This post is the ultimate list of musical terms. Use the Table of Contents to zoom around, or CTRL+F/CMD+F to find the term you’re looking for.
Of any artistic discipline, music has some of the most complex and varied terminologies, from a bevy of fancy Italian words to essential slang tossed around in jazz circles.
Understanding these terms will not only help you produce better music but “speak the language” to other musicians.
Let’s start with the “#”s. 🙂
Table of Contents
A glossary of musical terms (and their definitions)
#
- 20th Century Music: music composed during the 20th century, characterized by a wide range of styles and techniques, including avant-garde, experimental, and electronic music.
A
- A cappella: without instrumental accompaniment
- ABA form: a musical form consisting of three sections: A, B, and A. The first and last sections are identical or very similar, while the middle section is contrasting
- Accelerando: speeding up
- Accent: emphasis on a note
- Accidental: a note that is not part of the prevailing key
- Acoustic: relating to musical sounds that occur naturally without artificial amplification
- Adagio: slow and stately (often applied to movements)
- Aeolian: the natural minor scale (technically mode)
- Afterbeat: accent that falls on the beat after the stressed one
- Al fine: Italian for “to the end,” indicating that the performer should continue playing until reaching the final barline or the word “fine” in the music
- Allegretto: moderately fast
- Allegro: fast, lively
- Alto range: the range of notes that can be sung or played by an alto voice or instrument
- Andante: at a moderate walking pace
- Antiphon: musical setting of a text that is sung by two choirs in alternation
- Appoggiatura: musical ornament consisting of a grace note that is one degree higher or lower than the main note.
- Arpeggio: musical ornament consisting of a chord broken into individual notes, played one after the other
- Arrangement: musical setting of a particular piece of music, often for a different combination of instruments
- Articulation: a musical direction that indicates how notes are to be played in relation to one another
- Audio signal: a signal that carries sound information, such as music or speech, usually in the form of an electrical or digital signal
- Atonal: without a key center
- Atonal music: music that lacks a tonal center or key and does not follow traditional harmonic rules
- Attack: the beginning of a note (in synthesis, the initial slope of the waveform generated when a key is pressed)
B
- Bar: an informal term for a measure
- Baritone: lowest male voice
- Baroque: the baroque period was a musical from 1600-1750, characterized by complex counterpoint and elaborate ornamentation. Baroque music often has highly stylized forms and ornate arrangements.
- Bass: lowest musical range, the bass clef is used for the notation of notes in this range
- Bass line: the lowest part of a musical composition or accompaniment, usually played by a bass instrument or sung by a bass voice
- Basso continuo: a form of musical accompaniment used in the Baroque period, consisting of a bass line played by a bass instrument (such as a cello) and a keyboard instrument (such as a harpsichord) playing chords and harmonies above the bass line
- Beat: the musical pulse that divides time into equal divisions
- Block chords: a type of chordal accompaniment where all the notes of the chord are played simultaneously (in “chord order”), rather than broken up or arpeggiated
- Body percussion: using different parts of the body, such as clapping, snapping, or stomping, to create rhythmic patterns or beats.
- BPM: beats per minute, a measure of tempo
- Brass bands: a type of musical ensemble consisting primarily of brass instruments, often accompanied by percussion.
- Brass instruments: a family of musical instruments made of brass, such as the trumpet, trombone, and tuba.
- Broken chord: a type of chordal accompaniment where the notes of the chord are played one at a time, rather than all together.
- Bridge: contrasting section that “bridges” the gap between the verse and chorus of a song
C
- Cadence: a musical phrase that comes to a rest
- Call and response: musical form consisting of a melodic phrase (the call) answered by another (the response), used often in jazz and blues music.
- Canon: musical composition in which a melody is imitated by one or more voices at a fixed interval
- Cantata: a musical composition for voices, usually with orchestra
- Capo: a device used on the neck of a stringed instrument to raise the pitch of the strings, allowing the instrument to be played in a different key
- Cardioid: a microphone pattern that is sensitive to sound sources directly in front of the mic, while rejecting noise
- Cello: a large string instrument, played with a bow
- Chamber music: music written for a small ensemble of instruments
- Chant: simple, repetitive melody sung without accompaniment
- Chord: two or more notes played simultaneously
- Chorus: the main melodic refrain of a song
- Chromatic scale: a scale consisting of all twelve pitches of the Western chromatic system, in ascending or descending order
- Classical music: a broad term referring to the music of the Western classical tradition, spanning from the Middle Ages to the present day
- Clef: a musical symbol placed at the beginning of a staff that determines the pitch of the notes
- Cluster: a group of notes played close together, often discordantly
- Coda: a musical section that brings a piece to a close
- Common time: musical notation in 4/4 time
- Comping: rhythm guitar style that uses chords to “fill in” the spaces around the main melody
- Composer: a person who writes music
- Concert: a musical performance before an audience
- Conductor: a person who leads an orchestra or choir
- Consonance: musical harmony that is pleasing to the ear
- Contralto: the lowest female voice
- Contrapuntal: musical texture consisting of two or more melodic lines
- Copla: a musical form consisting of three sections, A-B-A
- Copyist: a person who copies musical scores by hand
- Counter melody: a secondary melody played or sung simultaneously with the main melody, often creating harmonic or rhythmic tension and interest
- Counterpoint: the relationship between two or more melodic lines
- Crescendo: a gradual increase in volume
- Cut time: musical notation that indicates that two beats should be played in the time of three
- Cycle: a musical form consisting of several movements or pieces that are played in succession
D
- Da Capo: musical notation indicating that a piece should be repeated from the beginning
- Dal Segno: musical notation indicating that a piece should be repeated from the sign
- Decay: the gradual fading of a sound (in synthesis, the release stage)
- Decrescendo: a gradual decrease in volume
- Delay: an audio effect that repeats the input signal after a short period of time
- Detune: to slightly adjust the pitch of a note
- Diatonic: relating to the major or minor scale
- Diatonic scale: a scale consisting of seven pitches arranged in a specific pattern of whole and half steps, commonly used in Western music
- Diminuendo: a gradual decrease in volume
- Dissonance: musical harmony that is harsh or unpleasant to the ear
- Dorian: the second mode of the major scale, which has a minor third
- Dotted half note: a half note with a dot next to it, indicating that it should be held for three beats instead of two
- Double stop: two notes played simultaneously on a string instrument
- Downbeat: the first beat of a measure
- Drone: a sustained note that is played in the background while other notes are played over it
- Duple: musical meter consisting of two beats per measure
- Duple meter: a time signature with two beats per measure, such as 2/4 or 6/8
- Dynamic instruction: a notation in sheet music indicating the relative loudness or softness of a musical passage, such as “piano” (soft) or “forte” (loud)
- Dynamic markings: the symbols used to indicate dynamics in sheet music, such as “p” for piano and “f” for forte.
- Dynamics: the volume of sound in music
E
- Eighth note/Eighth notes: a musical note worth one-eighth of a whole note
- English jig: a lively dance form in triple meter, commonly associated with English folk music and dance.
- Enharmonic: two notes that have the same pitch but are written differently in sheet music
- Ensemble: a group of musicians playing together
- Escape tone: a musical note that resolves dissonance by moving to a more stable note
F
- Fade: an audio effect that gradually decreases the volume of a sound
- Falsetto: a high-pitched male vocal range
- Fermata: musical notation indicating that a note should be held for a longer time
- Fifth: the musical interval between the first and fifth notes of a major or minor scale
- Final movement: the last section of a multi-movement piece of music, often serving as a grand finale or resolution to the preceding movements
- Flat: musical notation indicating that a note should be lowered by one semitone
- Flutter tonguing: a brass playing technique that produces a “fluttering” sound
- French horn: a brass instrument with a distinctive flared bell and long tubing, known for its rich, mellow tone and versatile range
- Form: the musical structure of a piece
- Forte: musical notation indicating that a note should be played loudly
- Fugue: a musical form consisting of the main theme and several variations
- Full choir: a choir consisting of all voice types, including soprano, alto, tenor, and bass
G
- Giocoso: musical notation indicating that a passage should be played in a light, playful manner
- Glissando: a musical technique in which notes are played in quick succession
- Glockenspiel: a percussion instrument consisting of a set of tuned metal bars
- Gong: a percussion instrument consisting of a large, circular metal plate
- Grace note: a musical note of very short duration
- Grand staff: the combination of the treble and bass staves in sheet music, commonly used for piano music and other keyboard instruments
- Grave: musical notation indicating that a note should be played very softly
- Grid: a network of vertical and horizontal lines used in musical notation
H
- Half note: a type of note with twice the duration of a quarter note, usually represented by an open notehead
- Half–step: the smallest musical interval in Western music
- Harmonics: overtones that are produced when a note is played
- Harmony: the simultaneous sounding of musical notes
- Head voice: a vocal range between chest voice and falsetto
- Hemiola: a musical effect created by playing three notes in the time of two
- Homophonic: musical texture consisting of a single melody with accompaniment
- Hook: a catchy musical phrase that is easy to remember
I
- Improvise: to make up music spontaneously
- Interlude: a musical passage that occurs between two main sections of a piece
- Intro: an introductory musical section
J
- Jazz standard: a musical composition that is widely known and often performed in jazz
- Jazz: a musical style that originated in the United States in the early 20th century
K
- Key: the tonal center of a piece of music
- Key signature: musical notation at the beginning of a piece that indicates the key
L
- Lead sheet: a musical composition consisting of melody, lyrics, and chord symbols
- Ledger lines: short lines added above or below the staff in sheet music to indicate notes that are outside the range of the staff
- Leitmotif: a musical phrase that is associated with a particular character or idea
- Legato: musical notation indicating that notes should be played smoothly and without interruption
- Locrian: the seventh and final mode of the major scale, which has a minor second
M
- Major scale: a musical scale with seven notes, consisting of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and major seventh
- Male alto: a male singer with a high range, similar to that of a female alto
- Measure: a unit of musical time containing a certain number of beats
- Melisma: a musical technique in which a single syllable of text is sung over multiple notes
- Melody: a succession of musical notes that create a recognizable tune
- Meter: the rhythmic structure of a piece of music, consisting of a certain number of beats per measure
- Mezzo forte: Italian for “moderately loud,” indicating a dynamic level between mezzo piano and forte
- Mezzo piano: Italian for “moderately soft,” indicating a dynamic level between piano and mezzo forte
- Mezzo-Soprano: a female singer with a range between soprano and alto, often considered the middle voice of the female voice types
- Middle ages: a period in Western history lasting from approximately the 5th to the 15th century, characterized by significant cultural, political, and social changes
- Middle range: the middle portion of a voice or instrument’s range, often considered the most versatile and expressive
- Middle C: the musical note in the middle of a piano keyboard
- Minor scale: a musical scale with seven notes, consisting of a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh
- Mixolydian: the fifth mode of the major scale, which has a major seventh
- Modulation: a change in musical key
- Monophonic: musical texture consisting of a single melodic line
- Motif: a short musical phrase that is repeated or used as a basis for variation
N
- Natural: musical notation indicating that a note should not be sharp or flat
- Neapolitan chord: a musical chord consisting of a root, minor third, and major sixth
O
- Octave: the interval between two musical notes with the same name
- Orchestra: a large musical ensemble consisting of strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments
- Orchestral composition: a piece of music written for a full orchestra, typically including strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments
- Ottava: musical notation indicating that a section should be played an octave higher or lower
P
- Pentatonic scale: a musical scale with five notes, consisting of a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh
- Perfect fourth: the musical interval between two notes that are five scale degrees apart
- Phrygian: the third mode of the major scale, which has a minor second
- Polyphony: musical texture consisting of two or more independent melodic lines
- Polyrhythm: the simultaneous use of two or more conflicting rhythms
- Piano: musical notation indicating that a note should be played very softly
- Pizzicato: musical notation indicating that a string instrument should be plucked instead of bowed
- Polyphonic: musical texture consisting of two or more independent melodic lines
Q
- Quarter note: a type of note with half the duration of a half note, usually represented by a solid notehead.
- Quarter tone: an interval equal to one half of a half step or semitone, commonly used in microtonal music
R
- Rapid alternation: a technique in which a performer rapidly alternates between two notes or chords, often used in Baroque music
- Range: the span of musical notes that a performer can sing or play
- Recitative: musical composition in which the melody is accompanied by basic harmonic progressions
- Recurring motif: a short melodic or rhythmic pattern that appears multiple times throughout a piece of music, serving as a unifying element or musical theme
- Refrain: a phrase or verse that is repeated at the end of each stanza of a poem or song
- Register: a range of pitches within an instrument’s range
Relative major: the major key with the same key signature as a given minor key - Release: musical notation indicating when a note should be released
- Repeat: musical notation indicating that a section of music should be repeated
- Rhythmic notation: the written representation of rhythmic values in sheet music, including notes, rests, and time signatures.
- Riff: a musical phrase that is repeated throughout a piece
- Ritardando: musical notation indicating that the tempo of a piece should gradually slow down
- Root: the note from which a chord or scale is built
- Root note: the foundational note of a chord or scale, often used as a reference point for other notes and harmonies
- Rondo: a musical form consisting of a recurring main theme alternated with contrasting sections
- Run: a rapid succession of notes
- Rhythmic notation: the written representation of rhythmic values in sheet music, including notes, rests, and time signatures.
S
- Scale: a series of musical notes arranged in ascending or descending order
- Second inversion: a musical chord consisting of a root, major third, and minor sixth
- Sequence: a musical technique in which a melodic or harmonic pattern is repeated at a higher or lower pitch
- Sforzando: musical notation indicating that a note should be played with a sudden, strong accent
- Sharp: musical notation indicating that a note should be raised by one semitone
- Sharp note: a note raised by a half step or semitone, indicated in sheet music by the “#” symbol
- Slur: musical notation indicating that notes should be played smoothly and without interruption
- Solfege: musical notation in which each note of a scale is represented by a syllable
- Solo section: a portion of a musical composition in which a single performer or instrument is featured, often accompanied by other instruments or a backing track
- Song structure: the organization of a song’s musical elements, including verses, choruses, bridges, and other sections
- Soprano: the highest singing voice
- Spiccato: musical notation indicating that a string instrument should be played with a short, detached sound
- Staccato: musical notation indicating that notes should be played with a short, detached sound
- Staff: the five horizontal lines on which musical notes are written
- Strict time: a performance style in which the tempo and rhythm of a musical piece are adhered to strictly and precisely
- String instruments: musical instruments that are played by plucking or bowing the strings, such as the violin, cello, and double bass
- Subdominant: the fourth degree of the major scale
- Supertonic: the second degree of the major scale
- Sustain: musical notation indicating that a note should be held for its full value
- Syncopation: a musical technique in which accents fall on normally unaccented beats
T
- Tempo: the speed of a piece of music, typically measured in beats per minute
- Tempo marking: a notation in sheet music indicating the speed or pace of a musical passage, such as “andante” (moderate) or “allegro” (fast)
- Tenor: the musical range of the male voice between baritone and countertenor
- Tenuto: musical notation indicating that a note should be held for its full value
- Ternary form: musical form consisting of three sections, typically A-B-A
- Timbre: the quality of a musical sound that distinguishes different types of instruments or voices
- Time signature: musical notation at the beginning of a piece of music that indicates the number of beats in each measure and the type of notes that receive one beat
- Tonic: the starting note
- Traditional notation: the standard system of musical notation used in Western classical music, including symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation
- Treble: musical notation indicating that a note should be played an octave higher
- Treble clef: a symbol used in sheet music to indicate notes in the higher range, typically used for soprano and alto voices and high-pitched instruments such as the violin or flute
- Tremolo: musical notation indicating that a note should be played rapidly and repeated
- Triad: a musical chord consisting of a root, third, and fifth
- Trill: musical notation indicating that a note should be played with a rapid alternating sound
- Triple time: a time signature with three beats per measure, such as 3/4 or 9/8
- Triplet: musical notation indicating that three notes should be played in the space of two
- Tritone: an interval of three whole steps
- Turnaround: a musical phrase that signals the end of a section and the beginning of the next
- Tutti: musical notation indicating that all instruments should play together
U
- Unison: musical notation indicating that two or more notes should be played at the same time
V
- Verse: a stanza of poetry or song lyrics
- Vibrato: musical technique involving a slight oscillation of pitch
- Violin: a musical instrument played with a bow, typically held between the chin and shoulder
- Voice: musical notation indicating the range of notes to be sung by a particular performer or group of performers
- Vamp: musical phrase that is repeated over and over again
- Variation: musical composition in which a theme is repeated with changes
W
- Waltz: musical composition in 3/4 time
- Western classical music: the classical music tradition of Western Europe and the Americas, including music from the Middle Ages to the present day
- Whole note: musical notation equivalent to four beats in 4/4 time
- Whole rest: musical notation equivalent to four beats of rest in 4/4 time
- Whole step: an interval equal to two half steps or semitones, commonly used in Western music to refer to the distance between two adjacent notes on a keyboard or fretted instrument.
- Woodwind family: a family of musical instruments made of wood or metal with a reed or mouthpiece, such as the flute, clarinet, and saxophone
- Woodwind: a musical instrument played by blowing air across a reed or into a flute-like tube
X
- Xylophone: a musical instrument consisting of tuned wooden bars struck with sticks or mallets
Y
- Yodel: a musical technique involving rapid changes in pitch, typically used in folk music
Z
- Zigzag staff: musical notation used for percussion instruments
What did I miss?
Drop me a line and let me know what terms you’d like me to add to this list. Were it exhaustive, this list would probably be 6,000+ words.
Shoot me an email at matt [at] composercode [dot] com. 🙂