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Glossary of Musical Terms

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  1. Articulation Terms (27)
  2. Beginner Musical Terms (117)
  3. Dynamics Terms (71)
  4. Expression Terms (59)
  5. French Musical Terms (105)
  6. German Musical Terms (86)
  7. Italian Musical Terms (137)
  8. Musical Terms A - Z (463)
  9. Tempo Terms (173)

8va

8vb

15ma

15mb

à l'aise

à la harpe

a piacere

a tempo

a tempo di menuetto

à volonté

(au mouvt.) au mouvement

abnehmend

(accel.) accelerando

accélérer le mouvement

accélérez

accent

accidental

accent prononcé

accentato

accentué

accompagnato

action

adagietto

adagio

adagissimo

(ad lib.) ad libitum

aerophone

affectueusement

affettuoso

affrettando

agile

agitato

Akzidens

al coda

al fine

al niente

alla breve

allant

alla marcia

allegretto

alongez
The French musical term "alongez" affects the tempo of the music; learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of alongez. View Musical Terms A - Z or View All Rhythm & Tempo Terms.

allegrissimo

allegro

(allarg.) allargando

allegretto appassionata

allmählich

amoroso

anacrusis

andante

andantino

animato

animez

anschwellend

anwachsend

arpeggiato

arpeggio

articulation

assez doux

assez fort

assez lent

assez vite

attacca

bass clef

augmented interval

(aug7) augmented seventh chord

(aug/M7) augmented major seventh chord

augmentez

bar

barline

bass staff

beat

beats per minute (BPM)

bent side

beschleunigend

bewegt

bird's eye

bémol
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French musical term "bémol."

brace

bracket

breiter

breiter werdend

bridge

brillante

brio

brioso

broken chord

breit

broken octave

bruscamente

calando

capo

cédez

choir

chord

chordophone

clef

coda

come prima

comme à la harpe

comme un echo lointain

common time

con affetto

con amore

con brio

con espressione

concert pitch

concertino

concerto

concerto grosso

(cresc.) crescendo

cut time

D.C. al coda

D.C. al fine

D.S. al coda

D.S. al fine

da capo

dal niente

dal segno

dampers

de plus en plus doux

de plus en plus fort

début

decay

decrescendo

détaché

devenir

devenir moins fort

devenir plus fort

diminished interval

(dim7) diminished seventh chord

(°maj7) diminished major seventh chord

double-flat

double-sharp

(dim.) diminuendo

disposition

dolce

dolcissimo

(7) dominant seventh chord

F-clef

dotted note

double barline

doucement

douloureux

doux

downbeat

du signe

duplet

empfindung

en accélérant

en animant

G-clef

en croissant

en décroissant

en diminuant

en élargissant

en ralentissant

en retardant

erstes Zeitmass

espressivo

estinto

etwas lebhafter

ein wenig schnell

etwas zurückhaltend

expressif

extrêmement doux

flat

extrêmement fort

extrêmement vif

fermata

en modérant

feurig

interval
Learn about musical intervals. Half steps, whole steps, and octaves are all musical intervals, which are fundamental elements of musical composition. Learn the different musial intervals and browse musical terms A - Z.

fifth

final barline

fine

flat five chord

fliessend

fort

fort-doux

fort suivi de doux

(f) forte

(fp) fortepiano

(ff) fortissimo

ledger line

(fff) fortississimo

frisch

gänzlich ersterbend

extrêmement large

Generalpause

gesangvoll

grand staff

geschwind

great stave

halblaut

halbleise

halbstark

(ø) half-diminished seventh chord

half step

fröhlich

hammer

hand stop

harmony

gehend

gemässigt

Haupttempo

Hauptzeitmass

immer langsam

indication de mouvement

grave

irrational rhythm

jouer en mesure

jusqu'à la fin

key

legato

key signature

keynote

kräftig

langsamer

laut

lauter

lebhafter

natural

légèrement retenu

Leidenschaft

leise

leiser

lid

lieblich

lointain

lourdement

langsam

Luftpause

lentement

largamente

Large

largo

(MD) main droite

(M.D.) mano destra

lebhaft

(MG) main gauche

(M.S.) mano sinistra

maestoso

major chord

major scale

larghetto

(M2) major second

(Maj7) major seventh chord

manual

measure

lentissimo

lento

légèrement

melody

loco

larghissimo

meter

metronome

mässig

(mf) mezzo forte

(mp) mezzo piano

mi-doux

mi-fort

middle C

minor chord

minor scale

leicht

(min7) minor seventh chord

(m/M7) minor/major seventh chord

mit grossem Ton

mittellaut

mittelleise

mittelstark

moins fort

moins vif

morendo

mouvement

movement

nicht zurückhaltend

non troppo

note

note beam

sharp

octave

off-beat

ottava

parallel key

pastorale

moderato

modéré

(P5) perfect fifth

(P4) perfect fourth

peu à peu

(p) piano

(pp) pianissimo

(ppp) pianississimo

plectra

plus doux

plus en plus doux

plus en plus fort

plus fort

plus lentement

plus vite

poco a poco

premier mouvement

presto

treble clef

quadruplet

quintuplet

ralentissez

(rall.) rallentando

range

rank

rapide

ravalement

register

relative key

repeat bar

repeat sign

rest

rester bien en mesure

retardez

retenu

retour au mouvement

reverse keyboard

rhythm

rhythm dot

(rfz) rinforzando

(rit.) ritardando

(riten.) ritenuto

rolled chord

root note

rubato

scale

schneller

ruhig

segno

semitone

très vif

très vite

sehr ruhig

septuplet / septimole

seventh

seventh chord

(7♭5) seventh flat five chord

(7♯5) seventh sharp five chord

sextuplet / sestolet

(sfz) sforzando

short octave

(smorz.) smorzando

schnell

vif

soundboard

speaking-length

spine

vite

staccatissimo

staccato

staff

stark

stärker

subito

(sus) suspended chord

süss

tempo

tempo primo

texture

third

tie

timbre

time signature

tone

tranquillo

transposing keyboard

treble staff

très doucement

très fort

triad

triplet

tuplet

upbeat

verbreiternd

verlangsamend

assai
Learn the meaning, pronunciation & multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term "assai," and see how it's used in piano music.

tempo giusto
Learn the meaning, pronunciation & multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical phrase "tempo giusto," and see how it's used in piano music.

verringernd

scherzando
Learn the meaning, pronunciation & multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term "scherzando" (or "scherzosamente") and see how it's used in piano music.

semitono
Learn the meaning, pronunciation & multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term "semitono," and see how it's used in piano music.

Violinschlüssel
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German musical term & symbol 'Violinschlüssel.'

misterioso
Learn the meaning, pronunciation & multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term "misterioso," and see how it's used in piano music.

più
Learn the meaning, pronunciation & multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term "più," and see how it's used in piano music.

meno
Learn the meaning, pronunciation & multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term "meno," and see how it's used in piano music.

Auflösungszeichen
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German musical term & symbol 'Auflösungszeichen.'

bécarre
The French musical term bécarre is a musical symbol written alongside a note to change its pitch. Learn the meanings of "bécarre," and learn about accidentals in piano music.

molto
Learn the meaning, pronunciation & multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term "molto," and see how it's used in piano music.

altération
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French musical term "altération."

G-Schlüssel
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German musical term & symbol 'G-Schlüssel.'

sempre
Learn the meaning, pronunciation & multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term "sempre," and see how it's used in piano music.

(♯) dièse
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French musical term "dièse."

Bassschlüssel
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German musical term & symbol 'Bassschlüssel.'

double dièse
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French musical term 'double dièse.'

double bémol
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French musical term 'double bémol.'

Be
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German musical term "Be."

F-Schlüssel
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German musical term & symbol 'F-Schlüssel.'

Kreuz
Learn the meaning, pronunciation & multilingual synonyms of the German musical term 'Kreuz.'

Bindebogen
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German musical term & symbol 'Bindebogen.'

Doppelkreuz
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German musical term 'Doppelkreuz.'

Doppel-Be
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German musical term 'Doppel-Be.'

tranquillamente

alterazione
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term "alterazione."

verzögernd

diesis
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term "diesis."

bemolle
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term "bemolle."

vigoureusement

doppio diesis
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term 'doppio diesis.'

vivace

aisément
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms for the French tempo term 'aisément.'

lent
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French tempo command 'lent.'

rapidamente
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian tempo command 'rapidamente.'

bequadro
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term "bequadro."

rasch
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German tempo command 'rasch.'

rapidement
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French tempo command 'rapidement.'

doppio bemolle
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical term 'doppio bemolle.'

grave
The Italian musical term "grave" is pronounced "graah-vay." Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian tempo command 'grave.'

schwer
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German tempo command 'schwer.'

gemächlich
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German tempo command 'gemächlich.'

tranquillement
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French tempo command 'tranquillement.'

volta bracket

tranquille
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French tempo command 'tranquille.'

prestissimo
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian tempo command 'prestissimo.'

extrêmement rapide
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French tempo command 'extrêmement rapide.'

äusserst schnell
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German tempo command 'äusserst schnell.'

largement
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French tempo command 'largement.'

lento assai
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian tempo command 'lento assai.'

wachsend

werdend

whole step

wie vorher

äusserst breit
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German tempo command 'äusserst breit.'

très lent
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French tempo command 'très lent.'

très large
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French tempo command 'très large.'

allègre
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French tempo command 'allègre.'

assez large
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French tempo command 'assez large.'

allegro moderato
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian tempo command 'allegro moderato.'

etwas breit
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German tempo command 'etwas breit.'

Zeitmass

ziemlich

largo assai
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian tempo command 'largo assai.'

zurückhaltend

leggiero
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical command 'leggiero.'

très rapide
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the French tempo command 'très rapide.'

vivacissimo
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian tempo command 'vivacissimo.'

leggermente
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical command 'leggermente.'

leggerissimo
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian musical command 'leggerissimo.'

double-accidental
Learn how double-accidentals are used in music; why they're necessary, and the symbols used to mark double-sharps, double-flats, and double-naturals on the staff.

andante moderato
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian tempo command 'andante moderato.'

molto allegro
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the Italian tempo command 'molto allegro.'

lustig
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German tempo command 'lustig.'

sehr breit
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German tempo command 'sehr breit.'

ziemlich ruhig
Learn the meaning, BPM, pronunciation, and multilingual synonyms of the German tempo command 'ziemlich ruhig.'

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