This music glossary is designed as a quick-reference guide for musicians at any level. Terms are listed alphabetically and written in clear, practical language to support students, educators, and performers. Use it to look up unfamiliar terminology, reinforce musical concepts, or review fundamentals as part of regular practice. New terms may be added over time as the resource grows.
A
Accent
A note that is emphasized or played with extra force.
Accidental
A sharp (♯), flat (♭), or natural (♮) sign that changes a note from its original pitch.
Accompaniment
Background music that supports the main melody.
Adagio
A slow tempo, typically used in expressive or lyrical music.
Allegro
A fast, lively tempo.
Andante
A walking tempo — moderate and steady.
Arpeggio
A chord played one note at a time instead of simultaneously.
Articulation
How a note is started and played (staccato, legato, accent, etc.).
B
Ballad
A slow, expressive song, often telling a story.
Bar Line
A vertical line that divides measures in written music.
Bass Clef
A clef used for lower-pitched instruments (trombone, tuba, bassoon, etc.).
Blend
Matching tone quality with other musicians.
Breath Mark (ˇ)
A symbol telling wind players or singers where to breathe.
Brass
A family of instruments made of metal and played with buzzing lips.
C
Cadence
A musical “punctuation mark” signaling the end of a phrase.
Canon
A melody that is imitated exactly after a delay (e.g., “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”).
Chord
Three or more notes played together.
Chromatic
Notes moving in half steps.
Coda
A special ending section.
Crescendo
Gradually getting louder.
D
D.C. al Fine
Go back to the beginning and stop at “Fine.”
Decrescendo
Gradually getting softer.
Dissonance
Notes that clash or create tension.
Dynamics
Volume levels in music (piano, forte, crescendos, etc.).
E
Encore
An additional performance at the end of a concert.
Ensemble
A group of musicians playing together.
Etude
A study piece designed to develop technique.
F
Fermata
A symbol meaning “hold the note longer than its value.”
Forte (f)
Loud.
Fortissimo (ff)
Very loud.
Form
The structure of a musical composition.
G
Glissando
A continuous slide between pitches.
Grace Note
A quick ornamental note before the main note.
H
Harmony
Two or more notes sounding together.
Hemiola
A rhythmic pattern that temporarily shifts the pulse (e.g., 2 against 3).
I
Improvisation
Creating music spontaneously.
Interval
The distance between two notes.
J
Jazz
A music style built on swing rhythms, improvisation, and expressive tone.
K
Key Signature
Sharps or flats placed after the clef to indicate the scale of the music.
L
Legato
Smooth and connected.
Ledger Line
Short lines added to extend the staff.
M
Maestoso
In a majestic, stately style.
Measure
A unit of musical time separated by bar lines.
Melody
The main tune of a piece.
Meter
The grouping of beats (e.g., 4/4, 3/4).
Motif
A short musical idea that repeats and develops.
N
Natural
A sign that cancels a sharp or flat.
Notation
The system of writing music.
O
Octave
The distance between one pitch and the next time it appears (higher or lower).
Orchestra
A large performing group with strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion.
P
Pianissimo (pp)
Very soft.
Piano (p)
Soft.
Pitch
How high or low a note sounds.
Pizzicato
Plucking the strings instead of bowing (string instruments).
Q
Quarter Note
A note lasting one beat in common time.
R
Refrain
A repeated section, often the “chorus” of a song.
Ritardando
Gradually slowing down.
Rhythm
The pattern of long and short sounds in music.
S
Scale
A group of pitches in a specific order.
Sforzando (sfz)
A sudden, strong accent.
Staccato
Short and detached.
Syncopation
Emphasis on weak beats or off-beats.
T
Tempo
The speed of the music.
Tenuto
Hold or sustain a note for its full value.
Timbre
The tone color or quality of a sound.
U
Unison
Two or more musicians playing the same pitch.
V
Vibrato
A gentle fluctuation of pitch used to add warmth and expression.
Vivace
A lively, fast tempo.
W
Waltz
A dance in triple meter (3/4 time).
Woodwind
Instrument family including flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone.
X
Xylophone
A percussion instrument with wooden bars arranged like a piano keyboard.
Y
Yodel
A rapid alternation between chest voice and head voice.
Z
Zarzuela
A Spanish form of musical theater combining spoken word and singing.