Music Vocabulary Accelerando – gradually increase the tempo Accent – Attack the note louder Accidentals – Sharp, flat or natural Alla Breve – Same as cut time Allegretto – light and lively; slightly slower than Allegro Allegro – Quick and lively Andante – moderately slow Andantino – Faster than Andante, but not a fast as Moderato Articulation – Type of attack used to play a note or group of notes Bar Line – Divides the music staff into measures Breath Mark – take a breath Cantabile – in a singing style Chord – Two or more pitches sounded at the same time Chromatic Scale – scale of half steps Common Time – same as 4/4 time Countermelody – a less important melody that can be played along with the main melody. Crescendo – gradually play louder Cut Time – A time signature indicating two counts in each measure, the half note gets one count. Da Capo al Coda – Go back to the beginning and play until the coda sign. When you reach the coda sign, skip to the Coda. Da Capo al Fine – Go back to the beginning and play until the Fine Dal Segno al Fine – Go back to the “dal segno” sign and play until the Fine Decrescendo – Gradually play softer Divisi – part of the section plays the top notes and part of the section plays the bottom notes Dolce – Sweetly Double Bar – Marks the end of the music Dynamics – loudness and softness of music Embouchure – mouth formation used to play an instrument Enharmonic – two notes, which are written differently but sound the same pitch Fermata – Hold note or rest longer than its usual value st​
nd​
st​
1​
and 2​
Endings – Play 1​
ending first time through; then, repeat music, skip first ending, nd​
and play 2​ ending Flat – lowers a pitch of a note ½ step Forte – Loud Forte­piano – loud, then immediately soft Fortissimo – very loud Grace Note – a small­size note played just before the note to which it is attached. Grazioso – Gracefully Harmony – Two or more different notes played or sung at the same time Interval – Distance between two notes Introduction – Section of music that precedes the first theme Key Signature – Sharps or flats stated right after the clef; key signatures change certain notes throughout a piece of music. Larghetto – Not as slow as Largo Largo – Slow Ledger Line – short lines used to extend the staff Long Rest – rest the number of measures indicated Measure – Space between two bar lines; also know as a “bar” Mezzo Forte – Medium Loud Mezzo Piano – Medium soft Moderato – moderate speed Natural – cancels a flat or sharp One­Measure Repeat – Repeat the previous measure Phrase – musical thought or sentence Piano – Soft Pianissimo – Very soft Pick­up Note(s) – note or notes that come before first full measure Repeat Sign – Repeat from beginning or repeat section of music between repeat signs Ritardando – Gradually slow the tempo Scale – Collection of pitches arranged from lowest to highest or highest to lowest Sforzando ­ accented Sharp – Raises the pitch of a note ½ step Simile – Continue playing in the same manner. Slur – Curved line that connects two or more notes of different pitches Soli – Whole section plays Solo – One person plays Sostenuto – Sustained Staccato – a dot placed above or below note meaning to play short and detached Staff – Lines and spaces on which music is written Syncopation – a rhythmic effect, which places emphasis on a weak or unaccented part of the measure Tempo – Speed of Music Tenuto – a line placed above or below note meaning to sustain for full value Texture – the character of a composition as determined by the relationship of its melodies, countermelodies, and/or chords Tie – Curved Line that connects two notes of the same pitch; tied notes are played as one unbroken note Time Signature – Top number tells you number of counts in each measure; bottom number tells you the type of note that receives one count. Treble Clef – G Clef; read by flute, oboe, clarinets, saxophones, trumpet, French horn, and mallet percussion Trill – a rapid alternation from the written note to the note above it in the key of the piece. Tutti – Everyone plays Unison – Everyone plays same notes and rhythms Variation – repeated musical idea, which has been slightly changed in some way from the original.