Music Terms
Order by
88 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Breath mark | slight pause |
| Grand Pause | brief, silent pause (time is not counted) |
| Common Time | 4/4 |
| Cut Time | 2/2 |
| Metronome Mark | defines the tempo |
| Tie | two notes joined together are played as one note |
| Slur | two notes played in one stroke |
| Legato | notes played with no gaps |
| Glissando/Portamento | continuous glide from one note to the next |
| Pianissimo | very soft |
| Piano | soft |
| Mezzo-piano | half as soft as piano |
| Mezzo-forte | half as loud as forte |
| Forte | loud |
| Fortissimo | very loud |
| Sforzando | forced |
| Crescendo | gradual increase in volume |
| Decrescendo | gradual decrease in volume |
| Staccato | shorter notes |
| Staccatissimo | longer silence after the note |
| Accent | note is played louder |
| Marcato | note is played much louder |
| Left-hand pizzicato/ Stopped note | note plucked with left hand |
| Snap pizzicato | note is snapped against fingerboard |
| Natural harmonic/ Open note | natural harmonic is to be played |
| Tenuto | note to be played for full value without silence between notes or a slight accent |
| Fermata | indefinitely-sustained note |
| Up bow/ Sull'arco | bow is drawn upward |
| Down bow/ Gui arco | bow is drawn downward |
| Tremolo | rapidly-repeated note |
| Repeat signs | passage is to be played more than once |
| Simile marks | groups of beats or measures to be repeated |
| Volta brackets | repeated passage is to be played in different ways |
| Da capo | repeat to the beginning of the song |
| Dal segno | repeat starting at the nearest segno |
| Segno | mark used with dal segno |
| Coda | forward jump in the song to ending passage |
| Prestissimo | extremely fast |
| Presto | very fast |
| Vivace | lively and fast |
| Allegro | fast and bright, "march tempo" |
| Allegro moderato | moderately quick |
| Moderato | moderately |
| Andante | walking pace |
| Tranquillo | tranquil |
| Adagio | slow and stately |
| Grave | slow and solemn |
| Lento | very slow |
| Modéré | moderate tempo |
| Vif | lively |
| Vite | fast |
| Rapide | fast |
| Trés | very |
| Langsam | slowly |
| Lebhaft | lively |
| Schnell | fast |
| Assai | very, very much |
| Con brio | with vigor or spirit |
| Con moto | with movement |
| Non troppo | not too much |
| Non tanto | not so much |
| Molto | much, very |
| Poco | slightly, little |
| Piú | more |
| Meno | less |
| Poco a poco | little by little |
| Agitato | agitated |
| Dolce | sweetly |
| Giocoso | merrily |
| Maestoso | majestic or stately |
| Morendo | dying |
| Sostenuto | sustained |
| Scherzando | playful |
| Vivace | lively and fast |
| Accelerando | speeding up |
| Allargando | slowing down |
| Meno mosso | less movement |
| Mosso | movement |
| Piú mosso | more movement |
| Rallentando | slowing down |
| Ritardando | slowing down |
| Ritenuto | slightly slower |
| Rubato | free adjustment of tempo |
| Stretto | rushing ahead |
| Stringendo | pressing on faster |
| Subito | suddenly |
| Poco | a little |
| Molto | a lot |
First Time Here?
Welcome to Quizlet, a fun, free place to study. Try these flashcards, find others to study, or make your own.