Glossary
A music glossary you can read as well as look things up in — terms, people, genres, instruments and Chinese music, each defined in a sentence and linked to deeper reading elsewhere.
Coming soon
Tempo and Expression
- TeneramenteTenderly, with warmth and care
- SoaveGentle, sweet, without edges
- QuietoQuiet and still — yet still with direction
- MarzialeLike a military march — steady, with heavy downbeats
- LugubreA gloomy, mournful manner
- GioiosoA bright, joyful manner
- FeroceWith wildness and attack
- DrammaticoWith strong contrast and narrative tension
- DolorosoA manner of pain and grief
- CalmoCalm and even — neither rushed nor dragged
- BriosoWith vigour, sparkle and confidence
- AnsiosoA restless, anxious manner
- AnimandoBecoming more animated — often with a slight quickening
- Forte-PianoThe mark fp — loud, then immediately soft
- DiminuendoGradually getting softer — often abbreviated dim.
- CrescendoGradually getting louder — often abbreviated cresc.
- FortissimoThe dynamic mark ff — louder than f, but not a shout
- PianissimoThe dynamic mark pp — softer than p, still with a core
- Piano (dynamic)The dynamic mark p — soft, but not a fixed decibel level
- Sempre"Always" — sempre legato means legato throughout
- QuasiAs if, almost" — quasi una fantasia means "like a fantasia
- GiustoBack to the "right, proper" tempo or character
- BenThe modifier "well, fully" — ben marcato means strongly marked
- MisteriosoA veiled, mysterious colour — not slow motion plus pedal
- MarcatoMarking each note clearly — not the same as playing louder
- LeggieroLight without vagueness — control and clarity, not weakness
- GraziosoElegance of proportion and line — not slowness or sweetness
- GiocosoLight-hearted and teasing — playful rather than slapstick
- EnergicoEnergy through rhythmic thrust, not through staying loud
- DecisoAttack and rhythm must sound decided — not merely forceful
- Con BrioWith fire and dash — which is not the same as sheer speed
- AppassionatoPut heat into the phrase rather than piling on volume
- AnimatoBring the music to life — spirit first, speed second
- AgitatoRestless, unsettled delivery — not simply a faster tempo
- Ad LibitumThe performer decides the details — this is not the same as carelessness
- GrandiosoWith grand, expansive sweep — often matched by full forces and broad tone
- MaestosoWith majestic, stately bearing — often at a broad tempo
- ScherzandoPlayed in a joking, playful tone — not the same as fast
- A TempoBack to the earlier tempo, ending the freedom or the slow-down
- RallentandoGradually slower, often with a sense of broadening
- RitardandoGradually getting slower — often abbreviated rit.
- AccelerandoGradually getting faster — often abbreviated accel.
- SostenutoHold the sound for its full value — often with breadth
- Meno MossoSlower than before — usually a deceleration between sections
- Più MossoFaster than before — usually a clear instruction to speed up
- Con MotoA little more drive within the tempo — not a new tempo
- EspressivoPut the music's tone first, not just the right notes
- CantabileMake the instrument sing — phrases with a singer's breath
- DolceNot merely soft — a sweetened tone
- ForteThe dynamic mark f — loud, but not a fixed decibel level
- RubatoBorrowed time, paid back — local freedom over a steady pulse
- PrestoA very fast tempo, roughly 168–200 beats per minute
- LargoBroad and slow, roughly 40–60 beats per minute
- AndanteA walking pace, roughly 76–108 beats per minute
- AllegroA bright, lively tempo term — character before numbers
- AdagioA relaxed tempo term, roughly 66–76 beats per minute
- TempoHow fast the music goes — and the words a score uses to mark it
- DynamicsLoudness marks on the page describe relationships, not decibels
- AdagiettoA little faster than adagio, still unhurried and intimate
- AffettuosoWarmth of feeling carried in the sound itself — not a slower tempo
- AffrettandoA hurried acceleration, more urgent than a plain accelerando
- AmorosoTender, intimate warmth — not sugary sentimentality
- AssaiAn intensifier meaning very or much before a tempo or expression mark
- BravuraA character mark calling for brilliant, daring display
- CalandoGrowing softer and slower together, as if sinking away
- ComodoPlayed at a comfortable, unhurried pace, without strain
- Con animaGive the music a soul, not just momentum
- Con forzaForce from firm tone and direction — not constant banging
- Con graziaGrace as proportion and poise — not added ornament
- DelicatoA mark for delicate, finely shaded playing
- FlebileA weeping, faintly sorrowful tone
- FuocosoA fiery, impassioned mark with inner drive
- LanguidoA drooping, weary colour that must still hold the line
- MestoMournful without collapse; sorrow needs a shape
- MoltoThe commonest intensifier, pushing the following mark further
- MorendoLetting the sound die away at a phrase end, tempo easing with it
- Non TroppoSets a ceiling on a mark, meaning not too much
- PateticoPathos in the old sense — deep feeling, not self-pity
- PerdendosiFading while losing its outline, as if drifting out of earshot
- PocoA small-degree modifier meaning a little
- PossibilePushes a quality to the limit the player can reach
- ReligiosoDevout stillness — not slow motion with the volume down
- RisolutoFirmness after decision — not stiffness
- SemplicePlainness is not emptiness; it is saying things cleanly
- SmorzandoDamping the sound out, often on a chord or phrase ending
- StringendoTightening and quickening at once, often with a crescendo
- SubitoDemands a sudden change, without transition
- TranquilloA calm flow — not a standstill
- TroppoThe word for too much, which non troppo uses to cap a mark
- VivoLively and spirited, often qualifying allegro
Performance and Notation
- Con sordinoPlay with the mute on — less volume, a more distant colour
- Snap pizzicatoPluck so the string snaps back against the fingerboard
- Open stringA string sounded without fingering — bright and resonant, but no vibrato
- Double-stopTwo strings sounded together — intonation and bow balance exposed
- Col legnoStrike or draw the strings with the bow's wood — dry, wooden, percussive
- Sul tastoBow over the fingerboard for a soft, veiled, flute-like tone
- Sul ponticelloBow close to the bridge for a thin, bright, metallic colour
- Up-bowDraw the bow from tip back to frog — often for weak beats and pickups
- Down-bowDraw the bow from frog to tip — often, but not always, on a strong beat
- RinforzandoReinforce a note or a short passage — a push forward rather than a stab
- SforzandoA sudden burst of force on one note or chord — the attack, not the whole note
- TenutoHold every note for its full value with a little weight — not a detached stroke
- Flutter-TongueA rolled tongue in the airstream — a fluttering, gritty colour
- MuteA small device on the instrument — less volume, another colour
- HarmonicsMaking a string or air column sound an overtone — clear as a bell
- TremoloRapid repetition of one note, or rapid alternation of two
- VibratoA slight fluctuation of pitch that warms the sound
- PortamentoA goal-directed slide — expression rather than the notes passed through
- ArcoWith the bow — cancelling pizzicato
- SlurA curve over different pitches, marking legato or phrasing
- TieJoining two notes of the same pitch into one longer note
- Repeat SignTwo barlines with dots — play the enclosed passage again
- Da CapoD.C. — go back to the beginning, often "until Fine"
- AccidentalSharp, flat and natural — changing one note on the spot
- OctaveTwo notes an octave apart — heard as the same pitch class at two heights
- ClefThe sign at the start of a staff that fixes which pitch each line and space means
- TrillA rapid alternation with the note above — not a vibration
- GlissandoSliding from one note to another — whether the notes in between count depends on the instrument
- PizzicatoPlucking the string instead of bowing it
- AccentMake one note stand out — not necessarily by being louder
- FermataHold a note or rest longer — how long is the performer's call
- LegatoNo gap between notes — one unbroken line
- StaccatoPlay the note short and detached — not necessarily fast
- Time SignatureHow many beats to a bar, and which note gets the beat — written after the clef
- 8vaPlay the passage an octave higher; a dotted line shows how far it applies
- Alla BreveThe "short" style of taking the half note as the beat, often synonymous with cut time
- Basso ContinuoThe Baroque rhythm section — a bass line plus an improvised chordal layer
- Chord ChartChords and sections only — no melody, no written accompaniment
- Clef ChangeA mid-staff change of clef that keeps notes in the staff and cuts ledger lines
- CodaThe closing stretch of a piece, and the sign that sends the player there
- Common Time4/4 — four quarter-note beats to the bar, usually written with a C
- Concert PitchThe pitch actually heard — the reference for transposing instruments
- Courtesy AccidentalA repeated accidental added as a reminder, not required by the rules
- CueSmall notes in a part that quote another player's music to signal an entry
- Cut Time2/2 — two half-note beats to the bar, written with a slashed C
- Dal SegnoD.S. — return to the Segno and play on, ending at Fine or jumping to the coda
- Double FlatLowers a note by two semitones — a whole tone, not two separate flats
- Double SharpRaises a note by two semitones — a whole tone, not two separate sharps
- Enharmonic SpellingOne pitch, several names — C sharp and D flat on the same key
- Figured BassNumbers under the bass note tell which intervals should sound above it
- FineThe mark that tells a D.C. or D.S. return where to stop
- Full ScoreThe complete score containing every part and instrument, as opposed to a reduction
- Lead SheetA melody line with chord symbols — the working score of jazz and pop
- Ledger LineShort lines added above or below the staff to place notes outside its range
- Metronome MarkA marking such as quarter note = 120 that fixes the number of beats per minute
- Natural SignCancels a sharp or flat and restores the unaltered note
- OssiaAn alternative reading of the same passage, usually printed on a small staff
- Ottava BassaThe sign that tells the player to sound a passage an octave lower than written
- PartThe music for one player only, extracted from the score for rehearsal and performance
- Prima VoltaThe first ending, played on the first pass and closed by a repeat sign
- Rehearsal MarkLetters or numbers above the staff that mark sections for rehearsal
- Roman NumeralI, V and their friends — chords labelled by degree inside a key
- ScoreA complete score that aligns every part bar by bar, one staff system under another
- Seconda VoltaThe second ending, taken only on the repeat after skipping the first
- SegnoThe stylized S signpost from which a dal segno repeat begins
- Short ScoreA condensed score that reduces the full texture to two or three staves
- TablatureLines and numbers show where the fingers go, not which pitch sounds
- Transposing InstrumentAn instrument that sounds at a different pitch from the one written
- TranspositionShifting a whole passage by the same interval into another key
- Vocal ScoreA vocal work printed with the voice parts and a piano reduction of the accompaniment
Theory Terms
- Word PaintingA kind of text-painting that directly mimics the meaning of a word
- Text-PaintingMusic illustrating the action or image in the words
- ArpeggioA chord's notes played one after another
- Harmonic DissonanceDissonance at the chord level, to resolve or deliberately suspend
- Free ToneA non-chord tone neither prepared nor resolved by step
- Chordal SkipA leap between two chord tones, without a non-chord tone
- Unaccented Passing ToneA passing tone on a weak beat, mainly connective
- Accented Passing ToneA passing tone on a strong beat, with appoggiatura-like tension
- Escape ToneA non-chord tone entered by step and left by leap, often turning back
- RetardationA suspension that resolves upward instead of down
- PreparationSetting up a dissonance as a consonance in the previous chord
- CambiataA non-chord tone left by leap and resolved by step
- AnticipationA chord tone arriving early as a non-chord tone
- Neighbor ToneLeaving a note for a neighbour and returning
- Passing ToneA non-chord tone stepping between two chord tones
- RangeThe span from the lowest to the highest note available
- RegisterThe colour zones within one instrument or voice
- TessituraWhere a piece mostly sits — not the same as range
- FiorituraFlorid embellishment of a melodic line
- ColoraturaFlorid, agile vocal writing with rapid ornament
- OrnamentsSmall notes or signs beside the main note — shaping the melodic surface
- TurnA four-note ornament around the principal note
- MordentA quick single alternation with a neighbour — a small fold
- AcciaccaturaA crushed grace note, almost without duration
- AppoggiaturaA leaning note that takes time from the principal note
- Parallel MotionTwo voices moving the same way at a fixed interval — watch the fifths and octaves
- Oblique MotionOne voice holds while the other moves
- Contrary MotionTwo voices moving in opposite directions — the clearest independence
- Similar MotionTwo voices moving the same way — a common source of parallel fifths and octaves
- Agogic AccentMaking a note stand out by lasting longer, not by being louder
- SpacingThe distance between chord tones — wide at the bottom, close at the top
- Open PositionChord tones spread across a wide register — clear and spacious
- Close PositionChord tones packed into a narrow register — focused and thick
- VoicingHow a chord's notes are distributed — spread, close or doubled
- DoublingTwo parts playing one line — usually at the octave or unison
- Voice CrossingTwo voices swap their high-low positions — a common way to blur the lines
- Inner VoiceThe voice between melody and bass — often what gives harmony its body
- Counter-melodyA second line running with the main melody, able to stand on its own
- Pedal PointA note held or repeated for a long stretch, usually in the bass
- OstinatoA short figure repeated unchanged, forming a background or a driving force
- TextureHow voices sound together: monophonic, polyphonic or homophonic
- PeriodA two-phrase structure, typically an antecedent answered by a consequent
- PhraseA musical unit that ends with a cadence, like a sentence
- ThemeA complete, recognisable musical statement, usually grown from motives
- MotiveThe shortest recognisable unit of pitch or rhythm that can be transformed
- Pivot ChordA chord shared by the old and new keys — the hinge of a modulation
- ChromaticismUsing notes outside the scale — denser, slippier, less settled harmony
- Scale DegreeA note's numbered position in a scale — a relative address
- KeyA tonic plus a mode — only the two together make a key
- Secondary DominantThe dominant of a chord that is not the tonic — written V/V and the like
- TonicizationTreating another chord as a temporary tonic without a real modulation
- ModulationMoving the tonal centre to another key — and making the arrival felt
- SyncopationPutting the accent on a weak beat, or between beats
- BeatThe steady pulse of music — not necessarily played aloud
- CounterpointIndependent melodic lines moving together, each complete and interlocking
- HarmonyHow simultaneous notes relate — and how those relations move
- MelodyA succession of pitches with shape and memory
- RhythmHow durations and accents are organised in time
- PitchThe ear's ordering of frequency — not frequency itself
- Circle of FifthsTwelve keys arranged by perfect fifths — signatures and distance at a glance
- Consonance and Dissonance"Stable" versus "needs resolving" — with a border that moves with history
- CadenceThe full stop, comma and question mark of harmony
- Seventh ChordA triad plus one more third — the seventh adds direction
- TriadRoot, third and fifth stacked — four qualities that carry harmony
- Key SignatureThe sharps or flats after the clef — which notes the piece mostly uses
- ScalePitches arranged as a ladder — the step pattern decides the character
- TonalityWhich note a piece gathers around, and the pull that centre creates
- ChordThree or more notes sounding together, most often stacked in thirds
- ModeA set of pitches gathered around a centre, shaping the colour and direction of the music
- TimbreSame pitch, same loudness, and still unmistakably two different instruments
- IntervalThe distance between two notes, measured both in scale degrees and in semitones
- Added-Tone ChordA triad plus a note outside its tertian stack
- Additive RhythmRhythm built by adding unequal durational groups rather than dividing a span
- Augmented Sixth ChordA chromatic predominant chord built on the augmented sixth and resolving to the dominant
- Binary FormA two-part form whose second part usually works its way back to the tonic
- Borrowed ChordA chord taken from the parallel mode on the same tonic
- Chromatic MediantA chord a third away whose colour breaks the key
- Common-Tone ModulationHolding one note to stitch the old key to the new
- Cross-rhythmA rhythmic conflict in which accent grouping cuts across the prevailing metre
- Divisive RhythmRhythm made by dividing a larger time span into equal smaller units
- Eleventh ChordA ninth chord with an eleventh stacked on top
- ElisionThe close of one phrase also begins the next, so the boundary overlaps
- Enharmonic ModulationRespelling a chord to reach a remote key
- Extended ChordChords built by stacking thirds beyond the seventh
- FragmentationBreaking a motive into smaller cells and repeating them to build tension
- Harmonic RhythmThe rate and placement of chord changes, independent of the surface rhythm
- HemiolaA regrouping of three-beat and two-beat units within the same metre
- ImitationOne voice states an idea and another answers with the same shape at a new pitch
- Invertible CounterpointCounterpoint in which two voices can swap above and below and still work
- Metric ModulationChanging metre and tempo by reinterpreting a shared note value as the new pulse
- Modal MixtureBorrowing chords from the parallel mode while the tonic stays the same
- Motivic DevelopmentDeriving new music by splitting, transforming and recombining a motive
- Neapolitan ChordA major triad on the lowered second degree, most often in first inversion
- Ninth ChordA seventh chord with a ninth stacked on top
- Non-chord ToneA note that is not part of the current chord and usually resolves by step
- Parallel KeysA major and minor key on the same tonic
- Picardy ThirdRaising the third of the final tonic chord at the end of a minor-key work
- PolyrhythmTwo or more different equal divisions of the same span of time sounding together
- Relative KeysA major and minor key with the same signature
- ResolutionThe move from dissonance or tension to a stable, expected target
- SequenceA motive or phrase repeated at successive pitch levels, usually by a fixed interval
- Strophic FormA song structure in which one melody is repeated for every stanza of text
- Suspension and RetardationA held note that becomes dissonant over a new chord and then resolves by step
- Tendency ToneA scale degree that pulls strongly toward a neighbour and usually resolves by step
- Ternary FormA three-part form whose opening returns complete after a contrasting middle
- Thematic TransformationA theme returns in a new character or context yet remains recognisable
- Thirteenth ChordA chord stacked up to the thirteenth, usually with gaps
- Through-ComposedA structure that moves forward with its text instead of repeating whole stanzas
- Tritone SubstitutionReplacing a dominant seventh with one a tritone away
- TupletA group that divides a duration into equal parts not normally allowed by the metre
- Voice LeadingThe horizontal motion of individual voices from one chord to the next
Forms and Genres
- ContredanseA dance of facing lines — an ancestor of the quadrille
- QuadrilleA square dance for four couples, built from several short sections
- GalopA very fast duple dance, like a galloping horse
- PolkaA Czech duple-time dance — fast, cheerful, clear downbeats
- RocksteadyJamaica's transition between ska and reggae — slower, heavier bass
- DubThe instrumental remix of reggae — rebuilt with reverb, delay and bass
- SkaEarly Jamaican popular music — fast, offbeat, brass-driven
- MamboA Cuban-New York dance — heavy brass, aggressive rhythm
- MontunoThe piano's looping figure in Latin music — short, repeating, syncopated
- ClaveA five-stroke pattern, the frame of Cuban music — in 3-2 or 2-3
- ReggaeJamaican popular music — offbeat guitar, heavy bass, slow swing
- SalsaCuban-Puerto Rican urban dance music, driven by clave and brass
- MilongaOne of tango's ancestors — faster, lighter, more rural
- TangoAn Argentine-Uruguayan urban dance — syncopated, sharp, with bandoneon
- PastoraleMusic imitating shepherds' pipes — 6/8 or 12/8, calm, with a drone
- PassacagliaContinuous variations over a ground bass, often minor and triple
- ChaconneVariations over a repeated bass or harmonic pattern, usually in triple time
- HabaneraA Cuban-Spanish duple dance with a syncopated sway
- BoleroA Spanish triple-time dance — fixed rhythm, melody thickening over repeats
- TarantellaA fast southern Italian 6/8 dance that keeps speeding up
- SicilianaA slow 6/8 or 12/8 dance with a pastoral sway
- MinuetA graceful triple-time court dance, often a sonata's third movement
- ScherzoA fast, playful triple-time movement, often replacing the minuet
- IntermezzoA short piece between acts or movements — often standing alone
- PolonaiseA Polish triple-time processional dance — stately and ceremonial
- MazurkaA Polish triple-time dance, with the accent often on two or three
- RhapsodyA free-form single movement, often drawing on folk song or epic
- WaltzA triple-time dance — one beat lands, two turn
- MarchA functional genre shaped by the pace of walking, with clear accents and square phrases
- RequiemThe Mass for the dead — not a general label for any music of mourning
- OratorioA large vocal drama with narrative but no staging, in which the chorus carries unusual weight
- Tone PoemA single-movement orchestral work with a literary or pictorial title, established by Liszt
- Concerto GrossoA Baroque concerto built on the contrast between a small solo group and the full orchestra
- String QuartetFour string instruments, one player per part, held together by conversation rather than a conductor
- SymphonyA large multi-movement work for orchestra — not an oversized sonata
- AriaThe solo number where opera stops to reflect
- Chamber MusicSmall ensemble, one player per part, no conductor
- CantataA multi-movement vocal work, between opera and oratorio
- MassThe five fixed sections of the liturgy set as one polyphonic whole
- MotetSacred Latin polyphony — the multi-voice fabric of the Middle Ages and Renaissance
- MadrigalA Renaissance secular polyphonic song that paints the words with music
- LiedA chamber dialogue of poem and piano — the German art song
- OperaDrama carried entirely by singing, with an orchestra pushing the plot from the pit
- SuiteA set of self-contained movements, often built on dances
- ConcertoSoloist and orchestra cooperating and competing — the cadenza is the soloist's stage
- Theme and VariationsOne theme rewritten again and again — same frame, new surface
- RondoThe main theme keeps returning, the episodes keep changing
- FugueOne subject taken up by several voices, chasing and stacking
- Sonata FormExposition, development, recapitulation — the Classical era's large-scale frame
- SonataA multi-movement instrumental work — not the same as "sonata form"
- AnthemThe Anglican English motet, in full and verse forms
- Ballad OperaEnglish satire with spoken dialogue and songs set to borrowed popular tunes
- BalladeA medieval French fixed-form song, three stanzas closing on a refrain
- Ballet MusicMusic written to carry ballet on stage, shaping the dancers' bodies through rhythm and colour
- BarcarolleA Venetian gondolier's song turned instrumental genre, rocking in compound time
- BerceuseA quiet cradle song, the left hand swaying while the melody sings above
- BurlesqueComic travesty of serious theatre, later American variety built on striptease
- CabaretIntimate bar-room entertainment of songs and satire, audience at small tables
- CapriccioAn instrumental piece written on a whim, its sections abrupt and its technique on show
- ChansonFrench song, from medieval monody to Renaissance polyphony
- Character PieceA short piece built around a single character — the piano miniature at its most typical
- DivertimentoLight multi-movement instrumental music for social occasions, no solemnity required
- EtudeA piece written to train one technique — and able to hold a concert stage
- FantasiaInstrumental music that follows its ideas rather than a fixed form
- Grand OperaParisian five-act spectacle of the 1830s, with history, huge choruses and ballet
- ImpromptuAn improvisation written down — flowing melody, structure that refuses the rule book
- Incidental MusicMusic written for spoken theatre, working in entr'actes and the gaps between lines
- Lyric OperaFrench through-sung opera of the mid-nineteenth century, melody first and scale in between
- MasqueEnglish court masque, blending song, dance, scenery and aristocratic performers
- MelodramaTheatre where spoken lines alternate with or ride on orchestral music
- MonodramaMusic theatre for a single performer, with the orchestra playing everyone else
- Music DramaWagner's through-composed theatre, built from leitmotifs instead of numbered arias
- Musical TheatreModern stage music that drives a story through songs, dialogue and dance
- NocturneA lyrical miniature for the night, its melody floating above a quiet accompaniment
- Opera BuffaEighteenth-century Italian comic opera, trading in everyday characters and rapid patter
- Opera SeriaEighteenth-century Italian serious opera, where mythic heroes display vocal art in da capo arias
- OperettaNineteenth-century light opera, a stage of waltzes, jokes and romantic intrigue
- OvertureThe instrumental opening to an opera or play — which can also stand alone
- PantomimeSilent action carried by music, plus Britain's separate Christmas pantomime tradition
- PreludeAt first an introduction; later a complete piece in its own right
- Program MusicInstrumental music that follows a story or image outside music — the title is only the door
- RevueA plotless stage show stitched from songs, sketches and topical satire
- RondeauA French fixed-form song built on a returning refrain
- SerenadeMusic sung or played at night beneath a window — later moved into the concert hall
- SingspielGerman-language music drama with spoken dialogue, the form Mozart used for The Magic Flute
- ToccataA keyboard showpiece of touch and velocity, tightening as it runs
- VaudevilleAmerican variety theatre, a bill of short acts with no through-line
- VerismoItalian operatic current of the 1890s, putting working-class violence and desire on stage
- VirelaiA French fixed-form song alternating refrain and stanzas
- ZarzuelaSpanish national lyric drama mixing song and speech, in large and small forms
Instrument Names in Five Languages
- JangguThe janggu in five languages — janggu, janggo, Janggu
- GayageumThe gayageum in five languages — gayageum, Gayageum, kayagum
- DidgeridooThe didgeridoo in five languages — didgeridoo, Didgeridoo, didjeridu
- Steel DrumThe steel drum in five languages — steel drum, steelpan, Steeldrum
- CharangoThe charango in five languages — charango, Charango, charango
- Hardanger FiddleThe Hardanger fiddle in five languages — Hardanger fiddle, Hardangerfiedel, hardingfele
- NyckelharpaThe nyckelharpa in five languages — nyckelharpa, keyed fiddle, Nyckelharpa
- Hurdy-gurdyThe hurdy-gurdy in five languages — hurdy-gurdy, ghironda, Drehleier, vielle à roue
- BagpipeThe bagpipe in five languages — bagpipe, cornamusa, Dudelsack, cornemuse
- BandoneonThe bandoneon in five languages — bandoneon, bandonéon, Bandoneon, bandoneon
- HarmoniumThe harmonium in five languages — harmonium, armonium, Harmonium, harmonium
- Drum MachineThe drum machine in five languages — drum machine, boîte à rythmes, Drumcomputer, macchina ritmica
- SynthesizerThe synthesizer in five languages — synthesizer, sintetizzatore, Synthesizer, synthétiseur
- Electric BassThe electric bass in five languages — electric bass, basso elettrico, E-Bass, basse électrique
- Electric GuitarThe electric guitar in five languages — electric guitar, chitarra elettrica, E-Gitarre, guitare électrique
- ThereminThe theremin in five languages — theremin, theremin, Theremin, thérémine
- CelestaThe celesta in five languages — celesta, célesta, Celesta, 钢片琴
- EuphoniumThe euphonium in five languages — euphonium, eufonio, Euphonium, baryton
- CornetThe cornet in five languages — cornet, cornetta, Kornett, cornet à pistons
- FlugelhornThe flugelhorn in five languages — flugelhorn, flicorno, Flügelhorn, bugle
- ContrabassoonThe contrabassoon in five languages — contrabassoon, controfagotto, Kontrafagott, contrebasson
- Bass ClarinetThe bass clarinet in five languages — bass clarinet, clarinetto basso, Bassklarinette, clarinette basse
- English HornThe English horn in five languages — English horn, corno inglese, Englischhorn, cor anglais
- PiccoloThe piccolo in five languages — piccolo, ottavino, Piccoloflöte, petite flûte
- RecorderThe recorder, a duct flute, in five languages — recorder, flauto dolce, Blockflöte
- Pan FluteThe pan flute, a row of stopped pipes, in five languages — pan flute, flauto di Pan, Panflöte
- NeyThe ney, an end-blown cane flute, in five languages — ney, Ney, nay
- OudThe oud, a fretless Middle Eastern lute, in five languages — oud, Oud, luth arabe
- TablaThe tabla, a pair of North Indian drums, in five languages — tabla, Tabla
- DjembeThe djembe, a West African goblet drum, in five languages — djembe, Djembe, djembé
- TaikoTaiko, the Japanese drum, in five languages — taiko, Taiko, tambour japonais
- BawuThe bawu, a Chinese free-reed bamboo pipe, in five languages — bawu, Bawu, free-reed pipe
- Hulusi (Cucurbit Flute)The hulusi, a gourd free-reed pipe, in five languages — hulusi, Kürbisflöte, flûte calebasse
- Yangqin (Hammered Dulcimer)The yangqin, a Chinese hammered dulcimer, in five languages — yangqin, Hackbrett, tympanon
- SanxianThe sanxian, a three-string Chinese lute, in five languages — sanxian, Sanxian, san-hsien
- Yueqin (Moon Lute)The yueqin, or moon lute, in five languages — yueqin, Mondlaute, luth-lune
- XiaoThe xiao in five languages: European languages use the Chinese name; an end-blown flute, not the dizi
- SuonaThe suona in five languages: European languages use the Chinese name; a double-reed shawm, not a trumpet
- ShengThe sheng in five languages: European languages use the Chinese name; a free-reed mouth organ
- DiziThe dizi in five languages: European languages use the Chinese name; a side-blown bamboo flute with a membrane
- GuqinThe guqin in five languages: European languages use the Chinese name; a seven-string zither without bridges
- GuzhengThe guzheng in five languages: European languages use the Chinese name; a bridged zither, not the guqin
- PipaThe pipa in five languages: European languages use the Chinese name; a pear-shaped lute, not a European lute
- ErhuThe erhu in five languages: Italian, German and French use the Chinese name; not simply a Chinese violin
- ShamisenThe shamisen in five languages: Italian, German and French borrow the Japanese name for this three-string instrument
- KotoThe koto in five languages: Italian, German and French borrow the Japanese name for this thirteen-string zither
- SitarThe sitar in five languages: Italian, German and French borrow the Hindi name for this long-necked lute
- LuteThe lute in five languages — lute, liuto, Laute and luth, and its ties to the pipa and sitar
- MandolinThe mandolin in five languages — mandolin, mandolino, Mandoline
- BanjoThe banjo in five languages — and how its tuning differs from the mandolin
- UkuleleThe ukulele in five languages — ukulele, Ukulele, ukulélé
- HarmonicaThe harmonica in five languages — harmonica, Mundharmonika, harmonica
- AccordionThe accordion in five languages — accordion, fisarmonica, Akkordeon
- HarpsichordThe harpsichord in five languages — harpsichord, Cembalo, clavecin
- OrganThe organ in five languages — organ, organo, Orgel, orgue
- MarimbaThe marimba in five languages — nearly the same word across all five
- GlockenspielThe glockenspiel in five languages — glockenspiel, campanelli, Glockenspiel
- VibraphoneThe vibraphone in five languages — vibraphone, vibrafono, Vibraphon
- XylophoneThe xylophone in five languages — xylophone, xilofono, Xylophon, xylophone
- CymbalsThe cymbals in five languages — cymbals, piatti, Becken, cymbales
- Bass DrumThe bass drum in five languages — bass drum, grancassa, grosse caisse
- Snare DrumThe snare drum in five languages — snare drum, kleine Trommel, caisse claire
- TimpaniTimpani in five languages — timpani, Pauken, timbales
- TubaThe tuba in five languages — tuba in Italian, German and French
- French HornThe French horn in five languages — French horn, corno, Horn, cor
- TromboneThe trombone in five languages — trombone, Posaune, trombone
- SaxophoneThe saxophone in five languages — saxophone, sassofono, Saxophon
- BassoonThe bassoon in five languages — bassoon, fagotto, Fagott, basson
- OboeThe oboe in five languages — oboe, hautbois, Oboe
- ClarinetThe clarinet in five languages — clarinet, clarinetto, Klarinette, clarinette
- HarpThe harp in five languages — harp, arpa, Harfe, harpe
- Double BassThe double bass in five languages — double bass, contrabbasso, Kontrabass, contrebasse
- ViolaThe viola in five languages — viola, Bratsche, alto, 中提琴
- DrumThe drum in five languages — drum, tamburo, Trommel, tambour
- CelloThe cello in five languages — cello, violoncello, Violoncello, violoncelle
- GuitarThe guitar in five languages — guitar, chitarra, Gitarre, guitare
- TrumpetThe trumpet in five languages — trumpet, tromba, Trompete, trompette
- FluteThe flute in five languages — flute, flauto, Flöte, flûte
- PianoThe piano in five languages — piano, pianoforte, Klavier, piano
- ViolinThe violin in five languages — Violin, violino, Violine, violon
Work Numbering
- Hob. Anh. NumberThe Haydn catalogue's appendix for doubtful works
- RV Anh. NumberThe Vivaldi catalogue's appendix for doubtful works
- K. Anh. NumberThe Mozart catalogue's appendix for doubtful and spurious works
- KV NumberThe German form of Mozart's K. number — the same catalogue
- AV NumberThe Richard Strauss catalogue number
- J. Number (Weber)The Weber catalogue — J. numbers, not to be confused with Mozart's K.
- FP NumberThe Poulenc catalogue number
- EG NumberThe Grieg catalogue number
- BB NumberAnother Bartók catalogue, often cited beside Sz.
- Sz. NumberThe Bartók catalogue by Szőllősy
- Wq NumberThe C. P. E. Bach catalogue — later supplemented by H numbers
- WoO Works without Opus NumbersWerk ohne Opuszahl — the number given to works published without an opus, above all in Beethoven
- RV Vivaldi Works CatalogueRyom's catalogue of Vivaldi, which replaced several earlier and conflicting numbering systems
- Deutsch Number (D.)Deutsch's thematic catalogue of Schubert, numbered largely in order of composition
- Opus Number (Op.)The publisher's work number — one opus can hold several pieces and need not follow composition order
- Hoboken Number (Hob.)Hoboken's genre-based catalogue of Haydn, cited as group and number after Hob.
- Köchel Number (K.)Köchel's thematic catalogue of Mozart, numbered roughly in chronological order
- BWV Bach Works CatalogueSchmieder's catalogue of Bach's works, arranged by genre — the number does not mark when the work was written
- Anh. Appendix NumbersAppendix numbers in German catalogues, used for lost, doubtful and misattributed works
- BWV Anh. Bach AppendixThe appendix to BWV, holding lost, doubtful and misattributed works once filed under Bach
- BuxWV Buxtehude Works CatalogueKarstädt's Buxtehude catalogue, arranged by genre, so the number says nothing about when a work was written
- HWV Handel Works CatalogueBaselt's Handel catalogue, grouped by genre, with roughly chronological numbering inside each group
- Hess Beethoven Supplement CatalogueHess's supplement to the Beethoven collected edition, covering works the old edition left out
- Op. posth. Posthumous OpusThe label for works published after a composer's death, numbered by publishers rather than by the composer
- S. Liszt Searle CatalogueSearle's Liszt catalogue, grouped by medium, with separate numbers for versions and arrangements
- SWV Schütz Works CatalogueBittinger's Schütz catalogue, ordered by printed collection rather than by date of composition
- TWV Telemann Works CatalogueRuhnke's Telemann catalogue, numbering instrumental works by genre, key and running number
- TrV Richard Strauss Works CatalogueTrenner's chronological Strauss catalogue, whose entry numbers still are not dates and coexist with opus and AV numbers
- WWV Wagner Works CatalogueThe Wagner work catalogue, in which the four Ring operas share WWV 86A–D across two decades
- Z. Purcell Works CatalogueZimmerman's analytical catalogue of Purcell, grouped by genre and giving versions separate numbers
Production and Audio
- Latency CompensationAligning the delays of different chains so parts stay together
- True-Peak LimiterLimiting inter-sample peaks too, so conversion does not clip
- Loudness NormalizationBringing tracks to the same perceptual loudness target
- MaximizerA loudness-oriented limiter/clipper, often at the cost of transients
- LimiterHolding peaks below a threshold to prevent clipping
- OversamplingProcessing at a higher rate to reduce aliasing
- CrossfeedA little left-right bleed for headphones, easing the in-head effect
- Monitor ControllerA desktop unit for monitor level, switching and talkback
- PatchbayA panel that brings every connection to one place for re-routing
- Balanced ConnectionThree conductors that cancel noise over distance
- ImpedanceAC resistance — mismatch costs highs
- Signal-to-Noise RatioThe gap between signal and noise floor — bigger is cleaner
- Noise FloorThe residual noise a system produces with no signal
- PreampBringing a mic or instrument signal up to a usable level
- DI BoxTurning a high-impedance instrument signal into a balanced low-impedance one
- Re-ampingSending a recorded dry signal back through a real amp
- Cabinet ImpulseA captured response of a real cabinet and mic, colouring the guitar
- Amp SimulatorSoftware that imitates a guitar amp and cabinet
- Phase CheckChecking whether combined signals cancel, causing comb filtering and a thin sound
- True PeakThe peak of the reconstructed waveform, read in dBTP with a little ceiling margin
- Loudness WarA competition for loudness through compression, largely neutralized by normalization
- Stem MasteringMastering from grouped stems, adjusting sections before summing to the final master
- Headphone MixMixing on headphones, clear on detail but needing speaker checks for space and bass
- Reference MonitorA neutral, repeatable speaker used as a studio's fixed judgement baseline
- Bass TrapDeep absorbers for low-frequency standing waves, usually placed across corners
- DiffusionScattering reflections in time and direction, keeping space without draining energy
- AbsorptionConverting acoustic energy into heat to reduce reflections and shorten reverb
- Room TreatmentControlling reflections with absorption and diffusion so the listening position tells the truth
- Nearfield MonitorSmall monitors used up close, letting direct sound dominate over room reflections
- MonitoringBuilding a trustworthy system and room for judging sound, not for flattering playback
- Reference TrackUsing finished releases to calibrate a mix's tone and loudness
- MixdownSumming many tracks into a stereo mix, fixing balance and space
- MasteringThe final stage that turns a mix into a release, matching tone and loudness
- Sound DesignCreating sound for picture and music through synthesis, sampling and processing
- SamplerAn instrument that maps recorded samples across the keyboard
- Plug-inA software effect or instrument module that runs inside a host
- Buffer SizeThe block of samples processed at once, trading latency against CPU load
- LatencyThe time a signal takes to pass through the system, which affects monitoring
- DitherAdding a tiny amount of noise before bit-depth reduction so quantization error becomes noise
- ClippingWhen a signal exceeds the maximum level, its waveform is flattened into distortion
- HeadroomThe safety margin between your working level and the clipping ceiling
- Gain StagingSetting the right level at every stage so nothing clips and nothing sinks into noise
- AutomationRecorded parameter changes — faders that move by themselves
- StemsGrouped mixes delivered for remix or mastering — not the raw tracks
- BusA channel where several signals are summed for shared processing
- DelayA copy of the sound played back after a set time
- ReverbSimulating reflections — putting a sound in a room
- CompressorTurning down what passes a threshold — reducing dynamic range
- EqualizerShaping tone and space by changing the level of frequency bands
- SidechainUsing one signal to trigger a processor on another, most often a compressor
- MIDI VelocityThe strike-strength value of a MIDI note; the sound source decides what it becomes
- LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale)A perceptually weighted loudness unit, with different targets on streaming platforms
- Bit DepthHow many bits represent each sample, and therefore the theoretical dynamic range
- Sample RateSamples captured per second; the ceiling on the frequencies a system can represent
- MIDI ProtocolA 1983 performance-control protocol that carries instructions, not sound
- Digital Audio WorkstationThe software host for recording, editing and mixing, not a sound source
- Aux SendA level-controlled send used for shared effects or a separate monitor mix
- Comb FilteringDirect and delayed copies summing into a response with regular peaks and notches
- Condenser MicrophoneA sensitive, detailed microphone that varies capacitance with the diaphragm and usually needs phantom power
- De-esserA processor that tames harsh sibilance in vocals, usually by dynamic high-frequency control
- Dynamic EQEQ that moves only when a band crosses a threshold, following the material
- Dynamic MicrophoneA rugged moving-coil microphone that handles high sound pressure without power
- GainOverall boost or cut of a signal's level, the basic quantity of any signal chain
- InsertA processor placed in line so the whole channel signal passes through it
- MicrophoneA transducer that turns sound pressure into an electrical signal, the start of the recording chain
- Mid-SideDeriving stereo from mid and side signals, with width adjustable at the matrix
- Mix BusThe final bus where all tracks meet, the overall control point of a mix
- Multiband CompressionCompressing separate frequency bands independently so only problem ranges are controlled
- ORTF StereoA near-coincident pair with cardioids 17 cm apart at 110 degrees
- PanningPlacing sounds left to right in the stereo field to set width and space
- Parallel CompressionBlending a compressed copy with the dry signal to keep punch while adding density
- PhaseThe relative position in time of one waveform against another
- Polar PatternHow a microphone's sensitivity varies with the direction of incoming sound
- ReturnThe effects channel that receives sends and blends their processed signal back into the mix
- Ribbon MicrophoneA thin metal ribbon moving in a magnetic field, warm in tone but delicate
- Room ModeLow-frequency standing waves set by room dimensions, creating uneven bass
- SendA split of a channel's signal sent to an effects bus while the dry path still reaches the output
- Stereo TechniqueCapturing width and space with two or more microphones and their differences
- Transient ShaperA processor that reshapes attack and tail separately to change punch and sustain
- XY PairTwo matched microphones crossed at one point, capturing level differences only
Chinese Music Terms
- ChanzhuanA Song-era narrative song suite built from qupai
- FandiaoModulation and mode-borrowing in Song song and opera
- LülüChina's twelve pitch standards — and the pipes that set them
- SuzipuA Song-era shorthand notation for song and ritual music
- FaquTang-Song court music of ritual and refined gatherings
- DaquThe large song-and-dance suite of Tang and Song China
- YuefuThe Han music bureau — and the songs it collected
- XipiOne of Peking opera's two main tune families — bright and springy, pushing the emotion forward
- ErhuangOne of Peking opera's two main tune families — steady and deep, for narrative and lament
- QupaiA named tune template — one qupai, many texts and many moods
- Gongche NotationTraditional Chinese pitch notation written with characters
- SanbanA free-metre style with the beat withdrawn — rhythm follows the phrasing
- Ban and YanStrong and weak beats in Chinese opera and ensemble music — ban is the clap, yan the weak beat
- Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, YuThe five degrees of the Chinese pentatonic scale — not five fixed pitches
- Banqiang FormA structural principle in Chinese opera, where one basic tune grows through metrical patterns
- Banshi (Metrical Pattern)The metrical shape of an aria — yuanban, manban, liushui, sanban — not a vocal tradition
- Daoban (Lead-in Metre)A free opening phrase that leads the singer into yuanban, manban or another metre
- Dapu (Realizing Qin Tablature)Turning a rhythm-less qin tablature into a coherent, playable piece
- Diaomen (Pitch Level for Singing)The key a singer or ensemble settles on, and the flute fingering that names it
- Duoban (Stacked Metre)A tightly packed metre of stacked phrases, used for rapid scolding or argument
- Erliu (Xipi Metre)A medium-fast xipi metre in 2/4, sitting between yuanban and liushui
- Gaobozi (High Bozi)A high, vehement tune from Hui opera, distinct from xipi and erhuang, used for heroic or tragic scenes
- GongdiaoThe Chinese concept pairing pitch level with modal colour
- Jianzipu (Qin Tablature)Qin tablature that fuses abbreviated characters into one sign for string, position and finger
- Kuitou (Crying Cadence)A wailing cadential phrase, usually heard within sanban or yaoban rather than as a metre
- KunquAn old vocal tradition and opera genre from Kunshan, qupai based and refined in style
- Liushuiban (Flowing Metre)A fast 1/4 metre with many words and little melisma, used for urgent narration
- Manban (Slow Metre)A slow 4/4 metre with few words and long melisma, made for reflective arias
- Peking OperaChina's best-known opera genre, built on the xipi and erhuang vocal traditions
- Pianyin (Altered Notes)The four notes outside the Chinese pentatonic core: biangong, bianzhi, qingjiao and run
- PingtanSuzhou storytelling and balladry, narrative song in Wu dialect with pipa and sanxian
- Qingyue (Qing Music)The Han–Wei qingshang tradition as preserved in Sui–Tang court music, built on three modes
- Qiyun (Breath and Resonance)A key Chinese aesthetic ideal: the breath that drives a phrase and the resonance that lingers
- Sanfen Sunyi (Subtract and Add a Third)The ancient method of generating the twelve pitches by subtracting or adding one third of a length
- Shange (Mountain Songs)Open-air songs with free rhythm, high tessitura and improvised verses
- Shengqiang (Vocal Tradition)A tune system shared across opera genres, such as Kunqiang, Gaoqiang, Bangzi or Pihuang
- Sipingdiao (Peking-Opera Tune)A graceful Peking-opera tune close to erhuang, usually in 2/4 and standing as its own idiom
- Suyue (Secular Music)Secular music as opposed to court ritual, covering folk song, narrative song and opera
- The Twelve LüTwelve pitch standards of ancient China, each a name, a pipe length and a place in the octave
- Xianghe SongA Han dynasty song form where voices answer silk-and-bamboo accompaniment
- XintianyouA Shaanxi mountain-song type with two-line stanzas, soaring lines and vivid imagery
- Xiqu (Traditional Chinese Drama)The umbrella term for traditional Chinese drama, story told through song and dance
- Xuangong (Rotating the Gong)Moving the gong, the tonic, to a new pitch — the Chinese art of changing key
- Yanyue (Banquet Music)Banquet music of the Sui and Tang courts, and the modal legacy it left behind
- Yaoban (Shaking Metre)Fast accompaniment and slow singing — free vocal lines over urgent percussion
- Yayue (Court Ritual Music)Court ritual music of ancient China, the counterpart of secular music
- Yu OperaA Henan opera genre from the bangzi family, known for bold singing and the banhu fiddle
- Yuanban (Primary Metre)The moderate 2/4 metre that serves as the basic form of xipi and erhuang arias
- Yue OperaA Zhejiang-born opera genre known for all-female casts and gentle, lyrical singing
- ZhugongdiaoA Song–Jin narrative genre that strings tunes in different modes into a long story
Industry and Law
- Sample ClearanceUsing a piece of someone's recording — clear both composition and master
- Work for HireWhen a work made for hire belongs to the employer
- RecoupmentRecovering advances and costs from royalties before sharing
- AdvanceMoney paid up front, later recovered from royalties
- LicensePermission from a rights holder — not a transfer of copyright
- Creative CommonsA set of standard licences — not a waiver of copyright
- Fair UseLimited use of copyrighted material — not a blanket licence
- Public DomainOut of copyright or never protected — free to use
- Master RightsRights in one specific recording — separate from the composition
- RoyaltyPayment per use or sale — not a salary
- Publishing SplitHow composition rights are divided between writers and publishers — in writing
- ISRCAn identity code for one recording — not for the song
- Synchronization LicenseThe right to pair music with picture — usually negotiated case by case
- Mechanical LicenseThe right to record and reproduce a song — the composition, not the master
- CopyrightA composition and a recording carry separate rights — do not merge them
- 360 DealA deal giving the label a share of touring, merch and other income
- Administration DealManaging song copyrights and collecting income without taking a copyright share
- Artist RoyaltyThe share of recording income a label pays to the recording artist
- Audit RightThe contractual right to inspect records and verify royalty payments
- CatalogueA collection of song or master rights that can be bought and sold as a whole
- Co-PublishingWriter and publisher hold shares of the same song copyright together
- Collective ManagementBlanket licensing, collection and distribution of royalties by a collective body
- Cross-CollateralizationPooling income and costs across projects so profits cover losses first
- Digital DistributorA service that delivers recordings to streaming platforms and collects royalties
- Distribution DealHanding recordings to a distributor for release and collection, usually without transferring the master
- Letter of DirectionA written instruction to pay royalties to a named account or party
- Licensing DealA deal granting use rights within an agreed scope, term and territory
- Master LeaseRenting out master use rights for a term while ownership stays put
- Music PublisherA company that administers song copyrights, issues licences and collects royalties
- Neighboring RightsRights of performers, record producers and broadcasters, next to copyright
- Net Profit SplitSplitting profit after agreed costs, rather than paying a share of revenue
- Performing Rights OrganizationAn organisation that licenses public performance and pays writers and publishers
- Profit ParticipationA contractual share of a project's revenue or profit, without copyright
- Publishing DealThe contract between songwriter and publisher covering copyright share and royalties
- Record LabelA company that signs artists, funds recordings and usually owns the masters
- Recoupable CostsExpenses a contract deducts from artist royalties before any payment
- Sub-PublishingAppointing a local company to represent foreign song rights and collect income
- Sync AgentA specialist who pitches music to picture and negotiates sync licences
- Termination RightThe right to end a contract or reclaim transferred copyright by law