Glossary words list 4/27/17, 8)18 AM

8va
A score marking indicating the part is to be played an octave above the written notes.

8vb
A score marking indicating the part is to be played an octave below the written notes.

A cappella
Choral music with no instrumental accompaniment.

a2, a3, a4
An indication of how many instruments in an orchestral section should play the following part. (e.g., in a
French horn section, a2 indicates that two horns should play the part; a3 indicates three horns, etc.)

Accelerando
A speeding-up of the music's tempo.

Accent mark
An accent mark (>) over a note indicates that the note should be played with a strong attack or
articulation.

Alla breve
Double time or cut time. A tempo indication that in 4/4 time the half note rather than the quarter note
represents one beat.

Alto
A low female voice.

Amplitude
Loudness or volume level.

Anacrusis
Upbeat. One or more notes played before the bar line. (See, also, \"Downbeat.\")

Anticipation
A melodic tone from the second of a pair of chords that is heard before the complete second chord is
heard. The Anticipaton falls on a non-accented beat.

Appoggiatura
A melodic tone that falls on an accented beat and is approached by leap but resolved by step.

Arco
For stringed instruments, bowing in the normal fashion (i.e., bowing with the hair of the bow).

Arpeggio
The notes of a chord played consecutively (melodically) instead of simultaneously (harmonically).

Aural
Relating to the ear.

Baritone
A mid-range male voice (lower than the tenor but higher than the bass).

Bass
A low male voice.

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Bitonality
Two musical keys occurring simultaneously.

Caesura mark
The caesura mark ( // ) instructs the performer to pause or break the regular rhythm of the music.

Chord
Three or more notes sounding simultaneously.

Chord Progression
a series of chords, one proceeding to another

Chromatic
Melodic motion in half-steps.

Clef
A symbol appearing at the beginning of a staff of music that indicates the orientation of notes appearing
on the lines and spaces of that staff.

Compound interval
An interval larger than an octave (e.g., a 9th, an 11th or a 13th)

Concert pitch
Concert pitch is the actual sounding pitch of a note. For example, piano music is written in concert pitch.
So, when a composer writes the note Middle C on a piano score, the performer plays Middle C. (see
\"Transposing Instrument\" for related information).

Consonance
Interval relationships such as 3rds, 6ths and octaves that create a relatively pleasant, comfortable or
\"pretty\" sound.

Contrapuntal
Music created using counterpoint. (See \"Counterpoint\".)

Copy of Sampled Sound

Sound recorded digitally for playback on electronic instruments, computers or other digital playback
devices.

Counterpoint
Two or more musical lines of relatively equal importance that sound simultaneously.

Crescendo
Increase in volume.

Decrescendo
Decrease in volume.

Detache
For stringed instruments, a passage of music where every note alternates between an up-bow and a
down-bow.

Diatonic
A natural scale comprised of five whole steps and two half steps. The seven historic modes (Ionian,
Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian) are diatonic scales.

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Diminished 7th chord

Chord built from minor 3rds, generally rooted on the 7th note of the scale. Often functionally
interchangeable with Dominant 7th chord.

Dissonance
Interval relationships such as 2nds and 7ths that create a relatively discomforting or unpleasant sound.

Div.
Divide or split the part as equally as possible among members of an orchestral section such as the first
violins.

Dominant fifth chord

A major triad rooted on the fifth note of the scale. The dominant fifth chord wants to resolve to the tonic
chord a perferct fifth below.

Double
To double a part is to have one instrument play the same part as another instrument. This can either be
an exact unison in the same octave or in another octave.

Double stop
For stringed instruments, two or more notes played simultaneously. The musician bows more than one
adjacent string at once.

Down-bow
For stringed instruments, a bow stroke commencing near the heel of the bow and proceeding toward the
point. The down-bow is typically used for downbeats and accents.

Downbeat
Notes occuring on the first beat of a measure.

Enharmonic
The same note spelled differently. (e.g., B-flat and A-sharp are different musical spellings of the same
note. Since B-flat equals A-sharp, these two notes are \"Enharmonic\".)

Escape
A melodic tone that falls on an un-accented beat and is approached by step but resolved by leap.

Extension
A chord tone above the octave. (e.g., a 9th, an 11th or a 13th is an extension.)

Fanfare
A triumphal musical passage, usually of a ceremonial or military nature, played by brass instruments.

Fermata mark
The fermata symbol instructs the performer to hold a note or rest longer than the written value of that
note or rest.

Forte
A dynamic marking indicating that the following music is to be played Loudly.

Fortimssimo
A dynamic marking indicating that the following music is to be played Very Loudly.

Frequency

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Pitch. Number of vibrations or cycles per second of a sound.

Fundamental
The lowest tone of a harmonic overtone series.

Glissando
Sliding across a series of notes. A piano player performs a glissando by dragging her thumb or finger over
a series of notes. A harpist performs a similar effect by dragging the thumb or finger over a series of
strings. The term Glissando is often used interchangeably with Portamento. (See, also, Portamento.)

Grace note
Grace notes have a smaller appearance than regular notes in a score. Grace notes are connected to
regular notes with a slur marking. The grace note is of very brief duration. It is performed slightly ahead of
the beat of the note to which it is slurred.

Harmonic
One of a series of frequencies heard above the fundamental or lowest tone of an overtone series.

Harmonic Interval
Interval whose notes are struck simultaneously.

Harmonic-artificial (strings)

Harmonic-natural (strings)

Harmony
The simultaneous sounding of notes in a chord. Also, the chordal structure of a piece of music.

Hertz
In a sound wave, the number of cycles per second.

Homophonic
Music in which one dominating melody is combined with a chordal background texture.

Interval
The distance between two notes.

Inversion
A reordering of the notes of a chord so that the root is not written or performed as the chord's lowest
tone.

Jete
For stringed instruments, ricochet bowing. In a downbow direction, the bow bounces off the string when
playing each note.

Leap
A melodic interval larger than a Major 2nd.

Legato
An indication that the musical phrase or part is to be performed smoothly, without breaks.

Legato bowing
Playing all of the notes of a phrase with one bow stroke (i.e., without changing direction of the bow).

Loco

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An instruction in a musical score that indicates the performer should return to playing in the written octave
after having been instructed, via an \"8va\" or \"8vb\" marking, to play in a different octave.

Marcato
A marcato mark above a note indicates that the note should be stressed with a very strong attack. (The
attack for a marcato note is stronger than the attack for a note written with an accent > mark.) Marcato
notes are played in a detached, almost staccato fashion. The precise interpretation of a note marked
marcato depends on the musical context.

Martele
For stringed instruments, on-the-string staccato. The bow remains on the string but notes are played with
a pronounced separation (staccato) by alternating directions of the bow.

Melodic Interval
Interval whose notes are played consecutively rather than simultaneously.

Melody
A grouping of notes played successively rather than simultaneously.

Metronome
A mechanical device used to audibly tap out time. Musicians use metronomes during practice or rehearsal
to help them keep proper time. They can listen to the pulse on the metronome while singing or playing an
instrument.

MezzoForte
A dynamic marking indicating that the following music is to be played Moderately Loudly.

MezzoPiano
A dynamic marking indicating that the following music is to be played Moderately Softly.

mf
(See MezzoForte.)

MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface: MIDI is the computer language electronic keyboards, sound units
and computers employ to communicate with one another.

Mode
Any of the seven historic natural scales (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and
Locrian).

Modulation
Change of key or shifting of key center. (e.g., a shift from the key of A Major to the key of B Major).

Motif
A melodic fragment, shorter than a theme, that repeats throughout a composition or a section of a
composition.

mp
(See MezzoPiano.)

MP3
A computer file format that compresses audio files to under 10% of their original size while retaining near
\"cd quality\" sound.

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Neighboring tone
A melodic tone placed between two soundings of chordal tones of the same pitch. It is approached and
resolved by step. It generally falls on an un-accented beat.

Non-chordal tone
(See \"Non-harmonic tone\")

Non-harmonic tone
Non-chordal. A melodic tone that is not part of the underlying chord that is currently sounding. (See also,
Appoggiatura, Escape tone, Neighboring tone, Anticipation, Suspension.)

Orchestrate
Arrange music for any combination of instruments.

Ostinato
A short melodic phrase or pattern that constantly repeats.

Overtone series
A series of overtones (a/k/a partials) or harmonics heard, in lower volume, above the fundamental tone of
a sound.

Parallel minor
The minor key that has the same root as a major key. (i.e., \"c minor\" is the Parallel minor of \"C
Major.\")

Partial
Harmonic or overtone. (See \"Overtone series.\"

Passing tone
A melodic tone that connects two notes of different pitch. It is approached by step and resolved by step
and can occur on accented or un-accented beats.

Pedal point
(a/k/a \"Pedal\") A tone sustained and/or repeated, usually in the bass register, while chords change in the
registers above.

Pedal tone
Pedal tone - a single tone, usually in the bass, that is either held or repeated while chords change in the
accompanying musical parts. The pedal tone might be an actual note found in some of the chords as they
change, but it as just as likely to be a non-chord tone.

Pianissimo
A dynamic marking indicating that the following music is to be played Very Softly.

Piano
A dynamic marking indicating that the following music is to be played Softly.

Piatti
Crash Cymbals

Pitch
The highness or lowness of a sound. Specifically, the frequency (vibrations per second) of a sound. Also,
the position of a tone in a scale.

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Pizzicato
For stringed instruments, the plucking of the strings with the finger.

Poco
A small amount; slightly; somewhat.

Poco a poco
Little by little; gradually.

Portamento
Gliding between two melodic notes in a constant pitch change without specifically articulating any of the
intervening notes, as when a string player slides her finger up or down a string while bowing that string.
The term Portamento is often used interchangeably with Glissando.

Portato
For a stringed instrument, a sequence of notes, each played with a slight separation, on one bow stroke.

Quartal harmony
A harmonic structure in which chords' notes are spaced a perfect 4th apart.

Relative minor
The minor key whose root is found on the 6th step of a Major scale. (i.e., the 6th step of a C Major scale is
the note \"a.\" Therefore, \"a minor\" is the relative minor of \"C Major.\") The relative minor key shares
the same key signature with its relative Major key.

Ritard
A slowing of the music's tempo.

Root - of a chord
The note upon which a chord is built.

Root - of a scale
The first note of a scale.

Sampled Sound
Sound recorded digitally for playback on electronic instruments, computers or other digital playback
devices.

Sequencer
A software program or electronic musical device that records and plays back multitrack MIDI information.

Sforzando
A dynamic marking indicating that the note or chord is to be played with a sudden, loud attack.

sfz
See, Sforzando.

Slur mark
Phrase mark.

Slurred staccato
For stringed instruments, on-the-string staccato. The bow remains on the string but notes are played in
one bow direction with a pronounced separation similar to Portato but with greater separation.

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Snap pizzicato
For stringed instruments, plucking the string with such force that it snaps back against the fingerboard.

Soprano
A high female voice.

Sound wave
A series of positive-to-negative vibration cycles that produce sound.

Spiccato
For stringed instruments, off-the-string-staccato. The player bounces the bow lightly off the strings.

Staccato
Non-legato. An indication that the musical note, or each note of a phrase or part, is to be cut short rather
than sustained until the next note.

Staff
A musical staff consists of five horizontal lines. Each of those lines represents a musicalpitch, as do the
spaces between each of those lines.

Stave
Musical staff. The term \"stave\" is often used interchangeably with the term \"staff.\"

Step
An interval of a minor 2nd (half step) or Major 2nd (whole step).

Subito
Suddenly

Suspension
A non-chordal tone sustained from the previous chord. The tone \"suspends\" above the expected chordal
tone and creates a degree of tension that craves resolution to that chordal tone 1 step or 1/2 step below.

Syncopation
\"Off the beat\" rhythmic accents that deviate from the steady, predictable beats of a measure.

Tempo
The pace or speed of the music.

Tenor
A high male voice.

Tenuto mark
A tenuto mark (-) above a note indicates that the note should be slightly stressed but should be held for
its full duration.

Theme
A melody that serves as a foundation, a unifying factor and source of material for variations within a
composition.

Timbre
Tonal color or quality that distinguishes the nature or source of one sound from another. A sound's timbre
is determined by the relative volumes of tones in its overtone series. (See, also, \"Overtone Series\".)

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Tonguing
For woodwind and brass players, the use of the tongue to articulate quick staccato notes.

Tonic
The first note of a scale.

Tonic chord
A triad rooted on the first note, or Tonic, of the scale.

Transposing Instrument
An instrument for which music is written in another key or octave than the actual sound. (e.g., a French
Horn sounds a Perfect 5th lower than it is written.)

Tremolo
For stringed instruments, rapid up and down bow strokes on a single note which give a shimmering effect.

Triad
A three-note chord. In root position, each pitch of a triad is a 3rd higher than the pitch below it.

Trill
Rapidly alternating notes, either a minor 2nd or a Major 2nd apart

Tritone
An interval of an augmented 4th or diminished 5th. A tritone interval spans three whole steps (six 1/2
steps).

Tutti
An indication that a part is to be played by the full orchestra or full ensemble.

Up-bow
For stringed instruments, a bow stroke commencing from the point of the bow and proceeding toward the
heel.

Upbeat
One or more notes played before the bar line. (See, also, \"Downbeat\".)

Vamp
A repetitive rhythmic figure, usually one to four bars long, similar to the rhythmic groove of a pop song.
The vamp always consists of a bass pulse that often combines with a complementary accompaniment
figure in several other instruments for the purpose of creating a forward momentum that supports the
theme.

Velocity
\"Volume level\" in MIDI parlance.

Voicing
The arrangement of notes in a chord.

WAV file
A digital audio file format. WAV files are uncompressed and therefore quite large compared to compressed
formats such as MP3 or WMA.

Whole Tone Scale

A six-note scale consisting entirely of whole steps.

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WMA file
Windows Media Audio. A compressed digital audio file format.

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