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Music Terms Glossary

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music terminology

Browse the A-Z glossary of music terminology, complete with definitions, pronunciations and the meaning of each music term broken down in layman's terms. Learn the terms, become a pro in conversation.

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A Cappella

A Cappella is singing without any instrumental accompaniment.

Accelerando

Accelerando refers to a gradual increase in tempo in music.

Acciaccatura

Acciaccatura is a grace note performed as quickly as possible before an essential note of a melody.

Accidental

An accidental is a music notation symbol that raises or lowers the pitch of a note.

Accompagnato

Accompagnato is a music term denoting a dramatic solo vocal passage with the orchestral accompaniment.

Accompany

In music, accompany refers to playing a background or additional music to support the main musical part or vocal.

Accordion

The accordion is a musical instrument with bellows and metallic reeds, played by compressing or expanding the bellows.

Acoustic

Acoustic refers to the sound produced through natural means or instruments without amplification.

Acoustics

Acoustics is the study of how sound behaves in an environment.

Action

In music, action refers to the playability of an instrument, specifically the distance between the strings and the fretboard.

Adagio

Adagio is a tempo marking in music indicating a slow pace.

Adiagietto

Adiagietto refers to a tempo of music that is slower than andante but faster than adagio.

Affettuoso

Affettuoso is an Italian term in music meaning to play in a tender or affectionate manner.

Affrettando

Affrettando is a music term often used to indicate a passage to be played at an increased speed.

Agitato

Agitato is a musical term indicating that the music should be played in a hurried or agitated manner.

Air

In music, 'Air' refers to the melody or tuneful part, usually the most memorable aspect of a piece.

Allegretto

Allegretto is a tempo marking used in music to indicate a moderately quick speed.

Allegro

Allegro is a musical term which means 'fast, quickly and bright'.

Altissimo

Altissimo refers to the highest register of wind instruments, beyond their typical range.

Alto

Alto is the second highest vocal range in four-part choral music, typically sung by females.

Analogue

Analogue in music refers to sound recorded or reproduced by non-digital means.

Andante

Andante is a musical term meaning at a walking pace.

Animato

Animato is a musical term from Italian, meaning with animation, lively or spirited.

Anthem

An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems.

Antiphon

An antiphon is a choral piece of music sung responsively in liturgical service.

Arabesque

Arabesque is a musical piece signifying ornate design and intricate patterns.

Aria

An aria is a long song accompanying a solo voice typically in an opera or oratorio.

Arpeggio

An arpeggio is a chord whose notes are played in succession rather than simultaneously.

Arrange

In music, to arrange means to adapt a composition for performance with instruments or voices other than those originally specified.

Baby Grand

A Baby Grand is a smaller, more compact version of a grand piano.

Bagatelle

Bagatelle is a short, light piece of music, typically for piano.

Bagpipe

A musical instrument using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in a bag.

Ballet

Ballet is a highly technical form of dance accompanied by classical music.

Banjo

A banjo is a stringed musical instrument with a long neck and round body.

Bar

A bar is a segment of time in musical notation, usually indicated by vertical lines in a musical score.

Baritone

Baritone is the vocal range between tenor and bass, or a singer with this range.

Baroque

Baroque is a period of music style that originated from the 17th-18th century, known for its complex compositions and emotional intensity.

Bass

Bass refers to the low-frequency sounds in music.

Bassoon

A bassoon is a long, woodwind instrument with a distinctive deep tone.

Baton

A baton is a thin stick used by conductors to direct a musical performance.

Beat

A beat is the basic unit of time in music.

Beats Per Minute (BPM)

BPM is a measure of musical tempo.

Bis

Bis is a musical term used to indicate a passage should be repeated.

Blues

Blues is a genre of music characterized by its melancholic sound and expressive, often depressing lyrics.

Body

In music, "body" refers to the resonance and fullness of a sound or tone.

Bongo

A pair of small, open-bottomed drums of different sizes that are played by using the hands.

Bow

A bow is a device used to play string instruments like violin, viola, and cello.

Brass

Brass is a type of wind instrument made from metal that produces sound through vibration of the lips.

Bridge

In music, a bridge is a contrasting section in a song connecting the verse and chorus.

Broken Chord

A broken chord is a chord played one note at a time, rather than simultaneously.

Cadence

Cadence is a sequence of notes or chords that brings a piece of music to a close.

Cadenza

A cadenza is an elaborate, solo passage in a piece of music, typically near the end.

Calando

Calando is a musical term referring to gradually diminishing volume of the music and slowing the tempo.

Canon

A contrapuntal compositional technique that employs a melody with one or more imitations played after a given duration.

Cantor

A cantor is a person who leads the singing of a choir or congregation in a synagogue or church.

Caprice

Caprice is a piece of music characterized by sudden changes in rhythm, dynamics or tempo.

Carillon

A bell instrument, typically found in a tower, played from a keyboard.

Carol

A carol is a song or hymn usually sung during Christian holiday celebrations.

Castanets

Castanets are a percussive instrument used in flamenco and other forms of Spanish music.

Celeste

Celeste is a musical instrument known for its distinctive bell-like sound.

Cello

A cello is a large, four-stringed instrument played with a bow in the violin family.

Celtic Harp

The Celtic harp is a square, wire-strung instrument that played a crucial role in the ancient Celtic culture.

Chamber Music

Chamber music is a type of classical music composed for a small group of instruments.

Chanson

Chanson is a French word meaning song, specifically referring to a lyrical, melody-driven French song or a medieval and Renaissance courtly love song.

Choir

A choir is a group of people who sing together in a performance.

Choral

Choral refers to music performed or written for a choir.

Chords

Chords are a group of 3 or more musical notes played together, creating harmony.

Choreography

Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in dance, especially in ballet and other stage dances.

Chromatic

In music, chromatic refers to a scale or a melody that comprises all twelve pitches of an octave.

Clarinet

A clarinet is a woodwind instrument with a slender tube and a flared end, played by means of finger holes and keys.

Classical

Classical refers to a style of music composed from the late 18th to early 19th centuries.

Claves

Claves are a percussion instrument comprising two short wooden sticks, used primarily in Latin music.

Clavichord

A clavichord is an early stringed instrument that produced sound by striking brass or iron strings with tangents.

Clef

A clef is a musical symbol that indicates the pitch of the written notes.

Coda

The concluding passage of a piece or movement of music.

Common Time

A time signature common in Western music, notated as 4/4 where there are 4 beats in each measure.

Concert

A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience.

Concord

Concord in music refers to an arrangement of sounds that is pleasing to the ears.

Conduct

In music, conduct refers to the act of directing a musical performance through visible gestures.

Cornet

A cornet is a brass instrument somewhat similar to a trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore.

Count In

A count in is a preparatory signal in music indicating the start of a piece or phrase.

Crescendo

Crescendo is a musical term referring to a gradual increase in volume or intensity.

Crotchet

A crotchet is a musical note having one-fourth the time value of a whole note.

Da Capo

Da Capo is a musical term which means "from the beginning" in Italian.

Damper Pedal

A damper pedal is a device on a piano used to sustain the sound of the keys.

Decibel

A unit of measurement for sound intensity or loudness.

Didgeridoo

A didgeridoo is a long, wooden wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians.

Dim

Dim is a term used in music to denote a gradual decrease in volume or intensity.

Diminished

A diminished chord is a chord that consists of a minor third and a diminished fifth.

Discord

Discord in music refers to a combination of notes that sound harsh or unpleasant together.

Dissonance

Dissonance is a tension or clash resulting from the combination of two disharmonious or unsuitable elements in music.

Dolce

Dolce is a musical term meaning "sweetly and softly."

Dominant

In music, "Dominant" refers to the fifth tone of a diatonic scale.

Dot

A dot in music symbolizes a length increase in a note or rest by half its original value.

Double Bar Line

A "Double Bar Line" marks the ending of a section or piece of music.

Double Bass

A double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra.

Double Flat

A double flat in music is a symbol that reduces the pitch of a note by two semitones.

Double Sharp

A double sharp is a musical symbol that raises the pitch of a note by two semitones.

Down-stroke

A stroke made in a downward motion often with a pick or hand in the realm of music.

Downbeat

Downbeat is the first beat in a measure of music.