Music Vocabulary List
NOTE: Words are listed by the grade level when students are expected to be familiar with and use the words
conversation/discussion. Vocabulary is often introduced in earlier grades. This is by no means a comprehensive
list.
Kindergarten
Fast or Slow
High or Low
Long or Short
Loud or Soft
Mallets
Music
Play
Puppet
Sing or Speak
Steady beat
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 4
ABA Form
Bar line
Coda
Contour
Dynamics
Harmony
Introduction
Major/Minor
Measure
Melody
Metal Family
Musician
Ostinato
Percussion
Rondo Form
Skin Family
Tempo
Timbre
Vibration/Sound Waves
Voice
Wood Family
Grade 5
AB Form
Ballet
Echo
Glissando
La
Mallets
Mi
Phrase
Poem
Rhyme
Rhythm
Sol
Song
Grade 3
Accent
Accompaniment
Boomwhacker
Conductor
D. C. al Fine
Fermata
Glockenspiel
Instrument
Interlude
Lines and Spaces
Metallophone
Participate
Pitched Percussion
Question and Answer
Recorder
Round
Scale
Staff
Star-Spangled Banner
Treble Clef
Un-pitched Percussion
Xylophone
Brass Family
Choir
Chord
Concert
Crescendo
Decrescendo
Ensemble
First and Second Endings
Interval
Meter
Orchestra
Performance
String Family
Syncopation
Woodwind Family
Alto
Bass
Improvise
Meter
Mixed Meter
Partner Song
Soprano
Tenor
Theme and Variations Form
Largo
Adagio
Andante
Moderato
Allegro
Presto
Accelerando
Reitardando
Slur
Sharp
Flat