, or part |
| chord | three or more notes sounded simultaneously |
| crescendo | gradually growing louder |
| DC al fine | return to the beginning and play to the fine sign |
| decrescendo | gradually growing softer |
| diatonic | the notes indigenous to key in a major or minor scale |
| diminuendo | gradually getting softer |
| duple meter | a time signature with two beats per measure |
| dynamics | the degrees of loudness and softness |
| PP pianissimo | really soft |
| P piano | soft |
| mp mezzo piano | medium soft |
| mf mezzo forte | medium loud |
| f forte | loud |
| ff fortissimo | really loud |
| embellishment | ornamnets added to music |
| expression marks | symbols or explanations for musical interpretation |
| fermata | a hold or pause |
| form | the shape and order of music |
| genre | a distinct type of composition |
| harmony | the study of the structure, progression, and relationships of chords |
| improvisation | spontaneous composition |
| instrumentation | the art of composing orchestrating or arranging for an instrumental ensemble |
| interpretation | an expression of one's own character and style in a work |
| interval | the distance between notes |
| key signatures | the sharps or flats written on the staff at the beginning of a piece to indicate the key |
| legato | smooth |
| lyrics | the words to a song |
| major | greater used in music theory to describe intervals, chords and scales, HAPPY |
| measure | the space between bar lines |
| melody | an organized sequnce of single notes |
| meter | a framework for rythm determined by the number of beats, the time value of those beats, and the accents thereof |
| minor | lesser used to describe intervals chords and scales SAD |
| notation | written music indicating pitch and rhythm |
| octave | the interval between the first and eigth degrees of the diatonic scale |
| ostinato | a repeated musical figure, rhythmic pattern, or motive most often occuring in the bass line |
| pitch | the highness or lowness of a note, as determined by it frequency |
| posture | the way a student stand or sits while playing or singing |
| range | the notes from the lowest to the highest that an instrument may be capable of producing |
| repeat | the restatement of a passage |
| rhythm | divison of time the pattern of long and short note values in music |
| ritardando | delaying becoming gradually slower |
| slur | a curved line connecting two or more notes indicating that they are played legato |
| staccato | detached short seperated notes indicated by a dot above or below the note |
| markings | the indications of the pace of the music and the metronome markings |
| tempo | time the pace of the piece of music |
| tie | a curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch indicating they are played as one |
| tonal | pertaining to tone, key center or mode |
| tone | a note the basis of music |
| treble | the highest voice, instrument or part |
| ad libitum | at the performers discretion |
| affetuoso | tenderly |
| agitato | agitated |
| al fine | to the end usually with da capo or del segno |
| alla breve | double the tempo |
| allargando | getting slower |
| andantino | modification of andante either faster or slower |
| assai | very sometimes rather |
| a tempo | resume earlier tempo |
| attaca | continue withouth pause |
| brio con | with spirit or vigor |
| calando | getting weaker and slower |
| cantabile | singing songlike |
| col legno | with the wood of the bow |
| del segno | repeat from the sign |
| dolce | sweetly |
| espressivo | expressively |
| festivo | festive |
| fine | end |
| fuocco | with fire |
| giocoso | playful |
| glissando | sliding |
| grandezza | with dignitiy |
| grave | solemn, serious |
| gusto | with style |
| largamente | broadly |
| largo | slow dignigied tempo |
| leggiero | light |
| lento | slow |
| lo stresso tempo | the same speed |
| maestoso | majestic |
| marcando, marcato | marked |
| meno | less |
| mezza voce | half voice or half volume |
| mezzo | half |
| moderato | moderate tempo |
| molto | very |
| obbligato | indispensable part opposite of ad libitum |
| piu | more |
| poco | little |
| quasi | as if nearly |
| rallentando | gradually slowing |
| ritenuto | immediately slower |
| rubato | flexible melody against an inflexible accompaniment |
| scherzando | playfully |
| segue | continue without a break |
| semplice | simple |
| senza | without |
| sforzando | sudden accent |
| soli | melody with entire section |
| sostenuto | sustained smoothly |
| sotto voce | in a undertone |
| spiritoso | spirited |
| staccato | disconnected opposite of legato |
| staff | 2 parallel lines used in musical notation |
| tacet | silent |
| tenuto | long with stress |
| tremolo | rapid reiteration of a single pitch |
| trill | rapid alternation of notes |
| troppo | not too much |
| tutti | all |
| vivace | quick vivacious |
| volti subito | turn the page quickly |
Combine with other sets
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