What Are Some Music Vocabulary Terms?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,
  • accelerando. accent. adagio. Aeolian mode. allegretto. …
  • bar. bass. beat. blues. breath mark.
  • cadence. canon. cantabile. chord. …
  • da capo. decrescendo. demisemiquaver. diatonic. …
  • eighth note. eighth rest. espressivo.
  • fermata. fifth. fine. flag. …
  • grandioso. grave.
  • half note. half step. harmonic major. harmonic minor.

What are the main musical terms?

  • List of

    Musical Terms

    :
  • A cappella – singing without any instruments.
  • Adagio – slow.
  • Allegro – to play



    brisk and happily, sometimes fast.
  • Alto – high pitched, an alto voice is lower than a soprano, but higher than a tenor.
  • Andante – moderate tempo or pace of

    music

    .

What are the 5 musical terms?

  • Instrumentation. The term instrumentation describes how and when instruments are used in a piece of music. …
  • Rhythm and Tempo. …
  • Melody and Harmony. …
  • Dynamics. …
  • Chords. …
  • Using These Terms (and others) …
  • Supported by: Drew Silverstein and Michael Hobe.

What are 3 music terms?

Musical term Definition / meaning Language adagietto rather slow (faster than adagio) Italian ad libitum the marked passage can be played freely (“at choice”) Italian agitato agitated Italian alla breve with a minim beat, for example in cut-common or 2/2 time Italian

What is the musical term for slow?


ADAGIO

. When a piece of music specifies the tempo — or speed — as “adagio,” it should be played slowly, at approximately 65-75 beats per minute (b.p.m.) on a metronome. “Adagio” can also be used as a noun to refer to any composition played at this tempo.

What are the 12 elements of music?

  • Sound (overtone, timbre, pitch, amplitude, duration)
  • Melody.
  • Harmony.
  • Rhythm.
  • Texture.
  • Structure/form.
  • Expression (dynamics, tempo, articulation)

What is the build up in music called?

Development, or buildup?

Crescendo

is when the music gets louder. Development is nearer to what you ask. Though this technique does occur in “composed” music – Ravel's “Bolero” and (in reverse) Haydn's “Farewell” symphony – it's more typical of music “constructed” in a sequencer.

What does BAR mean in musical terms?

In music theory, a bar (or measure) is

a single unit of time containing a specific number of beats played at a particular tempo

. Bars are designated by vertical bar lines that run perpendicular to the staff, indicating the beginning and end of the bar.

What keeps the beat in music?

Composers and conductors often use

a metronome

as a standard tempo reference—and may play, sing, or conduct to the metronome. The metronome is used by composers to derive beats per minute if they want to indicate that in a composition.

What does Z mean in music?

The z is

a buzz roll on a snare drum

. Reply.

What is Sempre legato?

:

always

—used in music directions sempre legato.

What is a sudden stop in music called?

In classical music tradition such a dramatic break in the music (not so much a false ending) is called a grand pause,

a caesura

, or very informally, railroad tracks. … A caesura is typically a shorter break that often happens abruptly.

What is the word for gradually slower?

Getting gradually slower

Calando

Softer and slower Ritardando (ritard., rit.) Retarding the speed Ritenuto (riten.)

What letter comes after G in music?

After the final G note, the sequence begins again:

A, B, C, D, E, F, G

; A, B, C, D, E, F, G; and so on. Most instruments are able to produce a large enough range of notes to repeat this seven-note sequence several times. The distance between any two notes with the same letter name is called an octave.

What indicates a slow tempo?


Largo

—the most commonly indicated “slow” tempo (40–60 BPM) Larghetto—rather broadly, and still quite slow (60–66 BPM) Adagio—another popular slow tempo, which translates to mean “at ease” (66–76 BPM)

What are the 13 elements of rhythm?

  • Introduction.
  • Elements of rhythm. Beat. Tempo. Rubato.
  • Time.
  • Metre. Rhythmic metre. Polyphonic metre.
  • Organic rhythm. Prose rhythms and plainsong. Rhythm, melody, and harmony. Rhythm, structure, and style.
Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.